Bleacher Report - Articles by Jory Fleischauer

Are NASCAR Fans a Collection of Whiners?

Jory Fleischauer — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:38:28 -0500

Is griping all that NASCAR fans do?

The fans of NASCAR are perhaps the most vocal fans of all the professional sports in America. This can be attributed to the intimate relationship the fans enjoy with the sport and its drivers.

Yet over the past several years these fans have become increasingly critical of the sport.

Initially they were very valid statements of the problems the sport was enduring.

For example, the Chase altered the manner in which the champion was crowned, the cars became increasingly aero-dependent and distorted, traditional races were cut from the schedule, and the drivers began lacking personality.

All of these complaints were warranted, considering the massive amount of change the sport experienced in such a short amount of time.

I have been a fan of the sport for almost 20 years and I too get fired up over some of these issues. The problem lies, however, in how many relay those feelings to others and how it appears to those outside of the sport.

Today fans continue to complain about everything from debris cautions to the shade of green on Junior’s car. NASCAR fans have become a nation of gripers, nitpicking at every detail, yet are unable to appreciate how far we’ve come in the last several years.

Everyone can agree that the COT is as ugly as a race car can get. In addition, everyone can also agree that it looks little like its road counterparts. What no one mentions, however, is how close the COT car actually is to the cars of old.

Take Jimmie Johnson’s wreck last week at Texas. In the pre-COT car, there is no way that car would ever see the track again. It would have been completely destroyed, and Johnson would have finished the race 43rd.

The COT, however, is such a tank of a vehicle that not only were they able to get the car back on the track, but they then ran over 200 laps in race conditions. That simply would not have happened with the old car.

In 2006, if a car brushed the wall, chances are its race would have been over.

In 2009, if a car brushes the wall, it’s nothing out of the ordinary.

Whether we like to admit it or not, NASCAR created a heck of a race car in the COT.

Next we complain about a driver’s lack of personality, what some of us referred to as the "wussy-fying" of the sport.

But what happens when Brad Keselowski makes a daring move for a position late in the race, or Juan Montoya starts using the prototypical Martinsville chrome horn to gain a position?

They are then chastised left and right by fans and media alike for being too aggressive.

Excuse me?

The same individuals who complain about the drivers not racing hard enough or expressing themselves behind the wheel berate the drivers who try to prove them otherwise.

NASCAR forums across the nation have regressed to middle school bickering matches over either minuscule details or outrageous claims. What was once thoughtful discussion has degraded to short-sighted bitterness.

It appears that every NASCAR fan believes that he has a right to voice his displeasure about any particular item whenever he wishes. One of the great things about this country is that he can do that without fear of retribution.

Where does this leave us as a sport, though?

The racing, generally, really isn’t as bad as everyone makes it out to be. Drivers are able to beat and bang for positions in ways that have not been possible in almost 10 years.

With the advent of Twitter, Facebook, and numerous media outlets, the drivers' personalities are coming out without fear of punishment from NASCAR.

Aside from ridding the sport of the Chase, bringing back Rockingham, and imploding Auto Club Speedway, the fans should have everything they could ever want from the sport.

Yet again we find faults to whine about.

Fans of the stick and ball sports, and yes I am using them as a comparison, rarely incite such a furor at every change their sport makes. You do not see a multitude of baseball fans calling out Bud Selig because the players aren’t as colorful as they used to be.

Yes, there is a different dynamic in NASCAR than in MLB, but the analogy remains valid.

Many of the changes have occurred across all platforms due to the nature of the 21st century world.

Driver personality is one aspect which has had an effect not only on the sport, but on sponsors, TV networks, various groups, etc. I agree that drivers need not be robotic in their emotions, but with our society today they cannot be overly zealous and outrageous.

Perhaps it is time we let some of our displeasures subside and focus on the remaining, important ones.

As a fanbase, we cannot be taken seriously if we are constantly bickering over every specific aspect of the sport.

Or am I the only one who thinks this?

It's Time Someone Sat Down With Kyle Busch

Jory Fleischauer — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:24:21 -0400

It is debatable if there has ever been as polarizing of an individual as Kyle Busch in NASCAR's upper echelons. For the past year and a half it seems as if there is at least one issue per week which divides fans so fiercely.

One could call it NASCAR's new Mason-Dixon Line.

Yet this past week has brought another new chapter to this ongoing saga, and it appears one side may be winning.

The fallout from Busch's comments regarding last weekend's Coke Zero 400 finish will not culminate until the green falls this Saturday night in Chicagoland. What can be seen, however, is that line has been moved substantially in the past week and there is little recourse Busch fans have at the moment.

Since the start of the 2008 season, the adage has been that Kyle Busch is good for the sport. He brings personality and relentless desire to win to what had become a monotone sport.

In many ways it was a rush of fresh air for fans as Busch was able to back up his off-track antics with on-track results.

NASCAR brass must have thoroughly enjoyed the attention it gave them. Finally they had the so-called drama that they had badly ached for the past several years. This new 'villain' of NASCAR was allowed to prosper and grow to almost legendary proportions in a relatively short amount of time.

Now, though, NASCAR must find itself at a crossroads. The same Busch who once enticed fans with his antics can now be seen pushing them away. After last weekend, a few are leaving a breakneck speed.

The accusations Busch made against two-time champ Tony Stewart were completely unfounded. It was reminiscent of a childhood fight in which the bully played innocent. Except the bully resorted to the classic 'Nuh-uh!' response.

And really, no one wins with this type of skirmish.

Those who argue that Busch's antics bring needed attention to the sport are correct... but only to a point. The actions of the last few days have shone a negative light not only on Busch but on NASCAR as a whole.

First year marketing courses cover this exact problem. It is definitely a good thing when your product becomes newsworthy even if it is in a somewhat negative light. When that negativity persists though, your product becomes associated with that negativity.

Clearly that is not what NASCAR wants.

Burgeoning fans and non-fans have to wonder how the sport can tolerate a driver's actions like this. If Shaq called out LeBron James for his missing the winning shot, when James was on the other side of the court, this action would surely draw the ire of both NBA fans and non-fans.

And this is precisely what has happened this past week week. The attention Kyle Busch has brought on the sport is of a negative, and outlandish, nature. It gives the impression that NASCAR drivers are just a spoiled and selfish as athletes in other sports.

The irony is that NASCAR has fought to relay the every-man aspect of its drivers throughout the years. If this were a short track incident in Anywhere, U.S.A., Kyle Busch would have most likely been taken out back behind the track and taught a thing or two about respect.

Yet his supporters always crawl out of the corners with the mantra that Busch is good for the sport and good for racing in general. They point to his no-holds-barred attempts to win every race he enters as a solution to the Kyle Busch conundrum.

Do not justify these actions with Busch's strong desire to win. This is NASCAR's creation, an egotistical villain who can do no wrong. And it is time someone stepped in and stopped it.

No one can deny Busch's talent. When he slides into a race car, he becomes one with the car in a way few others have accomplished. It is sad to see such talent being wasted away in such a frivolous manner.

Drama and personality are good for the sport, but schoolyard antics are not. And it's about time someone, NASCAR or otherwise, taught this lesson to Busch. Before it's too late.

How NASCAR Could Save The Automotive Industry

Jory Fleischauer — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:44:42 -0400

Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday

That could have been the unofficial slogan of NASCAR for over 50 years. Part of the appeal of the sport was the fact that the drivers were driving cars that looked virtually the same as your vehicle in the driveway.

To this day, when I see a 1996 Monte Carlo I think of Earnhardt's Silver Winston scheme. A 1993 Grand Prix reminds me of Kyle Petty's Mello Yello car flying away from the field at Rockingham. A 1985 Thunderbird reeks of the raw speed Bill Elliott's No. 9 had back in the day.

Yet today, when I look at a 2009 Impala I see nothing. To me, it is yet another bland and unappealing car coming from the American auto industry.

So what precisely happened?

This cannot be attributed to the COT because, if anything, the COT looks marginally closer to its street car counterpart. Blame can be initially placed on the introduction of common templates in the 2003 season. It was this change which began to produce the radically asymmetrical cars and unrecognizable designs that we see through out NASCAR's top series today.

The reason this was done was for parity. NASCAR had been trying to eliminate any aerodynamic balance a particular make had for years. Long time fans will remember the near constant adjustment to air dam and spoiler heights by NASCAR officials.

With the common template, those adjustments were no longer needed which, theoretically, made NASCAR's life easier.

Lost in this change was the identity the cars had with fans. No longer could you point at Dale Earnhardt Jr's car and state that you had that car in your driveway. Instead, what was on the track was some sort of Frankenstein-esque counterpart to your street car.

Suddenly, Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday had no meaning. Sure fans remain brand loyal, but there is no specific identity to that loyalty.

Few remember that sixth-generation Monte Carlo was designed with NASCAR in mind. GM crafted a beautiful car that was instantly recognizable both on the track and off it.

That innovation is now gone and the added benefit NASCAR had for the American auto industry is now sagging.

So what to do about it?

Perhaps model the path the current Nationwide COT is on. Give the manufacturers an on track identity once again. Let fans be able to look at their Ford Fusion and relate it to the same one Matt Kenseth is wheeling around Chicagoland this weekend.

Give the fans a reason to want to buy an Impala or a Camry. Give the manufacturers motivation to produce slick and sexy looking cars again.

The street model Dodge Charger is one of the toughest, and sometimes most scary, looking vehicles on the road. Could you imagine what that car would look like going 200 mph around Daytona International Speedway?

While this boost may only be marginal in helping the auto industry recover, it would offer a renewed platform to increase sales. Again, they could preach the Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday mantra.

Perhaps another side benefit would be a revived vigor in long time race fans who have felt alienated these past few years.

Honestly, who would lose in this situation?

Kyle Busch Could Use a Little Class

Jory Fleischauer — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:59:01 -0400

This year's rendition of the Firecracker (Coke Zero) 400 produced the type of finish some fans love to see. A daring pass for the lead while taking the white flag eventually resulting in a massive pileup while taking the checkered flag.

And the driver on the short end of the stick was Kyle Busch.

Busch made one of the most impressive passes of the race to storm past Tony Stewart with a mere one lap later. By the time the drivers made it back around to the same spot, Stewart was the victor while Busch rested in the heap that remained of his car.

For Busch it was a bitter finish...but a self-induced one. Blocking with all his might, Busch slid up to block while Stewart was already beside him. The resulting contact sent the Interstate Batteries Toyota slamming into the outside retaining wall.

Stewart went to victory lane, Busch went to the infield care center.

And in that victory lane, Stewart was perhaps the most apologetic he had been his entire life. In all his years of Sprint Cup racing, I am not sure the media has ever seen a somber Tony Stewart until Saturday night.

The regret was evident in his face, his mannerisms, and his words. It was not something that he meant to do and offered every type of condolences he could muster.

And so the night ended with a somber Stewart in victory lane and a frustrated Busch leaving the track without a word to the media. For once, it was understandable why Busch did not want to speak to the media.

During the week we were informed that both drivers were "on the same page" regarding the incident and it was thought that the matter was now put behind them.

Apparently, at least to Busch, that is not the case. While interviewed Thursday at Chicagoland Speedway, Busch stated emphatically that Tony dumped him for the win. Additionally when asked about Tony's call earlier in the week, he stated "...So it didn't mean a whole lot to me. I guess he was checking on me to see if I'm alive."

Really Kyle? This driver, a former teammate mind you, apologized repeatedly over the course of several days regarding an accident he was not in fault at.

A driver who could have been celebrating his team's first ever victory at Daytona, but instead held a quiet celebration considering the circumstances of the win.

And yet this is how Busch responds to the situation. It is amazing someone of his stature can remain so opaque to a situation. It is equally amazing that he could not show even the slightest bit of class that Stewart did.

Perhaps this is how Busch shall go through life forever, indignant to his own faults and mistakes.

I, for one, will no longer cheer for him under any circumstances. That privilege has been finally lost after his actions over the past week. I know this matters little, if any, to him personally, but one can only take so much dis-respectfulness from another individual.

Sadly, I have the feeling this will not be the last we see, or hear, of this.

The Real Nationwide Standings After Race 14

Jory Fleischauer — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:58:44 -0400

NASCAR Nationwide teams tackled Kentucky Speedway this past weekend with a Cup driver taking yet another series victory. The battle for the real Nationwide championship continues to heat up with a new driver taking the top spot.

1) Brad Keselowski (2003): While Keselowski may not have been pleased with his competition, his third place finished allowed him to vault over Leffler to take the top spot heading into Milwaukee

2) Jason Leffler (-10): Leffler recorded his ninth straight top 10 finish, but now finds himself chasing Keselowski for the points lead. With a career average finish of 9.4 at Milwaukee, it is clear he'll be keeping Keselowski within his sights

3) Justin Allgaier (R) (-375): Penske Championship Racing's super rookie, Allgaier jumps up to third in points following his third top five finish of the season

4) Brendan Gaughan (R) (-383): Just eight points behind Allgaier, Gaughan is giving RWI it's best season yet, jumping up to fourth in points following another top five finish

5) Jason Keller (-390): A night to forget in Kentucky in which Keller never even sniffed a running position in the top fifteen throughout the 200 lap event. The 2003 Milwaukee winner looks to rebound at one of his best tracks next weekend

6) Mike Bliss (-404): Bliss drops back to sixth after a late race accident ruined any hopes of a good finish. Heading into next weekend, Bliss looks to improve upon last year's seventh place run

7) Steve Wallace (-460): Another solid top 15 run allows RWI to keep two cars in the Nationwide Top Ten. Milwaukee has not been Wallace's best track with his best finish of 19th occurring in last year's race

8) Michael McDowell (R) (-462): A DNF at Kentucky cost McDowell heavily in the championship and ROTY races. He'll need to put together a string of strong runs now to compete with the surging Allgair and Gaughan

9) Scott Lagasse, Jr (R) (-505): Coming home thirteenth at Kentucky, Lagasse is maintaining a highly consistent season atypical of most rookies

10) Tony Raines (-625): Breaking into the top ten after Kenny Wallace's blown engine, Raines came home ninth in his last Milwaukee race in 2005.

For the complete Real Nationwide Series Standings, Please Click Here

Does NASCAR Really Listen To Its Fans?

Jory Fleischauer — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 12:17:11 -0400

The new Double File Restarts - Shootout Style are the latest edition to our ever changing sport. It's also the change with the 'hippest' name. Personally if they don't drop the Shootout Style by this weekend I may lose my mind, but I digress.

This change was decided by 'the decree of the fans' and implemented just as quickly.

My question is who are these fans that NASCAR speaks with? Brian France can be quoted, seemingly in every speech, that he has talked to the fans and understands what they are looking for.

Really? The evidance seems to speak otherwise.

Fans did not want realignment. Fans did not want later start times. Fans did not want the COT (at least in the form NASCAR created). Fans did not want their sport to turn into WWE-style entertainment... whoops maybe I'm getting a few years ahead of myself there.

So I want to know who these 'fans' are that France talks to.

I am not the typical NASCAR fan. I live and breath the sport. Jayski.com is my homepage and I hit no less than seven NASCAR sites nearly every time I log on the internet.

I visit message boards that, combined, contain thousands of members from every corner of the country and globe. They range from casual fans to fans like myself.

Never once have I heard anyone say NASCAR asked them what they want from the sport. Granted this is a very small sample size, but one could infer that it would be representative of the whole due to the closeness of fellow NASCAR fans in general.

So I ask again, where are these fans that are 'being listened' to? How can I, and others, become one of them? Will it even make a difference?

I am hard pressed to find any other fan base as disgruntled and fragmented in our country as NASCAR fans. At times NASCAR brass seems to forget that it is us fans, who were often forced to endure ridicule and stereotypes in years past, that built this sport.

NASCAR was never America's past time. It was never a sport that evolved from the college level to national prominence. It was a sport that was born in the backyards of the common man in small towns across the country.

We are not ignorant individuals. We know where the sport's been, where it is and where it could go.

We do not view the sport with egotistical or money oriented eyes. We view the sport with the love that grew from watching the Allisons and Pettys and Pearsons battle week after week after week.

We go beyond simple crazed fans, we become a living, breathing part of the sport.

So, one last time, why not actually ask what the fans think? Better yet, actually listen what the fans want and apply it the sport.

I call of NASCAR to create an actual fan council. Not an clouded e-mail based system that exists today. I'm asking for actual council sessions. Let France sit in an auditorium with hundreds of NASCAR fans.

Maybe, if its even possible, create a rotating fan panel which oversees the interests of the fans.

It would be revolutionary, but not out of line with what NASCAR stands for. More than any other sport, NASCAR fans are an integral part of the sport. It is something which could be made a reality.

Then, and only then, can France truly say that he is 'listening to the fan'. Until then, stop trying to humor us.

The Real Nationwide Standings After Race 13

Jory Fleischauer — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 00:58:30 -0400

Life and school have gotten in the way the past couple months, but lets take a look at the current real Nationwide Series standings:

1) Jason Leffler (1843) - Fresh off a fifth place finish last weekend at Nashville, Leffler tied a career best with his eighth straight top ten finish this season

2) Brad Keselowski (-5) - Despite a rough start to the season, the #88 team has come to life since Texas scoring six top fives and eight top tens in the last 9 races. Keselowski finds himself in an extremely tight battle with Leffler for the top spot

3) Mike Bliss (-323) - Scoring his first victory since 2004 three weeks ago is currently Bliss' highlight this season, but as we near the halfway point to the season, Bliss now eyes the top spot in the championship standings

4) Jason Keller (-324) - Keller, much to his nature, is running a very consistent season and his 15.8 average finish places him just behind Bliss for the third spot in the standings

5) Justin Allgaier (R) (-375) - Perhaps overlooked this season, Allgaier is having the most impressive Nationwide rookie season since Keselowski two years ago. Thus the reigning ARCA champ finds himself securely in the top ten in points

6) Michael McDowell (R) (-378) - McDowell scored his third top ten finish of the season last week in Nashville and is within striking distance of the current ROTY leader Allgaier

7) Brandan Gaughan (R) (-388) - The third rookie in as many positions, Gaughan had a weekend to forget in Nashville, further exacerbated by post race altercations. Gaughan looks to bounce back in Kentucky where he had one top five finish in six starts in the truck series

8) Steve Wallace (-421) - Nashville gave Wallace his fourth top ten of the season, but he'll be searching for his first career top ten at Kentucky this weekend

9) Scott Lagasse, Jr (R) (-469) - One of the biggest surprises this season, Lagasse finds himself in the top ten in points as the series nears the halfway point of the season

10) Kenny Wallace (-521) - This Nationwide Series veteran is still searching for his first top ten finish of the season, but consistent finishes place Wallace in the real Nationwide Top Ten.

For the complete Real Nationwide Series Standings, Please Click Here

NASCAR State Of The Sport? Just Look In The Mirror

Jory Fleischauer — Mon, 25 May 2009 12:23:14 -0400

NASCAR has asked this week for drivers and team owners to attend meetings discussing the current state of the sport. One can infer that this is most likely due to decreased ticket sales and decreased ratings.

Clearly the drivers will be quizzed on every aspect of the sport and will be asked what improvements can be made. The most profound question, however, is the one which will not be asked.

What kind of job has NASCAR CEO Brian France done over the past six years?

France has become vilified in the sport for both justified and unjustified reasons. No one can argue that when he took the helm from his late father, Bill France, Jr., in September 2003, that the sport was rocketing in popularity.

Barely five years later that rocket has since fizzeled and has begun it's descent back to Earth.

The question now must be asked, what went wrong? It seemed as if that rocket was destined to join the NFL in the heavens of premier sports entertainment.

Individuals and fans who have been around for a decade or more can point to the obvious problem. The chemistry of the sport, which was powering that rocket, has changed dramatically.

This cannot be blamed on the sizable new TV contracts or on the advent of new sponsors to the sport. It cannot be blamed on the grooming of new drivers or the success of powerhouse teams such as Hendrick Motorsports.

In times of such a dramatic shift in the sport, one must look at only one individual. That individual is the leader of the sport.

It's well documented how one person can positively or adversely affect an organization. The Matt Millen era of the Detroit Lions may become the prime example of such an effect.

When Brian France took control of NASCAR six years ago he had a vision for the sport. That vision did not agree with the previous incarnation of the sport. And yet, that vision was applied to the sport with disregard to the previous dynamics.

The Chase, the COT, lawsuits, reallignment, the obliteration of tradition and the general pacifing of the sport are but some of the changes France has reigned over. Not all of these are directly his fault, but he had the final say in their implementation.

And look at what has happened. Long time fans have been alienated. Fans who bought season tickets to a track find themselves losing the desire to renew them. Fans who watched every single race all season long now see Sundays as just another day of the week.

The spark is gone, the passion is gone and what launched the rocket that was the growth of NASCAR is gone. Replacing it was a short term singular vision that, as of right now, apparently is not working.

Perhaps the most difficult part is that it is impossible to go back. It is impossible to rekindle the magic that existed at the beginning of this decade.

As NASCAR fans, we were happy... no, proud when our little sport finally began to take off. No longer would we have to be judged and criticized for watching cars go around in circles. NASCAR could be a respectable sport among the masses finally.

Today, NASCAR is stumbling along in the public eye. The past few weeks have shown the disorganization of the governing body. NASCAR's credibility has taken sizable hits in the past few seasons, but nothing compared to the past month.

And where is our leader? Where is Brian France to comfort us, to let us know that they were in the wrong or that we have been misinformed?

David Stern and Bud Selig address issues directly with a candor not found in our sport. When France talks to the fans about issues, he speaks almost as if he is the scolding parent, looking down upon his misunderstanding children.

But that is not the way to govern. That is how you alienate your fan base.

Stern and Selig also have made mistakes in their tenors as well, but at least they have admitted that have made mistakes and learned from them. France sees only his faulty 'vision' for the sport, even though it is evident that it has not worked.

When drivers arrive in Concord for the meeting with NASCAR brass, it is these issues that should be in the forefront of their minds.

We need a leader, not a visionary. Bill France, Sr. was a visionary who built the sport into the mammoth it is today. We need someone who listens to the fans and drivers and can apply these discussions to the sport.

We need someone who is a fan of NASCAR, not merely the CEO of it. Is that too hard to ask?

Kyle Busch Needs a Lesson in Manners

Jory Fleischauer — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:14:42 -0400

Another race, and another spectacular run by the venerable Kyle Busch. As happens many times in life, the cards were not in Busch's favor, and he was relegated to a 17th place finish.

It is here where the respect for Busch begins to dwindle. Instead of conducting himself like an adult and discussing the events of the race, Busch was seen literally running out of the track.

Busch is far from a child, he is 23-years-old, yet he has not learned to conduct himself as an adult in situations such as this. From a young age we are taught and learn that life is not always fair, but that one must learn to take that in stride and to learn from it.

What should have Busch learned?

If you're going to pull a creative move like that, which is precisely what it was, do so on the front stretch of the track. Admit you made a mistake and that you have learned from it.

Whatever you do, though, do not go running away in much the same matter a disappointed 4-year-old does.

Perhaps it is time for Joe Gibbs to step in and offer his young and talented driver a few words of advice on how to conduct one's presence. Such actions would not be deemed acceptable in real world situations, nor should it be acceptable in Busch's situation.

And you cannot deem Busch's actions acceptable because he is a "strong competitor." I am glad he is bitter for losing and I am sure he is upset over NASCAR's car, which was the correct call, but that does not give him the right to storm off with little provocation.

Tony Stewart was guilty of this facet many years ago, as was Kevin Harvick, and both learned to funnel those emotions into something more productive. They are the poster children for this precise situation.

If I were NASCAR, I would not be terribly pleased with Busch's actions from today. The sport struggles in the American stick-and-ball society and is usually ridiculed on show's such as SportsCenter.

How is the sport going to look when it's most talented driver is shown running out of the track because he felt he was wronged?

It's a black eye for the sport and a black eye for Busch.

It is time someone stepped in and taught Busch some manners. Before his actions begin to fully detract from his immense driving ability.

NASCAR Sponsorships: A Great Marketing Strategy

Jory Fleischauer — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 13:30:09 -0500

I understand that in our troubled economy today it is difficult to consider spending more money than is currently required. But that is what marketing is all about—spending money to make money.

Many businesses have lost sight of this fact in recent years, even more so in our current situation. The benefits of realizing this facet of business is immensely important for long term success of an organization.

If I were a CEO of a business who was itching to expand, do you know where I would start looking for an avenue to accomplish this desire? A NASCAR sponsorship.

Few can fathom why one would go such a route without understanding the dynamics of the sport. You'll hear that it's cheaper to advertise in magazines and on television, and on that level they would be right. But sponsoring a NASCAR team can reap rewards far beyond those classical methods.

Consider this, I live in the northern midwest and, as such, we have our own regional businesses. NASCAR expands upon my regional knowledge of businesses and introduces me to organizations which otherwise I would not be aware of. This is how I know of the the restaurant chain Golden Corral.

I have never been to one, as the nearest one is several hundred miles away, nor have I seen many ads for them. But because of NASCAR and their sponsorship of Travis Kvapil, and a few spring Atlanta races several years ago, I know who they are and the type of product and service they offer.

And if I was ever in an area with a Golden Corral I would certainly consider trying one out.

Also consider Jeremy Mayfield's sponsor for the 2009 Sprint Cup season, All-Sport. That was a product which was a large part of my life in my younger years and I was completely unaware that it was still being made. I now find myself searching various stores in the hopes of finding it to relive my youth.

These are merely a few of the benefits of a NASCAR sponsorship. As a business you have access to one of the largest, and devoted, television audiences on a weekly basis.

Numerous websites, blogs, and message boards discuss a team's new sponsorship and accompanying paint scheme in great detail. If that paint scheme and/or sponsor combination is a hit, associated merchandise can quite literally fly off the shelves.

As a business, how spectacular is it that a fan could wear a hat, a t-shirt, and own a bumper sticker and a diecast all with your organization's name on it.

Then there is the benefit of using a NASCAR sponsorship in other mediums. Having a representative show car of the actual car you sponsor travel to different locations would provide ample opportunity to bring individuals to your location.

What about having a driver endorse your organization via traditional adds and personal appearances? Could you get Terrell Owens to agree to sponsor appearances on a regular basis with the knowledge that if he didn't he couldn't play on Sunday? Of course not.

One also must consider the relation of the sponsorship to their employees. Many businesses cannot afford to sponsor an NFL or MLB stadium, but they can sponsor their employees' favorite driver and sport. Happier employees invariably produce a happier product.

So why aren't businesses flocking to NASCAR? The last decade has done much to rid the sport of its hillbilly-esque image. If anything, it is one of the most tantalizing sponsorship opportunities in any sport.

The truth is, many do not realize the vast benefits that can be gained by such a simple allocation of money. And with the inability to secure funds at the moment, most businesses are cutting funding from the least quantifiable aspects of the organizations, such as marketing.

As always, the tides will change and organizations' pocketbooks will reopen. The question becomes if they will have noticed the marginally tapped resources that NASCAR has to offer. Only time will tell...

The Real Nationwide Standings Following Race Three

Jory Fleischauer — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:14:14 -0500

Little late, but college will do that to you at times. Here is the REAL NASCAR Nationwide Series Standings after Race Three.

1) Brendan Gaughan (R) 407—Coming off his second consecutive top 10 (seventh), Gaughan was one of four rookies to finish in the top 10 at Las Vegas.

2) Jason Leffler (-53)—Leffler was the highest scoring Nationwide driver, and also earned Nationwide drivers their first top five of the season (fourth).

3) Jason Keller (-64)—Keller's ended early due to a single car wreck on the backstretch. Despite the wreck, Keller retains a position in the top five of the Nationwide Series points.

4) Michael McDowell (R) (-81)—Having the best day of his young Nationwide career, the former Sprint Cup driver eased his Camry home to a sixth place finish, enough to vault him up to fourth in the standings.

5) Kenny Wallace (-96)—Another solid run saw Wallace keep the nose of his US Border Patrol Chevy clean as he came away with his best finish of the year (14th).

6) Justin Allgaier (R) (-96)—In just his seventh career Nationwide Series starts, the young Allgaier secured his first top 10 finishing, bring his Verizon Charger home eighth.

7) Mike Bliss (-102)—To say Bliss had a bad day would be the understatement of the weekend. With a monkey attached to the back of the Miccosukee Resort and Gaming Impala, Bliss limped home to a 22nd place finish.

8) Scott Lagasse, Jr (R) (-108)—One of the pleasant surprises of the season thus far, Lagasse had yet another strong run scoring his first career top 10 finish.

9) Tony Raines (-119)—A former Cup driver, Raines earned his team their best ever finish, coming home 15th. Word has it the team celebrated with a bucket of popcorn shrimp.

10) Morgan Shepherd (-131)—The ageless Shepherd makes an appearance inside the Nationwide top 10 by virtue of a 13th place run at Las Vegas. It was the second consecutive top 20 finish for Shepherd, proving that at age 67, he can still race.

Created a full standing's list, courtesy of Racing-Reference.info

FULL NATIONWIDE SERIES STANDINGS HERE

As an addition this week, I have included Nationwide Series Standings for the Cup drivers competing this season. They are, of course, not eligible for the Nationwide Championship.

FULL NATIONWIDE SERIES (CUP DRIVERS) STANDINGS HERE

NASCAR Sleeping Aid: Rockingham, How We Miss Thee

Jory Fleischauer — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:44:07 -0500

NASCAR is all about sponsorship. Even non-fans are well aware of this fact. And now NASCAR has a product they can promote as their own. What is it you may ask?

Why it's the NASCAR Sleeping Aid. If you read the ingredients you will find the following:

Cookie Cutter Tracks
Unimaginative Car Designs
Late Start Times
Dull Personalities
Digger

If marketed properly, NASCAR could give Tylenol PM a run for its money.

That being said, does anyone else miss Rockingham Speedway? The way the old asphalt would chew the hell out of tires, the way turn two tightens up quicker than Barry Bond's tourniquet around steroids, and the way it was so relaxed after a stressful Speedweeks.

No one could deny that there was a lack of great racing at Rockingham. That is not to say that California does not put on a good show, it is just a show we see far too much of.

Rockingham was unique, but suffered from poor scheduling. Had the race been shifted into early spring, perhaps its races would have sold out better.

Here's a thought that will cause old school fans to drool. Could you imagine Rockingham under the lights? It would be nothing but a short track shootout for 400 miles.

Alas NASCAR has decided to evict uniqueness in place of sleepiness. The one benefit? There is hope for insomniacs out there...

NASCAR's Junior Takes Some Major Media Heat

Jory Fleischauer — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:18:10 -0500

Am I the only person that has become increasingly annoyed with the attention on Dale Earnhardt, Jr.?

I have the feeling we are only a couple weeks away from the following head line: "Junior Spotting Leaving Bathroom with Toilet Paper on Shoe, Lack of Skill Includes Bathroom Hygiene."

Hilarious? Yes. Possible? Sadly enough, yes.

I appreciate Junior as much as the next fan. As a personality, he is one of my favorite drivers. I happen to relate to both of his sponsors.

But why must there be constant attention on him? Why must every little detail be exemplified to enormous proportions? Can we not just respect him for who he is?

I understand the fan base he inherited upon the death of his father. I also understand that he is one of the faces NASCAR. It is a large responsibility which spurns a lot of scrutiny.

But you will not see article after article on Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, or Carl Edwards. A look at the front page of this NASCAR section displays no less than four articles dedicated solely to him. Four articles for one driver.

Anyone have enough of this yet?

I have immense respect for how he has handled himself over these past few years. I do believe he is a much better driver than he is given credit for.

In the same breath, one has to wonder if all of this attention is having a negative affect on him.

The Daytona 500 incident is a prime example of this possible affect.

It is clear he has become more concerned with pleasing those who focus on him than actually racing. Hell if I were him I would become paranoid about doing poorly just so I would not have to deal with the negative media.

And how is that fair?

We are all guilty of this, the fans and the media. For too long we have surpressed what could have been a great driver. The sad thing is at this point the damage may be done.

Perhaps it is time to start letting his facet of the sport slide down the totum pole a bit. Let Junior be what he is, a NASCAR Sprint Cup driver.

Stop bombarding him with questions over why he was not on top of the speedcharts in practice or why he ordered fat-free mayo instead of regular mayo.

Just let him drive the damned car. Is that too hard to ask?

The Real Nationwide Points Standings After Race 2

Jory Fleischauer — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:59:04 -0500

Kyle Busch may have taken the victory Saturday night in Fontana, but Brendan Gaughan took the real Nationwide Series points lead by a slim one-point margin over series veteran Jason Keller.

For an explanation behind these standings, please see this article.

1) Brendan Gaughan 256 - Gaughan took home his first top 10 of the season, a ninth, as RWI came home with two cars in the top 10.

2) Jason Keller -1 - Another strong top twenty run or Keller keeps him hot on the heels of new point leader Gaughan

3) Mike Bliss -53 - Former Craftsman Truck Series champion makes his entrance into the Nationwide Top 10 by virtue of a 13th place finish at Fontana

3) DJ Kennington -53 -The surpising Kennington completed another solid run at California to find himself tied with Bliss for third in the title hunt

5) Jason Leffler -62 - Leffler would bring his Camry home 11th Saturday night, still eyeing his first NASCAR championship

6) Kenny Wallace -66 - Wallace looks to bounce back from a poor showing at Fontana, finishing 31st, at Las Vegas where he finished 13th last year

7) Brad Keselowski -67 - Another finish outside of the top 20 leaves Keselowski itching to return to his 2008 form next week in Las Vegas

8) Joe Nemechek -74 - With two DNFs in two races this weekend for NEMCO Motorsports, Nemechek hopes to bounce back at the track where he found victory in 2003

9) David Green -74 - The 1994 Busch Grand National Series champion took home his first top 20 finish of the year in his return to full-time Nationwide racing

10) Michael McDowell (R) -80 - A great qualifying effort overshadowed by an even greater engine failure, McDowell barely keeps his lead over fellow Rookie of the Year candidate Michael Annett

Next Race: Sam's Town 300 @ Las Vegas Motorspeedway

The Real Nationwide Points Standings

Jory Fleischauer — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:45:34 -0500

It is clear the Nationwide series has an identity issue. With Cup drivers winning the last three championships, there is little distinction, aside from the cars, between the two series.

Due to this I shall present the true Nationwide standings on a weekly basis. No driver that is competing in a full Sprint Cup season is allowed to accrue any points towards the Nationwide championship.

So without further ado, I give you the Nationwide Top Ten in points after one event.

Jason Keller 143 - Last Week: Keller was the only Nationwide regular to score a top ten finish, coming home ninth.
Joe Nemechek -19 - Last Week: NEMCO Motorsports came back after a two year absence to score a top fifteen finish. Whether or not Nemechek does run a full Cup season dictates his championship eligibility.
Michael McDowell -22 - Last Week: In his debut with JTG-Daugherty Motorsports, McDowell gave the team a solid top fifteen run.
Kenny Wallace -23 - Last Week: Making his eighteenth Nationwide start at Daytona, Wallace equaled his average finish of the track of fifteenth.
Brendan Gaughan -25 - Last Week: Making his first Nationwide start in eight years, and second ever, Gaughan had a solid showing, coming home with a top twenty finish
DJ Kennington -31 - Last Week: On Thursday, Kennington recorded his best career Nationwide starting position and backed it up on Saturday with his best ever finishing position, coming home seventeenth
Mark Green -34 - Last Week: Green recorded his best finish in over six months, driving his Dodge to a eighteenth place finish
Mike Wallace -37 - Last Week: Despite missing the Daytona 500 field, Wallace was able to bring his #01 Chevy home just inside of the top twenty
Brad Keselowski -41 - Last Week: A good finish ruined by bad luck, 2008 championship contender Keselowski looks to bounce back next week at California
John Wes Townley -43 - Last Week: Making just his fourth Nationwide start, Townley recorded his best career finish, twenty-first, which has allowed him to sneak into the Nationwide Top Ten

NASCAR Nostalgia: Two Deaths on Feb. 18, 2001

Jory Fleischauer — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:22:42 -0500

Eight years ago today, NASCAR lost its greatest leader, its greatest driver and its greatest personality, Dale Earnhardt.

Rather that delve into a memorial piece as so many others have done today, I feel the need to honor another important aspect of the day.

Eight years ago today, my love for NASCAR died.

I realize that is a harsh and cold think to say, and I honestly didn’t realize it at the time. In truth, however, that is precisely what happened.

It was very similar to your first real heartbreak.

You hold on for a long time, hoping to rekindle once what was so powerful, but in the end you realize it will never be the same. That is precisely what happened for me when Dale Earnhardt died.

I am not here to argue that the changes the sport has seen would have never happened had he survived that last lap. For all we know the extraordinary businessman that he was could have seen the benefits.

What really died that day was the intimacy of the sport.

Until the 2001 season, NASCAR was our little secret. Listening to the announcers on the telecast was often like listening to your friends discusses a race.

One could relate to the drivers and teams and when they were having a down stretch, you were down with them.

Newer NASCAR fans can’t imagine the depth of which we related to the sport. And you understood they all had faults because, in the end, they were the same man as you and I. They were adorned with sponsors that you knew and used and remained loyal to because your driver drove for them.

That isn’t really the case today.

February 18, 2001 brought the national spotlight to our beloved sport. While it has brought enormous good to the sport, it has rid it of the intimacy and in that way the sport really did die on that day, on that lap.The great Dale Earnhardt, whom every thought was invincible, died on that lap.

In reality it was almost like the day you found out Santa Claus wasn’t real. The unabated joy was now over, replaced with a harsh reality.

So, today I remember Dale and I also remember the sport, which once existed. Sad and complacent in the fact that I will never see either of those two again.

NASCAR History: A Look Back On Feb. 15

Jory Fleischauer — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:38:48 -0500

The 2009 season begins on Feb. 15 and will be the seventh NASCAR Cup-level race run on this particular day. Here is a look back at the six other races on this date:

Feb. 15, 1953—The second race of the 37-race NASCAR Grand National season took place at the famed Daytona Beach course. The 39-race endeavor would go caution free with Fonty Flock dominating. On the last lap, however, Bill Blair would power his ’53 Oldsmobile past Flock to take his third, and final, career victory.

Feb. 15, 1976—One of the most historic NASCAR Winston Cup finishes occurred on this day, with David Pearson edging Richard Petty by a mere fifty feet.

In a race dominated among A.J. Foyt, Petty, and Pearson, Foyt would fall to the wayside, leaving Petty and Pearson to duke it out. Coming off of turn four on the final laps, both cars would make contact, sending each slamming into the wall.

Petty’s Dodge would stop just short of the finish line and would be unable to restart. Pearson would keep his Mercury engine running and would coast across the line to win his only Daytona 500.

Feb. 15, 1981—Five years removed from that fateful finish, Petty would pick up his seventh and final Daytona 500 victory in NASCAR’s first race with downsized cars. Bobby Allison would dominate—leading well over half the race—but after Petty took the lead with 25 laps remaining, the STP Buick would remain untouched until the finish.

Feb. 15, 1987—Bill Elliott would first set the course lap record of 210.364 mph and then edge Benny Parsons in his second career Daytona 500 victory at the last unrestricted running of the event. The top five consisted of a mix of old vs. new drivers with Elliott winning, Parsons running second, Petty third, Buddy Baker fourth, and Dale Earnhardt, Sr. fifth.

Feb. 15, 1998—Eleven years would pass before another race on the 15th, but that particular race was well worth the wait. Dale Earnhardt, Sr., after twenty years of trying, finally conquered the Daytona 500. In one of the most iconic images of the sport, Earnhardt was congratulated by nearly every crew member on pit road on the way to victory lane.

Feb. 15, 2004—Six years to the day after his late father’s greatest triumph, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. would take, what is currently, his sole Daytona 500 victory. The race would be dominated by the combination of Junior and Tony Stewart, with the No. 8 Chevy proving victorious in the first ever Nextel Cup event.

NASCAR Pole Winners Get No Respect

Jory Fleischauer — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:29:06 -0500

At one point, winning a pole for a driver was almost as good as winning the race. That driver had run the fastest laps against all other competitors under similar conditions.

Is that not the epitome of motorsports? To run the fastest time possible on a circuit.

And yet, in the new NASCAR, little is to be gained from this success. No longer is there a separate race for pole winners.

Until the mid-90s, there existed a bonus for pole winners if they won the race. At times, it had potential to be a very sizable bonus.

In many other forms of motorsports, the pole winner is awarded championship points for their accomplishment. In NASCAR, you get first pick of a pit stall. Big whoop.

It is even more confusing when one thinks about the emphasis NASCAR has placed on being first these past few years.

How many drivers and teams over the years have fans seen utterly ecstatic to earn a pole? How do you think Furniture Row Racing and Patrick Carpentier won their first poles?

For Furniture Row, it was their moment of redemption after a trying beginning to the team. For Carpentier, it was proof that he could run more than just open wheel cars.

Now imagine how they felt when they were told they were no longer eligible for the Shootout. The knowledge that all of the jubilation felt in April knowing that they would be in an All-Star race was unjustified.

Not every driver can contend for a win on a regular basis, but they can contend for poles. Drivers like Loy Allen, David Green, Rick Mast, Hut Stricklin, and numerous others used the Shootout as their All-Star race.

Even Carl Edwards, after his pole for the fall Bristol race, was elated about earning a berth in the Shootout.

So in reality what is the benefit of winning the pole now? What is Martin Truex rewarded for earning his second career pole last Sunday? The option of picking the first pit stall? Starting on the front row?

One could argue if that is the case, the second and third place qualifiers could suggest that they receive equal benefits. This is something NASCAR should address in the near future.

A race for manufacturers, I will contend, is a splendid idea. Just don’t take away from the accomplishments of the pole winners.

Because if you are not first, you are last, right?

Comparing The Last 24 Cup Seasons

Jory Fleischauer — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 21:14:38 -0500

Several years ago, actually the first year of the Chase, I had noticed a trend in which championship-winning drivers were accomplishing less than what their predecessors had been. What I mean is that what would win a championship in 2004 would merely finish fifth in 1999.

As such, I decided to produce a collection of statistics to compare the seasons of drivers since the inception of the modern points system. I have been updating each year since, but have yet to find a place to host this information until now.

The link below will take you to a page showing the culmination of my work. It compares the seasons of the top 15 in points (including other seasons such as Ernie Irvan's 1994 campaign) starting from 1975 and going until 2008.

Some of the formatting is as follows:

R - indicates a rookie season

Pts Finish - indicates overall points finish

C. Rank - indicates Chase finish

B - indicates that particular drivers best season

I would like to format this into a sortable website at some point, but as of yet do not have the time to do so. I hope you may find this statistic as informative and entertaining as I have over they years.

All Time Season Stats

Love Lost As 2009 NASCAR Season Looms

Jory Fleischauer — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:16:05 -0500

What has happened to the sport I fell in love with nearly 20 years ago?

What has happened to the anticipation I used to feel every Sunday morning during a season?

What has happened to the drivers, the tracks, and the owners that I had followed intensely for so many years?

To be honest I am not sure where they all have gone. I would like to believe they are still with me, in some form or another, but to be honest I am not terribly certain.

We are nearly on the eve of the 51st Annual Daytona 500, the pinnacle of our beloved NASCAR Sprint Cup season. And as we near this holiest of races the question must be asked—just what in the world is going on?

On a daily basis one can read about teams merging and buying points from one another to lock themselves in the field. Apparently it has become more important to have the funds to purchase a spot in the field rather than being able to race their way in.

Is it really fair that a driver like Clint Bowyer, a two time "Chase" contender, may be required to time in to the 500 while someone like John Andretti, a driver who has not run a full season in over five years with a team whom one could barely call a Cup team, is locked in?

NASCAR seems oblivious to these facets as we near the start of another NASCAR season. The sport is teetering on a very, very dangerous slope and NASCAR does not appear willing to recognize it.

The last few months have been a mockery of the sport that I once loved. It was difficult to adjust to the "Chase," the realignment and the Car of Tomorrow, but this is proving to be the most difficult of all to adjust to.

Perhaps it is a lack of leadership from the top which has propagated the current situation. An unwillingness to deviate from a, what was once, potent recipe for entertainment.

The thing is, that recipe no longer works and the little tweeks to fix it are only compounding matters. The sport is a mere shell of itself even compared to just five years ago.

So as the 2009 season looms, those aforementioned questions continually flood my mind. Already I have cut my viewership of races substantially over the past two years and after the 500 I find myself questioning the next race I will actually watch.

Because the sport I loved exists only in memories and YouTube clips. And that is, on an immense level, entirely depressing.