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NASCAR
hbelkins:
NASCAR will have been dead two decades on the 18th of this month.
Dale Earnhardt and other top drivers (Rusty Wallace, Bill Elliott, Richard Petty, etc.) had the ear of Big Bill France. He listened and took heed of what they said.
I don't think Earnhardt would really approve of what NASCAR's current leadership is doing on the track in terms of rules changes, and off of the track in terms of how certain incidents are handled. There's one in particular that I sure don't approve of, which is why I slammed the door on NASCAR last spring.
Alps:
If people keep making veiled references to politics, this thread will be locked. Keep it to racing.
hbelkins:
Stuff like this...
https://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2016/4/21/11483470/nascar-fines-tony-stewart-safety-lug-nuts
If that had happened in 1996, and if it had been Earnhardt or Wallace or Darrell Waltrip saying it, there would have been no fine. Big Bill would have taken the comments under advisement. But two decades later, and after Earnhardt's death had led NASCAR to start emphasizing safety with renewed vigor, this took place.
Track attendance had been falling steadily, a combination of the economy and the on-track product. Now the TV ratings are tumbling. I'm not sure if the France offspring (Brian France and Lesa France Kennedy) are still running things or not, but whoever's in charge needs to take note. The Chase, stage racing, the "lucky dog" and no racing back to the flag ... if they were trying to attract new fans while maintaining the old ones, they failed in both efforts.
Max Rockatansky:
It doesn’t help NASCAR that their fan base is extremely elderly at this point. Pretty much the majority of people I know who followed NASCAR aside from myself is dead or nearing the end of their lives. Pretty much NASCAR and motor racing in general at this point is the Buick of the sports world. I’m not sure what can be done at this point other than to take it back to a niche market.
As far as predictions, I don’t follow the series anywhere as close I should to even come up with something relatively accurate. I usually catch about half the races now and read about the rest. The diversity in racing courses has me intrigued though.
Takumi:
--- Quote from: hbelkins on February 13, 2021, 11:23:15 PM ---Stuff like this...
https://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2016/4/21/11483470/nascar-fines-tony-stewart-safety-lug-nuts
If that had happened in 1996, and if it had been Earnhardt or Wallace or Darrell Waltrip saying it, there would have been no fine. Big Bill would have taken the comments under advisement. But two decades later, and after Earnhardt's death had led NASCAR to start emphasizing safety with renewed vigor, this took place.
Track attendance had been falling steadily, a combination of the economy and the on-track product. Now the TV ratings are tumbling. I'm not sure if the France offspring (Brian France and Lesa France Kennedy) are still running things or not, but whoever's in charge needs to take note. The Chase, stage racing, the "lucky dog" and no racing back to the flag ... if they were trying to attract new fans while maintaining the old ones, they failed in both efforts.
--- End quote ---
I think Jim France (Bill Jr’s younger brother) has been in charge since Brian’s DUI arrest. Jim is also in charge of IMSA, which isn’t declining.
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