Is "progressive banking" at Bristol the problem..?

[PRB]

So I just watched that K&N Pro series race on Speed, at Richmond. Fantastic racing, right down to the last lap and the last turn. I can't claim to be enough of a NASCAR ex-pert to opine on why we don't see such racing up there in the lofty thin air of NASCAR cup racing (but why should that stop me?), but there must be a reason. Even before Bristol, some ESPN talking head said NASCAR drivers have become “too nice”, but didn't offer an opinion on why. Is it sponsors? Rumor has it that David Reutimann's release from MWR had more to do with sponsors complaining than MWR management's assessment of his performance, and that the head of that outfit was either unable or unwilling to stand up for him. I'm leaning towards sponsors as the reason for boring racing. No corporate mucky-muck wants the driver of the “Stay-Puff Marshmellow Dodge” to be on an Internet story about getting fined by NASCAR. And owners are terrified of loosing sponsors.

[Cazzie]

Just saw the same K & N race, which is the series they run at our local South Boston Speedway, and it is awesome, the way Cup racing should be. Watching the Hamlin Short Track Special now and it too has been full of action. Going to see the Nationwide race tomorrow night, but I am forgoing the Cup race Saturday, may not even watch it on TV, because only Daytona sparked any excitement so far this year in Cup. The rest, including Bristol and Martinsville, have been sleepers. Progressive banking at Bristol and slightly at Martinsville too has created two groove racing in the turns, where in the past, a driver had to fight for that one groove. If a slower driver didn't get out of the way, you had to move him. That's what filled the stands at these two tracks, there was always action, you needed the cautions to catch your breath. Until they bring back one groove racing in the turns at these two tracks, you will continue to see fan attendance drop. Richmond has been a two groove track every since 1988 when they opened it as a new 3/4 mile track, so one expects two groove racing there.

Last year NASCAR said go at it, then proceeded to fine drivers that did. It's the duplicity of NASCAR politics that is destroying Cup racing IMHO. People like Kyle Busch can make a race exciting, but NASCAR stepped down on him, so he is afraid to cause trouble this year and has been racing in soft shoes. Something had best change for Cup, right now it's about as exciting as watching golf on TV.

[Daveroo]

man...i missed the best two races of the weekend........had to watch anderson cooper and ellen instead....(they were on at the same time here it seems) but i must agree,sponcership "political correctness" has gotten in the way of good,or should i say great racing....i didnt like dale earnhardt.but i did,and do,respect everything he did for the sport..but i really wonder what would be happening today if he were still alive,and if he indeed were still even involved with the sport at the nascar level...i dont know why...but i have a feeling he might have taken a step to the side and gone in to arca or all pro where they still "race"...Dale was more of a man like Big Bill....not ready to bend over to the whiners and political pressers like brian is...

when a company like Mars (M&Ms) says to brian,,,hey my driver and team just screwed up,and my customers are complaining,guys like brian are going to tell Joe Gibbs...tell kyle to change or else...where in the 80s had that happened Dale would have shown an angry bird,,gotten his own money ,his own way,and gone racing....and he would have been nice to big bill..but he would also have said....if not for ME youd have NO nascar...live with me or die without me...your choise....and i fear..even with all that nascar is doing...they are going to die....big sponcers are killing them..ticket prices are way to high,all kinds of stuff..they need to step bak in time and have local garages sponcer local events more...not sure how to do that yet...but im thinkin....

[Panther_99FS]

Personally,
I don't see any problem with Bristol & I'm with the group that enjoyed the last race....

[Cazzie]

Personally,
I don't see any problem with Bristol & I'm with the group that enjoyed the last race....

P., you have to be a homeboy and have grown up with the old track config. If you're ever back in VA, let me know and we'll go to South Boston Speedway for some Late-Model racing. This is what Bristol used to be like and we homeboys miss it.

Caz

[Terry]

As long as Bruton is in the mood to fix screw ups, I wish he would tear up the two extra lanes at the Charlotte dragstrip. What an abomination!! The only people that like it are those that want noise, fire, and smoke and know nothing about racing. Perhaps next he will buy a baseball park and fit it out with 8 bases, or a 200 yard long football field.

[Cazzie]

As long as Bruton is in the mood to fix screw ups, I wish he would tear up the two extra lanes at the Charlotte dragstrip. What an abomination!! The only people that like it are those that want noise, fire, and smoke and know nothing about racing. Perhaps next he will buy a baseball park and fit it out with 8 bases, or a 200 yard long football field.

While he's at it, he can close all his damn cookie-cutter tracks and let NASCAR reopen North Wilksboro and The Rock for Cup. Bruton Smith is one of the main reasons for the downfall of NASCAR.

[1pepito2]

I used to be a huge NASCAR fan. That changed with the implementation of an "even playing field". Used to be you could glance down the track and see if it was a Ford, Chevy, or Pontiac coming at you, now you have to see which automakers' decals are pasted to the front grill. If one manufacturer is winning to often the specs change to favor the competition, same with drafting effects (sometimes weekly as I recall), all in the name of keeping the sponsors happy. The entertainment factor has also ruined racing. I enjoyed watching Cale or Richard taking a three or more lap lead... only to blow a tire on the last lap or get tangled up in slow traffic. That was racing... The Petty Pontiac with the rear wing, the Ford's of David Pearson and Awesome Bill of Dawsonville, the Monty Carlos of the Darryl's, etc.... I remember the cars, the drivers, not the sponsors, that was racing, a cold one or three and a bag of salty hog-rinds in garage with Dad trying to get a good picture on the old Zenith, the smell of oil as tune-ups were done during commercial breaks .... I miss the days of real NASCAR racing.

[Cazzie]

I used to be a huge NASCAR fan. That changed with the implementation of an "even playing field". Used to be you could glance down the track and see if it was a Ford, Chevy, or Pontiac coming at you, now you have to see which automakers' decals are pasted to the front grill. If one manufacturer is winning to often the specs change to favor the competition, same with drafting effects (sometimes weekly as I recall), all in the name of keeping the sponsors happy. The entertainment factor has also ruined racing. I enjoyed watching Cale or Richard taking a three or more lap lead... only to blow a tire on the last lap or get tangled up in slow traffic. That was racing... The Petty Pontiac with the rear wing, the Ford's of David Pearson and Awesome Bill of Dawsonville, the Monty Carlos of the Darryl's, etc.... I remember the cars, the drivers, not the sponsors, that was racing, a cold one or three and a bag of salty hog-rinds in garage with Dad trying to get a good picture on the old Zenith, the smell of oil as tune-ups were done during commercial breaks .... I miss the days of real NASCAR racing.

If SOH had a Like button, I'd hit it.

Those were the days I worked NASCAR Grand National. It all started to spool apart in 1985. That was the year corporate greed and NASCAR's own greed entered the picture. Gone were freelancers like myself, membership to NMPA (National Motorsports Press Assn.) went from $75.00/year to $250.00/year and the following year (1987) went to $500.00. GREED! Only the corporately owned newspapers and radio and TV media could afford prices like that, close the little man out. The sport has not been the same since. It has been a steady rise in ticket prices, dumbing down the sports, politicking the drivers, writing their own spin for the talking heads, who use to be real race car enthusiasts like Chris Economaki and Charlie Harville, not some spiffed up TV sports announcer (think Chris Myers and Allen Worstwick) with some ex-dumb-ass driver or crew chief doing color. Drivers belong in the cars, crew chiefs belong to team boxes, neither belong in the booth. In the old days, technology was called cheating, but that's how the sport improved. When the Woods Bros. went to Indy, they learned a thing or two from USAC open-wheelers. They introduce dry sump oil tank in the rear of the car and cut-off valves should a line get severed, which kept the oil in the tank and stopped oil fires in wrecks. Dumb ass Bill France banned it for 5 years until someone was killed in an oil fire explosion, then proper heads were put in order and now, as it had been for years in Grand Prix and USAC, this safety device is standard on all stock cars. That's the big problem, NASCAR has continued to give its fans antiquated racing on a top level basis. Why they just introduced Fuel'Injection this year, they were the last major race series to go to all-disk brakes.

I have said it before and I shall reiterate it today, NASCAR Sprint Cup is the largest rip-off in Motorsports other than F-1. Like Wombat, give me the bikes any day, You cannot screw up bike racing.

Sunday, bored, not gonna watch Indy league either, thought the racing is better than Cup racing, as it just more panache than NASCAR. Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart is the only true spirits of the old NASCAR driver left and every time they pull and old NASCAR move, Brian France paddles their hinnies. In short, NASCAR Cup racing sucks!

[stansdds]

I used to be a huge NASCAR fan. That changed with the implementation of an "even playing field". Used to be you could glance down the track and see if it was a Ford, Chevy, or Pontiac coming at you, now you have to see which automakers' decals are pasted to the front grill. If one manufacturer is winning to often the specs change to favor the competition, same with drafting effects (sometimes weekly as I recall), all in the name of keeping the sponsors happy. The entertainment factor has also ruined racing. I enjoyed watching Cale or Richard taking a three or more lap lead... only to blow a tire on the last lap or get tangled up in slow traffic. That was racing... The Petty Pontiac with the rear wing, the Ford's of David Pearson and Awesome Bill of Dawsonville, the Monty Carlos of the Darryl's, etc.... I remember the cars, the drivers, not the sponsors, that was racing, a cold one or three and a bag of salty hog-rinds in garage with Dad trying to get a good picture on the old Zenith, the smell of oil as tune-ups were done during commercial breaks .... I miss the days of real NASCAR racing.

Since there's no "like" button, I'll just repost this with a .

And yes, the cookie-cutter tracks are boring. The old tracks, each with its own personality, were much better.

Last night's Sprint Cup race at Richmond was actually pretty boring. The Nationwide Series race was more fun to watch. It's getting to the point that it doesn't matter which track the Sprint Cup goes to, the race becomes little more than the cars lining up nose to tail and counting off the laps. Where's the rubbing, the banging of fenders, the fists being shaken? NASCAR hasn't been the same since Dale Earnhardt died and Rusty Wallace retired.

[Panther_99FS]

And yes, the cookie-cutter tracks are boring. The old tracks, each with its own personality, were much better.

Precisely why I thoroughly enjoyed the trucks at Rockingham....

[Panther_99FS]

While he's at it, he can close all his damn cookie-cutter tracks and let NASCAR reopen North Wilksboro and The Rock for Cup. Bruton Smith is one of the main reasons for the downfall of NASCAR.

Here here!!!!
I'm all for bringing back North Wilkesboro & Rockingham!!!