A Voice for the Fans ~ No One Is Listening
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I bid
you welcome gentle readers, and of course that includes whoever our assigned
reader of NASCAR journalism might be on this lovely day. It’s already Thursday,
and this is the first time I’ve had time to even consider writing something. It’s
been almost two weeks since Martinsville, so the snow storm and all that
followed is just old news, and your scribe truly has nothing to write about. Of
course, having nothing to say has never stopped this girl from saying it
anyway.
Did
everyone enjoy FOX Network’s execution by committee, otherwise known as the
Race Hub version of NASCAR’s 50 greatest drivers? They had everyone, including the
late-night janitorial service voting on the list, and the youth movement was
shining brightly. The sport has three 7-time Cup Champions, each of whom raced
in a different era… Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Jimmie Johnson. Opinions
differ on which era was the more difficult or the most competitive, but common
sense says that no matter the order of placement, those three simply have to
comprise the top three positions on any such list. Well then, ‘splain this to me Lucy! How in the Sam Hill could ANY
committee place the late, great Dale Earnhardt in FIFTH place, behind Petty,
Johnson, David Pearson and Jeff Gordon?
Your
scribe can “sort of” make a case for Pearson. His win percentage stands as
probably the highest in the sport with 105 wins in only 574 starts… and 301
top-5s, many of which would be when he was second to Petty. Still, he was a
cherry-picker for much of his career, picking and choosing which races he
wanted to be part of and ignoring the remainder of the schedule. David was very
good, but does not belong in the top trio of “Greatest” drivers of all time.
Then, in position four, the “committee” placed Jeff Gordon. OK, I get that he
works now for Fox Network, but that in no way makes his 4 Championships greater
than Dale’s 7! I’m reminded here, of an old saying… “A camel is a horse
designed by a committee!”
Well
FOX, just get on your camel and ride off into the sunset. Before the voting and
final unveiling of this “revised” list, it was explained that the list NASCAR
presented in 1998 was celebrating its 20th Anniversary as NASCAR
celebrates its 70th. Sounds kind of like a series that Race Fans Forever
has been running since January because some old gal had the foresight to see
the anniversaries coming.
If you’re
not following this series, you might want to start. You’ll find them listed on
RFF as the Anniversary Edition of Matt McLaughlin’s “50 Years of NASCAR Racing.”
You’ll find the links at Jayski.com every Tuesday and Thursday. We’re up to 28
of the original hundred. FOX, you’re way late to the party, but they do say
that imitation is the greatest form of flattery.
The
other “big news” this week is that NASCAR released the schedule for 2019 and
NOTHING has changed… that’s a big fat goose-egg gentle readers. I see columns
written in good faith go up weekly with suggestions for improving and/or
shortening the NASCAR racing schedule. Save your ink. No one is listening. Many
tracks are still ripping out seating and changing their design and layout to
accommodate other forms of entertainment. The handwriting is on the wall, but
no one is reading either. I can’t blame the tracks, whose owners have $Millions
invested in each one, for trying to hedge their bets while NASCAR whistles past
the graveyard.
They
say they want fans. They “say” they listen to the fans. I have long carried the
title of “A Voice for the Fans”, and yes, they do read me and have for years. I
suspect that is more to keep an eye on whatever I might be up to than any sort
of admiration. I listen to the fans… and then try to pass along what they are
thinking and feeling as a whole. Not everyone feels the same on any topic, but there
is always a general trend and that is what we speak of here.
NASCAR,
it’s fairly simple. You do not have 80 Million fans. I doubt you have 20
Million at this point, and that is scattered world-wide. The number dwindles
weekly now. Poor little Martinsville got kicked low when a snowstorm stole her
Sunday. Hopefully, Bristol and maybe Richmond will do better. The FANS like
short track racing. It doesn’t take a genius to see that ANY of those 1.5-mile
snooze-fests could become a short track with very little effort. It’s clear to
this scribe and to the fans as well that very little effort is what’s being
made. Instead, tracks are installing “cozy” alcohol related little nests to
coddle and comfort whoever it is that goes to a race track to be cozy and
coddled.
I’ll
make a bet with anyone out there… come August, Watkin’s Glen will be a sellout!
It’s the only track on the circuit that remains a sellout each and every year.
Short tracks and road courses… that’s what the fans want… and here comes yet
another year of status quo. Thanks… for nothing!
By the
way, when was the last Brian Z. France sighting?
Time
now for our Classic Country Closeout. This week I found a treasure and maybe
several. This is the Ozark Jubilee from 1955, starring Red Foley, your scribe’s
all-time favorite entertainer.
Be well gentle readers, and remember to keep smiling.
It looks so good on you!
~PattyKay