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A NASCAR BLOG BY Art Weinstein
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Meetings or not, complaining could persist with new car
Jun
15
NASCAR's new-generation car, introduced last year on a limited basis, and now in use at every track this season, has not been popular with drivers. "We can't pass in the new car," some drivers said. "I don't like the new car," other drivers said.
No driver actually said, "It's the worst idea in the history of bad ideas, and the NASCAR officials who developed this car should be fired," but one gets the feeling someone (Kyle Busch, maybe?) would have said that by August. Maybe sooner.
So NASCAR dropped the bomb Friday at Michigan in a private meeting with drivers. To summarize NASCAR President Mike Helton's message to the drivers: Stop complaining. Since no reporters were allowed in that meeting, I'd like to think Helton channeled Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage. After drivers ripped TMS track conditions in 1998, Gossage printed souvenir T-shirts with the slogan, "Shut Up And Drive."
Drivers have come to appreciate Texas Motor Speedway since then. Will drivers eventually embrace NASCAR's new car? Helton's meeting could be viewed in several ways: Was it a PR ploy, meant to silence drivers' public comments about the new car? Was it a PR plan of a different type, in hopes of diverting media attention from a recent lawsuit filled against NASCAR by a former employee?
Or, was it a directive to the drivers to simply give the new car some time, in hopes that testing, research and more on-track competition will help drivers and teams improve the new car?
I'd like to think that Helton and other NASCAR officials believe the new car will improve, and he was just asking drivers to give it some time. After all, this is not the first time drivers have complained after the introduction of a new model.
Yet if drivers are saying, week after week, "We can't pass," NASCAR must tackle that problem. Issuing a directive to "Shut Up And Drive" works from a PR standpoint only in the short term. If problems with the new car aren't resolved, drivers will start complaining again.
No driver actually said, "It's the worst idea in the history of bad ideas, and the NASCAR officials who developed this car should be fired," but one gets the feeling someone (Kyle Busch, maybe?) would have said that by August. Maybe sooner.
So NASCAR dropped the bomb Friday at Michigan in a private meeting with drivers. To summarize NASCAR President Mike Helton's message to the drivers: Stop complaining. Since no reporters were allowed in that meeting, I'd like to think Helton channeled Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage. After drivers ripped TMS track conditions in 1998, Gossage printed souvenir T-shirts with the slogan, "Shut Up And Drive."
Drivers have come to appreciate Texas Motor Speedway since then. Will drivers eventually embrace NASCAR's new car? Helton's meeting could be viewed in several ways: Was it a PR ploy, meant to silence drivers' public comments about the new car? Was it a PR plan of a different type, in hopes of diverting media attention from a recent lawsuit filled against NASCAR by a former employee?
Or, was it a directive to the drivers to simply give the new car some time, in hopes that testing, research and more on-track competition will help drivers and teams improve the new car?
I'd like to think that Helton and other NASCAR officials believe the new car will improve, and he was just asking drivers to give it some time. After all, this is not the first time drivers have complained after the introduction of a new model.
Yet if drivers are saying, week after week, "We can't pass," NASCAR must tackle that problem. Issuing a directive to "Shut Up And Drive" works from a PR standpoint only in the short term. If problems with the new car aren't resolved, drivers will start complaining again.
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Comments
4 responses to "Meetings or not, complaining could persist with new car"
Ronald Schwalbe said:
Jun 16, 2008 at 4:41 PMI didn't think you'd print my comment because I DARED to criticize and tell the TRUTH about NASCAR !!! So much for "free speech" -you guys are just like Helton.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportScott Brennan said:
Jun 18, 2008 at 3:40 PMAs Humpy Wheeler suggested, put wider tires on this car to make up for some of the downforce loss. Also redesign the splitter so it isn't such a mega downforce killer. Then I believe they will have a car they can drive with some consistency and have better racing. NASCAR needs to realize they can't just stop making changes to the COT if it needs improvement - and it does.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportDanny Seibert said:
Jun 18, 2008 at 4:00 PMTHE DRIVERS ARE TRYING TO MAKE THE JUNK BETER BUT NASCAR KEEPS GETTING IN THE WAY.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportReinhold Monroe said:
Aug 28, 2008 at 3:05 PMPersonaly I think NASCAR needs new Owners an Management. Todays NASCAR is nothing like it is suposed to be. Impounds and setups regulated by the powers to be is just nuts. They they have ruind NASCAR as it should be. Teams should be alowed to set up theyr Cars as they want and therefore create Competion. All you have with this new Car is a new IROX Series. PLEASE PLEASE move away from the lousy coverage of ESPN
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