Alternative Ideas for the Sprint Unlimited

[Cynic]

So it's almost time for the horrendous sponsor-driven mess that is the Sprint Unlimited. (I'm sure there's a post from last season about this but I can't find it).

So, who has ideas for improving the race? Here's my proposal:

- 100 miles (40 laps) single segment. However in order to keep the cars in the favoured 'wreck waiting to happen' formation, there will be a Debris, sorry I mean Competition Caution at lap 35, during which the fileld will be frozen. GWC rules will also be in operation.

Eligibility will be as follows:
- The reigning Sprint Unlimited Winner
- The current Series Champion
- All drivers who qualified for the previous seasons 'Chase' (note: this is drivers who qualified on points, not by stamping their feet and complaining that life isn't fair...)
- All drivers who won a pole or full-distance race during the previous regular season (rain-off's will not count)
- Any driver that has won a previous regular season race at Daytona

In addition the following 'picks' and wildcard spots will be available:

- The Fan Favourite: Will be awarded to any driver with the surname 'Earnhardt Jnr' who has not qualified by other means. If there is no eligible driver then it will go to a phone vote.

- The Marketing Potential Favourite: Will be awarded to any driver with the surname 'Patrick' who has not qualified by other means. If there is no eligible driver then it will be decided by the race sponsor.

- The 'I have retired, honestly' wildcard - Will be automatically awarded to Mark Martin unless he actually has retired this time, in which case it will go to the oldest driver who has not qualified by any other means.

- The Boogity Boogity Wildcard: All drivers who have not qualified by any of the above will have their names put into a hat. One name at random will be drawn by Darrell Waltripp who will be blindfolded using one of Michaels god-awful ties (tie to be chosen by fan vote).

[NaBUru38]

I get bored watching stock car races on superspeedways. Drivers don't seem to be showing their skills to drive, unlike IndyCar at Indianapols, Pocono or Fontana. So I can't comment on race formats.

About invitations, winning a pole doesn't make you an all-star, I think.

I also disagree with inviting previous regular season race winners at Daytona. Trevor Bayne and David Ragan don't sound like all-star.

[MJ_N_09]

Don't give Nascar any ideas, cause they might actually use these ideas.

[MJ_N_09]

So, should we use this thread for tonight's Sprint Unlimited?

[Cynic]

Originally Posted by MJ_N_09

Don't give Nascar any ideas, cause they might actually use these ideas.

Judging by the mess they've made of the qualifying and chase formats, I don't think my ideas would be mad enough for them...

[gomick]

Didn't mind that race, lots of passing which equalled lots of crashes too... Daytona 500 will be a lottery me thinks!

[HJJ]

Ratings = not good. They need to try something or move it back to Fox.

Sprint Unlimited TV Ratings: Saturday's NASCAR Sprint Unlimited earned a 2.0 U.S. rating and 3.5 million viewers on Fox Sports 1, the largest audience on FS1 since the network rebranded last August. Despite the record, Saturday's telecast declined by 43% in ratings and 38% in viewership from last year on FOX (3.5, 5.7M), and by 52% and 53%, respectively, from 2012 (4.2, 7.5M). It ranks as the lowest rated and least-viewed edition of the race (previously the Budweiser Shootout) since at least 2001.(Sports Media Watch)(2-20-2014)

[NaBUru38]

Leo Parente blames hatred for Nascar on marketing.

- o -

When I see any race, I expect each race and championship to reward merit. I want the best to win. There may be some rules to reduce the gap, but I don't want random results like a roulette or Mario Kart.

I expect the media to have a sports-based perspective. I expect to hear a description of the race, an explanation about why people perform well or badly, and the thoughts and feelings of the competitors.


In my opinion, the matter with Nascar marketing is that they turn it into a show, not as a racing sport.

Instead of putting rules that make fair, thrilling races, they introduce artifial randomness (fake cautions, new Chase) and artificial parity (lucky dog), while reducing rewards by finishing well (flat points scale).

On top of that, the media promote a poor show. It's all about ridiculous controversy and irrelevant stuff, rather than actual performance.

In essence, they run a show looking to attract audience and make profits in the dirtiest way, rather than run a fair, thrilling sport that attracts audience and makes profits on merit.