The Great Commercialization of NASCAR

I have my own list of issues with NASCAR these days, but this is a big issue, actual racing has gotten lost literally by the commercialization of the sport. Commercialization affects the sport in almost every way, drivers, number of races, length of races, cautions, sponsors, rule changes, TV ratings... and most importantly the fans. Seems like the interest of the fans has gotten lost along the way.

Let's take the Top 35 rule for instance. I just heard yesterday two media people and a driver defending the Top 35 rule. Basically, saying, that if a sponsor invests so much money in a race team and that team makes it into the Top 35, then they deserve to be in every race. This is where the fans get lost. I want the fastest cars in the race. Period. I don't care how much money DEI or Hendricks get from their sponsors, I want the fastest 43 cars in the field. The guys with the most money will probably out qualify the lower teams anyhow, but at least the top teams will have to qualify like everyone else. What's the risk? The risk is that one of NASCAR's beloved favorites doesn't make the race. To bad. That's racing.

All the sponsors need to realize that their car might not make every race no matter how much they spend. Right now. It's only the "go or go homers" sponsors that have to live under those rules, making it almost impossible to get into the Top 35.

 
Posted: 11/7/2007 8:09:00 AM
Comments:
yeah, like having to listen to hip hop music during the race!  

Lets look at the top 35 for Texas.  If the top 43 cars made it, Tony Raines, Robby Gordon, Johnny Sauter, Burney Lamar, and Kevin Lepage would have gone home.  Ok, no one that is going to light up the boards like if a Kenseth, Johnson or Earnhardt Jr. missed the show.  Waltrip, Andretti and W. Burton would have made the show.  Ok, this is not the best example but it makes sense.  Why not spread out the wealth a little bit, if we went with the 43 fastest, I am sure some of the guys above who would not have qualified at Texas would have 2 or 3 DNQ's on the season but compare that with Michael Waltrip who has missed 17 races as an owner on the #55 (MWR cars have missed a total of 34 races together), BAM Racing has 16 DNQ's and Morgan McClure has 15.  Not alot of reason for a new team to get into the sport!  So, NASCAR will run all these teams out, the economy will slow and we will have 35 full time teams and a few field fillers, that will be the future of the sport, just like 2004 but worse as they have doomed many teams.  Lets be honest, Scott Riggs had some bad luck and there is no way he would have gotten in the top 35, Riggs has been fast enough to make every race, how is that fair?  Believe it or not, Ward Burton would have only missed 4 races under this rule!  

BOTTOM LINE:  IT IS NOT FAIR TO DISTRIBUTE ALL THESE DNQ'S BETWEEN A FEW TEAMS WHEN THEY ARE FAST ENOUGH TO MAKE RACES!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted On: 11/7/2007 8:09:00 AM
I think that the top 35 rule ensure that the popular drivers are in the race but come on are there really 35 popular drivers? All of them should really have to qualify to get into the races like the old days. The races would be more interesting and action filled. It is getting boring watching a race from the drop of the green to the wave of the checker. I can take a 2 hour nap and not feel like I miss anything when I wake up. Fans want more action not cars that are all equal to each other.  
Posted On: 11/7/2007 8:09:00 AM
I hate the top 35 rule for many reasons; too many to list here. I do think there should be some sort of provisional available. One thing that really got me steamed this year was when cars in the top 35 failed post qualifying inspection and then were allowed to race. The obviously most absurd example of how outdated the top 35 rule would have to be the fall Talladega race. Cars qualifying in the top ten being sent home! Granted it was an impound race and blah, blah, blah..., but a puts the car in the top ten there is no excuse for him to be going home.
Posted On: 11/7/2007 8:09:00 AM
I dislike the top 35 rule but I think all of you are blowing it out of proportion. First off, Talladega's qualifying only happened the way it did because the cars in the top 35 qualified on a race trim because of the impound race. That's more of an impound issue, sorry but most of those out of the top 35 were not competitive at Talladega this fall and probably wouldn't of made it anyway. Also, I don't think sponsors like Napa, Red Bull, UPS, etc. are going to leave the sport because they know how powerful advertising in NASCAR is. They are not in the top 35 because they aren't fast enough to qualify or fast enough to be competitive on the track. So, even though I think the rule should be changed to that of what we have with the NHRA (slowest goes home) I don't think the current rules are going to ruin sponsorship in the sport. Also, commercialization, while harmful in some ways, has been very beneficial to our sport.

The popularity of the sport has grown because it has been commercialized in many ways. What if the sport had no sponsors? How would the sport be able to be broadcast on T.V. if no body advertised during the race or sponsored the sport? Do you think NASCAR would get huge t.v. deals with Fox or Abc if the networks couldn't sell advertising spots to companies? No way! Would you want NASCAR to be pay per view only? Also, what if all of the teams had no sponsors? Is it not true that some people are fans because of a brand they love being involved in the sport such as Budwieser, DuPont, or Lowes?  How would teams be able to pay for the costs to race?

Our sport can't live without companies sponsoring and advertising. Now, because of commercialization, NASCAR is way bigger than it used to be. I don't disagree that the commercials are too plentiful, and that the advertising seems to be competiting for attention as much as the cars racing. However, without commercialization this sport won't grow, tracks wouldn't be able to afford to get bigger and better, you wouldn't be able to attract more fans, and teams would not be able to afford to race like they do now. I'm sorry but if you want to see what racing looks like without the sport being commercialized, just look at the smaller racing series. You don't see the World of Outlaws getting much attention, I can't even remember the last time I heard something about a CART race. NASCAR is where it is today because it has been to some degree commercialized.

You guys may want the fastest 43 in the field, but I can guarentee you that the fastest are usually the ones getting paid the most money. Just look at Roush and Hendrick for example. Their big time sponsorships give them the funds needed to build excellent cars and have many teams.
Posted On: 11/7/2007 8:09:00 AM

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