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It's the racing and rivalries, stupid
1/31/08: SOZ Studios, MI - By Mike Harper "SOZ" (RaceTalkRadio.com)
 James Carville, a campaign strategist for Bill Clinton once coined the phrase "The economy, stupid" and while I'm not a Carville fan, as a political observer I respected his ability to shine the light on an issue that was an obvious concern, but not at the top of everyone's list. Thanks to Carville it became the hottest issue in 1992 and Clinton won the presidency from George H. W. Bush and the rest is history.I find what's happening today in NASCAR similar to what was happening in the presidential campaign in 1992, but in this case it's all about the racing rivalries.
To this day, even though we've seen a decline in TV ratings and the NASCAR fan base seems to be reevaluating their desire to be NASCAR fans, for the most part I still believe it's the best sport in the nation.
However, in my opinion Brian France's new initiative of "getting back to the basics" will only be looked at as lip service, that is until his actions speak louder than his words.
We can sit around all day and debate each and every change or rule that NASCAR has implemented over the past three or four years, but to be honest it wouldn't do a bit of good. And even if NASCAR didn't have the top 35 rule or the chase format, it's not the concern I have and it's not what I think is the underlying challenge that NASCAR faces today.
I'm a big fan of bringing ideas to the table and if I have a complaint, I will try to bring a solution with it. In this case it may not be what some in the industry want to hear, but speaking as a fan of the sport I believe the truth of why fans are tuning out and not showing up to the tracks is more than just economic and/or "change" related issues. To me, it's all about the racing and yes, the lack of true driver rivalries.
Concerning rivalries, can you name a true rivalry in today's Sprint Cup Series? Not Kurt Busch bumping into Tony Stewart on pit road, but a rivalry, one where fans love to hate a driver and where a driver will do anything to beat his arch rival. As fans we don't have it today.
NASCAR has followed a path of success to get them to where they are today. And over the past several years, drivers haven't been allowed to fuel a rivalry. NASCAR isn't solely at fault for this. Sponsors, owners and the drivers themselves share in the blame. Whether it's the corporate image being protected, public relations policy or the simple fact the drivers live within the same track week after week with each other (because we've heard that argument many times), the rivalry as seen in the past is lacking. The simple formula for an Earnhardt, Waltrip or Wallace, Gordon rivalry is no longer found in today's Sprint Cup Series.
Back in the day, the drivers building this sport raced for fun, but at the same time they did it to put food on the table or to fix their race cars. They fought for every inch on the track, every lap. Today and God Bless them all, but they're racing for mansions.
The mindset of today's generation of NASCAR is different from those found in the sport six, seven, eight or more years ago. And don't get me wrong, nothing is wrong with making more money in racing today or the overall mindset. However, the industry seems to have lost touch in the old success model of Cowboys versus Indians and bad guys versus good guys.
Not that I enjoy looking to Hollywood as the example, but can you imagine the movie `Days of Thunder' or `Cars' without the connection of a rivalry? In both movies, without the rivalry there's no movie or it's just a love story. The same is true with today's NASCAR. I hope "the basics" include the rebirth of rivalries.
In addition to rivalries, "the basics" should include racing.
If your definition of racing is driving fast around the track for hours, then friends I'm sure you love today's NASCAR. In my view, the best racing happens with less than 100 laps to go because normally the frontrunners are willing to battle it out. I often wonder in regards to television ratings how many people tune in for the last 30 minutes of the race, because that's when it gets fun. With the exception of a hand full of tracks like Bristol and Richmond, the majority of drivers often use the strategy of waving cars by throughout the event in an attempt to save their equipment for the end of the show. While I understand the strategy, it's not really racing.
Not to pick on Jimmie Johnson and I'm only using him because he's the current champion, but how many times did we see Johnson work to pass someone during the mid-point of a race last season? Not pass someone, but work lap after lap to get past someone. It was rare. In most cases a driver pointed and told Johnson where to pass. How convenient!
The thought taught by Mark Martin is, if you allow a driver to pass early in the race when it doesn't matter, then you'll be around to race for the win later. While it sounds good on the track, it's not good for the stands. And instead of making a driver work to get past you or maybe working him over causing him to make a mistake or having him back off so his equipment doesn't get used up, it was easier to give him a free pass. The same free pass that saved him time and his equipment, resulting in giving him the better opportunity to beat you - because now he's in front of you.
That's how it works, right Mr. Johnson? By the way, Johnson has been a major beneficiary of the free pass and is a NASCAR champion, while Martin has dished out tons of free passes and has how many championships? Just an example folks.
The practice of allowing drivers to pass without any challenge during the race has become the standard. And why should people spend their hard-earned money to go to the track or take three to fours hours of their day to watch drivers give out free passes. Honestly, they shouldn't and they're not. From my research I've found this has something to do with people walking away from the sport.
Are fans upset with change? Sure they are, but the changes haven't hurt the overall racing. Argue the top 35 rule and argue any proposed age restrictions. Heck friends argue until the cows come home.
When the race becomes racing again throughout the entire event, rivalries will ultimately return. When the rivalries return the fans will show up to the tracks and tune in once again to root for their favorite driver and root against another.
It's so darn simple that it's being missed in the grand scheme of all the changes. And so lets enjoy all the bells and whistles established over the past three years because they're not going away. But while we enjoy them lets get back the basics of racing and rattling a few cages.
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