Failing experiments

NASCAR season isn't off to a good start from a ratings perspective. The Bud Shootout ratings are off last year by 22%.

I normally would watch. Didn't this year; I didn't care. Why? Stupid rule changes, again. Instead of being all the pole winners from last year, plus folks who had won the Shootout in the past (usually a good 25 car field of top teams/drivers), NA$CAR had to change the format because of sponsorship (Coors Light now sponsors the pole award) So, now since qualifying is essentially meaningless, and there's no 'all star' race reward, the pole becomes even less important.

Anyway, instead of what it was, they took the top 6 teams by manufacturer, then added in some extras... too complicated to even care to understand. But pretty much every Dodge got in, since there are only 6-7 teams left.

Just dumb. So no one cares to watch.

Since the 150's don't matter any more, I'd bet ratings for those races yesterday were off, too. (I didn't watch, and didn't even bother to record them.)

An open letter to NASCAR

I watched the Bud Shootout last night, hoping the new car might at least make the racing a little more exciting.

Here's a little feedback: if the announcers have to tell me how exciting the race was, it wasn't.

All the talk about winning back the old fans (apparently by encouraging fistfights) isn't worth anything if you don't change what's really driving old fans away from the sport.

Top 35 qualifying rule.
Chase for the Championship.

Go back to getting in the race on speed, with limited provisionals so Dale Jr. and Jeffy don't go home. Get rid of the welfare system of points to determine a champion via a playoff. This isn't a stick and ball sport - there is a difference when you 'play' the same teams week after week.

Keep the additional points for winning races.

Call me when you're done.

Congratulations Jeff Gordon

As much as it pains me to say it, Jeff Gordon has wrapped up his 6th points championship in NASCAR's top series. He has a 439 point lead over second place Jimmie Johnson, and as long as Gordon starts each of the next 3 races (which he will, due to NASCAR's provisional qualifying process), Johnson can not make that gap up even if he wins each race. (One can only make up 135 points per race).

Cheatin'

If you follow NASCAR, you know by now that Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon's (Hendrick) teams were caught working 'in a gray area' before qualifying for the race last weekend. Penalties were handed down today. Each team loses 100 points and $100K, and each crew chief is suspended for 6 weeks.

woo.

Soe each team loses $100k, which is meaningless. 100 points? In the new playoff format, meaningless. Crew chief suspensions, in an era of easy wireless communication, meaningless. They'll both be in a hotel room down the road with a 2 way and a laptop.

If NASCAR wants to show it's serious about cheating, they need to start sending teams home, or suspending teams for races. Knauss (the crew chief for the #48) has been caught a number of times. This time, they should have not allowed that team to race on Sunday.

Then the sponsors will get involved and put a stop to cheating.

Do you really want these people taking care of your health care?

When they can't even keep track of parking regulations.

Dumb NASCAR move of the month

They decided to limit the use of the 'Past Champion's Provisional'. A good move, I would say.

But this quote got me:

“As NASCAR seeks to place more emphasis on competition, we have decided the time is right to limit the number of provisionals allowed,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition.

“We believe this revision brings the provisional policy in line with the continued growth of the sport.”

Why? Because the first 35 starting spots in every race are held for the top 35 in points. You know. Provisionals. So there are 7 (or 8 if no past champ is eligible) spots where you get in on speed. You know. Competition.