Ryan Newman is riding home happy after scoring a hometown victory in the 20th edition of the Brickyard 400. Newman holds a very rare honor of not only winning today’s historic event, but also having won the 50th annual Daytona 500. While we are all happy for Ryan Newman who will be leaving Stewart-Haas Racing at the end of the season, we can’t help but say how really disappointed we are in the quality of racing we saw out there on the track today.
ESPN didn’t even try to hide the empty seats. It was horrendous for an event to have that many empty seats at a prestigious event at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Granted the economy is in poor shape and not many fans are able to afford ticket prices at this juncture, but NASCAR is contributing more to the fire. The lack of debris cautions in this race really emphasized how much this car really needs work. The racing was awful and NASCAR can only blame themselves here. Compare the overall turnout between the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400. Look at the difference. What is IndyCar doing that is different? Brian France is an empty suit that will not do anything to help this sport improve. You really think making stricter rules for the big boys will help the little teams? No. In fact, this system doesn’t work in government either. It’s called socialism. This creates “start and park” teams. They don’t even have to try and they’ll end up making money, so not only do they not run all the laps, but they can’t afford it either and meanwhile the teams don’t get better and the racing continues to spread a smelling stench across the noses of fans everywhere.
There were 20 lead changes today. 19 of them happened on pit road. That is all you have to say. 1 lead change that happened on the race track. You’ve got to be kidding me right? You call that a race? Has Indianapolis lost its luster? No. NASCAR has lost its luster and the fans deserve better. Listen to me right now. If you are planning to attend the race next weekend at Pocono, I urge you to sell your ticket. Don’t come. Cancel your plans if you can. We need to send a message to NASCAR that what we have is not working. What will it take? I say boycott the event. You guys saw how Pocono was earlier this season. You thought the race sucked? It won’t be much better. It’ll be worse if anything.
I’m just happy that someone not named Jimmie Johnson won the darn race. I was happy for Newman, but I was barely awake for the finish. This race reminds me of the 2008 Brickyard 400. The racing was horrible and then you add the whole tire controversy. What a terrible race that was. The race should have been postponed until NASCAR had fixed the issue and the fans should have been refunded. NASCAR’s executives only care about money and nothing else. What brought this sport fame anyway? What if NASCAR began this season instead of 1949? Everyone would think the sport sucks and I wouldn’t blame them. Look at the races in the 80’s, 90’s, and the early 2000’s. NASCAR knows these races were better. They know. They don’t care. These teams should be allowed to make any adjustments to their car to make it fast. That is what a race is!
Has NASCAR over hyped the sport? Yes they have. DETERMINATION! GUTS! What guts? A Dixie cup falls on the damn race track and we call for a caution. Seriously? Back in the day these drivers put their lives on the line and now we’re scared of dixie cups and plastic water bottles? It isn’t just NASCAR. Every professional sport now has lost luster. The NBA has corrupt officiating and a corrupt league President, the NFL won’t allow for hard hits, the NHL has terrible officiating to make the finish more exciting, boxing has always been corrupt, and MLB has teamed with politicians to bring down steroid users. Why are politicians getting involved in this? Baseball was more entertaining when everyone was doping to be quite frank.
With this system in place, we’ll only see the big teams win except at Daytona and Talladega because NASCAR’s plate package allows for really anyone to be good especially when we had tandem racing in the Sprint Cup Series. Hell, Derrike Cope could win in that package. We don’t have racing right now. We have a car show of guys going in circles 34 of 36 events a year. I love my sport, but this is making us all sick and any traditional fan should be calling for change and boycotting until NASCAR takes action. They have opened their mouths about change, but actions mean more than words.
You think staying away from the races is going to send a message? Have you seen the stands at some of the recent races? They’re already empty, sport. The governing body just got a nice rights fee from NBC along with a sweet rights fee from FOX before that. They couldn’t care less if the stands are empty; they’re gonna get their dinero. You don’t like it? Don’t watch.
Man, the product does suck! I hate it because I love the sport but some of the tracks need to go. Indy being the first. My personal opinion, teams need to be able to adjust their car any way they see fit. Yeah, some teams are going to be dominant but that is all part of the game. Not all races will be exciting all the time every year. Hopefully things will improve.
Ryan you hit it right on the head, hard to stomach this sport anymore, dont listen to Jj must be a jimmie fan!
Ryan Newman wins..big deal…(insert name here) Could have been anybody in a HMS supplied engine(except media darling Sparkle Pony)..he got lucky in pits and thats all there is to it. Very little skill, but calculated timing..it used to be the other way around. France family today cares about $$$$, how much is enough? Hopefully the fans and some team owners will say no mas. I don’t think Brian has an understanding of the sport that many, many people adore..I just don’t.
You should stick to writing articles about GS&IS or Mandarin Chinese studies, as you sure don’t know anything about writing about NA$CAR races. How did you get this assignment anyway? You are just another complainer with no knowledge what a race is about. Give us a break! Forget it from now on.
Jj, Ryan Ohare calls it like he sees it. I followed NASCAR for over 40 years and I agree with Ryan 100%.
Sad day when you have 1 lead change during a 400 mile race.