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So as I understand it, the Nationwide series is sorta like the minor leagues in baseball. My question is why does NASCAR allow Cup drivers to drive in this series? It takes seats away from up and comers, plus the Cup drivers are better drivers and have bigger teams backing them. It's kinda like an MLB player who plays both in the minors and for an MLB team. He is taking a roster spot away from another player when he doesn't need to.
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David
The chief cause of failure in this life is giving up what you want most for what you want at the moment. -
Why? Because NASCAR really isn't a sport -- it's a giant marketing cooperative. It's all about exposure for the sponsors, primarily through the TV audience, and about putting butts in seats at the track. The brand-name drivers serve both of those goals a lot better than a grid full of Who Dat? drivers. Simple as that, really.Larry -
In most cases, it's no different than someone who works a 40 hour job and then takes a part time gig on the side. Most of those Cup drivers don't run the Nationwide Series full time._________________________
"Have a Great Day, unless you've made other plans"Comment
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"Have a Great Day, unless you've made other plans"Comment
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Show Me The Money...
Last Friday, we had Kyle Bush driving an ASA car here for Firday night's race at Toledo Speedway. He was in the area for the Michigan Sprint Car race and the ONLY reason for his presence in an ASA car was to increase the gate count. Not a problem in my book. This is pretty much normal for auto racing and it is not limited to NASCAR. If you look at all of the auto racing in the US, it is normal for drivers to participate in different sanctioning body's racing. Even F1 has the occaisonal test driver in a race. I used to crew on a USAC sprint car team and on race night you didn't know who was driving some cars until they took to the track. Boris Said has made his entire career driving for whomever will give him a ride.Jim Frye
The Nut in the Cellar.
”Sawdust Is Man Glitter”Comment
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This started because the only difference between a Nationwide (then Busch) car and a Cup car was the size of the carb. This meant that drivers could basically get an extended practice session on Saturday and learn how the tires would fall off, how the track would change, etc. This was thought to be a benefit to those drivers on Sunday.
Today, with the COT being run on Sunday and the old car on Saturday, they do it for ratings. The Nationwide series has a full time deal with ESPN, which means NASCAR needs to provide an environment that will attract viewers. People like Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, etc, help them do this.
I would love to see other sports do this. We have a minor league baseball team nearby, no one ever goes there. Maybe if some big name players came into town and they would get better attendance.Comment
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With respect to the two goals I mentioned, and also to providing a very lucrative means of making a living for those involved, it doesn't differ at all. (There are huge differences between the four professional sports leagues and the family-owned NASCAR regime.) If I somehow implied that those bottom-line oriented goals do differ, it was purely unintentional.
But David's question was, Why does NASCAR allow the Cup drivers to race in the support series. There has been grousing about the so-called "buschwhackers" for years, but NASCAR never really does anything about it. They know who butters their bread, is all I'm sayin'.LarryComment
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Maybe 1 of you should try driving 500 miles with an average speed of 175+ mph and then tell us theres nothing sporty about it, You people make me laugh, I suppose motocross isn,t a sport either or speedboat racing or drag racing. Get your heads realigned. Just because there is no physical contact does not mean its not a sport. And less we forget billiards and apparently now poker is on espn as well, HaaaaaComment
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The ones who believe that their are only 4 sports, NHL, NBA, NFL, MLB.Comment
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If fishing is a sport, I suppose driving a race car should be considered one too!
Happiness is sort of like wetting your pants....everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth.
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apparently nascar IS a contact sport
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Proudly piddling in my garage shop | BT3K, Rigid 10" CMS, Rigid 12" Planer, HF JointerComment
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Nope, none of those are sports at my house. But then, neither are fishing, the AKC dog show, nor "pro" video game playing. They all take skill, may be competitive, may be physically and mentally demanding, and are termed "sports" by society but they don't pass the gut-feeling test over here.
Back to the topic, I can see why they do what they do, but if it were me (and it shouldn't be, as the only races I watch are at the local track where they have figure 8's, bombers, and the like) I'd set it up more like boxing where you can participate at the higher class if you want, but not "below" your natural class. Then decide that the top half (or guys who run more than X top series races per year, or whatever) of the drivers are "heavyweights" and cannot compete down.Comment
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The simple answer is that Nationwide is not the minor leagues of racing. But the big money is in Cup racing.
And as far as if Stock car racing is a sport be careful that tangent stikes of religion and as such should be avoided. []
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