Improving consistency with the rules and caution flags is one of our suggested resolutions for NASCAR.
Dec 31, 2011 - Like every new year, the arrival of 2012 marks a fresh start and a clean slate – at least in theory. Since many of us take the opportunity to make make New Year's resolutions on this occasion, here's a few suggested changes for NASCAR in 2012.
When 2011 began, ESPN and Fox told us why running commercials in a small box during the live race action wouldn't work. Then both networks experimented with a "side-by-side" format, with ESPN using it in the second half of each Chase race.
In the meantime, Chase ratings went up. While the side-by-side coverage likely wasn't the sole reason, it certainly didn't hurt and was a viewer-friendly move.
NASCAR should push its TV partners to use this format for every race of the season – including the Daytona 500 – and do it for the entire event – not just the last half. Advertisers have shown they're willing to run commercials with the race action still on the screen, so there's no excuse not to do it.
This is a tricky topic, especially since 2011 ended on the highest of highs for the sport. But while the Homestead race was the best of the year – maybe one of the best ever, thanks to Tony Stewart's sheer determination to win the championship – most 1.5-mile tracks put on lackluster shows. If not for a late caution or fuel mileage to spice things up, many of the intermediate track races would be total stinkers.
NASCAR is developing a new Sprint Cup Series car for 2013, and it's important officials concentrate on doing whatever they can to make the cars racier. Even if NASCAR reduces the difficulty of driving the car, fans would benefit from more side-by-side action and passing – a scarcity in many races today.
Hopefully, one great championship race won't distract NASCAR from the long-term goal of making the events more entertaining.
One of the most maddening aspects of NASCAR is the lack of consistent calls both on and off the racetrack.
Officials will call cautions for what seem like the smallest of reasons at times (an unseen piece of debris; a car brushing the wall) but then won't throw a yellow flag in situations where drivers actually need to slow down and use caution (a car sitting in the middle of the track late in a race).
Off the track, NASCAR will fine Kurt Busch for acting like a jerk to a TV reporter, but won't fine Richard Childress for flat-out assaulting Kyle Busch in the garage.
Whether privately or publicly, NASCAR needs to draft a set of guidelines that encourage the same calls every time. In the NFL, a holding call doesn't change (or shouldn't change) depending on the game situation – either the guy was holding or not.
NASCAR has a credibility problem with fans, and increasing its consistency is the best cure.
This is perhaps the most obvious one of all. Like any other sport, NASCAR has the right to fine its competitors when they speak negatively in public. But when officials do so in secret, it makes NASCAR look like it's hiding something and fuels conspiracy theories.
Public fines happen all the time in the NBA and NFL. If someone bashes the league or the sport or the officiating, it's a fine. Boom.
But secret penalties hardly ever stay secret, and when the fines are revealed, it makes NASCAR look hypocritical: While publicly encouraging drivers to be themselves, the sanctioning body is secretly fining them behind the scenes.
Though there will be fewer well-funded teams in 2012 after the departure of Red Bull Racing's Nos. 4 and 83, Richard Childress Racing's No. 33 and Roush Fenway Racing's No. 6, there probably won't be any short fields in 2012.
Why? Because owners can make a nice little profit while start-and-parking, all without any intention to actually race. While some S&P teams are trying to build their organizations for the future, others are just field-fillers who don't add a single thing to the event.
Here's an idea: NASCAR should reduce the purse for those who finish 35th-43rd each week and put the extra money into the top five to reward those who put on a good show.
If the start-and-park teams don't have the financial incentive to show up, will that really be a big loss? I'd rather see 37 cars start the race and try to complete the whole event than watch a half-dozen competitors pull of the track with a phony reason for stopping early.
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Well, that's all for me in 2011. If you have any resolutions to add, feel free to leave them in the comments section below. Here's looking toward a great 2012!
5 comments
Comments
Side by Side
1. The side by side ads were good. Normally, commercial means a trip away from the TV for 2-5 mins. With the new way, one has to stay to watch the racing unless he absolutely needs to go. There is a much greater chance of seeing the ad if you are at the TV.
2. I agree with the throwing of the flags. If it needs to fly, it needs to fly. Cars were wrecked last season and the flag never flew because they could get to pit lane. However, they ended up laps down just because they needed some cosmetic work.
3. I believe that a car has to run a certain amount of the race to get paid. A multi car wreck on lap 2 may require some special considerations. But, S&P’s are obvious and may need to run a third of the race or so to see the $. A car may have to be totally non-drivable to be waived.
4. Lastly, We need to see maybe more points for 1st to 3rd place finishes. Something like 6,4,2 respectively. This will fatten up the winning streaks for the drivers.
by KKin5 on Dec 31, 2011 11:16 AM EST reply actions
About number 3
If some hick can get in and start the car, then the car needs to run period, no starting and Parking. Also, race the Daytona 500 on Presidents Day Weekend and use one of the breaks during the chase. Maybe after the fifth chase race.
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by Jessy S on Jan 1, 2012 3:27 PM EST up reply actions
2012 resolutions
I agree with the side by side commercials but with a serious rework. 3/4 of the screen was commercial and the race window was too small be to worthwhile and to tell the truth when the commercials came on I turned to my “raceview” to watch what was going on. The flag problem will never be solved because it is left up to race control to determine if a flag needs to be thrown and they seem to have their own set of “circumstances” surrounding this issue. Fines should be limited to something that actually happens on the track. Not in the infield after someone wrecks his car because he isn’t happy about waiting for some moron to ask him a STUPID question, and lastly, no more start and parker’s, no more “past champion” provisional’s. If your car isn’t fast enough to get in on time why should you get in because you won a championship over a decade ago?
by rfejes1 on Dec 31, 2011 11:44 AM EST reply actions
If I were in charge
I agree with you and everyone else that side-by-side commercials have to be available to the viewers at home for the whole season, regardless of TV network. And @refejes1 is right, the race feed has to be displayed larger. I would mandate the position crawl be shown over the top of the side-by-side commercials and race feed, so no one would have to squint.
if I were in charge of NASCAR, every race telecast would have to feature at least one 30-second close-up of every car and the announcers have to give some news or feature about that team during the 30 seconds. Any car which did not make it through 25% of the race would not have to be shown. Even if the car is no longer running because of engine failure or crash, the paint scheme/wrap should still have to be displayed. (The normal race could be shown in inset.)
This would make the sport healthier. The marginal teams which are not start-n-parks could get sponsors knowing they could guarantee some logo time on TV. The stronger the field is as a whole, the better the racing will be.
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by WestCoastKenny on Jan 1, 2012 7:13 PM EST reply actions
Sponsor
I like your idea of putting the cameras on the cars for a moment at least. The sponsors are looking for face time and that’s what really counts for them. Nascar can become really sponsor friendly by showing the cars like you said ‘Charge. Of course, better positioning during the racing equals greater camera time for the sponsor. If Nascar becomes a better ’billboard’ for sponsors, the sponsors will come.
I am sure the announcers can come up with a way to do this during the quiet times of the race. We tend to have some periods in every race where a ‘filler’ is needed.
by KKin5 on Jan 3, 2012 11:34 AM EST reply actions
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