Printable View
Sprint Cup Director John Darby (left) and NASCAR Vice President for Competition Robin Pemberton have been instrumental in creating new policies that are geared toward increasing fan interest. DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. – When it comes to many of its latest Sprint Cup rules, policies and race conduct, NASCAR has gone “retro.” In many cases it seems to have re-adopted its old ways – by that I mean how it used to do things – and abandoned several recent legislations that have proven untenable and decidedly unpopular. For NASCAR to go back to how it used to be, I think, is being done for a couple of very important reasons. First, the old ways might not have been that bad after all. Second, and most important, it is geared to the fans. It is a way to curb their most serious complaints, increase their seemingly lagging interest in the sport and, in so doing, maybe revitalize race attendance and TV ratings. Think of all of this for a moment. In a sweeping set of changes in the fundamentals of competitive rules and conduct, NASCAR has altered the appearance of the Sprint Cup cars, returned to an old, established qualifying system, help set up a special, non-points race that is unlike anything in its history and made it more difficult for teams to make serious money if they choose to run a few laps and head for the hauler. In other words, it can be fairly said that it has gone back to the “good ol’ days,” and is banking fans will lap it up. I think there is an excellent possibility that may happen. Consider the “Generation 6” car. I have said much about it and need not go into much detail here. It was created to more closely resemble its street counterpart and give it an identity readily recognized – and appreciated – by fans, who have grown weary of the “clones” they have seen on the tracks over recent years. To be honest many of them didn’t care to see them race. Although we don’t yet know how the cars will perform in race trim, just the fact they are now so much more identifiable has piqued everyone’s interest. That can only help NASCAR. And if these new models prove to be highly competitive, well, so much the better, right? Instead of the Budweiser Shootout, the event we have seen on the first Saturday night of Speedweeks at Daytona, there is now the Sprint Unlimited. To win another career pole in 2013, Kyle Busch is going to have to be the fastest of 36 qualifiers and there is no longer any real guarantee he will make the race, as has been the case in the past. I have talked about this earlier, as well. The race is one in which the fans will have full say on format, the use, or non-use, of pit stops, the elimination of drivers and more. In other words, the inmates will control the asylum. This is not NASCAR going “retro.” This is something never before attempted by the sanctioning body. I think I know why it’s done it. With this new concept, I think NASCAR, and Sprint, have done themselves a marvelous service. I think fans will turn on their TVs on that Saturday night if for no other reason to see just what kind of race they have created and how it will play out. Hey, I’ve been doing this for 40 years and even I don’t want to miss what is going to happen – nor, I might add, is any other member of the motorsports media. The race may get great reviews or it may bomb. That’s not the point here. The point is it will surely generate more interest than any of its predecessors. And that can only help NACAR’s presence on TV, even if for one night. I don’t know about you but I was one of many who didn’t have much interest at all in what was once Sprint Cup qualifying. The system that has been used for the last several years dictated that the top 35 teams in owner points were locked into a race. This was done, ostensibly, to protect the sponsors. Then the “go or go-homers” took their shot on the track and from there it all went to provisional positions. Boring. Sorry, but at the start of every qualifying session, we all knew which 35 cars were going to make the race and the only question was, who was going to start No. 1? I daresay that didn’t exactly pique your interest, did it? And, judging from attendance for qualifying at the speedways, that indeed seemed to be the case. Now it’s different – and it’s gone back to the old way. Thirty-five teams will no longer be locked into a race. Qualifying order will be determined by random draw – gone is that speed in practice mumbo-jumbo. The first 36 positions will be determined by qualifying speed and then six spots go to non-qualifiers based on owner points. The final spot will be given to a provisional champion. By golly, that is the way it USED to be. It was take a number, go out when that number is called, go fast or go home – or hope you have another means to get into the race. I don’t know about you, but that offers a bit more drama than watching 35 cars already guaranteed a starting position take a couple of laps. Under the old system now revived by NASCAR, there were no guarantees – which makes qualifying more important, and challenging, for the teams and potentially more interesting for fans. Oh, and there is something else. The past champion can’t feed at the trough week after week as has been the case in the past. If he uses that particular provisional he can’t use it again for six weeks. He must attempt to qualify a half-dozen times before he’s afforded another special privilege. What this means is that another driver, based on his owner points, gets a shot to race. A good, and fair, move by NASCAR. And, finally, I’m sure you know all about the “start and park” stuff. You know, it was the technique in which a team might start a race, run a couple of laps and then retire. Based on NASCAR purse structure that could mean darn good money while enduring little expense. Heck, it was nothing unusual for teams that practiced this method to earn $2 million or more per season. I honestly had no problem with that. Such teams were simply exploiting what was available to them. If it was here, well, why not take it? But NASCAR has now ensured that what is there will not be what it used to be. It has restructured its purses to make it less profitable for any “start and park” team. Now, each position from 43rd through 39th will receive $4,000 less for each spot than earlier. For example, 39th will get $4,000 less than 38th, 40th $4,000 less than 39th, and so forth. Purses will not shrink. More money will be put into the top end. I’m not sure this will not entirely stop the “start and park” stuff, but it will surely make it less profitable. And for those who have criticized the practice – and for NASCAR to allow it to happen – this should, at least, offer evidence something is being done about it. All of this strongly indicates that to make racing better NASCAR has adopted some of its old ways. In many cases it has gone back to the way it used to be. Cars that look like street cars – Bill France Sr.’s mantra when he formed NASCAR – a new event that envelopes the fans more than any other, a qualifying system that returns to one of speed rather than guarantees and a rule that limits rewards when there is little or no effort. Much of this is how it once was. I daresay most of you realize that. NASCAR has gone “retro” for several reasons. But I am convinced one is to make a serious attempt to respond to its fans’ concerns – and in so doing make itself more appealing and reap the benefits therein. Don’t know if it will all work; no one does. But in one man’s opinion it appears to be a darn good effort.
