PRstore | Winston Salem

As an avid car guy, amateur racer (more like racer wanna-be) and on track driving instructor, the news yesterday that NASCAR wants to put the rubbin’ back in racin’.  Call me a racing purist, but isn’t racing all about building and running the fastest car?  I know, I know its all about the ratings and money, believe me – I know.  However, I think there is a disconnect from what made NASCAR popular.

It was a simple format.

Get the rulebook, build a fast car, find a good driver, put together a pit crew and go beat the other 42 teams. If you perform more consistently than anyone else – you win the championship.

Now, you have to get into the playoff (playoffs? you wanna talk about playoffs? playoffs – Jim Mora).  This still seems like a silly concept to me.  It also seems that you set unreasonble expectations in sponsors minds…”Mr. Corporation spending millions to sponsor our race team – you won’t be sorry when you see your car battle out for a championship in the “race for the chase”.  Reality is 32 teams lose before the end of the year.  I bet that helps them resign that big coporate sponsor.

Possibly the most surprising 180 degree turn was announcing that they want to see drivers show more “emotion” and for them to “mix it up” (for you non-race fans, that means, wait for it..wreck each other).

So now I am starting to compare NASCAR to the WWF.  It’s more about “the show” – it is no longer about racing.

If you would like to see actual racing, head out to your local circle track or better yet if you would like to be  a part of motorsports get involved with a local sports car club.  Many people have no idea what autocross is or know that there are open track days where you can take your street car in decent running order to a track like VIR and someone will teach you how to go fast.

I really love watching club races and other series like Koni Challenge or the 24 Hours of Daytona.  Now THAT is racing.

Some links to get involved.

www.nasaproracing.com
www.scca.org
www.grand-am.com