• Have something to say? Register Now! and be posting in minutes!

NASCAR Blows Its Engine

85
23
8
Joined
Jan 18, 2017
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Finally found the NASCAR Forum on this site!

Would any of you say you are just as big a fan of NASCAR now as you were, say, 20 years ago? I used to make a day of watching the races, especially the super speedways. But now, I'll be lucky if I can remember when they're on TV.

I was going to write a long post about how I think NASCAR has lost its way and alienated the original hardcore fans like myself, but instead I wrote it about it here: NASCAR Blows Its Engine

Let me know what everyone thinks. I'm curious to see how people feel about today's NASCAR as opposed to how it used to be, and if anyone here have become fans of the sport in the last few years. Would love to hear some other perspectives.
 

Gopherfan84

Well-Known Member
1,593
363
83
Joined
Oct 6, 2016
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I was going to point you over here from the MLB board but you found you way here on your own.

I was such a big Earnhardt fan that I couldn't watch a NASCAR race for years after he passed. It was one of the few things my dad and I would do together though, so eventually (about 2007) I'd watch bits and pieces of races with him. He's gotten to the point where he's disgusted too by what NASCAR has become and neither of us watches much.

One of the things that he and I agreed on with the new version of NASCAR is that the driver that best reminds us of the old days is Brad Keselowski, and even he's toned down some since he won the title in 2012. He used to have the combination of aggressiveness on the track and willingness to speak his mind off of it that reminded us of drivers like Earnhardt, Petty, and the other legends from when the sport was good.

Nowadays if I want to watch a NASCAR race, I'll usually go on to YouTube and find a race from the late 1980's/early 1990's with the occasional exception for an early Daytona 500's broadcast live or the rare post-Earnhardt race (usually a plate race, though the 2005 Coke 600 I've watched because of its wackiness).
 
85
23
8
Joined
Jan 18, 2017
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I was going to point you over here from the MLB board but you found you way here on your own.

I was such a big Earnhardt fan that I couldn't watch a NASCAR race for years after he passed. It was one of the few things my dad and I would do together though, so eventually (about 2007) I'd watch bits and pieces of races with him. He's gotten to the point where he's disgusted too by what NASCAR has become and neither of us watches much.

One of the things that he and I agreed on with the new version of NASCAR is that the driver that best reminds us of the old days is Brad Keselowski, and even he's toned down some since he won the title in 2012. He used to have the combination of aggressiveness on the track and willingness to speak his mind off of it that reminded us of drivers like Earnhardt, Petty, and the other legends from when the sport was good.

Nowadays if I want to watch a NASCAR race, I'll usually go on to YouTube and find a race from the late 1980's/early 1990's with the occasional exception for an early Daytona 500's broadcast live or the rare post-Earnhardt race (usually a plate race, though the 2005 Coke 600 I've watched because of its wackiness).

Funny you mention the YouTube racing videos. That's exactly what I do as well. I particularly like the July 2009 Daytona race when Tony Stewart took out Kyle Busch on the last lap to win the race. That was beauty.

I think a lot of the older generation feels the same way as we do. Greed got the best of the sport in the end. For me, I'm still waiting on that driver with the same brashness and balls that Earnhardt, Petty and even Tony Stewart had (before his final few seasons). I doubt we'll see that again because corporate sponsors and NASCAR both like it toned down...even though they like showing highlights of the fights and wrecks in the promotional materials. Go figure.
 

Yankee Traveler

Well-Known Member
15,584
8,118
533
Joined
Apr 17, 2013
Location
Clarksville
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I was a HUGE NASCAR fan.
David Pearson, King Richard and Buddy Baker were my guys. Then Wild Bill.
I was never an Earnhardt fan, but the pain I felt when Davey Allison died, I can relate to Earnhardt fans.

All racing really, NASCAR, Indy car/CHAMP Car, Rally, NHRA, IMSA, and Trans Am.
Trans Am was the best, but hard to find.
I started rooting for Jack Roush drivers because I had followed his teams in Trans Am.
I've been to 6 tracks for NASCAR races;
New Hampshire, Watkins Glen, Pocono, Dover, Richmond, and Talledega.

Still try to watch a race now and then.
Champ car split ruined that, Trans Am dried up and went away, Rally racing dropped to 2 manufacturers.

But almost never NASCAR. Fuckem.
CAR of Tomorrow ruined it for me.
I could understand 358 cubic inch limit, tube frame and stock body and shit like that, roof flaps.
Back in the good old days, if one manufacturer got an advantage, others had to catch up. COT was the final straw for me.

I mean really, was a throttle body that hard to ok?
 

Edisto_Tiger

Member Sporting a Natty
57,252
6,780
533
Joined
Sep 4, 2011
Location
The Lowcountry
Hoopla Cash
$ 200.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Finally found the NASCAR Forum on this site!

Would any of you say you are just as big a fan of NASCAR now as you were, say, 20 years ago? I used to make a day of watching the races, especially the super speedways. But now, I'll be lucky if I can remember when they're on TV.

I was going to write a long post about how I think NASCAR has lost its way and alienated the original hardcore fans like myself, but instead I wrote it about it here: NASCAR Blows Its Engine

Let me know what everyone thinks. I'm curious to see how people feel about today's NASCAR as opposed to how it used to be, and if anyone here have become fans of the sport in the last few years. Would love to hear some other perspectives.

I think you nailed it.

Like you, i grew up going to my local dirt tracks on Saturday nights, where my cousin drove a late model and his brother and my uncle were his pit crew. Then on Sundays we were listening to the Winston Cup race on the radio, until ESPN picked up the series and we finally got to see an entire season on tv.
Like you, we lived about an hour and a half from Darlington and if the race was in Darlington or the surrounding region: Atlanta, Charlotte, Daytona, or Rockingham we were loading the motorhome and headed to the track on Friday after everyone got home from work. What I'm trying to say is that I grew up "racing." My family loved it and so did I.

And just like you pointed out in your article, one by one, we have fallen by the wayside with each change NASCAR has made to draw newer, younger, more affluent fans. First they outlawed the Uhauls and Ryder trucks in the infield, then ticket prices started to soar, then they took our tracks and moved the races west and north, away from those who loved and grew the sport. And for the love of god, why do they race in Miami? Seriously? Anyway, None of us go to the races anymore, none of us have race parties anymore, and none of us talk racing anymore. They have completely ruined an incredible product.

The drivers are vanilla. They have no balls. I have described them this way for a long time. NASCAR (and it's sponsors) like it that way too. They recruit and groom them to be vanilla if you ask me. Another thing is that drivers used to be a lot more accessible at the track. In the mid 80's when I was finally allowed to go to the track, I could go stand around the pit area and talk to, shake hands with, and get free shit from the drivers and the crew with no problem. Dale Earnhardt personally handed me a pair of goggles after a practice in Darlington once. I never thought much of it then. It was common place. Those drivers were just like my Granddaddy and my Uncles. They looked like blue collar guys, they talked like blue collar guys, and they didn't take any shit. Today, these guys hide in their million dollar RV's, keeping their hair in perfect condition for the tv interviews, drinking their vegan shakes, while listening to Taylor Swift, and steer clear of the public for the most part.

To sum it up, Brian France and his daddy shit all over my beloved sport. Fuck those guys.

:suds:
 

Chewbaccer

Illustrious Potentate
55,471
15,659
1,033
Joined
Jul 10, 2014
Location
Jasper, GA
Hoopla Cash
$ 3,400.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
NASCAR isn't as good as it was when I was a kid, and has steadily declined since Dale died, but I love me some racing, and I don't care for the kind where the cars look like spaceships where JPM tucked tail and ran off back to, I still watch most every race and go to a couple every year.

Going to Atlanta and Talladega in the spring and Martinsville in the Fall this year.
 

Gopherfan84

Well-Known Member
1,593
363
83
Joined
Oct 6, 2016
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I don't care for the kind where the cars look like spaceships where JPM tucked tail and ran off back to

If it's any consolation, it sounds like JPM has an Indy only deal with Penske this season otherwise he's without a ride. I didn't like him in NASCAR either, but I have to give him credit for finding about the only way that Earnhardt didn't to lose the Daytona 500...

 

4down20

Quit checking me out.
56,133
8,402
533
Joined
May 10, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 394.91
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Finally found the NASCAR Forum on this site!

Would any of you say you are just as big a fan of NASCAR now as you were, say, 20 years ago? I used to make a day of watching the races, especially the super speedways. But now, I'll be lucky if I can remember when they're on TV.

I was going to write a long post about how I think NASCAR has lost its way and alienated the original hardcore fans like myself, but instead I wrote it about it here: NASCAR Blows Its Engine

Let me know what everyone thinks. I'm curious to see how people feel about today's NASCAR as opposed to how it used to be, and if anyone here have become fans of the sport in the last few years. Would love to hear some other perspectives.

Not even close. 20 years ago I made sure I watched every race.

These days the only way I'll watch a race is if I happen to catch it on TV. And now that I don't have cable anymore, and since Nascar ratings have gone in the shitter, it means even less chance for me to likely watch a race unless I stream it off front row.

They've done so much shit to try and generate excitement that they've made it boring as hell. They seem to think every race needs to finish with 1st and 2nd within a **** hair of each other, and fucked it up.

I like fuel mileage wins, and I remember when the tires were soft and you had to have experience and know how to save them. Tire drop off is fucking awesome, but it's like some kind of sin in Nascar. Give me the guy staying out on old tires vs the guy on new tires trying to make up the ground from his pit stop before it's over.

The thing that blows my mind is these people in Nascar make careers out of this and yet they don't seem to understand Mechanical Grip > Aero Grip. The more Aero grip got in the picture, the worse the racing got. Soft tires, box cars = good racing. Even on the plate tracks the best racing was when they put the windbreakers on the cars to give them box car aerodynamics - Earnhardt made that package and knew the deal.

Last year they put out a package that was softer tires, that was a step in the right direction, but it was very mild really compared to the old days.

And don't even get me started on the chase and other things they've done outside the racing.
 
85
23
8
Joined
Jan 18, 2017
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I was a HUGE NASCAR fan.
David Pearson, King Richard and Buddy Baker were my guys. Then Wild Bill.
I was never an Earnhardt fan, but the pain I felt when Davey Allison died, I can relate to Earnhardt fans.

All racing really, NASCAR, Indy car/CHAMP Car, Rally, NHRA, IMSA, and Trans Am.
Trans Am was the best, but hard to find.
I started rooting for Jack Roush drivers because I had followed his teams in Trans Am.
I've been to 6 tracks for NASCAR races;
New Hampshire, Watkins Glen, Pocono, Dover, Richmond, and Talledega.

Still try to watch a race now and then.
Champ car split ruined that, Trans Am dried up and went away, Rally racing dropped to 2 manufacturers.

But almost never NASCAR. Fuckem.
CAR of Tomorrow ruined it for me.
I could understand 358 cubic inch limit, tube frame and stock body and shit like that, roof flaps.
Back in the good old days, if one manufacturer got an advantage, others had to catch up. COT was the final straw for me.

I mean really, was a throttle body that hard to ok?

100% agree on that damn COT. My interest was beginning to wane by then, but that move was particularly shitty. As for races, I've been to Indy, Darlington, Charlotte and Kentucky.

If it's any consolation, it sounds like JPM has an Indy only deal with Penske this season otherwise he's without a ride. I didn't like him in NASCAR either, but I have to give him credit for finding about the only way that Earnhardt didn't to lose the Daytona 500...


That, hands down, was one of the strangest things I had ever seen. I remember how dumbfounded the announcers were at first when suddenly a ball of flame erupted on the track during a caution.

Not even close. 20 years ago I made sure I watched every race.

These days the only way I'll watch a race is if I happen to catch it on TV. And now that I don't have cable anymore, and since Nascar ratings have gone in the shitter, it means even less chance for me to likely watch a race unless I stream it off front row.

They've done so much shit to try and generate excitement that they've made it boring as hell. They seem to think every race needs to finish with 1st and 2nd within a **** hair of each other, and fucked it up.

I like fuel mileage wins, and I remember when the tires were soft and you had to have experience and know how to save them. Tire drop off is fucking awesome, but it's like some kind of sin in Nascar. Give me the guy staying out on old tires vs the guy on new tires trying to make up the ground from his pit stop before it's over.

The thing that blows my mind is these people in Nascar make careers out of this and yet they don't seem to understand Mechanical Grip > Aero Grip. The more Aero grip got in the picture, the worse the racing got. Soft tires, box cars = good racing. Even on the plate tracks the best racing was when they put the windbreakers on the cars to give them box car aerodynamics - Earnhardt made that package and knew the deal.

Last year they put out a package that was softer tires, that was a step in the right direction, but it was very mild really compared to the old days.

And don't even get me started on the chase and other things they've done outside the racing.

Totally right on all of this. I think the stupid "competition cautions" and BS cautions that seem to happen near the end of the race when one driver is starting to extend his lead has gotten out of hand. And did you see that they are now having a competition for 5th place in the chase at the end of the year? What's next, participation points? Points for good behavior on the track? Why not just give everyone a trophy for showing up, no matter where you finish?
 
85
23
8
Joined
Jan 18, 2017
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I think you nailed it.

Like you, i grew up going to my local dirt tracks on Saturday nights, where my cousin drove a late model and his brother and my uncle were his pit crew. Then on Sundays we were listening to the Winston Cup race on the radio, until ESPN picked up the series and we finally got to see an entire season on tv.
Like you, we lived about an hour and a half from Darlington and if the race was in Darlington or the surrounding region: Atlanta, Charlotte, Daytona, or Rockingham we were loading the motorhome and headed to the track on Friday after everyone got home from work. What I'm trying to say is that I grew up "racing." My family loved it and so did I.

And just like you pointed out in your article, one by one, we have fallen by the wayside with each change NASCAR has made to draw newer, younger, more affluent fans. First they outlawed the Uhauls and Ryder trucks in the infield, then ticket prices started to soar, then they took our tracks and moved the races west and north, away from those who loved and grew the sport. And for the love of god, why do they race in Miami? Seriously? Anyway, None of us go to the races anymore, none of us have race parties anymore, and none of us talk racing anymore. They have completely ruined an incredible product.

The drivers are vanilla. They have no balls. I have described them this way for a long time. NASCAR (and it's sponsors) like it that way too. They recruit and groom them to be vanilla if you ask me. Another thing is that drivers used to be a lot more accessible at the track. In the mid 80's when I was finally allowed to go to the track, I could go stand around the pit area and talk to, shake hands with, and get free shit from the drivers and the crew with no problem. Dale Earnhardt personally handed me a pair of goggles after a practice in Darlington once. I never thought much of it then. It was common place. Those drivers were just like my Granddaddy and my Uncles. They looked like blue collar guys, they talked like blue collar guys, and they didn't take any shit. Today, these guys hide in their million dollar RV's, keeping their hair in perfect condition for the tv interviews, drinking their vegan shakes, while listening to Taylor Swift, and steer clear of the public for the most part.

To sum it up, Brian France and his daddy shit all over my beloved sport. Fuck those guys.

:suds:

This has to be the best description I have ever read about current NASCAR drivers. And I'm totally with you about the Frances. Fuck 'em for fucking up our sport to a point where the damage is irreparable.
 

Used 2 B Hu

Baredevil
111,678
24,239
1,033
Joined
Apr 19, 2013
Location
USA
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,525.18
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I'll watch if its on network. I especially like to catch the World 600 every Memorial day. That's an old family tradition. But nowhere near the fan i used to be
 
Top