Thread: Nascar's Impact on Champ Car's Future
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Old 21 Feb 2005, 23:54 (Ref:1231938)   #7
JohnSSC
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Snrub:

Interesting.

You find the Daytona 500 (I did not watch, by the way, so please let's not have me painted as a "NASCAR Fan") boring because there was not a lot of speed differential, no passing except on restarts, drafting is key, etc.

You would rather watch the annual LBGP parade? What wasn't there in this race for the casual fan?

1) 4 lead changes in the last nine laps.
2) 22 lead changes among 12 drivers over the course of the race.
3) Parity - your favorite guy has a chance to win.
4) Driver/Team recognition. The fans know who these guys are, know which teams have been around (and will be around).
5) It is indeed close racing'

Now I am sure someone is going to read part of my post, make some assumptions and go on about the "driver skill" in CC because you have to make the all-important right hand turn and shift and clip apexes etc. I am not here to place a value on the relative level of skills needed to compete. I will say that it is indeed a great skill to be able to drive 3600 lbs of car at 192 mph with the next guy literally right next to you - as in making contact.

I have never driven an oval in anger, but have a lap or two on a paved 1/4 mile oval and let me tell you kids - it ain't easy! Oval racing is it's own genre - it's own subset of racing - look at how quickly Jeff Gordon went quickly in the Williams at Indy a couple of summers ago if you need some validation as to the level of skills the top guys have in NASCAR.

NASCAR is eating Open Wheel racing's lunch right now because it gives the fan perceived value and a direct interest in the outcome. Developing ways for the fan to be loyal not to the driver, but the Team (note the popularity of this or that car number rather than driver) is brilliant. Even the change in the Championship chase (which I think is ridiculous) worked brilliantly. Fans really could care less about a Hanford Device or it's impact on the handling of a CC car.

They pay for Spectacle. NASCAR give's 'em Spectacle in Spades.

CC gives us Nelson Phillippe. IRL gives us Ed Carpenter. Yippee 'o kai ay!
Last edited by JohnSSC; 21 Feb 2005 at 23:56.
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