[vincesanity82]

At $20 million a team, the funding for a top-level Cup operation is beer money compared to the $200 million required to fund a Formula 1 team, but in these days of multiple car teams, the expenses add up quickly while the revenue necessary to compete obviously is lagging. The solution: NASCAR teams selling out to or bringing on investors. So what does all of this mean? Obviously, the big-money players who reached their stratospheric heights by not being foolish with their cash flows believe NASCAR is a good investment. And interestingly, the real big-dollar dudes have realized the sport itself could be a great investment and have been calling on Brian France and the France family to gauge their interest, but so far have been rebuffed. -- Florida Today

10 reasons NASCAR will be huge | floridatoday.com | Serving Brevard County and Florida’s Space Coast

[DOF_power]

Reminds me of the 80s and 90s in F1. But the only thing that happened was the costs went up even further and the little guys were eliminated.

[Bob Tanner]

When you play for the kind of rewards RJR brought into the sport, and what they have escalated to, thanks to TV, Nextel and a cast of many, big money backers are absolutely necessary.

Let's face it, gang. The NASCAR of the pre-80's era is gone. Maybe a head stone saying "R.I.P" might be appropriate?

This new NA__AR isn't necessarily bad, it's just different and about every facet of it is all about profit and entertainment. That's not necessarily a condemnation; it's just a statement.

[The Dude]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

When you play for the kind of rewards RJR brought into the sport, and what they have escalated to, thanks to TV, Nextel and a cast of many, big money backers are absolutely necessary.

Let's face it, gang. The NASCAR of the pre-80's era is gone. Maybe a head stone saying "R.I.P" might be appropriate?

This new NA__AR isn't necessarily bad, it's just different and about every facet of it is all about profit and entertainment. That's not necessarily a condemnation; it's just a statement.

Exactly. I myself only got into NASCAR a year ago so I'm very much New School when it comes to these things and nothing frustrates me more than "Well back in the 70's..."

NASCAR is no longer a sport that revolves around the Southern States anymore. It's expanding into a huge National Sport that's slowly gathering steam and moving into other countries. It needs a more clean-cut image, it needs to be viewed as a professional sport, not just guys driving in fast cars. Sports everywhere aren't about competition anymore, they're about entertainment and profit, and right now, NASCAR is finding it's place as a form of entertainment. If that means that changes need to be made then so be it.

I'd wager that in the end, the product will be leaps and bounds better than it ever was.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by The Dude

Exactly. I myself only got into NASCAR a year ago so I'm very much New School when it comes to these things and nothing frustrates me more than "Well back in the 70's..."

NASCAR is no longer a sport that revolves around the Southern States anymore. It's expanding into a huge National Sport that's slowly gathering steam and moving into other countries. It needs a more clean-cut image, it needs to be viewed as a professional sport, not just guys driving in fast cars. Sports everywhere aren't about competition anymore, they're about entertainment and profit, and right now, NASCAR is finding it's place as a form of entertainment. If that means that changes need to be made then so be it.

I'd wager that in the end, the product will be leaps and bounds better than it ever was.

I guess it all depends upon how one defines "better." Or maybe better, how one would measure "better." For example, to put it in a vehicular context, which would a person consider a "better" ride, a new mid-sized import or a 60's or 70's muscle car. It all depends what you expect to get out of it, I guess.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by The Dude

Exactly. I myself only got into NASCAR a year ago so I'm very much New School when it comes to these things and nothing frustrates me more than "Well back in the 70's..."

NASCAR is no longer a sport that revolves around the Southern States anymore. It's expanding into a huge National Sport that's slowly gathering steam and moving into other countries. It needs a more clean-cut image, it needs to be viewed as a professional sport, not just guys driving in fast cars. Sports everywhere aren't about competition anymore, they're about entertainment and profit, and right now, NASCAR is finding it's place as a form of entertainment. If that means that changes need to be made then so be it.

I'd wager that in the end, the product will be leaps and bounds better than it ever was.

And there in lies the problem for those of us who are long time NASCAR fans. It would seem obvious (to me anyway) that our perception of the sport is totally different. For yourself and countless others it is a form of entertainment. I too want to be entertained but not by personalities. I want to derive my entertainment by good hard racing by 43 teams. I'm sorry but I don't really care about NAPA commercials that are rib ticklers. Are they funny ??? Yes they are. They are in fact entertaining but the same commercial could be done by Roger Clemens and it would probably be just as funny. The same applies to any of those scenarios. I want to see a large number of cars racing to win. For me that is what racing is about. I have no interest in Jeff's personal life. What I do learn about his personal life has no effect on how I perceive him as a racer.

I'm pretty confident I could go on for a while about how I view the differences but I'll give someone else a chance. I'm not saying how you view the sport is wrong because I truly believe that your view is the same as those held by the France family who is in the position to make money on your view.