I LOVE NASCAR racing. From the first race I watched. I thought it was the most beautiful thing in the world. To me racing, by definition, is exciting. I’ve never liked stick and ball sports. I have been Passionate (with a capital letter) about NASCAR since I saw that first race.

Winston Cup racing was the best racing. Bill France had a vision about racing and started the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). His son Bill, Jr. got together with R. J. Reynolds and their Winston brand and made racing wonderful. It became Winston Cup and the fans piled into the stands.

In 2003 Winston announced they would no longer be sponsoring the Series. Brian France, son to Bill, Jr. took over the reigns and found Nextel as a sponsor. Telecommunication companies who were not already in the Sport were banned from becoming a sponsor. And if one company bought out another, the new one would not be allowed. With that move, NASCAR got rid of potential sponsors.

Also in 2003, Matt Kenseth won the championship, despite only having one win. I have to say, it was exciting to watch him race every week. He may have  only won one race, but he was right there at the finish of every race. To me, this was what racing was all about.

When Brian France took over, he started the Chase. NASCAR has to compete with football for ratings at the end of the NASCAR season. And since he wanted to capture football fans for those last ten races, he came up with a playoff system. A playoff is supposed to be exciting and everyone would want to watch.

However, NASCAR is not like stick and ball sports. And Brian’s Father and Grandfather understood that. They didn’t want to be stick and ball. NASCAR is unique and they understood that. NASCAR does not need reporters telling everyone what a great sport racing is because the fans already do that.

The Chase has been here since the 2004 Season. Kurt Busch, who was a tenth place team, went on to win that first Nextel Cup. And I had to ask why having a tenth place team winning it all would be exciting. Tony Stewart won the next year, and I had to ask why crowning a Champion based on ten races was exciting. And then came Jimmie Johnson. He has figured out how to win in those last ten races and has been the champion four years in a row.

While that is quite an accomplishment, it isn’t really what fans are looking for. Under the old system, Jimmie would not have won four in a row. And I have to say that having the same driver win year after year isn’t particularly exciting. Unless you are a Jimmie Johnson fan. I happen to be a fan. But the chase has made other fans not want to watch NASCAR any more.

Sprint bought out Nextel in 2007 and NASCAR is now known as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. And everyone acts like Winston never was. Since Brian took over and gave us the chase, the attendance at most tracks has been down. And maybe the economy has something to do with it. But with that in mind, television ratings should be up. If you can’t go to the track because it’s too expensive, at least the fans should be watching  the race on TV. But that is not the case.

NASCAR’s idea of having a playoff to bring in football fans seams to have backfired. Football fans continue to watch football, given the choice. And long time fans aren’t watching, either. Instead of bringing in fans to watch the last ten races, this chase seams to be chasing away the fans NASCAR once had. I have to ask why crowning a champion based on ten races is exciting.

The media LOVES the Chase. And I have to wonder why. It doesn’t make racing more exciting because the media tells us it is so. Brian wanted more emphasis to be on winning races. So, the chase is now seeded according  to wins. You get 10 points toward the chase when you win a race in the first 26 races.

Now Brian is talking about tweaking the chase again. He wants the chase to go to the last race of the year to determine a winner. And eliminating drivers from winning. But these drivers eliminated won’t be eliminated from racing and winning. Just eliminated from winning the chase. (?)

Again, I have to ask why that would be exciting. NASCAR has no divisions. Just 36 races where 43 drivers compete. In my opinion, NASCAR was exciting before the chase. The best driver all year wins the Championship. And so far, the driver leading the points on the 26th race, has not gone on to win the championship. And I personally do not find this exciting.

NASCAR racing is exciting. Double file restarts are exciting. The race starts all over. But the chase is not exciting. And the more you tweak it the less exciting it becomes. If Brian and NASCAR wants to get the fans back, I say dump the chase. Give more points for winning. Give points for winning the Coors Light Pole Award. Give more points for leading the most laps. And not just for staying out to lead a lap. Every race will be exciting. NASCAR wants the drivers to go for the win, let them get more points for winning the races. Not ten points toward the chase. And there would be no need for a chase. The driver with the most wins should be the champion. Not the best driver in the last ten races.

So, what do you think? I’m sure NASCAR isn’t listening to me. I’m just a NASCAR fan. But NASCAR is my Passion. And he’s ruining it for me. Talking about only 12 drivers only chases away fans and sponsors. That may make the media’s job easier, but who cares if the media has it easier? I want to know about ALL the drivers and sponsors. Not just their favorites.

Brought to you by Sheila Hawley | Sheilalovesnascar´s Weblog