So, it's obvious that USC-1 works for Nascar, I get it. Those responses are the same responses you get from anyone that works/is associated with that sport. Those people don't listen. They tell you that they want to listen and they do for 30 seconds, but then they spend 20 minutes telling you that you are wrong. So, they pretend they care but they don't.
So, listen, here are my top 10 nit-picks:
1. All those track/schedule changes that were made were done so in the interest of the track owners making more money, I get that. But, they were indeed wrong about what it would do to alienate their Southern base of fans and their ability to hang on to new fans. They didn't realize that the fans going to the races were going to multiple races, for some reason, and that once they eliminated NW and The Rock, that those folks would just decide to stop going to others as well. Then to top it off, not only did those tracks lose races, Darlington's traditional labor day date gets given to California and now 3 races have essentially been eliminated from the South. NW, The Rock, and Darlington weren't sellouts but they balanced the schedule and their tv ratings were better that their attendance (see road courses). The Road Course races never "sell out" either but no one ever brings those up when they say that The Rock and NW can't fill their seats. Those people are now gone, forever, some of which did Bristol the week before and now no longer do that one either, which leads to ...
2. Bristol is an absolute crap show now with the newer, progressive banking. Burton Smith said that they would take it back to where it was before but that was obviously not true as it has never returned to its form from before the re-pave. The fans have spoken. They aren't wrong because the customer is always right and, right now, there are no customers.
3. $110-$250 a ticket is not comparable to most major sports. In 1990, we had tickets in the covered Colvin grandstand at Darlington at the S/F line on the top row, $70. Now, they've switched sides, you have no covered seat, the seats are closer together, and you roast all day for $130 (after taxes). Hello? Charlotte's cost is much higher for the same seats, so is Bristol and LVMS.
4. Toyota. Enough said.
5. All the 1.5 mile tracks are the same. Why did they screw up Atlanta, why??? The same folks that screwed up Bristol.
6. The drivers. No Elliott, Wallace, Earnhardt, Martin, Allisons, Kulwicki, etc. Instead you get JJ, KB part 1 and 2, and TS when he's not killing himself or others. Who are you going to pull for? I tried pulling for Blaney but then Nascar doesn't give the oldest team in the garage a "charter" and gives a couple away to teams that don't exist anymore. LOL.
7. The teams. Hendrick, Penske, and Gibbs. Everyone else is just fighting to stay alive. If Roush didn't have Yates motors, Ford would be gone.
8. The engine rules and top 35 rule guaranteeing entry into the race ruined qualifying day. When they did that rule, they ticked off a whole load of people. We used to go to Charlotte on Pole Night and the place would be packed. You could watch qualifying and then Arca or some other type of race would be after that. Now watch who shows up for Pole Night. It's basically empty now because no one really cares anymore. They know that the teams are afraid of having to change engines so they don't give it their all and they don't have to because they're more or less guaranteed to make the race. Guess what? The fans know this too.
9. The cars. They aren't based on normal street cars anymore (other than decals). In 1986, you could go to your nearest interstate bridge and within a matter of an hour count 10 T-Birds that looked like the one Bill Elliott was driving on Sunday. Now, you couldn't stand there for a week and count even 1 Chevrolet SS or Ford Fusion that looks like what's on the track now.
10. Race rules. The Lucky Dog and free pass is an abomination. Double file restarts. Overtime lines. My Lord.
