Anyone else tired of seeing the Cup drivers dominating Busch?

Question

Its like varsity playing for JV. Agree?

Answer 1

The NASCAR Busch Series is the minor leagues for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. Up and coming drivers compete in the Busch Series to show that they have what it takes to make the next step up to the Cup Series. These young rookies will one day replace the Cup drivers when they hang up their helmets for good. Currently, the Busch Series is being dominated by the stars of the Nextel Cup Series. Many Busch drivers say that it is unfair for the Cup drivers to be dominating their series, because the Cuppers have an unfair advantage. NASCAR needs to limit the number of Cup drivers in each race to keep the Busch Series competitive for the rising stars.
This past weeks Busch race was at California Speedway. Out of forty-one entries there were twenty-three Nextel Cup drivers entered, which left eighteen Busch drivers to duke it out with the highly experienced Cuppers. (Jayski) The knock is that the more experienced Cuppers hold an unfair advantage over the Busch drivers who are trying to cut their teeth in the world of big time auto racing. (50) If NASCAR would allow only five Cup drivers per race, it would allow for more Busch drivers to gain the experience necessary to move on to Cup. The Busch drivers do learn from the Cup drivers who run in the Busch Series, but when the field is full of Cup drivers the learning experiences decrease. The Cup drivers only run with other Cuppers and leave the Busch drivers out to dry.
Robert Richardson Jr. is a driver in the Craftsman Truck Series, which is a step below the Busch Series. Last season, Richardson did not qualify for the Busch race at Lowe’s Motorspeedway due to the high number of Cup drivers entered. (Perez) Richardson said, “It’s a little disappointing, the Busch Series is supposed to be for driver development, and all the Cup teams were using it as a test session for the next night’s race. I’m looking to get my feet wet in the sport and take that next little step.” (Perez) With the Busch drivers get bumped from the race in qualifying, the future of the Cup Series is at stake. If the trend continues, who will replace the retiring Cup drivers in the Cup Series? Four-time Cup Series Champion Jeff Gordon had the following comments in a 2006 interview. “It really is no longer a training ground for young, up and coming drivers, it’s unfortunate, (because) it should be. But all these Cup teams and owners and drivers are out there working the Busch Series, and it’s going to take away from finding that young talent that we’re all searching for.” (Perez)
Racetrack owners love when the Cup drivers are in the Busch race, because it means more ticket sales. The fans want every opportunity to see their Nextel Cup hero and will pay a cheaper price to see the Busch race in conjunction with the Cup race. While Cup participants sell tickets, they are also running Busch teams out of business. (50) The Cup drivers win the majority of the races and winnings. For instance, this past week’s race at California was won by 2003 Nextel Cup Champion Matt Kenseth. (Jayski) Kenseth and his team pocketed $25,000 in race winnings. (Jayski) The fledgling Busch teams are getting elbowed out by the Cup teams. Some teams are forced to hire a Cup driver just to stay alive. Phoenix Racing owner James Finch said, “I’m forced to employ a Cup driver (JJ Yeley) because that’s what sponsors have some to expect.” (Perez)
Sponsorship money also keeps the Busch teams going and poor results will cause a sponsor to leave a team, taking their money with them. The sponsors want to get their name on TV, and the only way to get exposure is to have your car up front. Cup drivers always run up front in the Busch Series.
Ron Young is a Conyers, GA native who is an owner/driver driver in the NASCAR Busch Series. In an interview Young said, “I’m pretty much running out of my pocket. I’m looking for a little bit of money and trying to do good enough in my own stuff to where I can open some eyes around the sport and get the opportunity to drive for one of the established sponsored teams.” With Young’s lack of sponsorship, he does not have the resources or money to buy equipment capable of running with the Cup drivers. All the sponsorship money is going to the teams that employ the Cup drivers, not the underdog independent teams like Young’s. “It’s tough for Ron and some of today’s independents to do it, but my hat’s off to him for trying,” says Richard Childress who owns two teams in the Busch Series and uses his Cup Series drivers in Busch as well. (32) Childress continues with, “In the high dollar, high exposure world we live in today, it’s really tough for an independent driver to make it.”
Many NASCAR experts contend that without Cup drivers in Busch and the large amount of fan interest they attract, the series would cease to exist. (50) The Cup Series drivers have found that running in the Busch race on Saturday gives them extra practice for the Cup race on Sunday. Still, the presence of the Nextel Cup drivers increases the exposure for the series and increases the level of competition. The Cup drivers also accelerate the development of the Busch Series regulars. (50) When the Cup drivers race in the Busch Series, they take away the opportunity for the Busch drivers to improve their
skills. NASCAR needs to think about the Cup Series ceasing to exist if there are no drivers around to replace the Cuppers that retire. Fans loved watching the Busch Series before the invasion of the Cup drivers. The numbers of people tuning in to watch the Busch race on television have dropped since 2005. (50) Busch drivers gain some experience by running with the Cuppers on race day, but when the Busch drivers get outnumbered they find it hard just to survive.
The Cup Series domination of the Busch Series needs to stop. NASCAR is shooting itself in the foot by not limiting the number of Cup drivers running in the Busch Series. Busch Series are forced to employ a Cup Series driver or go out of business due to lack of sponsorship, because corporate sponsors like to win. Independent Busch Series racers find it hard to keep going with all the Cuppers taking away wins and precious money winnings. NASCAR needs to limit the number of Cup drivers in each Busch race to end this madness, or we will lose NASCAR racing all together.

Answer 2

Yes!
It's one thing to run a Busch race, to test the setup of a car for a Cup race. But it's pushing out the little guy, or the up-and-coming guys. The Cup drivers should be forced to make a choice, Busch, or Cup, and only earn points for one or the other, not both.
I'm also kind of glad that the Cup is putting limits on the number of teams an owner can have for the Cup.

Answer 3

I don't like seeing cup drivers compete in the Busch races. If a Cup driver was hurt and was trying to get back on the circuit, or if they didn't have enough points to continue in the Cup, then they should be allowed to go in the Busch races. Unless something changes, the Cup drivers will make Busch seem petty. Many drivers can't make it in the Cup, but they can do well in the Busch series.

To go a step farther, i don't think owners should be allowed to double dip. They learn way to much about the track by having cars in both series. Cup teams will do anything to get any advantage. The owning cars in both series, and having your driver in both ways, is just a legal form of cheating to me.

I quit watching the Busch series because i am tired of stats like -- Nextell cup drivers win 55% of Busch races.

Answer 4

I am sick and tired of seeing the Cup drivers dominating the Busch series. I can understand if they are doing a couple of races like Dale Jr, Tony Stewart, Martin Truex Jr, etc. but when they are doing the entire season ala Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards...they suck all of the fun and excitement out of the series.

The Busch series hasn't been fun since 2005 when we had Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr battling for the championship. I think that Nascar should limit the number of races that a full time Cup driver can do in the Busch series. The Busch series has gotten turned into happyhour for the Cup drivers.

Answer 5

Don't agree. This is America, whose to say you can't race in a certain league. I got a car, I got the the money, I can race where I want to.

Why do you care? Before all the Cup regulars started racing in the Busch series, you couldn't hardly see them on TV. They were running on little rinky dink tracks, drawing a few thousand fans. Now they're running at the biggest and best tracks for 50-60 thousand fans. If it were'nt for the "buschwhackers" it would still be a secondary league. But it's a major racing league now.

And as far as the up and coming Busch only regulars? If ya wanna run with the big dogs, ya gotta get off the porch!

Answer 6

I'd say more like division1 playing division 3 or club ball.
It does not hurt for a cup driver to make a "guest appearance" but running every race blows a big one.
Though the Busch cars are different they are close enough for the teams to use Busch event as a test/practice session.
If the drivers want to run a Busch race fine,but not a companion race with cup.

Answer 7

I dont mind it when they are in a couple races because it helps the Busch Series out. They say it helps younger drivers gain experience learning first hand to see how experienced drivers, drive. Also it drives up ticket sales and can also help a Busch team get on track.

But like last year when Harvick completely dominated the series and won the championship last year that was lame. I do think they should allow a rooking in NNCS in the NBS for a year but after that they should be restricted.

But you guys have to admit after watching the last couple weeks of NBS the veterans have put on one hell of show.

Answer 8

if the busch drivers are going to get any better at what they do,racing against the cup drivers is a perfect way to do it.

the harder the competition is,the better racer it will make them.

to answer ur question............no i dont think they should be limited.i think they have as much rught to be there as anyone else.them guys are making a living doing what they do.it is like having a full time job and a part time job.
sure these guys make alot of money driving the cars,but they also have alot of expenses going out every month.

the more money u make the more u spend,and maybe this is a way to offset that for these guys.

Answer 9

I've always seen it more as major league/minor league racing. These Cup drivers are just using Busch sereies to warm up for the Cup race. That's too bad because they are taking seats from younger drivers who want to get more experience before moving up. I say let them race Busch if they want, but if they do they can't race the Cup race that week.

Answer 10

like the answer above, I think they should limit the amount of races they can run per year in Busch Series...it would give the up and coming drivers in Busch a chance to win some races and show what they got.

Answer 11

Technically said, this is just like LMES. The LMP1 class just over-shadows the LMP2 class. It's the same for NASCAR too, the Cup racers just dominate the Busch.