Is NASCAR out of touch with a majority of the fans?

Question

To me, NASCAR is confusing. One day Mike Helton says he wants the "drivers to be able to show their emotions, and get back in touch with the fans", and the next he tells the drivers "shut up and drive."

I do not think that the drivers "shutting up" will draw the fans any closer to NASCAR. If you look back on the history of NASCAR, the drivers who were not afraid to hang it all out on the line were the ones who made the biggest names for themselves, and helped NASCAR reach it's current popularity.

Why does NASCAR contradict itself, and what do you feel NASCAR should do to get in touch with the fans?

Answer 1

I don't think there was any contradiction. Mike Helton was just saying that when you whine about the new car, then in the fans eyes, you look like irrogant cry baby's who dont appreciate the unique position in life that's been given to them!

Answer 2

I just got through reading the article. It seems to me that NASCAR's main point that they were making was this. They have put a lot of work into developing the COT as far as safety is concerned and leveling the playing field at the same time. Even though they did race the car some last year there are some tracks that are lacking in tests. NASCAR and teams are still learning about the COT.

With that said I think that their main concern was that when drivers voice their opinion about the car publicly that it can influence public opinion of the sport in general. With gas prices affecting public attendance NASCAR doesn't need fans growing impatient with NASCAR because their favorite driver is having a problem with the car.

NASCAR though has to understand  that public opinion is going to exist about the COT anyway and also that when NASCAR made a few decisions in the past that a majority of the fans were not very pleased with their decisions.

Examples:

1) the chase

2) the lucky dog

3) use of certain tires

4) inconsistent and unfair violation, penalties, etc

5) teams having unfair advantages for various reasons

If NASCAR wants to please the public then I think they need to let some of the veteran and top drivers have more voice in the decision and rule making process. It's very clear that NASCAR can't do this on their own.  They never listened to the fans when the fans voted not to have the chase so now they are trying to blame it on the drivers voicing their opinion on the COT that is detrimental to the sport? If anything the guys in charge at NASCAR are self destructive and detrimental to their own sport.

Answer 3

You have to think too...

How many new fans are going to stick around, considering they know very little about the sport, and all they hear is drivers complaining about the "new" car, how hard it is to drive, the lack of competition/passing.  If I was a novice, that sure wouldn't sound exciting to me.

As long as the drivers can still go to NASCAR and vent their frustrations/complaints, and NASCAR actually listens, then I'm OK with the SHUT UP AND DRIVE thing.

Answer 4

It's a double edge sword.  

I think a lot of it has to do with back in the day there were NOT a lot of restrictions on language, getting physical.  However, today there are a lot more restrictions on content/what  drivers say, etc.

I really do believe that it has something to do with 'legal' too.  

Everybody  (Nascar) is worried these days about getting into legal trouble so they put 'unsaid invisible' restrictions on what the drivers can say/do.  

A good example (parallel analogy) would be in football a long time ago there was no penalty for 'excessive celebration' after the touchdown, now there is.  However that is written in the rules of football and I think sometimes it is unsaid in Nascar.

Though I see no real contradiction, I can understand how some can.

Answer 5

i think the driver's talking is great for the fans. It really makes me think of good ol' D.W. I used to love listening to him after a race. The driver's giving their personal thoughts and feelings gives the fans kind of an inside look. It helps us to relate more to that driver. As far as why NASCAR contradicts itself i have no idea, it makes absolutely no sense. If you ask me Helton is the one who needs to just "shut up." The fans love their driver and love to here what they have to say that's just how it is. NASCAR should just let the drivers do what they do and the fans will feel that!!

Answer 6

No.

Answer 7

NASCAR does what it wants to do, the contradictions are what make them continue, they do not care about what the fans think as long as they rake in the $$$$...that said, the drivers have a right to say what they want, we have heard everyone almost saying this car is harder to drive, if we have seen anything as fans, we already knew that without the help of the driver comments, but I say let them comment its part of the bigger picture, what is NAsCAR afraid of if they want them to be quiet, this just proves they think the fans cannot see for themselves that the car needs some serious rework...

Answer 8

If NASCAR wants to get it popularity back. It needs to go back to the times that drivers were allowed to speak there emotions and be able to give another driver some harsh words without getting called to the NASCAR trailer.

As for the new car, if the drivers don't talk about whats wrong with it, how are they going to be able to make it better. Ya the new car has all sorts of new safety things, and that's great! But the car also needs to be able to drive and make adjustments on it.

Answer 9

Nascar does not say shut up, till its time to do so, like Kyle saying he will wreck anyone to win, he was told in no uncertain terms to shut up, this was the right time to say it and to the right driver.

Answer 10

What Tina, Frankie C., T-Bone and Papa Bill said. NASCAR DID NOT SAY SHUT UP AND DRIVE- SOME MORON, NO TALENT SPORTWRITING HACK SAID IT- TRYIGN TO STIR UP CONTROVERSY.

What Helton was trying to say, is when the drivers have a gripe, take it to NASCAR, not to the media. If I griped about my boss to the newspapers, he'd fire my a$$.

Answer 11

From what I've heard the meeting was to tell the drivers to stop complaining about the new car..I will sure miss Tony's comments though. I don't think It's whining at all to voice your opinion after a race. For NOW we still have the first amendment.

Answer 12

Heyyell yes.

The drivers are wanting to run NASCAR,and tell NASCAR how to do it.

Certain drivers are bad mouthing NASCAR from COT to tracks to other drivers to NASCAR in general so NASCAR says stop the bad mouthing.

Drivers are more and more non-fan friendly and this is mainly due to the few "fanatical" fans.NASCAR wants the drivers to be more receptive of the fans and not downgrading the sport

Answer 13

Frankie is correct. Yo Frankieeee....lol

If you read the what the speech was about you'd know it wasn't about wearing your emotions but about continually complaining about something they have no control over.  They should be priviledged to drive any car because it's not a right and it's not fair to the fans. I for one agree  The bottom line is they need to "shut up about the car and drive".  

They weren't contradicting themselves in any way.