Franchising - Darrell seems to be in favor of it, but will it benefit NASCAR? 35 teams each week get in, so are they not indirectly "franchised" by NASCAR? The way the economy is turning, it won't make any difference sooner than later. The stands are starting to see there capacity increase - at least from a viewers point of refernce. Look at what happened at Indy when they started franchising the league - went in the toilet, and finally split up, to much bickering.
So what's the deal? Does NASCAR hold its line, keep putting economic pressure on the owners to be competitive, put on a good show? Or, does NASCAR set back, give these guys some slack, let them "run what they brung" each week and put on a show that way. Oh yeah, knocking 30% off the price of tickets would help, a bunch. The drivers would race no matter what the size of the purse was, but you need to fill the stands to keep equity.
Will we see a decline in the size of the fields in '09? Likely we will, and they will blame the economy for it - and that's a good place to start. But, is there any responsibility for over burdensome rules, and fines that are more than most teams will clear in the year?
Some of the boys are just tired of NASCAR's crap, only can't say so out of fear of being kicked out or targeted at inspection. Not to mention - how about the greed of the track owners, and the price of the concessions? $ .85 at Kroger's for a bottle of water, $ 5.00 at the track? And no, you can't bring in outside food and beverage's in some locations - so a family of 4 to 6 folks is going to go bankrupt getting food and water when it's 96 in the shade, and there ain't no shade.
New money for the teams - is it out there, and if it comes, with what catch?
Look at Ray Evernham, he'll be lucky to get a job as a commentator, you know he's not going back to a pit box anytime soon. He's made that clear anyway, only one driver he's really interested in - and he's spoken for. Rick Hendrick would be silly to take him back, and Rick is not a silly person.
Take a look at IRL and its history, then look at NASCAR today. Prima Dona's, excessive rules
and controls by the sanctioning body over the teams. Isn't the road paved the same way?
Shoot - let's go back to the good old days. Knock the compression down to 9 to 1 and let them
run it as hard and as fast as it will run. First thing that will surface if that occurs, who can drive, and who can't. Second thing - puttin' the fun back in racin'. Third thing - and most important, the fan's will return (especially if the ticket price is affordable to the every day fan).
Last race I went to - cost me $ 630 by the time it was over. Darlington is a sweet track, but the average Joe just can't afford it anymore, and you don't need to pay for the new asphalt all at one time.