2009 is the Year of the Fan
Kris Johnson
Kris Johnson joined Street & Smith's Sports Group in 2003. He is Assistant Managing Editor at NASCAR Illustrated and SceneDaily.com.
Is it time for season-ending awards already? No, but you know who is running away with that Chase thingy, so we will strike pre-emptively with a postseason award that has nothing to do with drivers or teams.
The 2009 Progress Award, not really prestigious since it was just conceived and wholly devoid of a catchy name or presenting sponsor, is nonetheless very important. More important, the first-ever trophy will go to you, the fans. NASCAR has decided to listen to you again this year and on matters of no small importance.
To wit: double-file restarts.
The racing has unquestionably been improved by this move. And you, the fans, were the driving force behind it.
Don’t believe me?
“We’ve heard the fans loud and clear: ‘Double-file restarts – shootout style’ are coming to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series,” said NASCAR Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brian France in June. “This addition to the race format is good for competition and good for the fans.”
Not content with just improving the quality of racing, you, the fans, have also dictated when you will see it in 2010.
“NASCAR fans have been asking for earlier and more consistent start times, and we are making this change for our fans, beginning with the Daytona 500 next February,” France said this month. “We are revisiting our sport’s tradition of earlier green flags, and the added consistency will make it easier for fans to know exactly when the races are being televised.”
There are two huge decisions, you, the fans, more or less made.
Now if you could just do something about the car of tomorrow to make racing today appear even better than yesterday, well, your job will be complete.
In the meantime, though, be happy with your progress and the award named after it. As a token of its appreciation, NASCAR is even letting a few of you attend the inaugural postseason banquet in Las Vegas.
Remember to pick up your Progress Award in Sin City.
