...I'm sure Brian France would concur with your perspective. I think the ratings/attendance deal is mainly an industry issue - one that shouldn't stand in the way of us enjoying the races themselves.

At least we're saying that now. If these issues are more than simply slumps and more of a real indication of racing's economy, then it will make its way onto the race track sooner or later. Ask Doug Yates...

The sport has tried desperately to go mainstream. They acted as if they were embarrassed by their heritage. Is that good? Well it sure has attracted every top driver in the world. Is it bad? It sure made the old-schoolers feel left out. Seems to me that change is inevitable. All I know is that it can be awfully exiting watching cars going three wide at Daytona while it is time for a Bagel Dog when you are at Chicago. This would not be a discussion if we had fewer 1.5 mile tracks because every weekend would be a three ringed circus. Course track operators couldn't run IRL cars a week later, but then again that's not gonna be an issue much longer. Danica come on over.

It's not like they aren't selling out those races...

I have to repectfully disagree. Like it or not ratings and ticket sales are important to todays BUSINESS of NASCAR and it effects the fans base. This is what happens when a the sport transforms and where its origin comes from. I like you, love to watch more carefully the racing side of cars, teams and drivers but also realize the health of the sport depends on factors such as ratings and attendence. Even if you look at the history, the success of NASCAR from it's inception was how much money could be made promoting a venue and how many fans you could get in the seats. The days of Ray Parks are long gone, he loved racing and lost alot of money doing it, but is wasn't a business on the scale it is today. You can look at any major sports team and see how this plays out in how many football/baseball teams have moved or stadiums relocated etc. In NASCAR, seats are going unsold , alot of fans have become disinchanted with the direction NASCAR is going and that results in dollars lost and in any form of racing, dollars drive the sport unlike stick and ball to so much a degree. Some may make fun of the old-timer fans, but they were the money spenders, they would buy the tickets, beer and hotdogs and go to the show, the truth is racing has always been dollar driven what has been lost is the heritage to it, and what is really was about men and machines first, dollars second.. A twenty something today cannot build his own stock car, the mfg. affinty is diminishing and so is the sponsor loyalty once a staple of NASCAR. We can all pretend that it should be about drivers and cars (and I wish it was) but in reality it has always been about what you wish it wasn't, just in a more out in the open way and role reversed.