DECADE IN REVIEW: NASCAR's Top 10 stories 2000-2009

By SceneDaily Staff

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Dale Earnhardt's tragic death in 2001 shook the sport to its very core, devastating fans and leaving a huge void in the garage.

Jim Fluharty
NASCAR Scene

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NASCAR underwent a considerable transformation during this decade, a time that saw massive changes to both the cars that are used and the drivers competing in it.

NASCAR itself underwent a change in leadership, with Brian France taking over from his father, Bill France Jr., in 2003. The sport lost some of its most promising drivers in a tragic series of events that spawned a new push for safety in cars and equipment. The sanctioning body also changed sponsorship for its major series and gained new ground in terms of fans and television audience.

Here’s NASCAR Scene’s take on the top stories of the decade:

1. The Death of Dale Earnhardt: The fatal crash of NASCAR’s biggest star on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 shook the sport to its very core, devastating fans and leaving a huge void in the garage. The impact is still felt today, from the loss of many longtime Earnhardt fans to the enormous expectations placed on his popular son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., to the numerous safety improvements that were a direct result of his death.

2. The Deaths of Petty, Irwin and Roper: The shocking deaths of drivers Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin and Tony Roper during a five-month span in 2000 sent shock waves through the sport, exposing weaknesses in NASCAR’s safety efforts. The series of fatal crashes put NASCAR under intense pressure to adopt new safety measures. Unfortunately, it reacted a few months too late (see above).

3. Mass Appeal: NASCAR launched a landmark, $2.4 billion TV package with Fox and NBC/TNT in 2001, putting the sport on network TV and opening it up to a whole new audience. Soaring television ratings led to an even bigger ($4.8 billion) deal in 2007. Though the sport is getting more exposure than ever, the bubble is starting to burst, however, with ratings suffering a sharp decline in the past three years.

4. Rise of Brian France, The Chase: When Brian France took over from his father, Bill France Jr., in late 2003, it ushered in a new era – the era of change. Brian France has made many sweeping changes, but none was bigger than the Chase, the controversial 10-race playoff to determine the season champion instead of the point system that covered every race. Though many fans still don’t like it, the format has created more drama and excitement.

5. Expanding the Horizons: NASCAR was already in expansion mode with the additions of tracks in Chicago and Kansas, but the Francis Ferko anti-trust suit and NASCAR’s realignment in 2004 led to even bigger changes. The winners were Texas, Phoenix and California, which all had second dates by 2005. The losers were the old Rockingham track in North Carolina, which was sold and closed, and Darlington, which lost its historic Labor Day weekend date.

6. End of an Era: There was perhaps no more significant change in the past decade than the departure in 2003 of Winston and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., which helped build and run the sport for 33 years. The loss paved the way for a landmark, 10-year, $750 million deal with Nextel. It also led to an identity crisis. Just three years into the deal, Sprint bought Nextel, changing the name of NASCAR’s top series for the third time in six years.

7. The Rise and Fall of Junior: Few drivers in NASCAR history have raced under a more glaring spotlight than Dale Earnhardt Jr., who carries the weight of an enormous fan base and the whole NASCAR world on his not-so-broad shoulders. Junior became an instant star but was soon racing under the dark cloud of his father’s death. By mid-decade, he was one of NASCAR’s most successful drivers. But in 2005 he began to stumble, and in 2007 he did the unthinkable, leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc. over a dispute with his stepmother, Teresa, a move that crippled the team his father started. Bigger and better things were expected for Junior at Hendrick Motorsports, but that landmark pairing ranks as the biggest bust of the decade.

8. NASCAR’s New Cup Car: One of the most controversial moves to come out of Earnhardt’s death was the creation of the car of tomorrow, which has unquestionably made the sport safer but has also led to much debate about the quality of racing. When it debuted in 2007, NASCAR promised better competition and a move back to the old-school style of racing that made the sport popular. Instead, the car has been a dud, with both fans and competitors voicing their complaints.

9. Johnson’s Four Straight Titles: Every decade has its star (Petty, Earnhardt, Gordon), but none has shone brighter than Jimmie Johnson, who won an unprecedented fourth straight Cup championship in 2009. His 47 wins in eight years are 13 more than his closest challenger and nine more than Earnhardt won in the ’80s. And his 18 wins in the Chase changed the way drivers and teams approach the playoff race.

10. Dodge Returns, Toyota arrives: Dodge was welcomed with open arms when it returned in 2001. Toyota? Not so much, when it debuted in 2007. But while Dodge has had only marginal success, Toyota has had a big impact, winning with Joe Gibbs Racing and forcing other manufacturers to step up.