I started following NASCAR in 1971 as a 12 yr old. In the mid-70's our family would drive 1.5 days to watch David Pearson duke it out with The King at Michigan Intl Speedway. As NASCAR's become more popular, I've become more disinterested. Mostly because the cars are not identifiable. Somewhere in the mid-90's the cars became "funny cars" with slab sides, rooflines nowhere close to where they belong, and trunk lids way longer than from the factory. They've really lost me lately when they started scooping out the headlight area for downforce and most recently the cars have become asymmetrical - the left fender is pulled way out for downforce while the right side is shaped to cut through the wind. The NASCAR version of a Dodge Charger is a joke. The horse was way out of the barn, so NASCAR thinks the COT will get things back under control.
Before NASCAR started meddling with downforce numbers and allowing funny cars, the manufacturers would build a production car that would be the basis of a good race car - like the 83 TBird. Chevy's response was to create the Monte Carlo SS with a sloped rear window and an angled front end. Game on! Today there is no incentive or reward for the manufacturers. Build a brick and NASCAR will allow you to lower the grille by a foot and slope the front end (Charger).
To me the answer was not the COT. I would cut the spoilers on the current car in half. A reduction in spoiler would force the drivers to lift entering a corner and then we would see who the bravest or most talented drivers are. I used to love watching Talledega but now it's just 188 parade laps interspersed with several massive wrecks. Boring!!!
Don't get me started on the late race caution. NASCAR can't stand a race that ends with a 2 second victory. Half the time the cautions are very mysterious and the other half is because NASCAR let a car back on the track that's all mangled up with loose parts everywhere. Hey NASCAR - sometimes there's drama as to whether or not a car has enough fuel to finish.
And finally the drivers. I agree with racer_d about the drivers. I'm sure they're nice guys and they understand the fans are important (unlike other pro sports), but they don't want to say or do anything contraversial lest they lose their million $$$ cash cows. ddb asked for a driver in particular - Jimmy Johnson. Do you think any of today's drivers would pull into the third turn at Daytona and start a fist fight? And then have the wit to say afterwards the other guy's nose kept running into my fist? I doubt it.
OK, I feel better now. That's been building up for a long time.
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