Richard Petty Remarks
 

Quote from Petty in Autoweek, “I guess I’m looking at it from an old-time deal because we spent years and years and years trying to become a professional sport. Years and years to get away from that stigma (that racing wasn’t professional). But dirt-track racing is not professional, so we’re going backward.”
Thoughts?

This is America, can’t he have an opinion.

Re: Richard Petty Remarks
 

Someone needs to tell him that in the golden years of USAC/Indpls they raced on dirt.

In the middle 60's I remember RP racing a NASCAR dirt track in Hillbourgh, NC. He looked awful happy running up front. And having the most fun was
Wendall Scott. And many racing teams giving him parts to keep his car running. And he never ask for any thing. Today dollars ruined this sport.

That kind of makes his point, the golden years of USAC were 1/2 century ago. I see his point though, NASCAR was always considered a red neck, hill jack deal. They have tried to overcome that. I think he is wrong about racing in dirt but I understand why he said it.

I think I’d consider dirt professional, look at the woo USAC Lucas oil sprints and late models. It’s as much a professional business as can be.

Re: Richard Petty Remarks
 

Many would agree with Petty that NASCAR is moving backward. Same thing every week. The move to dirt is a result of what any organization would do under the circumstances. Just give us something different to help us stay awake.

I believe you are speaking of Wendell Scott.

NASCAR'S Downfall is getting political!!! It's NOT from making plans to race Cup Cars, on DIRT at Bristol!! Hopefully WoO Sprints will return, too!! 😉😀

Honestly i’m not surprised. I’ve always felt like the Nascar upper crust has looked down their noses at all other racing series, especially dirt short track racing. Anyone remember Robin Miller’s story about DW talking down Bryan Clauson’s talents? It took Mario speaking out to shut DW’s mouth.

Contrast all that with Doug Boles love for short track racing and you’ll see why i’ve not spent a dime on anything Nascar related in about 10 years.

Re: Richard Petty Remarks
 

They have screwed their sport up so bad that are now trying anything, and in this case it's to lure the Friday and Saturday night crowd, (us) to dig in our pockets to make up the shortfall of their poor decisions. Auto Racing is not Football, or Baseball or any other of the major "entertainment" series that blanket the airwaves. Auto Racing is a blood sport. It has a dark side which unfortunately rear's it's ugly head every now and again. Auto Racing used to be for hot rodders and daredevils. We paid our money to see others do what we wish we could do. The current generation is not in love with the car, it is nothing more than a tool to get somewhere. So the hot rodder part is dying quickly as well. I doubt many aluminum intake manifolds and trick ignition systems are being sold to those under 40...... the aftermarket speed equipment has all but dried up..... but Richard is correct, they did want to grow the sport, and in doing so they sold their soul.

I have not watched NASCAR since the common car, so it's been a while. I watch Daytona because it's early in the year and I have a history of watching.... but to pay money to go? Never. It's boring. I am interested in the engines and components that make up the car. And while their engine programs are scientific, I would venture to say that the front running WoO, USAC and Modified Stock Car groups have nothing to be ashamed of. There are some SUPER STOUDT engines being built out there. I'm so impressed with the mills in Brady Bacon's Hoffman ride! WOW, that thing is wicked.

Petty is old and definitely represents the old Nascar arrogance which is partly why they are in the place they’re in. 10 years ago every nascar executive would have said the same things. But now they are in a situation where the ratings are so low the networks are telling them “we need to do something”. The fact that Fox basically told them they wanted a dirt race shows how much dirt racing has grown in the last decade.

Re: Richard Petty Remarks
 

I would love to see NASCAR add some dirt venues.

Re: Richard Petty Remarks
 

Sure you should be all inclusive.

But the PC crap is killing the sport. (Every sport for that matter)

People want to see the best racers dueling it out for the win, Tempers and drama happen naturally and don't need to be stirred or made up

Wasn't long ago when NASCARS biggest years were the redneck (Earnhardt) vs the yankee (Gordon)

But somehow racin on dirt is less sophisticated? WTH?

Re: Richard Petty Remarks
 

Originally Posted by Charles Nungester:
Sure you should be all inclusive.

But the PC crap is killing the sport. (Every sport for that matter)

People want to see the best racers dueling it out for the win, Tempers and drama happen naturally and don't need to be stirred or made up

Wasn't long ago when NASCARS biggest years were the redneck (Earnhardt) vs the yankee (Gordon)

But somehow racin on dirt is less sophisticated? WTH?

I would venture to say its multi-cultural efforts are costing it more fans than it is gaining.

Originally Posted by sw1911:
I would venture to say its multi-cultural efforts are costing it more fans than it is gaining.

Please explain?

Not to stereotype but because the muticultural/pc stuff doesn’t appeal to or is against what their core fan base is used to. Hate to make anything racing political but unfortunately it’s come to that in our society today. I could say more but I respect you all too much to stir anything up.

Re: Richard Petty Remarks
 

Personally I say leave Nascar to be Nascar and dirt racing to be dirt racing. Dirt racing doesn't need Nascar. In my opinion, with them bringing the trucks to Eldora, slamming into each other and hitting the wall 7 times a lap, makes dirt racing look like a circus.

Re: Richard Petty Remarks
 

Lets look at this from a facilities point of view. I am sure that the dirt tracks in the 60's that RP was wanting to get away from were some of the tracks with the worst facilities. It has only been somewhat recently that some dirt tracks have started to upgrade their games, and there are a ton of tracks that have still have sub-par facilities. When we start dreaming about tracks that have the facilities to host a cup race, the list is very small.

BTW, this reminds me of an interview that Larson had about the possibility of cup cars on dirt (pre-suspension) His basic take was that he was not a fan because of the limited changes that were going to be made to the cup cars. He was also concerned that the tracks would be super locked down. (like most truck races at Eldora)

If I were going to spend money on a race, it would not be for cup cars on dirt. It would be for midgets/sprints/late models on dirt.

Re: Richard Petty Remarks
 

Originally Posted by Jonr:
Lets look at this from a facilities point of view. I am sure that the dirt tracks in the 60's that RP was wanting to get away from were some of the tracks with the worst facilities. It has only been somewhat recently that some dirt tracks have started to upgrade their games, and there are a ton of tracks that have still have sub-par facilities. When we start dreaming about tracks that have the facilities to host a cup race, the list is very small.

BTW, this reminds me of an interview that Larson had about the possibility of cup cars on dirt (pre-suspension) His basic take was that he was not a fan because of the limited changes that were going to be made to the cup cars. He was also concerned that the tracks would be super locked down. (like most truck races at Eldora)

If I were going to spend money on a race, it would not be for cup cars on dirt. It would be for midgets/sprints/late models on dirt.

Hammer swung, nail hit on head and driven through board.

Personally, I think when Richard Petty speaks, everyone should put everything down and just listen. His words are like a history book. He brought NASCAR up to a new level in the 70s. To do that NASCAR had to sell America Daytona, which was easy back then. Then came ESPN in 1980-ish and the floodgates opened.

I would like to hear from guys like Ned Jarrett, Red Farmer, Bobby Allison, Cale Yarborough..... do I need to go on?

It would be tough to convince me that the cars they are going to run on dirt are true dirt prepared with NASCAR's micro-management of the rules. In all honesty, this Bristol dirt thing doesn't get me going. I was more excited to see the 2021 IndyCar calendar.

If 2021 happens, of course.

Re: Richard Petty Remarks
 

Originally Posted by SoIllSprinter:
Quote from Petty in Autoweek, “I guess I’m looking at it from an old-time deal because we spent years and years and years trying to become a professional sport. Years and years to get away from that stigma (that racing wasn’t professional). But dirt-track racing is not professional, so we’re going backward.”
Thoughts?

I think we are hearing from an old sage who has witnessed the rise (the stigma), the glory (Daytona & big money), and the fall (the greed & buy a ride) of a sport he loves, during his lifetime. Over time, all things evolve, including sports such as racing. The automobile is no longer status and a right of passage, but a phone (hand held computer) is. Our attention span is shrinking and NASCAR's 4+ hours of going in circles and IndyCar going 50 mph on city streets is pointless to most fans of competitive auto racing. The grassroots dirt is where WE began, stayed, and remain. The sanctioning bodies have ebbed and flowed, but the on track product has demanded our attention. The explosion that is FLO Racing is proof that real racing exists locally across this country and is marketable nationally if given the proper platform to disseminate its entertainment value. With 3 hours events, multiple action packed races (heats), a fair purse paying throughout the field of competitors, and content that personalizes the professional/amateur participants, we might be on the cusp of rising to the forefront of auto racing industry's attention. PS. (Tony knows...Two hour show, multi purpose chassis, multiple track styles and surfaces, and drivers that have earned the right to compete in the eyes of the audience.)

Re: Richard Petty Remarks
 

NASCAR is a floundering whale that has lost its way and beached itself. Outside of the Mod Tour I really don't care what they do from week to week anymore.

Re: Richard Petty Remarks
 

I am a Richard Petty fan. He is known for 2 major things, 200 wins and 7 championships. So he thinks dirt racing is at a lower level. Of his 200 wins, 30 of them come from dirt track races. Another 20 wins are from races with less 20 cars starting. 64 more of them would have fields of less then 30 cars. This was from the start of Nascar when the races were on short tracks and would race 2 to 3 times a week. Like the world of outlaws do now. So 1/2 of his wins are from a short track life style.

Re: Richard Petty Remarks
 

Richard Petty is right. Dirt racing is not professional. not one race team can support itself. it takes rich car owners that don't care about losing money. NASCAR gets 3-5 million viewers on tv each week (most might be asleep) but a dirt race cannot touch those numbers. He's also right that NASCAR is chasing gimmicks trying to save a shrinking fan base. i love dirt racing, but The King is not wrong. i will argue as long as you want. ask the owners of the Championship winning teams and see how much money they've really made :deadhorse:

This is exactly right. NASCAR is struggling compared to their zenith. However, they have national TV contracts where every race is televised. It is still a popular form of racing, the most popular in the US. You may not like it but those are the facts. Petty was there from the early days. In his mind the sport moved from small dirt tracks, few fans, small purses to become a massive sport. He views racing on dirt as a step backwards, plain and simple. I still think he is wrong but I wouldn’t view his comments as condemnation of sprint cars, no reason to be defensive.

Re: Richard Petty Remarks
 

Originally Posted by Tumey's 55:
....but I wouldn’t view his comments as condemnation of sprint cars, no reason to be defensive.

Agree 100%.

If we roll back to 2005, the National Sprint Tour was created to rival the WoO. However, prior to that creation, Richard Petty and some associates were trying to form what they were going to call the National Sprint Car League. This didn't pan out and another group formed the NST.

Anyways, if I remember correctly from media press release, Richard was trying to promote "grass roots racing". A good idea, mind you, but splitting the top level sprints into two series...... after CART and the IRL..... I just wanted to throw up.

His attempt might have been to actually PROMOTE a new grass roots series with Steve Kinser and Danny Lasoski as his stars, or maybe he was just going for the quick buck, for everyone likes the dollar. But if he was true with his "grass roots racing" statement, I think he had the passion to make something happen and put the WoO to rest as they were changing ownership.

Either way, I think Richard Petty is wise in the ways of many forms of motorsports, and like I said in an earlier post, when he speaks, fans should listen. He is a history book in himself.

Ironically in all of this was WoO getting a TV contract with The Outdoor Channel. This seemed to be a sticking point with some WoO drivers - Lasoski especially. Looking back, it was a weekly taped delayed broadcast of a race, with a complete feature. Lasoski made a statement of the sort saying, "This is the wrong direction to be going in." No idea what direction he wanted it to go TV-wise, but up until what we have today with internet broadcasts that we can subscribe to, it was probably the best coverage we EVER had. WoO played it right. NST played it wrong.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Sprint_Tour

The same thing happened in 1989 with USA! United Sprint Association! 1 & Done Series!

**They did run a couple races late in 1988, too.