NASCAR Diecasts.com

Nascar uses a points and rating system of rules to award its drivers. Now the prize money is not the only thing that matters. The points also count. Let’s now take a gander at the history of the Nascar points system. From 1949, when Nascar began, to 1951, Nascar awarded points on the base of the position in the race. The 1st position got 10 points, the second got 9 points, and so on. These points were increased by the 0.05 race purse. Then, from here until 1967, the winners were awarded points on a linear scale.
From 1949 to 1971, Nascar tried six different point and rating systems before they reached the current rating system. In 1972, Nascar inaugurated a new points system. Then, three various systems were tried for three various years. The systems were strange in some of the cases. Some counted mileage; some counted the finishing position as well as the mileage. There were complaints coming in from fans. The points system was not favorable. There was a Nascar champion that had won just one race in his career. The bigger races had more points. Those who won the bigger races eventually scored more points than their counterparts who had won more races.
The Current System Comes Into Existence -
It was in 1975 that the current points system was developed. Two forms of this system were again tried from 1982 to 1998. In this system, the points were awarded according to the final position and the number of laps covered during the race. There are three scales again for the number of points that a person can receive according to his finishing position. In the current system, the winner receives 180 points, the 2nd place gets 170, and so on, with 10 points separating the winner from the next position. Then, after the 2nd position, the first scale starts. In this scale, 5 points separate one position from another. This scale lasts from the 2nd to the 6th position. Then, from the 7th to the 11th position, the second scale comes into effect. Four points separate one position from another, and in the last scale 3 points separate one position from another.
Other Points -
There are other points also that come into the picture. For every lap that is completed, a racer gets 5 points. There is also an additional 5 points awarded for the most number of laps based on lap leadership. Driver points are also counted. If a driver is replaced during the race, then the points earned by the replacement driver still count toward the original driver’s tally.
Owner points are also given to the owner of a car. For every car that qualifies for the race, the owner points given are the same as driver points.

Thirty years ago, no one involved in stock car racing neither imagined nor predicted the demise of Petty Enterprises. Lee Petty built the ship that has sailed ever since the beginning of NASCAR.Lee Petty won three championships and was arguably the first true superstar of NASCAR. His son Richard came along and inscribed his name all over the NASCAR record books.Countless records set by Richard Petty, widely known as ‘The King’, may never be broken.

Richard Petty won 200 races and seven championships, and that is not even scratching the surface of all that he has accomplished as a driver and owner. Other than a couple of years in the mid-1980’s, Richard Petty’s entire career was spent with the organization his father built. Petty Enterprises’ ascendancy from the early 1950’s to the late 1970’s may have been even greater than Hendrick Motorsports’ and Roush Fenway Racing’s in the 2000’s.

Third generation driver Kyle Petty emerged in the late 1970’s, as the teenager made his first Cup start on NASCAR’slongest and what was then the fastest facility, Talladega. However, unlike his father and grandfather, Kyle won his first race while driving for someone other than Petty Enterprises. His first win occurred nearly eight years following his debut, and it was at Richmond with the Wood Brothers, a team that gave the Petty’s fits throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s.

Following his four-year tenure with the Wood Brothers, Kyle Petty joined the Felix Sabates-owned operation in 1988, which is where he enjoyed most of his success. In fact, six of Kyle’s eight career wins occurred while driving for Felix Sabates. Petty left Sabates following the 1996 season to return to the family business, and he has not won since. In fact, since Petty’s last win in 1984, which was for Mike Curb, the famed number ‘43’ car has three wins, two with Bobby Hamilton, Sr., and one with John Andretti.

In the late 1990’s, Kyle’s son Adam was developing into a fine young racer. Many in the garage began likening Adam to his grandfather. He was 100 percent dedicated to racing. Sadly, his life ended much too soon in a tragic accident while practicing for a Busch Series race in Loudon, New Hampshire in April of 2000. Nobody saw it at the time, but that was the beginning of the end for Petty Enterprises. Adam provided hope that a Petty would once again rise to the top.

Throughout the 2000’s, Petty Enterprises has fallen deeper and deeper in the pack. Just five years ago, Petty Enterprises had three teams, now they only have the ‘43’, and even that is not enough to attract full-time sponsorship.

In 2006, resurgence appeared inevitable for Petty Enterprises, as they signed 2000 champion Bobby Labonte, and rehired Robbie Loomis. However, Labonte has remained in mid-pack.

Petty Enterprises eventually relocated to a shop closer to the Charlotte area, abandoning their long-time home in Level Cross, North Carolina. In 2008, Boston Ventures, and investment firm, purchased controlling interest in Petty Enterprises with hopes of leading the storied organization back to the forefront. Instead, things have only worsened. Kyle Petty was basically kicked to the curb, and a sponsorship deal for the ‘45’ team fell through. That all led us to where we are today…the discussion on the Petty decline.

Ever since the 2008 season concluded at Homestead, the headlines are rarely pertaining to Jimmie Johnson’s third consecutive championship. It has been the potential merger between Gillett Evernham Motorsports and Petty Enterprises. The merger would allow the ‘43’ team to be absorbed by Gillett Evernham Motorsports. Meanwhile, the ‘45’ car would be phased out.

Even with the ‘43’ still on the track, it will not be same as when it was Richard’s car. It will be a jagged pill to swallow for hardcore Petty fans, as well as traditional fans that hold on to the good old days.

Who would drive the ‘43’ car? Petty Enterprises released veteran Bobby Labonte earlier in the week, so it will likely be an upstart driver such as Reed Sorenson or A.J. Allmendinger. While they are talented young drivers, they certainly have not earned the right to be in union with perhaps the most revered car number in NASCAR history.

Traditionalists were kicked while they were already down, as previously the Wood Brothers operation announced that they will only compete in twelve races in 2009.

The fall of former NASCAR empires is somewhat reminiscent to the 1990’s and early 2000’s when legendary car owners such as Junior Johnson, Bud Moore, and Junie Donlavey left the sport. Teams owned by Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough could not survive the 1990’s.

Today, Petty Enterprises and the Wood Brothers have fallen on hard times. Poor economic conditions forced Dale Earnhardt, Inc. to merge with another team, and now identified as Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. Robert Yates Racing became Yates Racing in 2008, and seems to be under the Roush Fenway Racing umbrella. They have struggled to secure full-time sponsors since M&M’s left for Joe Gibbs Racing. While the name ‘Yates’ is still in the building, and the ‘28’ car is back, it just not feel the same as it did a decade ago.

Let us just hope that when the 43 hits the track in February of 2009, it is still dressed in Petty blue with the same recognizable number font.

Last summer, Formula One standout Juan Pablo Montoya announced that he will be competing on the NASCAR races. During his announcement he said that he was excited to bring his aggressive style of driving to the motorsport.

In Formula One, Montoya cemented his reputation as one of the most aggressive professional race car drivers today. While his skills combined with his unique style made him one of the most talented drivers today, he seems to be having trouble making friends in NASCAR as his aggressive style of driving seems to be rubbing his fellow NASCAR drivers the wrong way.

While NASCAR racing is more aggressive than Formula One, there is a limit to one’s aggressiveness on the tracks. And that is what Montoya is still trying to find out. Currently, the Colombian driver has already wreaked havoc on his fellow drivers with the season just starting. In Mexico, Montoya accidentally forced his teammate, Scott Pruett, off the road at the road race in the Busch Series. The road race saw Montoya securing his first win in the new field that he has entered. He has also reportedly “annoyed” Jeff Gordon in Atlanta. Montoya also ran into Ryan Newman and Tony Raines at Martinsville. Aside from those incidents, Juan Pablo Montoya also managed to annoy two-time Nextel Cup Champion Tony Stewart as he tangles with him at the recently concluded Samsung 500 which happened in Texas.

In response to the criticism that he receives over his aggressive driving, Montoya has this to say: “I don’t think Chip (Ganassi) hired me to run 20th every weekend, and I didn’t come here to run 20th every weekend. Is (contact) going to happen? Yeah, it’s going to happen a lot of weekends, but our aim is to run up front.” He added that: “I think anybody that’s seen me race knows that I’m not going to back down.”

In the recent incident involving Montoya and a fellow driver, it seems that the “rookie” will be having a hard time adjusting to the sport. Stewart, the latest victim of Montoya’s aggressive driving style, has this to say: “If you race people with respect, you get respect. You might want to be just a little bit more patient just long enough to learn how everything’s done over here.” NASCAR aficionados have even compared Montoya’s aggressive driving to the skills of NASCAR legends like the late Dale Earnhardt Sr.

The common thinking is that aggressive drivers can have good success in the sport but they have to make sure that their aggressiveness is channeled so that it comes as not to be counter-productive.

Montoya’s start tote season is quite respectable. Being from Formula One, it is expected of him to eventually win in the NASACR races. Currently, the aggressive driving Colombian posted a win at the Busch Series and has already managed to get a couple of top ten finishes in the Nextel Cup. In Texas, the former CART champion managed an eighth place finish. He is driving a Dodge which is yet to win a race at the Nextel Cup. Currently, Dodge, Ford, and Toyota, are being dominated by Chevy at the Nextel Cup series. Equipped with for-race engineered engines which leaves far behind the performance of on-road Chevy vehicles equipped with the Chevy cold air intake system.

While Montoya is yet to show his true worth in NASCAR, drivers in the sport agrees that Montoya has got the talent to be come successful in the motorsport. Even Stewart said that Montoya is the most talented driver in his team. Although admitting Montoya’s flair for the game, Stewart added that: “He didn’t make friends with me [at Texas], so he won’t get any help from me in the future.”

In a tragic accident at the 2001 Daytona 500 cost Dale Earnhardt Sr. his life and the sport of stock car racing has lost one of its best drivers. After that disastrous incident, the governing body of the Nextel Cup Series, NASCAR, has worked on making the sport safer for drivers. They have implemented the use of head-and-neck restraints to protect drivers in the unfortunate case of crashes.

NASCAR also went to great lengths and is supervising the installation of soft walls around tracks. Most of all, the sanctioning body has worked on the development of a universal body template for all cars competing in the NASCAR races. The template is used to ensure equality among cars and to promote safety. The race car is called the Car of Tomorrow or CoT and it is designed primarily for the safety of drivers.

The original plan for the CoT is for it to be slowly introduced to NASCAR races and will be the sole car that will be used come the 2009 season. Recently though, NASCAR announced that the CoT will be used exclusively starting with the 2008 season. This announcement came after teams have expressed their concern about the impracticality of maintaining two different cars for the current season and for the next year.

Robin Pemberton, the NASCAR’s vice president of competition, has this to say about the full implementation of the CoT next season: “We are proud of how the new car has performed at multiple tracks. NASCAR, with the support of team owners, agreed that the new car is ready to compete at all NASCAR Nextel Cup Series events in 2008. Beginning next year the Car of Tomorrow is officially ‘the car,’ a Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford and Toyota.” Originally, NASCAR planned to race the CoT for only 26 races next season. But due to the cost of maintaining two cars, the current car and the CoT, team owners and drivers alike are keen to the idea of using the Car of Tomorrow full time for the 2008 season. These cars are deemed safer than passenger cars, even those equipped with Powerstop brake parts.

As for the driver-friendliness of the Car of Tomorrow, drivers have been expressing their willingness to race the CoT full time next season. Jeff Green, one of the drivers who seem to be at ease with the CoT, has this to say: “As far as the racing, to me the COT puts things back into the driver’s hands more. With the cars we’re using now, either you hit the setup or you miss it. If you miss it, there’s not a lot a driver can do to make up for that. With the COT, even if the setup’s not perfect, a driver can still make things happen and have a good run. It reminds me of the way the cars drove six or seven years ago. I like that, and I’m excited to get back to that.”

NASCAR drivers give up time with their families, a lot of money, and potentially their lives to have a career in racing. What kind of passion motivates them?
Imagine what family time is like for a NASCAR driver. Testing begins in January and races don’t end until mid-November. That’s racing or practicing almost every weekend and the week is the time for race preparation. Lack of time together strains even the strongest of marriages. That’s why Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has chosen to stay single for now. He says he has seen half a dozen marriages fail and expects to see another half dozen end because of racing. The long and brutal schedule doesn’t leave much time for family life.
NASCAR racing is an expensive sport. Someone has to pay for entry fees, travel expenses, and racing gear. It’s not uncommon to hear of parents taking out a second mortgage to get their kids to the track so they can be discovered. Being a big name in the NASCAR news is the ultimate goal for these families. For some families, like Denny Hamlin’s, it has really paid off. Denny has been able to give back to his parents everything that they gave up for him to succeed and them some. Not everyone is so lucky.
Although NASCAR is cracking down on safety, racing is still a dangerous sport with the death toll at a startling 32 since the inception of NASCAR. Dale Earnhardt, Sr. left not only a nameless faceless nation of NASCAR fans in mourning on the fateful day of this death but people who loved him and called him friend. Drivers crave the speed and the thrill of racing. Do they ever feel fear when they strap into their seats and get ready to travel at speeds close to 200 mph? If they do, they’re not telling.
What kind of passion compels NASCAR drivers to take the risk every time they get on the track? Does the possibility that they might lose their life ever cause them to rethink their decision to be a driver? Is it worth it? To be able to do something every day that they love and have a passion for is enough for these guys. The fever that drives these NASCAR stars is something that causes them to make sacrifices and never look back. And the millions of NASCAR fans are grateful.

Gentlemen, start your engines and ladies, grab your beach bag. It’s NASCAR time in Daytona Beach, Florida. 2006 is already wooing a track full of die-hard race car drivers and fans are pulling up trackside to get a glimpse of the action. Make sure you’re there in 2006 for non-stop excitement at every turn on the track!

The season begins with the forty-fourth Rolex 24 which kicks off the 2006 Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series on the weekend of January 26-29. Considered one of the most prestigious endurance races, the entry list features 73 entries which will exceed the 2005 entry list by eleven cars. Benny Parsons will act as the Grand Marshall for this event.

On February 11, 2006, the Budweiser Shootout will start their ‘run’ followed by the Daytona 500 Pole Qualifying run. The Shootout represents the beginning of Speed Week at Daytona, ending with the Daytona 500. On February 18, the Hershey’s Kissable kicks off the NASCAR Busch Series for 2006. In between are truck races and other events to keep every race fan in total bliss.

On February 19, Daytona Beach hosts the Daytona 500, one of the great American traditions in NASCAR racing. The race begins at 2 p.m. Eastern and runs for 500 laps on the world-famous track. Of course, all the big names will be entered in the race, including Jeff Gordon, Tony Steward and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. This year holds a special treat because Bill Elliot has come out of retirement to return for this race. Elliot left full-time racing in 2003, only running a few races in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. Of course, Dale Jr. is a favorite in this race. His father, Dale Earnhardt, Sr. died in a freak accident during the Daytona 500 in the 2001 race.

Since its beginning in 1959, the Daytona 500 has been one of the most popular races ever held. The television ratings for this event indicate that it is one of the most-watched sports events, surpassing even the Super Bowl! As the first race of the Nextel Cup Series (in addition to being the first biggest race of the year), the fan’s race to obtain tickets is phenomenal.

The Daytona 500 is a direct offshoot of a race once held on the sands of Daytona Beach. After the 1959 opening of the Daytona International Speedway, the race as we know it continues to grow.

That very first Daytona 500 was won by Lee Petty, father of Richard Petty. The win was most interesting because Johnny Beauchamp was initially announced as the winner after both Petty and Beauchamp lapped Joe Weatherly on the final lap. Three days later, after reviewing photographs and video of the finish, the call was overthrown and Petty was announced as the official winner of that first Daytona 500. His son, Richard, has won the Daytona 500 seven times during his career and holds the record for the most wins for this particular racing event.

The qualifying for the Daytona 500 is unique in that teams must race their way into the field instead of taking qualifying laps. The first row is set through one round of qualifying that usually occurs one week in advance of the actual race. The remainder of the field is established by qualifying races of 150 miles. During 2004 and before, the qualifying races were 125 miles.

After the Daytona 500, Wisk Presents the Daytona 500 After-Party which includes a dinner buffet, complimentary soft drinks, a cash bar, live entertainment and much, much more. You must purchase advance tickets to attend this party. ConAgra hosts the Monday morning Champion’s Breakfast event which features car induction festivities, a buffet breakfast, and more. This event also requires advance purchase of a ticket. The Champion’s Breakfast marks the official end of Speed Week at Daytona.

Access to the Daytona International Speedway is simple and easy from the north and south via Interstate-95 which lies within two miles of the race track. Interstate-4 provides access from the west while U.S. Highway 1 provides a scenic drive from the north and south.

While visiting Daytona Beach, you’ll want to take a drive along the white sand beaches, one of the only remaining beaches in Florida that permit driving on the sand. These beautiful beaches extend for miles and provide a unique experience for anyone who has never had the joy of driving alongside the Atlantic Ocean. Just don’t leave your car parked on the sand too close to the water at low tide. Every week, cars must be towed onto shore when the high tide floods them.

During Speed Week, accommodations can be hard to find unless you have made reservations well in advance. Many race fans book reservations and purchase their race tickets a full year in advance. The ocean-front hotels, of course, fill up first as do those closest to the Speedway. For those who desire very affordable housing for the week, nearby towns offer plenty of accommodations within one-half hour’s drive from the track. Even Orlando with all its plush hotels is only forty-five minutes away on Interstate-4.

Camping is a popular solution to the accommodations problem during Speed Week. There are numerous campgrounds in the area within a few miles of the race track and the cost of renting a campsite for the week is very affordable. Because of Central Florida’s mild weather, camping poses a viable solution. The nights may require a few blankets, however, but most of the daytime temperatures are quite comfortable. Many of the hard-core race enthusiasts bring campers, vans and motor homes, purchasing infield tickets and parking for the entire week. Every evening, cookouts in the infield bring the smells of steaks, hot dogs and hamburgers to the air. Those gathered in the infield party with others from all over the country both day and night, having a thoroughly great time while enjoying the races.

If you have never been to a Daytona 500 to hear those famous words, “Gentlemen, start your engines”, you will never forget the experience. Not only will you enjoy the races, but the entire city of Daytona Beach will provide memories for years to come.

What, in the name of Richard Petty, is happening to my NASCAR? I want to fall in love again. I want to get that feeling back-like an old relationship that fizzled and you’re still trying to figure out the classic WWW question…What Went Wrong? Let’s go back to the good old days-the year 2001.

NASCAR was popular but only to a certain demographic-the good old boys of the South. Dale Earnhardt Sr. died in the first race of 2001-the Daytona 500. Ironically, his death struck a chord with fans and non-fans alike;suddenly NASCAR reached a new level and elevated the sport. Dale Earnhardt Jr. became the icon apparent after that tragic day, not by choice but by birthright. This unfortunate moment in time by virtue of one tragic moment put NASCAR in primetime ratings territory.

With this new found success came corporate money and lots of it. Suddenly race teams became super-teams, leaving the less fortunate behind. Those owners that already had a super-star racer could afford to add to their stable of studs. Jeff Gordon spawned Jimmie Johnson, Rusty Wallace spawned Kurt Busch, Mark Martin spawned Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards etc. etc. All of the sudden, young drivers became the stars, leaving Dale Jarrett, Ricky Rudd, Sterling Marlin, Terry Labonte, Bobby Labonte and Kenny Schrader behind… and insignificant. The very men that carried the momentum left by Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison in the infamous 1979 Daytona 500 fist fight on CBS(The first Nascar race nationally televised in it’s entirety). In this article I gave you a breakdown of what brought us to the NASCAR we know and love at this point in time. In Part 2, I will speak and offer comments on why NASCAR will dwindle in attendance and T.V. ratings in the future, unless things change significantly.

Once, just once, I would like to see Kyle Petty win a race in NASCAR…or finish in the top 5 or the top 10. Heck, 15th place would be something to see. Petty, Bobby Labonte, Elliot Sadler, Michael Waltrip or anyone outside the top 20 in standings have no chance of being so lucky…or consistent. Today, in NASCAR, your charisma, charm and looks dictate how well you will perform throughout the season.

I have a theory; if you have 2 of the 3 characteristics, you will have a much better opportunity of getting a ride on one of the top tier teams. Top 20 driver, pretty much guaranteed. The other drivers on the cusp or borderline of these traits get a drive on the remainder of teams or the Nationwide Series…the others with talent…well, you can tune into the Craftsman Truck Series. A wealthy Sprint Cup team and it’s sponsors(multi-billion dollar corporations) want the best drivers who can represent their particular brand. It’s no coincidence that the Sprint Cuppers look like Hollywood “A” list celebrities and the Truck Series drivers look like…well, everyday, average people.

The squeaky clean Sprint Cup Series is in danger of alienating its core fans by offering a product that used to be competitive and exciting into predictable and dull. The Truck Series, which has not been affected as much by big money, has become the predominantly more competitive and captivating series. This is Sprint Cup racing at it’s peak excitement years, 10-15 years ago. Any one of these drivers has a legitimate chance of winning and this, more than anything, is why we attend or tune into a race or any sporting event in the first place…the outcome is not a guarantee or lock. Sprint Cup is in danger of becoming too predictable…the top 12 drivers have an 80% chance of winning a race. To paint a better picture, if you were betting on NFL games and guaranteed these odds, you would be able to buy your own NASCAR team in a few years.

Formula 1, considered to be the highest tier of auto racing, has for decades been the highest tier of materialism and excess. The product is secondary. North American race fans have always put a premium on quality of product…the NASCAR product is in danger of losing its base fans because the product has become secondary. Here’s what must change or the NASCAR fans interest and patience will slowly show with wavering attendance and television ratings.

(1) RACE TRACKS MUST BECOME MORE COMPETITIVE: Daytona, Talladega and Bristol give the fans the most competitive and exciting races for your dollar. These six races in a 36 race season allow us to watch close bumper to bumper racing with the potential of a caution at any moment. These three tracks exhibit one common characteristic…deep banking on the turns thus creating high speed action and close racing…and yes accidents. The appeal of racing is danger. Not so much risk that someone gets injured but a sense that one wrong move or mishap could create an edge for one driver and the end of the day for another. That’s drama and that’s what fans want. The majority of tracks do not offer such excitement. Most of the tracks offer single line racing with the superior car slowly picking off cars one by one; no three wide racing…just safe racing usually dominated by the 12-15 elite teams.

(2) REVENUE SHARING WILL CREATE PARITY: Let’s spread the wealth a bit to ensure the future of this sport. Television revenue should be disbursed accordingly to the weaker teams and down to the stronger teams. With more cash, the little guy could afford the technology necessary in gaining an edge in racing. Hendrick, Roush and the other SuperTeams need some competition or fans WILL become bored with the same drivers winning.

(3) CAUTION FREE RACING=CARS TAKING HUGE LEADS=BORING RACE: The elite teams are so superior today that these cars are establishing big leads early in the race thus leaving the bottom tier teams a lap down, in some cases, 25 laps into the race. This, coupled with the drivers “playing it safe” for the first three quarters of the race has made viewers impatient with the broadcast and reaching for the remote. I’ve been to three races in New Hampshire and can vouch that about forty percent of the fans are out of their seats and searching for souvenirs or food(or beer) after about 20 laps. Of course, most are back watching for the last 20 laps but I cannot say as much for the television viewer…the race is probably forgotten about at this point.

(4) TOO MANY COMMERCIALS DURING TELEVISION BROADCASTS: Isn’t racing one big commercial? Just look at the cars, the driver’s and pit crew’s uniforms…heck, the scroll at the top of your screen has a sponsor changing on screen every 10 minutes. Too many commercials=lack of interest. A better way, if all the commercials are necessary for ESPN, ABC, FOX etc. to break even, why not have a split screen with the race broadcast continuously? In any case, the networks have to bring the race back to the fans and not show themselves as some greedy money machine.

(5) MORE FOCUS ON THE LOWER TIER DRIVERS DURING BROADCASTS: Every driver in racing is important. Even if the chances of winning are slim for some, every driver WANTS to win and improve every week. One driver that has a season under his(or her) belt is a year of experience and growth mentally and technologically for the the driver and team. We, as race fans, need to see a part of each racer and their strategies(and pit stops) throughout a race. Watching Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the majority of the broadcast does not allow the fan to fully appreciate the drama that is racing. I’d like to know how fast Kyle Petty is going, how many laps Bobby Labonte is down, if Mark Martin’s car is running well or having problems.

I feel that the networks see a lot of these drivers as background scenery, to use a movie analogy. By leaving these drivers in the dust and focusing only on drivers with a high Q rating, the networks are only reinforcing the fact that the NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit is dominated and ran by the elite.

Let’s hope that the people of NASCAR do not turn this amazing sport into Formula 1 and alienate a sector of fans…I want to LOVE NASCAR again…not just like it!

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What is NASCAR? It stands for National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. They are a sanctioning body that evaluates the various stock car racing in the US. NASCAR is one of the most popular sports today in the US. One of the reasons why its popularity boomed is because of media exposure. The top three racing series the association sanctions are the Craftsman Truck Series, Nationwide Series, and Sprint Cup.
The sport has also made celebrities out of their car drivers. Among the most famous riders NASCAR has is Dale Earnhardt Jr. He started his car-racing career at the young age of 17. Now he races in the Sprint Cup Series. His father conquered this same series in his years. For five consecutive years, he received the NASCAR Most Popular Driver award from 2003 to 2007. Fans are responsible for choosing the recipient for this award.
You can say that racing is in the blood of Earnhardt Jr. He has close relatives who are also driving other racing series. Others have business related to NASCAR. One of the most noted Earnhardt is Ralph, his grandfather. He started a long lineage of car racers in his family.
Ralph Earnhardt is a legend in the sport. He won his only NASCAR Sportsmanship Award in 1956. However, various groups in the industry have recognized his contributions. National Motorsports Press Association inducted him to the Hall of Fame in 1989. In 1997, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame did the same. The Oceanside Rotary Club of Daytona Beach Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame inducted him in 2004. Finally, in 2007, National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame inducted him.
Dale’s father, Ralph’s son also became a racecar driver. Ralph wanted his son to take on a different path. However, Dale Sr. was determined to follow into his father’s footsteps. He dropped out from school and pursued his dream.
He became successful in the Winston Cup Series, now known as the Sprint Cup. In 1979, he became the Rookie of the Year for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He became a champion in the series for seven years. The Motorsports Hall of Fame inducted him in 2002. In addition, the International Motorsports hall of Fame inducted him in 2006.
It was evident that someone from his kids would assume his role. As it turned out, he did not only influence Dale Earnhardt Jr. but his other oldest son Kerry Dale as well. Although Kerry did not spend a lot of time with his father while he was growing up, he ended up doing the sport his father loved. Racing is probably strong in Earnhardt blood, because his son, Jeffrey, also began racing in 2007.
Jeffrey Earnhardt was impressive at Wythe Raceway, Hornet Division. Here, he won the Rookie of the Year award. He also made it to the General Motors’ search for the next best thing in the car-racing field. In 2007, he competed in the Busch East Series where he placed fifth. By the end of the season, he won the Most Popular Driver award.

Last month, the most popular NASCAR driver today announced that he will be leaving his father’s team at the end of the season. Dale Earnhardt Jr., voted as the most popular NASCAR driver today by fans, publicized that he will be leaving the Dale Earnhardt Inc. after the 2007 Nextel Cup Series. The NASCAR team was put up by his late father - the legendary seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt Sr.

After the announcement, the NASCAR community has been speculating which team Junior will be racing for next year. For weeks, fans of the superstar have waited for his decision. Recently, he announced that he will be racing for Hendrick Motorsports next year.

With Junior joining Hendrick Motorsports, he will replace Kyle Busch. For the next season, Junior will still be driving a Chevy which is currently dominating the Nextel Cup Series. Chevrolet cars with their Chevy door handles shaved have already won ten of the fourteen races so far this season.

Brian France, son of the late Bill France, the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of NASCAR, has this to say of Junior’s jump to Hendrick: “Today’s announcement of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s move to Hendrick Motorsports is indeed an important announcement for this season and beyond, and it should be noted that high-profile partnerships have always been a part of NASCAR’s competitive history. There have been so many great partnerships involving people of great character and ability. We’re proud of what they have brought to our sport. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has always said that first and foremost, he wants to win a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series championship. We wish him the best of luck.”

There are questions surrounding his sponsorship with Budweiser. The company has been the most notable supporter of the 34-year old NASCAR driver. Tony Ponturo, the Vice-President for Global Media and Sports Marketing for Anheuser-Busch Inc., has this to say after Junior’s announcement: “Anheuser-Busch has enjoyed a remarkable relationship with Dale Earnhardt Jr. since our sponsorship commenced back in 1999. Dale Jr. is an excellent ambassador for the sport and our company, and we look forward to exploring options with Hendrick Motorsports and JR Motorsports to continue Budweiser’s relationship with him as he enters this new stage of his racing career.”

Ironically, Junior will be joining the team which knocked off his father from the top spot of the motorsports in the 1990s. His new teammate Jeff Gordon led the uprising of young drivers which took the place of Dale Earnhardt Sr. and his contemporaries at the pinnacle of the sport. Aside from Gordon, Junior will be joining defending champion Jimmie Johnson and Casey Mears.

Analysts saw the jump to Hendrick by Junior as an excellent decision. Tim Brewer, an analyst for ESPN, says: “I think it’s a great decision because he wants to go and win races and win championships. He’s going to make the change for himself, get in a good race car and he’ll get the job done. He’s been saying all along that he really wants to drive the No. 3 car at the end of his career so I think that’s the reason he didn’t go to Richard Childress yet. They are proven winners and proven champions at Hendrick. The combination he’s had hasn’t been working, and that’s no disrespect to anyone. If I were him I would show up, not even take my helmet, and just ask ‘which car do you want me to get in?’ If I’d implemented a change and gone this far, I believe I’d make a big change.”

In 1996, legendary NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Sr. created the Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI) to compete in NASCAR-sanctioned races. In 1998, Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove the No. 8 car of the team at the NASCAR Busch Series where he won the championship for two consecutive years - 1998 and 1999. Currently Dale Jr. is racing at the 2007 Nextel Cup Series for the team that his late father started. The next season though will see Dale Junior racing for another team if he pushes through with his announced plan to leave DEI. Juniorâ??s departure came after he failed to wrest the ownership of the team away from his stepmother Teresa Earnhardt.

In a recent press conference Dale Junior announced his decision to leave DEI pointing out his relationship with her stepmother as a cause. â??We weren’t really close with what they had in mind,â? says Dale Junior. â??We decided it was time for us to move on and seek other opportunities for 2008,â? he continued in the press conference broadcasted from his JR Motorsports racing shop located in Mooresville, North California. This team is being speculated to be where Dale Jr. will be racing for the next season.

The decision to leave the organization becomes even more interesting since his contract to DEI will expire after this season. This announcement has led racing enthusiasts to speculate where Dale Jr. will go from here.

Although there are talks that he might race for the team his father raced for, he maintained that he is still undecided as of the moment. â??We’ll see who wants to hire me,â? said Dale Jr. â??I don’t ever want to make this decision, or change, again. I want to drive for a long time, and I want to be successful at doing it,â? he stressed.

Meanwhile, his sponsor Budweiser is expected to follow Dale Jr. wherever he goes for the next season. The company though is yet to confirm or deny the said speculations. Instead, the companyâ??s vice-president Tony Ponturo maintained that they will still have to talk with Dale Jr. before making a decision. â??Budweiser and JR Motorsports have an agreement in place to ensure Dale Jr. will continue to personally represent Budweiser through 2008, and we look forward to discussing our future with Dale Jr. and DEI in the weeks ahead,” said Ponturo in an e-mailed statement.

Juniorâ??s popularity is unquestionable and DEIâ??s compromise to let him go is a decision many frowned at. For the last four years, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is voted as the most popular NASCAR driver by fans. For his popularity, Budweiser has received major exposure in sponsoring Dale Jr. and his No. 8 car with power comparable to a high performance engine equipped with Jet Chips cold air intake system. A research conducted by Joyce Julius and Associates estimated Budweiser to have received $68.8 million worth of exposure in just the first eight races of the Nextel Cup Series. This exposure is based on the number of times the Budweiser logo appears during a race more prominently on Juniorâ??s No. 8 car. This is seen as a possible reason for Budweiser to go with Dale Junior wherever he might go for the next season.

The fact that Earnhardt wanted to control the organization and his stepmother not letting it happen is seen as a bitter pill for the most popular driver. Late last year, Teresa made comments in an interview which questioned Dale Juniorâ??s commitment to the sport. This statement from Teresa sparked a feud between her and Dale Jr. On the other hand, Dale Jr. and sister Kelley Earnhardt Elledge complained about the way the team is being run by Teresa. The teamâ??s inability to win a championship is also blamed at the ineffectiveness of Teresa in running the company.

After Dale Jr.â??s decision to leave the team, Teresa has this to say: â??While we are very disappointed that Dale Jr. has chosen to leave the family business, we remain excited about our companyâ??s future. Our aggressive expansion and diversification plans have not changed. This company has continued to thrive since Dale left us in 2001, and it will thrive following todayâ??s announcement. Dale and I built this company to be a championship-contender, and those principles still apply. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. will win, and we have other extremely talented drivers and hundreds of employees that are dedicated to the programs we founded. This company has a great legacy and a bright future, built on loyalty, integrity, and commitment.â?

As to how the team will fare after Dale Jr. departs, experts in the sports agreed that the team will get on well. Marc Ganis, president of Sportscorp Ltd., a sports marketing company expressed his opinion as to where DEI will go for the next season without Dale Jr. â??DEI is a known quantity, they’re not going anywhere,â? Ganis said. â??It’s going to be odd not having the son of the founder staying with that team. I see a lot of questions about that. They’ll continue to be one of the major racing teams,â? he added further.

How Dale Earnhardt Jr.â??s leaving DEI will affect the team will be seen next season. Meanwhile, the auto racing community is anticipating where Jr. will go. There are still a lot of questions that needs to be answered and hopefully answers will come shortly.