NASCAR has been headed down the road of "political correctness" for years now. It started when NASCAR decided to ban Confederate flags from race grounds. Then, they decided to humiliate and degrade their base by calling them WalMart shoppers and hillbillies. Most recently, NASCAR has contracted a severe case of "Hollyweirdness" and Dixie Chick Syndrome. The powers that be in upper management at NASCAR have most recently made the decision to abandon the National Rifle Association from being a sponsor of the sport. While I think the NRA has their problems I see this as not an attack on the NRA, but an attack against the Second Amendment and a self-inflicted death blow to NASCAR. A very conclusive litmus test that NASCAR is done is when my wife says to me after this last incident self mutilation on NASCAR's part, "they (NASCAR) can kiss my ass. I'll never watch another race, ever" She was a die hard fan that came from a family of racers. Personally, the liberal elitists who inherited the legacy of the France family left me a long time ago with silly but subtle changes like restirctor plate rules, four door Taurus', and by allowing Toyota in the mix. I know there are many moments that defined old school NASCAR racing, but here are few clips that stand out in my mind and from my time. I think I was six when I saw my first race at Talladega back in 1970. It was fun while it lasted, but the best days of real men driving 200 m.p.h. machines are past us. I am thankful for the memories.
The "Allison/Yarborough Fight" Daytona 1979
Talladega 1984
Miscellaneous Superbirds
NASCAR management has completely lost touch with the fans. I watched NASCAR from around 1958 until a few years ago. Now it's too restrictive. Breaking a major "endurance" race into segments?
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seriously funny "pampers diapers' stickers on one of the "racecars" in the weekend race at charlotte. could only stomach two minutes of the event before becoming bored and falling asleep on the couch. SOMEONE call me when racing is back in nascar
ReplyDeletereal men racing machines on a road also know how to make right turns.
ReplyDeleteHi Irish......,
ReplyDeleteFunny thing you should mention that!!!!!
Back, in the day mid 1950's thru the mid 60's here in Hammond La., at the old WWII Air Base turned over to the Parish... the most activity out there was a couple of "puddle jumper" airplanes tied down, the "Civil Air Patrol," the Air National Guard unit, some now and then weekend "Skydivers," the "Grass growing between the cracks and once a month the Hammond Chamber of Commerce rented the airport and put on the "DRAG RACES!!!!!!!!!" from 0700 till sundown sat and sun or there was no one else to race every 15 seconds there was a "RACE!!!!!!"
We'd hang out at the CAP building at the Parking apron across from runway "36" at the Finish Line with the sun to our backs in the shade of the building we'd watch,"Who'd do what to Whom??"
All ya' had to do was get an old $25.00 junker that ya' could get running.. put a 2-barrel carb on it and if it ran and didn't blow up .... "RUN IT!!"
It's called "Racing!!!" We did it, we lived it, it was right out of "American Graffiti!!!" "Red Neck/Cajun/Swamp Rat S/E Louisiana style!!!!!!! I remember a Black early 54ish Chevy like the one Milner went up against in the big Race scene at the end... He was called "BLACK TRASH!!!!" showed up at "RUSH's DRIVE IN" with his "Lake plugs" in "RACE MODE" and took on all Challengers!! I remember that night there were 3 races and he "Cleaned House!!
RUSH's is now a slab of old concrete and Racing has gone $$$$$$$ the "Junk Yard Bandito's"are history...
Audentes, Fortuna, Ivat!!!!!!,
skybill
After the near success of the STP-Paxton Turbo Car in 1967, the powers that ran Indy decided to outlaw innovation and diversity. All cars have to be nearly the same. At least they still run it flat out between crashes.
ReplyDeleteAnd Formula I has gone the same uniformity route, and they have even banned the Grid Girls. Where is Francois Hardy when you need her. Of course, the French fined Bridgette Bardot and threatened to imprison her for talking sense about the Muslim invasion.
I hear it was about allowing driver skills to come to the fore. I call bullshit on that. they were really trying to make it cheaper by having IROC type racing wherein everyone only turned left.. uniformity only commits to mediocrity as far as the cars are concerned. Competition improves drivers and increases the technical qualities of the cars. what we get now is mediocre pap events which do not stir the blood nor invite improvement in the breed. nascar is the cash cow bled out by a greedy family that cannot see the end is neigh. no amount of "innovation of the rules" by the france's is going to pump the lifeblood back into the cow they have killed.
Deletewant to bring the fans back? let the teams cheat a bit. catch them a few times to make it interesting. don't tell me the fans didn't like seeing smoky yunick go out and kick but. I once upon a time payed to see that. identical cars with identical drivers with industrial grade support teams doing the same left turns is boring. get a race or two at road atlanta or the glen. let them turn right once in a while. make taking the fans cash fun and they'll give it to you.
I was a huge fan of racing both competing and following several circuits around. Racing was lost when "stock" race cars no longer had rocker panels. Win on Sunday Sell on Monday was the best!
ReplyDeleteNASCAR fans need to vote with their pocket book to tell those in charge to leave or change their minds.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget how the dropped the Winston Cup series because tobacco. Then there was the no champagne in the winner's circle, but milk instead. Just a bunch of little PC duckbites all add up to where they are today.
ReplyDeleteHaven't watched them at all since the Confederate flag thing, though. Not that I was a huge fan to begin with, but I would catch some of the big races.
I haven't watched a single lap of a NASCAR since Keslowski and Dodge won the championships in 2012. I pull for the MOPAR's I was at the infamous 1979 Daytona 500 and watched Richard win. Even though, he clearly didn't have the best car. It was a simply awesome finish. NASCAR is circling the bowl right now. They abandoned their most loyal fans in search of more money, left their traditional tracks for races in New Hampshire? And kissed Toyota's ass to get them to come in. Their latest attempt to appeal to latte' swilling hipsters is outlawing the guns and the NRA as advertisers. A pox on the house of cards the Frane family has left us. I'm hoping for a complete collapse of the series. Then watch it rebuild itself through weekend races on dirt tracks with cars that can be identified as Fords, Chevy's or Dodge's by their shape, front and rear ends. Not by a decal on the front spoiler.
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