This was in the NSSN a couple of years ago. One can take any part of it or all of it in order for more interesting racing in NASCAR. I know it's off the subject on this forum, but I feel a need to post it for, "DISECTION", as it the NORM here.
LET THE DRIVER DO IT!
I wonder if N.A.S.C.A.R. ever considered SHORT TRACK rules of engagement, where the driver makes his own on track decisions. No one tells him to move up or down, conserve gas or tires, etc. We know the driver can do it, after all, they came from short tracks, so did the fans. With todays format, how many of you fall asleep on the couch after the start then wake up near the finish. CHANGE, can sometimes be a positive, although we’re not receptive to change it might be worth a try. Here are a few thoughts that could bring about some pretty good racing.
PIT STOPS; Why not yellow flag the race for everyone when tires and fuel are needed. Have a two or three minute pit stop. This puts all drivers and teams on equal ground. Then when the race starts winding down to a hundred miles or so, the next pit stop could be stretched a little longer, making tire and fuel management mildly prevalent. Unscheduled pit stops will be the driver’s problem. Again, this can all be fine tuned.
REAR VIEW MIRRORS, except to block someone, why care who’s behind you. I once asked Lee Elkins while getting in his race car at Springfield, if he would give me signals as to how close someone was behind me, he said, “worry about who the blankety blank in front of you, not who’s behind you.” It made sense to me.
SPOTTERS; Aside from having the best seat in the house and being able to coach the driver, are they really needed? Why not have a RACE DIRECTOR in the tower with a one way radio to the drivers and pits. Have N.A.S.C.A.R. officials posted around the track to give feed back to the Race Director for safety. The fans can listen in like they do now. The Race Director can run the show and administrate race procedure to the drivers. It’s done all the time in many sanctioning bodies today.
SAFTY LIGHTS; Have enough strobe lights around the track so the driver won’t miss them if there’s trouble, the Race Director will again be able to call the shots.
As far as penalties and fines go, that can all be worked out, but sending a driver to the rear of the field with this type of format would suffice. Remember, nothing is etched in stone, and like I said earlier, ‘the rules can be modified.’
Many pluses would come from this if it’s used, more fan interest, more sponsor interest, more affordable participant interest, and the list goes on, not to mention the unlimited po-tential it has in other areas of the program. It levels the playing field and invites a different level of marketing also.
If I read anymore about how bad N.A.S.C.A.R. is, I’ll get skid marks in my skivvies. N.A.S.C.A.R. was conceived from one man’s dream to what it is today. The road has been long and at times, quite ugly. But the pluses have outnumbered the minuses. There will always be ongoing conflict between the players and the referees in any sport as well as outside opinions. N.A.S.C.A.R. has the races and the benefits if you get there, chances are you’ll be sitting pretty for the most part and not just the drivers either. It would have been nice if big fortunes came in the early years for the sake of the, “good ole boys”, for some it has. N.A.S.C.A.R. is the premier sanctioning body of all times. Anyone in racing wants to make it to the bigs, and if they say, ‘not’, then I’ll show you someone who’s raced too many races without a helmet.
