That was an EXCELLENT "TWO CENTS" worth. I'm not a NASCAR fan as fans go either, but they sure have helped open wheel drivers and all that goes with them, mechanics, etc. down through the years.
I can remember (and I'm sure some of you guys can too) when a kid from around the Columbus area was sleeping in his car and, Ed Adair would let him in to race without even signing the sheet, mostly because he didn't have the price of admission. And he was (STILL ARBITRARY back then also) while going up through the ranks to become a great driver and... "MILLIONARE". That's just to name ONE guy, look at all the others before him and even after him.
Look at all the GOOD that's come out of their benevolence, once they "made it".
What I'm getting at is, if the RULES of ENGAGEMENT were modified somewhat, modified so it puts many up and coming kids that are tearing up the short tracks, on a level playing field down in NASCARLAND, then the local heros could have an affordable shot to head down there and, AT LEAST TRY. Do you think if Dave Darland had an honest shot at it, he would stay at Gas City instead of going down to try? How many of us would contribute our nickles and dimes to the, DAVE DARLAND sponsorship for a SHOT at a good ride to go down there and give it a season or two. Sponsorship for a guy like him would come pretty easy at a regional level. The same for the Indy 500 aspirents. The problem with all this is, they usually don't get a GOOD RIDE and they look like a Monkey making love to a FOOTBALL. And, it's not their falut either.
Open Wheel racing is the greatest kind of racing in the world as far as I'm concerned, but Open Wheel racing, Midgets, Sprint Cars, and the other classes, will remain in the, "HIND ***" class as long as we are not able to create more of a FAN BASE. The FAN BASE pays the bill and it can be created in many, many ways.
What the heck do you think the kid from Rushville is trying to do presently, along with the drivers that have come back to drive on the different short tracks in which they came from, there aren't a lot of them, but there are a few, and NASCAR needs to get involved in it also, because it's hurting their "BOTTOM LINE". They're starting to see the empty seats in the grandstands and that the is a BOTTOM to the MONEY BARREL. They should LISTEN to the FANS as much as they can, GOOD or BAD and weed out the good ideas toss them around and see what they can do to create, create, and CREATE MORE FANS. At least it gives them a place to start. It all starts from the top and NASCAR, as well as other sanctioning bodies, need to keep making CHANGES or MODIFICATIONS in order to help keep it all going if the future of MOTORSPORTS is to continue and grow.