The Future of NASCAR

[crazytrain]

You've come here to help?"
"No. I've come here because I got a free ticket."


What's wrong with this picture?

NASCAR fans are expected to appear in droves, and pay exorbitant prices for tickets to watch highly skilled adrenaline junkies race at spine chilling speeds in support of the cars of manufacturers (Toyota excluded) whose directorial hierarchy has nearly bankrupted their companies because of greed and mismanagement.

In addition, same fans are encouraged and expected to spend hard earned dollars to purchase inferior automobile products (Toyota excluded), guanranteed to become clunkers long before their substandard warranties expire.

The "Lucky Ones" will be able to pay $15,000.00 a season to park their luxury motor homes at one of the 74 new, backstretch "Burnout Alley" spaces at Texas Motor Speedway, and every accomodation and comfort will be theirs. This fan is glad she did not renew her season ticket so she would not have to stare at people eating lobster and caviar as she squeezed her voluptuous hips into
the 12 inches of bleacher space alloted in Section 105, Row 26, Seat 16.

Is it any wonder millions of NASCAR fans, across the country, may decide they can enjoy strung out racing dominated, by two or three drivers and teams week after week, in the comfort of their homes? Is "what the sport of racing has become" really worth sitting in traffic for hours, eating inferior food offerings and being snubbed by drivers?

Something about NASCAR has changed over the last few years. Perhaps the COT heralded the impending downfall of the quality of competiton, and the domination by the "super teams" has not helped the situation at all. The idea of parity has become a joke and many well respected and unquestionably good drivers have seen their talent subjected to debilitating limitations because of lack of technology availablity, comprehension of the new cars, financial shortfalls and management problems.

The rotten shape of the world economy is not helping. Everyone knows of the ongoing sponsorship quandaries facing just about all of the race teams. There are rumors of reduced numbers of entries to races, and merger mania continues to fuel the news media frenzy.

The off season has seen a lull in interesting driver news or gossip. Does anyone really care anymore, or is NASCAR fandom just trying to live and survive in this world, like everyone else? Maybe fans are simply empathetic enough to understand and believe there are more important things going on in the world than what Dale Earnhardt, Jr. eats for breakfast or how beautiful Jeff Gordon and his wife are.......

2009 will offer NASCAR a very important test. If the sport is to survive, it must excel in the kind of entertainment it provides. Fans will insist on good value in exchange for their participation. Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and Jimmie Johnson will be expected to perform, but it will be crucial for others to shine and measure up also. Tony Stewart ( his Sirius Radio Show has been cancelled) and Ryan Newman should prove their worth and Martin Truex, Jr., Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth need to do some winning. Balance would be welcomed, instead of the monotonous repetitiveness of 2008 performances by the same drivers.

David Ragan....it's time!

If Jimmie Johnson wins a fourth consecutive championship, something will be very, very wrong. Someone else had better step up to the plate! Maybe Mark Martin will surprise us all.

This fan predicts NASCAR television ratings will rise in 2009, as fans decide the best and most economical place to watch a race is in the comfort of their homes, even if they can't stand the blathering Bill Weber. The overall health of the sport of racing is not good, but there is always hope.

Will the patient pull through, or is the malaise terminal? Only time will tell.

If NASCAR has a race and nobody comes or cares, is it still a race?

Brian France, what have you done?

[junkmansports]

Crazy you need to bring your car boys over here. We made a ton with there picks. Who would have thought it making money on guys driving in circles.

But free money is free money bring the boys

[crazytrain]

Tomcatt is already signed up (aka wyatt, he decided to go by his nickname from work now) and ready for Feb to get here. His picks will be here regardless, if I have to post em I will!:hook

[junkmansports]

Money in the bank

[The General]

Heck with the souped up taxi cabs. I like(d)-love(d) it as well as anyone for years and still like to wager, but my interest as a fan has dwindled by 60% or more. Onward & long live Open-Wheel.

[Reno Paul]

Hope to have a good season betting on Nascar next year......I didn't do too bad last season with Biffle as my best wager @15-1 at New Hampshire.

I was hitting a lot of chalk around the end of the season on drivers like Edwards and J.J. at somewhere around +300 per race.

Would like to see some more Nascar plays here come February.

[The General]

Agreed Reno. I would like to see more wagers posted with non major sports...Golf, tennis, soccer, auto racing, horses, etc.....

[crazytrain]

Well boys, racin' time has officially arrived! Let's make some coin. My racing buddies are ready to lock and load......