NASCAR has Lost Its Soul

He's not the sole reason, but certainly one of the main ones. Since he arrived in late '92, debuting in the same Cup race that was Petty's last, how is it possible to say that NASCAR was on the rise in the 90s without him?

 

I think Nascar benefited from some of the same technologies that made Monday Night Football a huge success. All of the technology that goes into the broadcasts really provides something that wasn't there when it was just a listing of the leaders.

And as someone from one of those northern states, I can say that Nascar was popular long before Earnhardt's death. In fact, I think it might be more popular in rural parts of the Midwest than in the urban south. I agree with coffeeman that Earnhardt's death drove some away from the sport. I include myself in that group. He had a mystique and a legendary status that has been missing in recent years.

Another thing to consider is that parity has hurt the Nascar. There was a time when it was dominated by the wily veterans. Today, any number of guys can win a race. It reminds me of the NBA in that it lost its legends and now equally talented people aren't as revered.

As well, the money has to be considered. It's all about dollars today, and not just on the part of the France family. Guys drive to make big bucks. When the big dollars weren't available, there was more a sense that guys did it because they loved it. People could relate to that. They can't relate to guys dropping the names of sponsors with every breath.

 

That '92 season, and especially the last race of the year in Atlanta, may well have been NASCAR's peak in terms of competition and fan enjoyment. You had Richard Petty's farewell, Gordon's debut and a final-race battle during which six drivers - Alan Kulwicki, Bill Elliott, Davey Allison, Harry Gant, Kyle Petty and Mark Martin - had a mathematical shot at the title.

Kulwicki won it by the narrowest of margins, the last independent driver-owner to take the Cup. Within about eight months, he and Davey Allison were both dead. You could convincingly argue that losing those two guys hurt NASCAR far more than Dale Earnhardt's death.

 

You're being facetious, right? Hence the smiley?

 

Then how do you explain the increased television ratings and attendance figures following his death?

 

I looked it up - Petty got all eight of his wins in a 254-race stretch between 1986 and 1995. He had 103 top-10 finishes and 38 top-five finishes in the same amount of time. He also made the top 10 in points four times, peaking with back-to-back fifth-place finishes in 1992 and 1993.

No, he didn't win 200 races like his dad but he was still a pretty good racer in his time (certainly far better than the overrated Michael Waltrip). Is Petty's time long over? Sure it is, but since he owns the 45 car, he'll be in it for as long as he wants to be there.

 

I always use smiley faces. Maybe that was a bad time to insert one.

I do find it odd to use Kyle Petty as one of your main driver sources. Yes, he's a Petty. Yes, he speaks his mind. Yes, he's been around longer than God. Yes, he's a nice guy. But... when you're dissecting the "leveling off" of the sport, as this NYT writer tried (emphasize tried) to do, as a knowledgable NASCAR fan, you're not giving me much credibility. Let me hear from from the drivers who have won championships, who have won races and know what it's like to have to deal with the even-moreso-than Kyle knows marketing of yourself and your team. I want more inside perspective. If other, more successful drivers, had been used in this article, I wouldn't have questioned the use of Kyle as a good quote.

I'm not questioning Kyle's success (or lack thereof) ... I question the writer's use of just him supporting the supposed decline of NASCAR.

 

Kyle Petty is the president of Petty Enterprises. Despite their relative lack of success on the track since Richard retired, and their modest operation compared to Roush, Hendrick, et al., they remain one of the most successful marketing entities in the sport. Born into it, Kyle's been around the sport for 47 years. He is the most widely and well read driver in NASCAR. He is also the most well spoken.

The third of four generations of drivers, he also sacrificed his son to it.

That's why I'm assuming sxy can only be facetious with that question.

 

I'm just stating an opinion. It's entirely possible that some other dynamic brought people to the sport. But I don't think people flocked to Nascar due to Earnhardt's death.

 

Wasn't facetious and I stated my reasons.

 

People who had never been aware of NASCAR were made aware of it by the coverage surrounding Earnhardt's death. Most notable among them the men and women in the media offices in midtown Manhattan. They were taken completely by surprise at the national outpouring of grief in the wake of his death. That's when you began getting much wider coverage of NASCAR in the mainstream media, both sporting and non-sporting.

 

Whom do you think would have a better perspective on the sport?