February 19, 2008
Source: NA$CAR

Just minutes ago NA$CAR announced that they are unveiling a brand message for the season dubbed "Our NASCAR."

Here are some excerpts from their announcement:

"NASCAR's research indicates the core fans are watching less

network ratings dropped 11 percent, from a 5.4 in 2006 to a 4.8 last year, the second consecutive year of decline NASCAR described that research as proprietary and would not comment

These figures offer some support to the more anecdotal complaints longtime fans have voiced about inconsistent start times, the commercialization of the sport and the desertion of tracks in the Southeast such as North Wilkesboro and Rockingham."

The France familes resolution to this problem:

"France has said he hopes broadcast partners and drivers will talk more about the action on the track than off it."

My comments follow:

You have got to be kidding me France, Grow up, take that silver spoon out of your condecending mouth and accept some personal responsibility for driving your core fans away from Stock Car Automobile Racing with your never ending desire to totally control our sport (not yours). The race fans made NASCAR what it was, not you and we can damn sure turn it off!

If you are serious about taking stock car racing back to it's roots, the one thing you better do is quit lying to the fans and be honest with us. If you think for one moment that your "core fans" are going to fall for your political BS, then you're not being very smart! Your resolution to our complaints, "France has said he hopes broadcast partners and drivers will talk more about the action on the track than off it." is simply unacceptable and does not even begin to address our complaints!

I find it odd that France is once again talking out of his butt again, Yet more talk and even less action to return stock car racing to it's roots which I might add has been the core fan's biggest complaint ever since NA$CAR mandated restrictor plate racing in the 1980's and other significant changes to the sport since then. Fans including me were quite peeved at NA$CAR.

Many of our drivers including The late great Earnhardt Sr. led the charge against restrictor plates and even predicted that NA$SCAR would lose it's most loyal fans. Did NA$CAR listen then? No, and I really doubt if NA$CAR is going to listen now. Dale Sr. certainly knew what he was talking about. NA$CAR's fan base has been abondoning NA$CAR in droves just like Indy Car fans did to C.A.R.T. in the early nineties. I was one of those CART fans. I dropped them for alienating us and I am on the teetering edge with NA$CAR.

NASCAR is an acronym for National Association for Stock Car Automobile Racing. Since the 80's NA$CAR has mandated, restrictor plate racing, speed & testing restrictions, common bodies, an idiodic points system based soley on consitency, shock and spring packages, tires, and the last nail in the coffin the COT all supposedly in the interest of safety and cost.

While I will admit to the sport being somewhat safer becuase of track barriers and roof flaps, those two technologies alone would make real stock cars safe at almost any speed. I don't mind change when it's for the better but, when it's for the worse and makes no sense, that's what riles me.

For the younger fans who have never wittnessed a true stock car race, you really owe to yourself to view some of the early 1980's season's races, 220 mph in real stock bodied cars, unbelievable driver skill, awesome handling, and out and out slugfests on the short tracks like North Wilkesboro and the old Bristol. Some of the most popular drivers included Buddy Baker, Dale Sr., Daryl Waltrip, Harry Gant, Bobby Allison, Rusty Wallace, Neil Bonnett, Terry LaBonte, Bill Elliott and others!

Now, that was awesome stock car automobile racing!

Maybe just maybe, NA$CAR should seriously consider putting stock bodies and speed back into NA$CAR, then and only then would I and the "core fans" begin to believe that NA$CAR and the France family are serious about returning stock car racing back to it's roots!

As always, comments to this thread are appreciated and welcomed!

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