[Bob Tanner]

I just read a good article about Junior's statement that, considering the cost of fielding Cup Lite teams, he might as well jump to Cup. Was this statement the first sign of how NA__AR has killed a once great feeder series by prostituting itself to the Cup teams and drivers?

In part the article reads:
In a nutshell, what Junior implied is that the Nationwide Series just doesn’t draw the crowds or TV ratings the way it once did. The purse money for the AAA races hasn’t risen to keep level with the expense of competing, and NASCAR now proposes to make running their Little League series that much more expensive — making it impossible even for a team like JR Motorsports to survive.

Matt gives some really great suggestions for saving the series. (Don't complain unless you have a solution) I repeat, it's a good read:

The Frontstretch: Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off : Dale Jr. Sounds The Nationwide Series Alarm by Matt McLaughlin -- Thursday May 22, 2008

[DOF_power]

The solutions proposed in this article seem quite similar, or better put a mix of DTM + V8 Supercars + touring racing (WTCC, BTCC) .

Ofcourse NASCAR will reply such solutions can't possibly work.

[Phils20]

Great read. As usual, Matt comes though with another winner of a column.

[Racer Duck]

I had two thoughts as I read the column.

1) This guy understands racing from two sides of the coin: the fan's and the competitor's. (Not sure anybody outside the Daytona Beach high rise understands the third side: NA$CAR's side...) The fans will come to see the races at the smaller tracks, especially if they can identify with the cars being raced. The last thing anyone needs is a series that's "Cup Lite" or an exact match for ARCA RE/MAX. Copies only go over well in the Black Market. And I like his ideas for reducing costs.

One problem with any kind of "cost reducing" rules, it always costs the current competitors more 'cause they have an investment in equipment, parts, tools, & people that will be completely replaced/retrained when implementing the new "cost reductions". A personal example: when our SLM series was toying with the idea of going to crate motors, we objected strenuously (as did many other teams). The problem was many of us had one or more $20K engines that would become completely useless because we would have to "buy" (actually more like "rent") a crate motor for $4000. Sure, it would be cheaper, but what do we do with our 9:1 and concept motor "investments"? (With everyone jumping on the crate bandwagon, the market for such "exotics" was dwindling rapidly!!!) Also, where would the "Super" be in the "Super Late Model" if we were running 400 hp motors vs our 600+ hp motors?

2) Maybe NA$CAR will finally wake up and smell the roses, the few roses that are left 'cause the others are dying from lack of nourishment. If it takes a Dale Earhhardt, Jr. making a "I can't afford to continue operating in this environment" statement, then so be it. The good thing is Jr. carries a lot of weight (especially with the media) and lots of people will listen to him that won't listen to a Beth Ann Morgenthau or a Morgan Shepherd. Yes, I dearly hope they are trembling in their boots as they hide behind their desks in the corner offices at the Daytona Beach highrise. NA$CAR is already a "private club" with membership limited to those who can afford it. Unless they make it easier for their members to afford it, pretty soon we'll see 3 or 4 owners with half a dozen teams each fighting for position in a dozen or so sparsely attended Cup events. "Cup Lite" will be gone, CTS (or whatever it's gonna be called) on it's way out, and just the local series and modifieds (which aren't bothered by the "Cup" goings-on) still going full swing. And Bruton Smith will have stolen the hearts of the hardcore racing fans by putting on shows with the cars everyone wants to see for reasonable ticket prices and reasonable purses.

Along this line the thought occurred to me that a long lost "custom" needs resurrected: "Tow Money". It used to be that competitors who came from (name your distance) away or farther, would get a few extra bucks in their check as long as they made an attempt to compete. Most of the time it didn't pay for the fuel, but was a nice gesture from the track/promoter to let the competitors know they were welcome to come back anytime.

[Bob Tanner]

The article wasn't the type of thing a lot of the new NA__AR driver fans would find interesting.

But I find it gratifying that you race fans (fans who put racing before "their driver") found the article interesting, thought-provoking and honestly addresses a problem which is absolutely killing stock car racing at its highest level, and has been strangling it since 1987.

I think it's possible that, if the media has the stones to ask, Kevin and Delana will give a very similar answer.

[BiscuitMan]

Well, if NASCAR switches to a CoT for the Nationwide Series in 2009, that means there are going to be a lot of cars available for the ARCA teams to use.

As a prudent businessman, Dale Jr. sees the cost to change over to a new car vs. the cost to move up. Smart. So, I'm sure all the other teams will think the same way. Some will stay and some will fold. With this great management decision by NASCAR, are we seeing the demise is the former Grand National Series. Maybe yes.

I have always been a great supported of have the Nationwide series race at a different track versus racing at the same facility as the Cup series. This means most Cup drivers will stay at their track and leave the Nationwide guys alone. I hate to see the "Busch Wackers" show up and take all the glory from the struggling racers.

[Bryan88]

Great article, I can't say that I 100% agree with every single one of his suggestions, but overall I think he gives some really good ideas to bring life back to the nationwide series. Especially liked the suggestion of manufacture specific bodies and crate engines.

[wingkey1]

Seems there is an interest in moving NWS to a mimic of IROC.

Interesting.

Just a very few excerpts from the article -

*************************************************

“standardize the bodies for the cars"

"Ideally, the new approved bodies prepared by outside vendors "

Crate engines - "dyno testing would ensure that all of them were relatively equal and available to everyone at the same price"

************************************************** ******

The artical attempts to play with some by drifting into suggestions of uniqueness and individuality, but at its' very core is sameness. Chassis are developed by many, but certied by a single to ensure no advantage (sameness).

Nice try Mat.

But what do we know.