| Some sports analysts and racing fans feel that | | | | Daytona 500, NASCAR's chief, Brian France, reminded |
| NASCAR's popularity has peaked and that the sport | | | | everyone that there's been a lot of changes in the |
| has been sputtering and on the verge of running out | | | | sport so we wanted to get back to appealing to our |
| of gas for several years. But the majority of | | | | core fan," William Wanger, Fox Sports senior vice |
| NASCAR fans understand that they have no reason | | | | president of research and programming said. "I think |
| to worry. | | | | that set the tone for Daytona and the races after." |
| The sport that Big Bill France, Sr. began is alive and | | | | Whatever the reasons for "appealing to the core |
| well. Big Bill might not recognize the NASCAR of his | | | | fan" were, it seems to have worked. Rising TV |
| grandson, Brian France, but he would understand it. | | | | ratings for the 2008 season to date seem to verify |
| He would understand that at the end of the day, a | | | | that the proclaimed second most popular American |
| dollar has to be made. And in today's NASCAR world, | | | | sport, next to NFL football, hasn't yet reached its |
| there are a lot of dollars to be made. He would also | | | | pinnacle in popularity. Combine NASCAR's tinkering |
| understand that drivers of NASCAR's early years like | | | | and tweaking with the resurgence of the sport's |
| Curtis Turner, Fireball Roberts, Junior Johnson, Joe | | | | most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and NASCAR |
| Weatherly, Tim Flock, Buck Baker, Tiny Lund and | | | | seems to be back on track. |
| even drivers like David Pearson, Cale Yarborough and | | | | When asked if Earnhardt, Jr.'s return to competitive |
| a young Dale Earnhardt, Sr. would have a difficult | | | | form has been a major factor in the ratings boost, |
| time fitting into the NASCAR of today. | | | | Fox's Wanger, said, "NASCAR has 35 to 40 stars |
| While these drivers had immense talent, for one | | | | that race every week, unlike golf where Tiger |
| reason or another, they would not have fit the | | | | Woods plays just a handful of tournaments. I think |
| modern day NASCAR driver mold. They would be | | | | there was a curiosity factor with his fans which |
| too difficult to deal with, not speak properly enough, | | | | helps, but NASCAR is not dependent on one driver." |
| and not be handsome enough or sponsor-friendly | | | | Combine popular drivers such as Jimmy Johnson, |
| enough. Of course, Tony Stewart is one of their kind | | | | Tony Stewart, Kyle and Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, |
| and he made it. But, then, Stewart made it several | | | | Jeff Burton, Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne, Ryan |
| years ago. And he does seem to have taken up | | | | Newman, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon and Michael |
| permanent residence on NASCAR's wrong side of the | | | | Waltrip with the week-to-week competition for the |
| track. And, in NASCAR, things, and people, change as | | | | Race for the Chase and instant drama is constantly |
| quickly as a pit stop under green flag conditions. | | | | unfolding during a Sprint Cup race. That makes for |
| To insure NASCAR's popularity will continue to be | | | | the ultimate in reality TV. |
| among sport's best, officials took the 60-year-old | | | | Of course, Earnhardt, Jr.'s personal drama of leaving |
| sport in for a timely pit stop where they made a | | | | DEI, the team his father, the late Dale Earnhardt, Sr. |
| few minor adjustments to repair last year's sagging | | | | built, to drive for Rick Hendrick and team with rival |
| TV ratings and fan attendance. One of the | | | | Jeff Gordon, helped fuel NASCAR's notoriety. |
| adjustments was to have its crew of broadcasters | | | | Yes, NASCAR has changed a lot in 60-years. It has |
| taking a back-to-basics type theme for this season. | | | | had to change with the times in order to grow into |
| Fans saw a lot of the older drivers honored during | | | | what it is today. And whether fans like what |
| ceremonies at Daytona. And while their early | | | | NASCAR has become or not, at the end of the day, |
| escapades were fondly remembered, any of today's | | | | they must remember that NASCAR, like football or |
| drivers, including Stewart, who mimic some of the | | | | baseball, is an entertainment business that must show |
| more "individualistic" on, and off, track episodes of | | | | a profit in order to survive. And to show a profit it |
| those heroic drivers, would be fined and/or | | | | has to be popular enough to draw fans to the |
| suspended for "actions detrimental to the sport of | | | | racetracks, but maybe more importantly; it has to |
| NASCAR racing". | | | | draw the fans to their televisions. |
| "I think it goes back to about a month before the | | | | And, so far this season, it has. |