NASCAR–Be Careful What You Ask For

by Steve Wronkowicz

I am co-host of the syndicated radio show: ON PIT ROW. Over ten years on the air and three on the net; see what can happen when I don't let the facts get in the way of my opinions.

8 Responses to “NASCAR–Be Careful What You Ask For”

1. Luke on March 10th, 2008 12:19 am

   At times, when NASCAR is the target of WWE class criticism, then they might have a shred of regret.

   Other than that, I don’t think they will at all. Look at how much buzz and publicity they’re getting. I bet they’re laughing all the way to the Daytona First National.

   I’m not typically one to dabble in the dark arts, but here’s a prediction.

   The ratings for this weeks race will be up, with several contributing factors. None carrying more weight than Jr. again finding success. Add in the buzz prior to, and I think a monkey or Tin-Foil-Hat Master could see it coming.

2. Marc on March 10th, 2008 3:15 am

   Careful? Why, I never asked for anything. (well that was that thing about Danica, that doesn’t count does it?)

   Luke - “I’m not typically one to dabble in the dark arts, but here’s a prediction.” Buwawahaha… Jeebus H. in a ferris wheel that’s side-splitting!

   Call it dark arts or whatever… the end result will still be some type of apparatus worthy of utilization as an antenna on an old Philco radio.

3. Steve Wronkowicz on March 10th, 2008 6:31 am

   I don’t know who said it, or the exact context; but, the old adage of “There’s no such thing as BAD publicity.” sure holds true.

   Luke–you’re spot on with the ratings prediction. Even before this week’s melodrama, ratings were up at Vegas. Look for even better this week. And-oh yeah-Junior doing well don’t hurt neither.

4. Ryan Newman Fan on March 10th, 2008 10:33 pm

   I got to agree. In fact BAD publicity is probably better than good publicity. At least as far as getting fans into the sport.

   How many fans would come when all they hear is how much all the drivers like each other or how great the drivers thought NASCAR, GOODYEAR….ect was. Not as many.

5. okla21fan on March 11th, 2008 9:12 am

   When speaking his mind, maybe next time Sadler should stick to a scripted comment, one that he can read verbatim. (and he is not the only one who jerked his knees a bit on the 99’s infraction) To make matters worse, Sadler implicated his former employers as cheaters as well.

   Sometimes its best to just let a sleeping dog lay.

6. Bram on March 13th, 2008 8:54 am

   Bad publicity? Where is the bad publicity?. In the minds of the beat writers? A thousand variations on the same tired theme.

   As Steve’s title suggests — “Be Careful What You wish For..” — very apropos. Never in my history with the sport have I seen NASCAR needing the controversial ones so badly.

   As B.Z. France himself suggested in the pre-season.. “enough changes from the sanctioning body.. ” — let somebody else do it.

   Knee-jerk reactions sell tickets. “Creative engineering” sells tickets. Poking the sleeping dog with a stick until it growls… sells tickets

   As as Luke said, ratings go up.

   Method in the madness, I swear.

   The danger here is taking it to the edge of implosion, without getting caught up in the fallout. But in the meantime, let it play to the “almost” hilt.

   Watch for the “shoosh” finger to be deployed, and the kinder, gentler dictatorship that is NASCAR to re-appear.

   Soon.

7. Charlie Turner on March 14th, 2008 3:44 pm

   Without the controversies, this gets pretty lame between races. Cali had the rain delay, Vegas had the oil tak and Atlanta the tire complaints. Take those away, and the discussion level plummets, I’m thinking. So this IS good for NASCAR in the sense that it increases the interaction level by a bunch. The question now is, what next?

8. Bram on March 15th, 2008 8:19 am

   “Without the controversies, this gets pretty lame between races. Cali had the rain delay, Vegas had the oil tak and Atlanta the tire complaints. Take those away, and the discussion level plummets, I’m thinking. So this IS good for NASCAR in the sense that it increases the interaction level by a bunch. The question now is, what next?”

   You’re right Charlie. Just as cautions breed cautions on the track, controversies breed controversies out here. That calls for discussion. That is good for NASCAR.

   Cali’s rain delay was a punch line to a bad joke, a textbook excersize in going from the sublime to the ridiculous.

   I think the oil tank lid debacle and the ensuing Jack Roush vs. Lee White match-up will render that a goner.

   In the case of the lastest and greatest in controversy, Goodyear will continue to supply tires for NASCAR and continue to search out the the happy compromise for speed while not defaulting on safety.

   As far as Stewart’s Atlanta post-race Hoosier/Firestone suggestions and that Goodyear doesn’t have competition, he was sounding off in a potentially dangerous area. (not that I would ever think anybody would take the comment to heart)

   While it may be a fair point to a degree, anybody that remembers the tire war of the late 80’s and remembers the way that all came down (chaotic competition, higher numbers of destroyed racecars, drivers injured, etc.) knows that there doesn’t need to be another one of those.

   In my opinion, (a shared one, I’ll grant you) nothing good could ever come from Goodyear having competition in the area of tire provision at this point. Goodyear’s empahsis is on building a safe and consistent tire. Do they succeed all the time ?.. no ( read: Atlanta)

   Did Goodyear go to the extreme in the hard compound used at Atlanta?.. sure. Are they dealing with teams using extreme camber in the front ends?.. you bet. I cite last year’s Pocono race when multiple teams sufferd left front tire failures and Goodyear took the heat for bringing a lousy tire. Part of the blame must lie with the teams for choosing to run 9 degrees of camber and 9 pounds of air in that left front. Recipe for disaster.

   Goodyear’s logical manufacture recourse is make a tire that is “child-proof”, that is, make a tire that you can throw anyting at it will hold up ( read: Atlanta).

   I do think the interaction between Goodyear and the people that have spent thier entire careers building these cars is becoming more paramount. It needs to be stepped up. Especially now during what is still considered to be the “roll-out” phase of the CoT.

   As you stated with insight in your “Drivers don’t like to slow down to go fast” piece, Stewart basks in the spotlight and the season has begun.

   As to what next, racing goes on and the teams will learn more and more about racing this car. The drivers are going to have to continue to be more mentally and physically adept at driving this car. Wait till summer and I’ll wager you’ll hear Stewart scream bloody murder about how tough it is to drive these cars.

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