True indeed Mr. Nice.
It does cost a decent amount of money to go to a race. Money that a lot of people don't have to go to it or choose to spend their money on other things. Also one used to be able to camp out either in the infields it near the tracks. That alone saved people a lot of money. But that is not allowed at a good number of the tracks anymore. Combine expensive hotels or motels because people can't camp at the tracks with high ticket prices, high food prices, stupid and expensive "pit" passes ( it used to be back in the day that was not necessary because fans could do that without paying for it, and the fans really could get to be around the driver's..) and the cost of just getting there to the race it makes it rather pricey.
There are a good number of factors that have ked to the steep decline of NASCAR. Too expensive, economic down turn that people have not truly recovered from yet, way, way too many stupid rules by NASCAR over the cars and teams, allowing a Japanese company into NASCAR, the cars not being remotely like anything that can actually really buy, the cars not being anything like real cars ( remember the cars from the mid 90s on back actually looked like the real cars at least...), stupid tracks not allowing camping in the infields or near the tracks, hotels near those tracks ripping people off by more than doubling their prices and demanding 2 night minimum stays, the driver's not being no where near as accessible as they used to be to the fans like back in the early 90s on back..., the dumb and constant changes to the points system in the last several years has not helped either, the cars run in NASCAR being so super "safe" that the people driving to the race track are in more danger driving to and from the race than the driver's that are racing in the race= because let's be real here.... we has human beings like daredevils that are doing something truly dangerous and death defying... that does interest us a good a bit.. and good, bad or indifferent if we see a crazy accident that is ok with us too.. because that is a part of our human nature.. take all of that away from a racing event... And it is BORING... Period end of story... Drivers like Fireball Roberts, Lee Petty, Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Dale Earnhardt, Bill Elliot, were doing things that truly were death defying and crazy... 213 mph at Talladega... Was spooky, and death defying... And before anyone starts with the airborne argument and the stands being a problem... Simple answer... Move those stands back and elevate them a lot as well... Then let them cars run wide open AGAIN.. In this bubble wrap age we are in where we turning into a bunch of panzies... Don't just the opposite would be a good idea. The NFL is talking about getting rid of the kickoff for goodness sake... In the name of "safety"... Well what about punt returns... Guess that will be gone too... You see where I'm going with this... No one in their normal right mind will tune in to watch FLAG football... And no one wants to watch racing without hardly any danger being present either... I am all about making the car's safer, the safer walls I am in full 100% favor of has well... But let those cars run to their fullest speed possible. That alone will make it more dangerous but it will make it worth watching again. And another factor that hurt NASCAR was leaving race tracks like North Wilkesboro and Rockingham. Too many stupid dog leg 1.5 mile dumb race tracks... I got a novel concept.. NASCAR downsize and go to race tracks like Winchester Va where it is a high bank small tack, or South Boston Va or other small short tracks across the south and Midwest. Also.. no stupid pit passes.. Force the driver's to be accessible to the fans again at those tracks.
There's more to say about what went wrong with NASCAR. But I'm tired and ready to get some rest. I will say one last thing.. I still think the street outlaws are on to something good if they play it right... Because they are what NASCAR used to be before the mid 1990s. And that could bring those guys a whole lot of fans and a strong g following. NASCAR falling leaves a big void... Which the Street Outlaw guys could fill. Just like boxing's big fall.. led to the UFC. A void created... But something else filled it... Same circumstance here I believe.
