Why is NASCAR abandoning its roots?

Question

I was a NASCAR fan before most of y'all were born... I'm not quite old enough to remember Fireball Roberts, but I do remember that young buck Dale Earnhardt showing up and watching Jaws try to put him in his place. I remember seeing some guy with a bad moustache making his Cup debut at Atlanta in 90 or 91 driving the 24 car in what was Richard Petty's last race. He hadn't done a thing in the Grand National series, so nobody really talked much about him.

What I'm getting at is the fact that I didn't type WINSTON Cup a minute ago.... and next year we won't be typing BUSCH Grand National.....

NASCAR has alienated alot of old fans with this "Nextel" Cup, this Car of Tomorrow, this drive named Jaun (problem-after-another) Montoya, and now they're dropping Busch as the second-tier series' title sponsor.

What's next? The Kotex 500? The Treehugger at the Glen?

Answer 1

I have started to answer this several time and I get carried away with my personal feeling about how dumb NASCAR has become and I have stopped erased and started over and I am at it again.
I guess the down fall is the all mighty $$$$$$$$. It all started with the fox 6 billion dollar tv deal in 2000 or 2001 and has been on a nose dive ever since.
The new rules are hilarious and the fans that put up with them are a pathedic bunch.
I am an ole timer too first races at the local track was in the 50's and first Grand Nation was in 68 or 69.
You probably as I did watch Gordon race on Thunder many times before he even stepped foot in a stock car.
How ever I under stand the COT if it's for safty and trying to get a car on the track that you might see on the street.
I understand haveing Montoya in the series. I kind of like that part of it.
I can't for the life of me ever go along with this chase thing, the green white checkered after they have ran the distance of the race was to be,
Top 35 what the heck is that about? And the newbies put up with it. That is sad.
I once was a guy that if the race was rained out on Sunday I only worked a 1/2 day on Monday so I could watch the race. Now There are about 6 or 7 tracks that I really like and those are the races I watch. I could care less about the chase. I'll watch Talladega and Martinsville and that is it for me. To the woods I go.
There are many forms of racing out there and I do like many should and turn the channel if I don't like it. It was nice when we had Speed now we have The NASCAR channel so we miss out on a lot of great series because the Speed Channel would rather show reality shows old movies in there place. Figure that one out.
I am surprised that there isn't a Tapon car or like you said something about Kotex. There are plenty of women out there that watch.
I am going to stop cause I can feel myself wanting to bash them more.
Hang in there

Answer 2

I was thinking the same as your joke...only it was gonna be something like
Hell ya!! I wanna go to the kotex 500!

Honestly....I miss the NASCAR Grand National series myself (not Winston Cup, Not Nextel Cup......NASCAR Grand National!). Actually, I was reading on Jayski a few days ago, that the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series (NBGN), actually has been the NASCAR Busch Series (NBS) since 2002, IIRC. Now, the NASCAR Grand National series is what used to be like Winston Weekly Racing series. I don't know, it's kinda hard to keep up when they change the names of the series every 5 frigging minutes!!!!

As far as the COT, I don't mind the change. they say it drives like the old mid-80's cars. I think that's a good thing. It will put more of the racing back into the driver's hands, not in the crew cheif's toolboxes.

BTW...word has it that Nationwide will be the title sponsor for the NBS next year.

Answer 3

I've been around NASCAR as a fan since 1960 and have seen all sorts of changes.The names of the races(Southern 500,Dixie 500,Firecracker 400) as well as tracks(North Wilkesboro,Rockingham,Darlington,Hickory) and makes of cars(Mercury,Buick,Olds) leave the sport in the name of competition.It is the Wall Street and GQ image that has taken over.
The spirit of the race has gone from the event(is Ford better than Chevy) to you can not have that sponsor because of the title sponsor of the series.
NASCAR has out grown its roots to the point some fans are alienated and it is just another reality show on TV.
NASCAR and stockcar racing will always be the sport of choice for me,but this dayyam bickering because a car(driver) won and the favorite for the race did not is a crock of bull manure.
NASCAR is making it soft for their money teams.Top 35 and provisionals are free rides to the teams that pay in the most money to NASCAR.The chase is anoother way of manipulating the out come of the season.
Get back to NASCAR,get back to the fastest 43 race,and get back to the driver with most points wins the championship.
SEE YA AT TALLADEGA

Answer 4

I look at it as change. I hate that some of the sponsors that have brought the sport to where it is at has been weeded out. But nothing ever stays the same. I do pray we never see the Kotex 500.

Answer 5

Exactly, TJ, can't use Winston Cup, but it can be any beer or booze cup......
Between NASCAR's ruling body(which can't penalize,fine, or suspend equally), and government interference as to who's name or advertising is allowed, or not.
I'm beginning to wonder when the cars will be without drivers. Since when did the car manufacturers declare that next year, we will all be driving the "car of tomorrow"(COT). I thought every new year we got the chance to drive the car of tomorrow, from our local dealers.
As far as advertisers go, don't be surprised if you see a Kotex 500, a ProActive 400, a Depends 500, or worse......maybe they should have a Pampers 500 for all of the cry-babies who drive in the sport now though....

Answer 6

Nothing stays the same, and that is a good thing. I have been a fan since birth (I was at my first race at the ripe old age of 2 weeks). I am glad for all of the changes that have come around. How many races did you get to watch in the 70's. There was very little news coverage, and even less chance of catching a race on TV. And the coverage was horible. So, if I have to watch the kotex 500 brought to you by purple nurple energy drink on ESPN 7, I will do it gladly.

Answer 7

Everyone here isn't as young as you think. Some change is good. Drivers are welcome from any background, any series and any race or gender. If you aren't down with that then you are stuck in the past.

Sponsors change, that is just business. Winston was forced out, Busch wants out.

Nascar has been reactionary recently. Dale Earnhardt was killed so they made safety changes and designed a new car. All their ill conceived chase mistakes have been an attempt to right some perceived wrong.

Our only hope is their reactionary thinking will realize all these changes are costing fans, loyal fans, long time fans. Maybe they will get it soon and stop changing stuff, I certainly hope so.

Answer 8

Sadly NASCAR has decided to bow down to the political correctness commandos in the hopes of attracting the wine and cheese crowd who will always see NASCAR as a bastard stepchild of racing no matter how much they dress it up.

Answer 9

You guys have not obviously followed other sports very well. Nothing or nobody's perfect. The NBA's a joke with superstars who can't make a free throw, MLB has a home run king more artificially enhanced than Pamela Anderson with a moron for a commissioner, and the NFL has it's share of problems too with 350 lb. linemen who'll die by 50 because of their weight and steroids.
I'll take today's NASCAR any day of the week.
Nothing ever stays the same guys.
It's still men with cajones to drive 200 mph in cars that are crazy fast.
Like any sport, go the the local level to see the sport done for the love of it. That's where you'll find the pure stuff.

Answer 10

Is there a real question there? I kinda see what your getting at. It's change. Nothing last for ever. I hope it will never be the Kotex 500, but you never know It takes money to put on this series and as Track owners, Teams, and NASCAR get greedier it takes even more money. So the company that is willing to give up the most money for exclusivity wins.
There is no longer such a thing as someone who races for the love of racing. They are all in it for the love of money otherwise they would have other jobs and race on Saturday night and not worry about selling T-shirts or die-cast.
My suggestion to you would be to frequent your local track on a Saturday night to get a taste of real racing by driver who truly love the thrill of racing and are yet to be tainted by big business.