NASCAR: With Calls For Change We Are Slowly Stepping Away From The Past

Leave NASCAR alone.

Stop trying to reduce the season, stop trying to reduce the races. Stop trying to change the new car.

These phrases go out to many different people and all the same people. So here's my take on the above topics that have not only dominated the offseason but seems to be the same response by different people.

Shortening the 36 race schedule

After weeks of reading everyone say because of declining attendance and the poor economy does NASCARs' top series really need a 36 week schedule? And my answer is yes. The shorter schedule might have worked early on but that was before major sponsorships and races that carried fortune 500 companies names each week. 

Yes, the sport matters and the drivers aren't out there just for the money. They love racing, but for the companies that pay millions for their name on the races it's all about money. They  want profit and NASCAR does just that.

Yes it's a grueling schedule but these drivers know this going into the season and into the sport.

They are aware that racing takes up time both on and off the track. These drivers still have families, and have time to themselves while it is limited. But you ask A.J. Allmendinger would he rather work 9-5, Monday through Friday with days off or would he rather race?—he'll probably tell you race.

Could there be changes to the schedule like replacing some of these tracks that carry two races but don't sell out with tracks and location that can sell out consistently?

Absolutely.

Tracks like California where they barely sell out each year but carry two races could bring in profit moving a second race to Las Vegas, where they sell out. But even the professional writers couldn't persuade NASCAR management to make a change like that and I doubt it would happen anytime soon.

Stop trying to shorten races

Leave the Pocono 500 alone, Bristol is fine at 500 miles. The racing will get better and what seem like too many as races that are way too long, getting interesting only in the end, will get better. Drivers are figuring out the cars and while I know the long races for some get boring I personally don't mind watching 500 miles at Pocono.

There is always something happening and always an unknown variable so for me the race lengths are fine.

Stop complaining, you will sit and watch anyways. Not because there is nothing else on but because you still have a passion for racing and that alone will make you watch these races.

Stop trying to fix the cars

Look coming into 2008, these cars had only ran part-time in 2007. They hadn't been ran on many types of track and teams were spending millions on two different style's of cars. With the economy beginning to tailspin, NASCAR made the choice to implement the new car in 2008.

With so many of us fans hating the new car, and crying for NASCAR to allow this team more "grey" area, are pleas aren't working.

But slowly the car became racy, and we saw some good battles for the lead and some great racing back in the pack. It's not perfect but it may never will be.

They get an "A" for safety as we saw at Texas with Michael McDowell's horrific crash where he walked away to do morning shows for a week. We might not have had that same result had this happened a year ago. 

There is a need for improvement but we need to give these cars a chance to work itself out. Until that time, we will still hear some fans say they are leaving the sport, disgusted with poor racing while others will watch anyways because racing is racing.

What NASCAR needs to do is lower ticket prices. With the economy faltering and no immediate end to the downturn, NASCAR has handed out it's checks to drivers now they need to give the fans a little gift.

The seats will continue  to be empty if nothing is done. Everyone is hurting and to shell out $200 a ticket for a family of four, plus transportation, it becomes too expensive and simply something you can go without.

Lowering the ticket cost would open up this sport to fans who never were able to come to races. Also in a marketing sense they would be one of the first major sports to lower there ticket cost to accommodate the struggling fans.

Some races will simply sell out because of the prestige of those races.

But the true test will come when Bristol, generally a race which sells out every year, stuggles to fill it's seats.

I think NASCAR needs to let drivers be drivers. We are such a fan friendly sport. The drivers are so approachable that NASCAR doesn't want to offend the fans or the sponsors when a driver acts out.

But that's what made this sport so famous.

Don't you remember the 1979 Daytona where Cale Yarborough, and Bobby/Donnie Allison fought. It was all anyone could talk about. This put NASCAR on the national scene. They weren't fined and put on probation, they fought it out and came back and raced just as hard next week.

Now drivers are penalized for swearing and fighting. But these drivers are sitting in these 3400 lb. machines and they are getting bumped and battered, they are getting blocked on the track and pit road.

Other drivers become a variable. So when these drivers ram into another driver in retaliation, yes it's dangerous but do you think these guys are out there using these cars as weapons?

We need to let the drivers be themselves. We need to let them get ticked off and fight with each other in the infield and not be worried about sponsors and fines.

I know this is a long shot, I don't expect anyone to notice another article about NASCAR and what it needs to do. But I would hope as fans and NASCAR top executives we realize and understand that NASCAR is just about traditions as any sport and by wanting them to change those traditions, means we are stepping further away from what this sport once was.