NASCAR - Drivers Little Incentive to Win

2011 NASCAR Chase Drivers

Are you a NASCAR fan? Do you remember the exciting racing of the late '90s. Some say the excitement left NASCAR when Dale Earnhardt died at the 2001 Daytona 500. Others say that today's super-wide cookie cutter tracks eliminate the need to fight for position.

As far as the cookie-cutter tracks go, I think they have a lot to do with the limited excitement. Didja ever listen to a driver interview at a track like Michigan or California and hear the comment, "This track has plenty of room to race." Any time a driver makes a comment like that, it basically means that the driver will likely have an easy day and that he'll finish the race and depend on his equipment to provide a good finishing position. Most drivers tend to like tracks that don't make 'em work physically and don't require a lot of interaction with other cars for position. Basically, they like to win but don't like to work for it.

Does the Dale Earnhardt death affect NASCAR racing. Only to the point that everyone misses Dale. I still have a Dale Earnhardt "3" decal on the back window of my pickup. What Dale Earnhardt's death marks is the end of NASCAR race drivers that had to work hard every week to make money. During Earnhardt's day, drivers had to scrimp and work their ass off to be successful in NASCAR racing.

Today's drivers have tremendous base salaries and get a cut of the winnings and are primarily interested in keeping their team's sponsors happy. I think they are somewhat analogous to NBA players. Why work too hard all the time when you don't have to?

My opinion is that today's hugely successful race shops like Hendrick, Roush, Gibbs, etc. put drivers in superb equipment. Look at JGR, Gibbs signed a 16 year-old driver, Joey Logano now 22, and put him in top notch equipment based on nothing but potential. Why should Joey Logano or any other successful driver work hard each week when their base salary is in the millions each year.

Sure, everyone wants to win, but at what cost? They don't have to win today to get paid...they just have to show up and drive a good race. Tonite's Bristol race and the following two races at Atlanta and Richmond will be exciting only because a win is necessary for a group of 10 drivers that are shooting for a wild-card position in the chase and can only make it with another win or more.

The next 3 races will be fun to watch...once the Chase begins the season of excitement will be over for 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing.

JD, here in the BToS gearing up for Bristol tonite and looking forward to Atlanta and Richmond.