Dale Junior Retiring after the 2017 season

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

As if NASCAR needed more bad news! Their most popular driver announced he was retiring at the end of the year due to lingering effects of prior concussions. As someone whose watched the rise and fall of the sport this is just another major blow to attendance and tv ratings.

[Smitty]

Considering he hasn't been extremely competitive in a while, it may be a good thing to leave now.

[JSUSoutherner]

The most overrated driver in history is leaving? Who will rednecks name their dogs after now? xcoffeex

[citdog]

The most overrated driver in history is leaving? Who will rednecks name their dogs after now? xcoffeex

Your use of the racist "R Word" is noted...

[cx500d]

More over-rated than Danica Patrick?


The most overrated driver in history is leaving? Who will rednecks name their dogs after now? xcoffeex

[JSUSoutherner]

More over-rated than Danica Patrick?

Why Danica is known: Because she's a woman.

Why Dale is known: Because people think he's actually good. (And because he is the son of a real driver)

You should see Talladega on a race weekend. When Dale won in 2015 people lost their freaking minds.

[GodHelpTheBears]

Stock car racing, like hockey, is a regional sport with deep roots that the largest competitive/representative body (NASCAR/NHL) neglected over many years in favor of going for rapid, multinational growth. Both failed, but the NHL could lean on support among the upper class in major cities like Toronto, Montreal and Boston, while NASCAR never attracted the same demographic to replace the working class southerners the series attempted to price out.

NASCAR is grasping for short term ratings boosts when they need to rebuild the fundamentals/go back toward their roots.

[cx500d]

Ever since all the cars look alike, I quit watching Nascar. I expect it in Indy, but this is supposed to be "stock" car racing.


Stock car racing, like hockey, is a regional sport with deep roots that the largest competitive/representative body (NASCAR/NHL) neglected over many years in favor of going for rapid, multinational growth. Both failed, but the NHL could lean on support among the upper class in major cities like Toronto, Montreal and Boston, while NASCAR never attracted the same demographic to replace the working class southerners the series attempted to price out.

NASCAR is grasping for short term ratings boosts when they need to rebuild the fundamentals/go back toward their roots.

[POD Knows]

Ever since all the cars look alike, I quit watching Nascar. I expect it in Indy, but this is supposed to be "stock" car racing.

Yea, it even has stock car in the name, who would have thought.

[catamount man]

Considering he hasn't been extremely competitive in a while, it may be a good thing to leave now.

Seconded. Nothing like his old man.

[Thundar]

They still race Nascar?

[cx500d]

No they are now called NANSCAR = National Association of Not Stock Car Auto Racing


They still race Nascar?

[Thundar]

I went to a Nascar race back in 2008, I couldn't believe how boring and expensive it was, told my buddy then I don't see this Fandom sustaining.

[GodHelpTheBears]

I went to a Nascar race back in 2008, I couldn't believe how boring and expensive it was, told my buddy then I don't see this Fandom sustaining.

I watched weekly until the Brickyard that year. It was a complete disaster - the "Car of Tomorrow" was unsuited to race on the Brickyard's tight, flat turns. The tire compound was unfit to use in any driving situation, let alone a competitive race. They literally shredded every 8-10 laps. NASCAR had to throw caution flags every 10 minutes for tire changes.

It was the worst event a major American sport has put on in the modern era, and irrefutable proof that NASCAR leadership had totally lost the plot. I was a Jeff Gordon fan, and the constant focus on "big changes" and "making the sport more exciting" desensitized me toward the product. I didn't even care enough to watch Jeff's last race.

My suggestion to the France family or whoever calls the shots for the damn series these days (probably the idiots at NBC, they're notorious for their great ideas) is to go to a Blackberry Smoke concert. That was your crowd. Ask them what they want.

[cx500d]

I watched weekly until the Brickyard that year. It was a complete disaster - the "Car of Tomorrow" was unsuited to race on the Brickyard's tight, flat turns. The tire compound was unfit to use in any driving situation, let alone a competitive race. They literally shredded every 8-10 laps. NASCAR had to throw caution flags every 10 minutes for tire changes.

It was the worst event a major American sport has put on in the modern era, and irrefutable proof that NASCAR leadership had totally lost the plot. I was a Jeff Gordon fan, and the constant focus on "big changes" and "making the sport more exciting" desensitized me toward the product. I didn't even care enough to watch Jeff's last race.

My suggestion to the France family or whoever calls the shots for the damn series these days (probably the idiots at NBC, they're notorious for their great ideas) is to go to a Blackberry Smoke concert. That was your crowd. Ask them what they want.

Worse than f1 @indy in 2005? Or cart @ Texas in 2001?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GodHelpTheBears]

Worse than f1 @indy in 2005? Or cart @ Texas in 2001?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm too hillbilly to answer that - the only open wheeled racing I watch is modifieds, preferably at a run down track with a $1 hamburger and a flat Coors Light.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

I've been close to a 100 cup races (both Dover's from 1990-2010, Pocono for 20+ years as well as trips to Daytona, Michigan x3, Kentucky and Martinsville). I remember when Dover had 60,000ish seats and then wathced it expand to 140k. Likewise Pocono went from about 40k to 100k during the 90's. It's sad to see what has happened to the sport. IMO, TV is the single biggest thing that ruined the NASCAR. They tried to take the "greatest spectator sport in America" and make it must watch TV for everyone. What has ensued since 2001 is a series of ridiculous schemes and gimmicks that has taken the soul out of the sport. The fad was never going to last relatively speaking. But the dropoff to this extent should never have happened. The Richmond newspaper said there were around 30k people there on Sunday. 10 years ago it was drawing 120k. With a good product they should still be able to pull in 70-80k. It's a fun track!

[citdog]

I've been close to a 100 cup races (both Dover's from 1990-2010, Pocono for 20+ years as well as trips to Daytona, Michigan x3, Kentucky and Martinsville). I remember when Dover had 60,000ish seats and then wathced it expand to 140k. Likewise Pocono went from about 40k to 100k during the 90's. It's sad to see what has happened to the sport. IMO, TV is the single biggest thing that ruined the NASCAR. They tried to take the "greatest spectator sport in America" and make it must watch TV for everyone. What has ensued since 2001 is a series of ridiculous schemes and gimmicks that has taken the soul out of the sport. The fad was never going to last relatively speaking. But the dropoff to this extent should never have happened. The Richmond newspaper said there were around 30k people there on Sunday. 10 years ago it was drawing 120k. With a good product they should still be able to pull in 70-80k. It's a fun track!

My neck has never been red enough for Nascar.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

My neck has never been red enough for Nascar.

You haven't spent 12 hours at a NASCAR track in July with SPF 0 on.

I come from the least "Rednecky" family there is but we always liked racing. I grew up with the rise of the sport (late 80's). It had a helluva run from about 1985 until 2005 or so.

[citdog]

You haven't spent 12 hours at a NASCAR track in July with SPF 0 on.

I come from the least "Rednecky" family there is but we always liked racing. I grew up with the rise of the sport (late 80's). It had a helluva run from about 1985 until 2005 or so.

Like any GOOD Son of The Palmetto State I have been to Darlington. Just not my tumbler of mint julep if you catch my drift...

[cx500d]

You haven't spent 12 hours at a NASCAR track in July with SPF 0 on.

I come from the least "Rednecky" family there is but we always liked racing. I grew up with the rise of the sport (late 80's). It had a helluva run from about 1985 until 2005 or so.

I grew up watching it in the early 70's as a kid to early 80's and have a famous racing family name. I watched it sporadically during my first 15 years of military service as I was constantly deploying places so didn't have time as I needed to practice my craft. I really quit watching after the death of the last racing son of my fathers distant cousin in 1993. The first race I remember watching after my hiatus was the Daytona 500 in 2001, and I watched it pretty regular for the next 7 years or so, along with Indy and cart/champ. When the common car came out I quickly lost interest.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

I grew up watching it in the early 70's as a kid to early 80's and have a famous racing family name. I watched it sporadically during my first 15 years of military service as I was constantly deploying places so didn't have time as I needed to practice my craft. I really quit watching after the death of the last racing son of my fathers distant cousin in 1993. The first race I remember watching after my hiatus was the Daytona 500 in 2001, and I watched it pretty regular for the next 7 years or so, along with Indy and cart/champ. When the common car came out I quickly lost interest.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Interesting. The first name that pops in my head with that timeline is Allison...

[cx500d]

Interesting. The first name that pops in my head with that timeline is Allison...

Hmmmm...it's really the 2nd name. If that was my first name I'd be a chick.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Hmmmm...it's really the 2nd name. If that was my first name I'd be a chick.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I meant the "first name" to pop into my head was Allison, as in the Allison family. They suffered a lot of tragedy. Bobby Allison's career ended in a terrible wreck at Pocono in 1988. His one son, Clifford Allison, was killed in a crash at Michigan in 1992. His other son Davey Allison (who was a huge star) died in a helicopter crash at Talladega in 1993.

[cx500d]

I meant the "first name" to pop into my head was Allison, as in the Allison family. They suffered a lot of tragedy. Bobby Allison's career ended in a terrible wreck at Pocono in 1988. His one son, Clifford Allison, was killed in a crash at Michigan in 1992. His other son Davey Allison (who was a huge star) died in a helicopter crash at Talladega in 1993.

Yep. Very familiar with the family history. My favorite memory was the Cale Yarborough beat down at the Daytona in 79. I never liked Cale Yarborough, but he was a good driver too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk