Photo by ASP, Inc.

Television, the Cup schedule and the quality of racing in the Sprint Cup Series. Those topics will get NASCAR fans talking. Members of the Backseat Drivers Fan Council had much to ponder as they were asked about those topics this week.

They judged FOX’s broadcasts of Sprint Cup races with the network’s season ending at Dover. They were asked what four races they would cut from the Cup schedule in light of Rusty Wallace’s recent suggestion that such a move would be beneficial. And Fan Council members graded the Dover race.

There was much for Fan Council members to say this week and, as always, they did.

RATE FOX’S BROADCAST OF CUP RACES
Last Sunday’s race at Dover marked the final Cup race of the season for FOX (TNT takes over beginning this weekend at Pocono for the next six races). Fan Council members were asked to grade Fox on its coverage of Cup races this season.

34.1 percent called it Good
28.0 percent called it Fair
19.0 percent called it Great
19.0 percent called it Poor

What Fan Council members said:
• One of these days they will realize there is a race going in the background of everything they think is important.

• Not crazy over the Michael Waltrip addition and will miss Dick Berggren. DW and Mike Joy are the best in the business.

• Bringing in Michael Waltrip was a step back. The ticker on the side of the screen during green flag pit stops is brilliant, especially with the trend right now of long green runs.

• Too many back-stories read from scripts. Too many isolation shots to promote a sponsor. Side-by-Side commercials are worthless as they don't show racing — who wants to watch the vacant straightaway from the leader’s roof cam? Too many times the producer switched camera views from what Mike Joy was talking about, or (was) too slow to switch to the trouble that Mike Joy was talking about.

• I came to know NASCAR through the FOX broadcast. All of the people who work those broadcasts know racing better than anyone else and they make it easy to learn about the sport. I sure do miss them when they leave, but I still turn to Speed Channel to keep informed.

• I thought the coverage over the last couple years has been OK. Not as good as it once was. Messed up camera shots. Missing some action. I liked the commentators’ reviews during the race of how they are seeing the race so far and their guesses for who might win the race, although the background music during that feature was lame. It was cool seeing the numbers of the cars on the right of the screen of those that were on pit road during the race, but even with that, I think the other networks have better technology they show during the races.

• Mike Joy is simply the best play-by-play man in auto racing today and a future Hall-of-Famer. He is professional, informative and entertaining. I also like DW’s commentary work. I do have a problem with Michael Waltrip being part of the broadcast as a current owner — I think it gives him undue opportunity to add value to his sponsorships with plugs that other owners do not get.

• They have the best and the worst on-air talent. I won't say which is which, but FOX definitely gets the bonehead move of the season by hiring the brother of the worst announcer that they have. I can't wait for the next coverage team.

• FOX had some good moments but never great. By and large their coverage missed the mark. Their commentators, especially DW, leave a lot to be desired. They need more professionalism and polish. I don't agree with having a team owner as an analyst, either. Too much conflict of interest.

• I think each season we fuss about the current broadcast partner and anticipate the next broadcast partner. They all must "pay the bills" by showing commercials. There is no way around it!

• Some good camera shots when not obsessed with the in-car camera. Far too many commercials. The broadcasters act like the fans know nothing and have to constantly explain the simplest concepts. Do football analysts constantly explain that you have four chances to go 10 yards? No, they never mention it.

• I expect a lot of the FOX broadcasts. In the past, the FOX broadcasts were my favorite of the season. I enjoy the quality at the desk and on the track. Typically, I am depressed when their stint is over. That is not the case this season. The production values were good, though not great. The camera crew seemed to miss a lot this season. The broadcast booth always suffers from Larry Mac and continued to do so this year. The racing has been boring and the booth has been tasked with livening up a comatose product. While that is a terribly difficult task, Mike Joy and DW should be up to the task — they weren't. And then there's the Hollywood Hotel. What a travesty!!!! Michael Waltrip and Chris Meyers are a nightmare. The constant race breaks in which Meyers and Waltrip blithely babble are distracting and aggravating. Michael Waltrip does not add to the broadcast.

• While I think Darrell Waltrip can be corny at times, I really like Michael Waltrip and Chris Meyers.

• I prefer the FOX crew. More knowledge & less arrogant.

• Atrocious camera work, ill-timed commercials, endless booth blather. I will miss Mike Joy for the rest of the year, but that's about it. Well, FOX did finally get rid of Digger, so that's another positive.

• I think FOX always does a great job. At times, some of the commentators can be annoying, but Mike Joy and Larry Mac are the best in the business. Their knowledge brings much to the race.

WHAT FOUR RACES WOULD YOU DUMP FROM THE CUP SCHEDULE?
Hall of Fame inductee Rusty Wallace recently said that it would be good to cut the Cup schedule from 36 to 32 races, noting there’s “too much supply and not enough demand.” Fan Council members were asked what four races they would cut from the current Cup schedule:

The top four chosen (including ties):

47.8 percent selected the August Pocono race
38.6 percent selected Auto Club Speedway’s race
29.7 percent selected the June Pocono race
29.7 percent selected the August Michigan race
29.7 percent selected the April Kansas race

The rest of the order:

25.3 percent — Kansas Chase race
17.3 percent — July New Hampshire race
16.1 percent — Chicagoland Speedway Chase race
15.7 percent — Kentucky race
14.5 percent — Sonoma race
14.5 percent — Dover Chase race
14.1 percent — June Michigan race
12.4 percent — New Hampshire Chase race
11.2 percent — March Phoenix race
10.8 percent — April Texas race
10.4 percent — Watkins Glen race
8.0 percent — June Dover race
7.6 percent — Phoenix Chase race
7.6 percent — Texas Chase race
6.4 percent — Indianapolis race
6.4 percent — Homestead race
6.0 percent — Talladega Chase race
5.6 percent — May Talladega race
4.8 percent — July Daytona race
4.0 percent — Charlotte Chase race
3.6 percent — Las Vegas race
3.6 percent — March Bristol race
2.8 percent — Atlanta race
2.4 percent — April Richmond race
2.0 percent — Daytona 500
2.0 percent — April Martinsville race
2.0 percent — September Richmond race
1.6 percent — Coca-Cola 600
1.2 percent — Martinsville Chase race
0.4 percent — Southern 500
0.4 percent — August Bristol race

What Fan Council members said:
• Pocono, New Hampshire, Kansas and Texas don't need two races per season. Removing New Hampshire, Kansas and Texas in the Chase moves Richmond, Atlanta and Bristol into the Chase. Sounds fantastic even though I think 36 races is good enough.

• Tough choice, no matter how pissed off I get over some of the racing, more is still better than less.

• I would not cut (the schedule) down. The problem isn’t a lack of demand, but most likely the cost of attendance. While the seat prices may not be that awful, the cost of staying in the area overnight is absurd! Hotel prices should not be affected by a race in town. While I never miss watching a race on TV, I personally just can't afford the cost to attend. If this were not a factor, I would attend several races a year. Honestly, I can't say that any of these should be removed from the schedule.

• I get Rusty's point but I can't find four races I would like to cut. Perhaps one of the Pocono and Michigan races, but that's about it.

• I disagree with Rusty. I would still eliminate California (Auto Club Speedway), a Pocono race, a Michigan race and a Kansas race. But I would replace them with a race at Road America, a race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, go to Darlington a second time and have a race at Iowa (after expanding the seating). December, January and February are the longest months of the year with no NASCAR! The more racing, the better!

• Unless a track is in the Southeast, it shouldn't get two dates. Especially Pocono and Michigan, which have awful races — they shouldn't get a second race within six weeks of the first race. That is perhaps the biggest problem with NASCAR's scheduling. Rusty is right about this. Did you notice that there were more empty seats at Dover than filled seats? Couldn't blame it on the weather, either...

• I had a hard time picking a fourth race. Easily, Pocono, Loudon and Kansas should lose a date. I finally picked Dover as my fourth because attendance there has been pretty bad the last few races.

• Not a fair question. Everyone is going to pick Pocono and California. And maybe Kansas or another mile-and-a-half track. Fans think they're boring, but reality is they just don't make for good TV. Besides, Rusty has always had opinions about everything and they're simply his opinion. His induction doesn't suddenly mean that he has become a wise sage. This is the same person who, a couple of days ago, said, “If he can keep those other cats behind him he can win.” There are too many factors that have led to lower attendance: gas prices, ticket prices, hotel prices, children's activities, vacation time... Cutting races also means cutting a large portion of the revenue for the tracks, local establishments and income for the workers (both track employees and temp workers) — this would cause more tracks to close. How is that good for the sport? Let's not forget that it’s also no longer acceptable to take children out of school to attend a race. Some people have less vacation time and days off, as well.

• I think any discussion of cutting races from the schedule is a waste of time because I think it's very, very unlikely to happen. Tracks, teams, sponsors, the sport and broadcast partners have contracts and commitments that revolve around a 36-race schedule with deals in place for years into the future.

• Cutting Auto Club Speedway's race is a no-brainer. Chicagoland won't be missed, either. Kansas and Pocono need to be cut back to one race only.

• I LOVE the length of the season, and actually (would) like to see it extended.

GRADE SUNDAY’S CUP RACE AT DOVER

59.3 percent called it Good
21.8 percent called it Fair
15.3 percent called it Great
3.6 percent called it Poor

What Fan Council members said:
• I love Dover. It's like Bristol on steroids. I love that it always has action (even when one driver kinda stinks it up, thanks JJ:)). When there are long green-flag runs, there is still action everywhere.

• Finally a wreck! I don’t watch for the wrecks, but what causes most wrecks? Good hard racing, and that’s what caused the big one. If the 48 weren’t so good it would have been a great race. But overall it was pretty good for Dover standards.

• Is it me or are the races so darn boring this season? Yes, sadly, the 13-car crash was exciting but it took out so many drivers (including my fav) that I was ready to turn the TV off.

• Oddly enough, the cautions did make it more interesting. Wish I didn't think that, but it's true.

• This was probably one of the best races this season. It had a little bit of everything. Wasn't happy to see the big one at the beginning of the race that took out too many cars. I loved seeing some passing and lead changes.

• This race had a little bit of everything in it. Even though my driver was taken out early I still enjoyed the strategy calls and the side-by-side racing.

• As a 48 fan I was pleased by the outcome of the race, but found the racing boring. There were occasional challenges for the lead, but the 48 car was just too strong. While there were cautions, it felt as though there were long green-flag runs. The race was boring, but Dover races have often been boring to me. This race will not affect my desire to watch a race at Dover, because I don't expect much from the racing at this track.

• The race had a little bit of everything — wrecks, side-by-side racing, cautions and long green runs. The cautions at the end made it interesting. It wasn't edge-of-your-seat racing but it was good.


The Backseat Drivers Fan Council was founded and is administered by Dustin Long. Fans can join by sending Dustin an email at dustinlong002@gmail.com.

Please include the following information:
Name, city, state, Twitter name, e-mail address and favorite driver.

Photo by ASP, Inc.

NASCAR’s longest race of the season concluded one of the biggest days for auto racing fans with Formula One, IndyCar and NASCAR holding among their biggest events on the same day. 

So how did the Coca-Cola 600 compare to those other races? Members of the Backseat Drivers Fan Council judged which race they enjoyed the most, along with grading the Coca-Cola 600 and debating if the race still needs to be 600 miles. Here’s what they had to say:

WHICH RACE DID YOU ENJOY THE MOST SUNDAY?

54.2 percent said the Coca-Cola 600
42.5 percent said the Indianapolis 500
3.3 percent said the Formula One race in Monaco

What Fan Council members said:
• I watched all 1,261 miles of racing on Sunday, starting with the F1 Monaco GP. The Indianapolis 500 proved to be the best race of them all.

• The Monaco race is the most overrated race anywhere. The cars outgrew that track 30 years ago. I understand the tradition but it's not a good race. Indy had an exciting finish, but most of the race was follow the leader. The 600 didn't have a lot of battling for the lead, but it seemed like there was passing in the pack. I like stock cars so I enjoyed the 600 the most.

• The Indy 500 was simply stunning. Action-packed. Cliffhanger of an ending. Great TV production value. Numerous refreshing and likable driver personalities. And the online in-car cams were a brilliant addition. The F1 race had many of those same elements. It was terrific, too. And honestly, the 600 was no slouch either. There was plenty of solid racing and passing.

• I am a huge NASCAR fan... HUGE!!! I have never watched an Indy race from start to finish all the way without flipping channels at least once. (Sunday) changed that. I found myself glued to Indy and bored by the 600. Sad, sad day

• While the Indy 500 was great and one of the few Indy races that I arrange my schedule to see, the 600 was a test of man and machine. It was a RACE!!

• Indy 500 had the most action. But I still like NASCAR best.

• Indy was the first time I've actually watched any part of that series and it was only the last 16 laps. When did Indy cars turn into go-karts? UGLY, UGLY cars. The only race I looked forward too on Sunday was the Coke 600.

• That is a difficult choice to make. Each race had periods of excitement, but none of them stood head-and-shoulders above the competition. In the end I think I will go with the Indianapolis 500 for the racing, and the pomp and circumstance. The Formula 1 race was interesting, but not the best F1 race. ... The Coca-Cola 600 did a nice job of honoring the troops past and present. There were some interesting racing battles occasionally. It was nice to see drivers come through the field during the race. Pit strategy did not seem to work very well, which was a nice change of pace. I was very glad we didn't end up with a “Where did he come from?” finish. 

• The end of the Indy 500 was far more exciting. I enjoyed the passing. NASCAR has been so dull this year.

• The Indy 500 had great story lines, lots of excitement throughout the race and an emotional and dramatic ending. Perfect.

• Monaco is one of my favorite tracks and the race was great. The Coca-Cola 600 was good in my opinion, but definitely not one of the best of the year. The Indy 500 was fantastic! As it should've been, it’s their Daytona 500. Great drama leading up the finish and so many lead changes. Loved it.

• Only NASCAR has my attention.

• I enjoyed the Coca-Cola 600 more than the Indy 500 only because I am a huge NASCAR fan, not because of the race itself.

GRADE SUNDAY’S COCA-COLA 600

49.5 percent called it Good
35.7 percent called it Fair
7.6 percent called it Great
7.2 percent called it Poor

What Fan Council members said:
• I enjoyed watching the racing without constant cautions. My driver had some problems, so that was disappointing, but I'm pleased that Kasey Kahne won. Not only was it another different driver, but he earned the win.

• I love a Memorial Day parade as much as anyone, but 600 miles seems rather over the top to me. Seriously, until they undo the IROC-ization of the sport, I have very little reason to watch this farce any more.

• Having been there in person, the only exciting part was when Kahne and Biffle kept fighting for the lead, and then Kahne winning. Other than that, I'm sorry I paid money to see it in person.

• The Coca Cola 600 is always an endurance race. I got exactly what was expected. I found the race fun to watch, and was actually glad we had long green-flag runs so the race didn't drag out like it could have.

• Even though my driver didn’t run so hot, there was excitement, passing and uncertainty over who would win.

• Come on, (nine) cars on the lead lap? 

• If people were looking for racing — real, true racing — then the 600 certainly supplied it. There were lots of mid-pack passes and battles for the lead. Long green runs and a lack of crashes do not equate to boredom — but they do expose small-mindedness.

• Even the long green flag runs were enjoyable because cars had to pit a lot under green and it changed the running order every time.

• I was there for the race and was immensely disappointed especially because after the last green flag pit stops, with approximately 40 to go, there was very little change to the top 10 running order, very little drama, and practically no excitement.

• This race is a bit long, but with the good clean racing, lead changes and a lot of movement through the field, it was pretty good. There were some parts of the race where it became a little boring, but much better than some of the previous races.

• One of the best Coke 600's in recent memory. There was great racing all race long and watching some of the drivers come from the back to front was just classic.

• For what NASCAR has become it was a good race.

SHOULD THE COCA-COLA 600 REMAIN A 600-MILE RACE?

74.7 percent said Yes
25.3 percent said No

What Fan Council members said:
• It's tradition and not sure why we continue to ask if the races should be shortened. Quit trying to please the newcomers and listen to those of us who have been around for a long time!

• I think most races should be shortened to 300-400 miles. But the Daytona 500, the Southern 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 are part of NASCAR history. Those races should be kept at their normal distance. By shortening all other races, it would bring more prestige to these famous races and keep the fans more engaged for the shorter races.

• This race is a once-a-year tradition on Memorial Day (weekend). Especially since Pocono has been shortened, this will be the one race where a driver's endurance will be tested and I enjoy that once a year.

• There are some things that are a tradition like the Daytona 500 and the World 600. Just because the “Short Attention Span Crowd” gets easily bored doesn't mean we should change this traditional race length.

• When did tradition — genuine, likable, meaningful tradition — become such a terrible, horrifying, offensive thing? I've heard people complain about the length of the race before. So if you have beef, don't watch!

• How about 400 miles instead of laps? That would help.

• Traditionalists will most likely disagree, but I don't want to watch cars go around in circles for that long. 

• IT NEEDS TO STAY 600 MILES. END OF STORY.

• For goodness sakes, NASCAR needs MORE variety, MORE tradition, MORE racing — not less!!! Shorter races ARE NOT the answer.

• CUT IT DOWN. Everybody was bored, plain and simple.

The Backseat Drivers Fan Council was founded and is administered by Dustin Long. Fans can join by sending Dustin an email at dustinlong002@gmail.com.

Please include the following information:
Name, city, state, Twitter name, e-mail address and favorite driver.
 

Photo by ASP, Inc.

Members of the Backseat Drivers Fan Council don’t hold back on their opinions but the comments this week were as sharp and direct as they have ever been. They also weren’t afraid to express their opinions about their fellow fans — good and bad.

Fan Council members had a lot to discuss this week. They were asked about how much input they feel they have in creating change in NASCAR. They also were asked about the fan videos used to introduce drivers before last week’s All-Star Race, and they were asked about that race and the final segment. 

Here’s what members of the Backseat Drivers Fan Council said about those issues.

HOW MUCH INPUT DO YOU FEEL FANS HAVE IN AFFECTING CHANGE IN NASCAR?

45.8 percent said Just Right
27.8 percent said Too Much
26.3 percent said Not Enough

What Fan Council members said:
• Hard to say. But I feel like fans are never satisfied and complain so much that NASCAR is constantly changing things and is losing its credibility that way. I understand they want to please the fans, but no other sport is that reactive to the fans. I’m really not sure if it’s a good or bad thing. I will say that NASCAR has the biggest crybaby fans! Suck it up and enjoy the racing in front of you. It’s fantastic what these drivers are doing. So spoiled.

• NASCAR does a great job — heck, they change rules mid-season to tweak things. What other sport does that? NASCAR fans have such a diverse opinion on a wide variety of topics — someone will always be happy or unhappy with SOMETHING. We are a high maintenance vocal group!

• Why is it I feel like NASCAR is listening to the wrong “fans”?

• I think NASCAR listens. When I first became a fan, it seemed as though they didn’t care about what they heard. Now, five years later, I have a different impression.

• I wonder, if NASCAR REALLY listened to the fans, if we would still have “the Chase” and the Top 35 rule?

• I feel between the Fan Council and Twitter, there are plenty of avenues to reach NASCAR with questions and concerns. I know they do listen to what they are hearing.

• We are spectators. I do not feel like we need any input as to how the business known as NASCAR is run. It really upsets me when I hear people say that there need to be changes because they are not “entertained.”

• NASCAR/Brian France is incredibly stubborn when it comes to listening to the fans. They have been waging war on us fans this year, saying we’re not fans if we like crashes; saying we’re needy if we want to see the debris that causes debris cautions. They are doing a great job at making people less interested in our sport.

• It’s important to keep the fans happy, but I think NASCAR has gone too far giving so much control to the fans. Fans don’t understand everything it takes to run this show. Some of their requests are ridiculous.

• Most fans are knowledgeable and have good ideas. NASCAR should listen to them more.

• It’s disconcerting to me that NASCAR is very quick to make adjustments based on fans’ complaints. From my experience, a lot of fans are biased and largely uninformed. I do not think that watching every race necessarily means you know enough to affect change.

GRADE SATURDAY NIGHT’S ALL-STAR RACE

43.9 percent called it Good
25.8 percent called it Great
19.9 percent called it Fair
10.4 percent called it Poor

What Fan Council members said:
• The first 80 laps were awesome. I was at the race and for those first 80 laps we got to cheer drivers who were driving their asses off and putting on a good race. But as someone who was actually rooting for the 48 at the beginning of the race, the way they won it left me completely disappointed. I get it was perfectly legal, and I get it in points racing, but for the All-Star? You can’t be bothered to race for the whole 90 laps? I’ll be finding someone else to root for next week.

• It was the best All-Star Race that I’ve seen in years. The 10-lap shootout was a little disappointing, but the rest of the segments were action-packed. There was racing going on all over the track at once — that is awesome.

• Stupid! Someone should have realized that the tactic of riding around in the back would come into play. Plus having the option for a stop-and-go only for the final pit stop — who’s dumb idea was that?

• The 20-lap segments were awesome. I just wish the last 10 was more exciting. It was a letdown after so much great racing

• Jimmie Johnson said they KNEW if they won the first segment, they had it in the bag. Really? Then why should we bother watching it? I’m pissed I wasted a Saturday night on that lame show. Jimmie Johnson may have won the million, but he can’t possibly be proud of the way he won that race. Way to go NASCAR.

• The racing itself was great, but I recommend an incentive for the segment winners to stay in the racing action. Say must finish top-10 each segment or they lose the advantage of pitting 1-4 before final segment. 

• IMO part of the fun of the All-Star Race is seeing what strategies teams will use to try to win. And to those fans complaining about Jimmie (or Matt or Brad, who employed the same strategy once they won their segments) laying back (they were being smart staying out of trouble and at the same time adjusting their cars) during the middle segments a reminder of one of racing’s rules: To finish first, first you must finish, and Jimmie made sure he was going to be there at the end to finish.

• I finally saw drivers really racing for once. And even doing it without wrecking!

• This was the BEST RACE of the season. It had a little of everything and the drivers seemed to drive hard each and every lap.

• Too much sandbagging by the winners of segments 1-3. It’s NOT strategy, it’s sandbagging, which I abhor.

IS 10 LAPS THE PROPER LENGTH FOR THE FINAL SEGMENT OF THE ALL-STAR RACE?

59.4 percent said No
40.6 percent said Yes

What Fan Council members said:
• It’s not a shootout if its longer. We certainly don’t need another segment. If they change this, they’ll have to tweak everything else too.

• I think it should be 20 laps just like all the other segments.

• I suggest a full fuel run for the final segment or at least 25 laps.

• If you’re not in a position to do it in 10 laps ... ya ain't gonna do it.

• I think 10 laps keep fans more interested since drivers will be racing hard for all 10 laps instead of driving conservatively for 20-40 laps.

• Three segments of 30 laps each would be good. Why do you need a 10-lap shootout? Makes no sense. Most of the cars are just getting dialed in good on a restart at 10 laps. Make it at least 20.

• Johnson’s car was so fast I don’t know if 20 laps would have made a difference.
 

Photo by ASP, Inc.

WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE IDEA OF FAN VIDEOS TO INTRODUCE THE DRIVERS BEFORE THE ALL-STAR RACE?

33.6 percent Liked it
26.2 percent Liked that fans were a part of this but Sprint should try something else next year
19.0 percent Didn’t like it but if they keep it maybe the fan videos will be better next year
14.3 percent Hated it
6.9 percent Prefer the Fox/SPEED announcers introduce the drivers as before

What Fan Council members said:
• Props to NASCAR for involving the fans as much as possible, so I hate to criticize, but a bunch of those videos were so embarrassing. I assume those were they best they got? Try it one more year to see if the quality goes up.

• Way too many WWE wannabees trying to cut promos for their drivers.

• Some of the video intros were a little “corny,” especially the guy in the shower.

• I liked the fan videos. Actually thought that was kind of cool. Some of them were creative ... like the guy in the shower.

• The videos were really poor, the guy in the shower was in bad taste. Who picked these videos?? Either let the fans VOTE on, say, the top-3 videos for each driver or use the videos as like an audition tape and either film them or bring them to the race to do the intros.

• I would have thought the announcements could have been much more creative. They were amateurish and extremely boring. Kudos to people for trying, and I suppose it was a creative marketing plan for Sprint, but it left me with a “What in the world just happened look?” after it was all over. It took away from one of the most exciting pre-race events!

• I honestly didn’t even know that fans could do a video. I guess I just didn’t see it posted somewhere. I liked it, though!

• I can’t stand the gimmicky crap like this. The videos were annoying. Let Steve Byrnes introduce everybody and let’s drop the rag and race!

• Another way to show that NASCAR appreciates its fans. Great job.

• The whole thing was embarrassing. I would try something new ... let great drivers of the past introduce the competitors.

The Backseat Drivers Fan Council was founded and is administered by Dustin Long. Fans can join by sending Dustin an email at dustinlong002@gmail.com.

Please include the following information:
Name, city, state, Twitter name, e-mail address and favorite driver.
 

Fans at Darlington, God love 'em. (ASP, Inc.)

Is NASCAR still on a high as Tony Stewart says? What should have been done to Kurt Busch and others for the incidents at Darlington? What about the All-Star Race? Are changes needed there?
Those were among the topics members of the Backseat Drivers Fan Council debated this week. And some of their responses might surprise you. Check them out.

DO YOU AGREE WITH TONY STEWART’S COMMENTS ABOUT THE SEASON?
Asked if he was surprised that some people are questioning the racing in NASCAR after the high the sport experienced at the end of last season, Tony Stewart said at Darlington: "I still think it's on a high. The racing has been awesome this year. You look at the whole Richmond weekend, the whole Richmond weekend the races were great. I think it's proof that the sport is still on a high right now.''

Fan Council members were asked if they agreed with Stewart’s statement:

54.4 percent said Yes
45.6 percent said No

What Fan Council members said:
• NASCAR is on a possible competitive "high" but the competition is greater than it ever has been and it is very difficult to get a setup right to win. BUT, NASCAR fans want drama. The fuel-mileage strategies added drama. The Kurt Busch/Ryan Newman wreck with six laps ago was drama. The No. 39 gasman going after Busch added post-race drama. We as fans need more than great competition, we need some drama to stay interested.

• Stewart is NOT the one who are sitting at home watching the so-called "great racing" on TV. A lot of it has stunk worse than Pepe Le Pew.

• I'm not hard to please. If they are racing, I like it.

• I think the racing has been great. I'm a race fan though, not a crash fan. I don't go to the track or tune in on TV to see crashing. Personally I think the fans that do that should just go away.

• Most of what I've seen has been follow-the-leader racing where the only passing came on infrequent restarts or on pit road. That's not racing in my book — that's freeway driving.

• The racing is boring. Maybe you could ask Tony why, if the racing is so great, I changed the channel and watched the NBA playoffs half way through the Southern 500

• I agree with Smoke. The racing this year has been good despite many naysayers.

• It seems that, instead of enjoying our sport, everyone is analyzing it to death. On the broadcast at Darlington, during the long green flag, all that was talked about was the lack of cautions. During a 500-mile race the drivers are always laying back until the end. Are you new here? It got exciting at the end the way all the races do. Just watch the race and enjoy it and shut up!

• It's certainly not on the high it was at the end of last year, but it's still "up" from where it has been.

• I believe the drivers and even the media (to a degree) think the sport is "on a high". I went to the Bristol race and thought the racing was great … because I was there. I don't necessarily think the racing is bad, but FOX is doing a horrible job of capturing the race. Just look at Twitter during a race. FOX has a ton of commercials & the production of the race is poorly done. That gets fans into a negative mood and therefore they perceive the racing as bad.

• Was Stewart giving a sarcastic answer again? I'm not sure why, or what to change, but I don't seem to be as into NASCAR recently as I have been in the past. I still watch the races on a weekly basis, however, I'm not scouring the internet for news articles during the week as I would normally do.

• Yes we are blessed with the best racing in the world.

Kurt Busch (ASP, Inc.)

WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE IN REGARDS TO THE KURT BUSCH INCIDENT WITH RYAN NEWMAN AFTER THE DARLINGTON RACE?
NASCAR announced Tuesday it was fining Busch $50,000 and placing him on probation until July 25 for an incident on pit road late in the race and for running into Newman on pit road after the event. Fan Council members were asked what they would do if they were NASCAR:

38.0 percent said they would do Nothing
29.6 percent said they would place Busch on probation for the rest of the year and do nothing to Newman
25.6 percent said Other
6.8 percent said they would place both drivers on probation

What Fan Council members said:
• Unfortunately, I think Kurt is reverting to the "old" Kurt who cannot control his temper. Probation might be the best thing to keep him in check.

• I do have some issues with Kurt flying through the 39 pit box during the race, so I do think he needs to be spoken too in the hauler about that. But since we all know probation is somewhat of a joke, I'm opting for nothing.

• NASCAR set a precedent this year in Talladega of not parking Danica, so nothing should be done.

• I think he should be suspended for his outrage driving through Newman's pit.

• Boys have at it, end of story. If this were anyone but Kurt, this wouldn't even made news after it happened.

• I have a serious issue with driver(s) carrying over frustration and anger on to pit road: it is simply too crowded with people, both during the race and after. Keep that crap on the track, where it belongs. As for this incident: Busch claims it was an accident, Newman says it was intentional. Given that Newman apparently did nothing to precipitate Busch's action (other than be pitted next to him, I guess), the punishment should be handed out solely to Busch. However, probation is useless so I suggest a massive fine and points.

• This is a professional sport and they need to act like professionals especially when innocent bystanders can get injured.

• Kurt should be parked indefinitely. How many times is this going to happen? Until he hurts an innocent person?

Judging from what Newman said about Kurt, there is something more to Kurt's story that we don't know about. Maybe we'll hear more in the coming weeks.

IS THE ALL-STAR RACE WORTH HAVING OR SHOULD IT BE MADE INTO A POINTS-PAYING EVENT?

90.3 percent said keep the All-Star Race as is
9.7 percent said make the All-Star Race a points-paying race

What Fan Council members said:
• Keep the All-Star Race. Move it around to other tracks. And invert the field!

• The All-Star race is one of the better races all year because drivers and teams put everything they have into this race. Winning is definitely all that matters. If you can't win, bring it back wadded up after you tried something crazy to win.

• Don’t fix it if it ain’t broke.

• It’s a tradition, but maybe keep playing with the format to keep it intriguing (No figure 8's).

• I guess I am one of a minority. I have been a dedicated NASCAR fan since the late ‘70s and I have never been much of a fan of the "All-Star Race". It is exciting to watch, but in the end it is just a bunch of wrecked racecars and nothing has been gained.

• Keep the All-Star but make it Wednesday or Thursday night the week of the Coke 600 in primetime. They all have separate cars for both races anyway ...

• It shouldn't be a full points race. HOWEVER, it would be cool if it were somehow linked to the Chase. I would like to see the winner maybe get five bonus points when Chase time arrives. Even better, have a guaranteed Chase spot on the line. THAT would shake things up, especially if a guy like Jeff Gordon would pull it off.

• My choice would be do away with the All-Star Race completely and give the teams another off weekend. But since NASCAR wants to keep it, I think it should be a points race of some kind. I'm getting tired of it being at Charlotte every year.

• This race is so worth looking forward too! I love it with no points on the line. This is really boys have at it at its best. Truly exciting!

• Definitely keep the All-Star Race as it is. No other sport has such an event that their athletes participate in with such intensity. It's no-hold barred racing, with not having to worry about losing points to go for the win!

GRADE SATURDAY NIGHT’S CUP RACE AT DARLINGTON

55.4 percent said it was Good
22.3 percent said it was Fair
19.9 percent said it was Great
2.4 percent said it was Poor

What Fan Council members said:
• The first half of the Southern 500 was just basic racing. The second half of the race had more cautions, fuel strategies, a G-W-C finish and a massive gasman coming after a much smaller driver with an attitude. This was good overall, but not great.

• I thought it was a rather boring race for Darlington until the last 100 laps. The way it has been going, there is no reason to watch the first half of any race any more.

• Darlington is an awesome place to have a race! Everyone always talks about more short tracks, I say more tracks like Darlington where the track can get a little nasty, and the driver has to stay on his or her A-game to get the job done.

• OK, I struggled with this answer and landed on "Good". The first half was a snoozefest. Everyone was so stretched out with so few cars on the lead lap, it was really boring. The last half of the race made up for it and catapulted the rating to "Good". Crews were able to work on their cars and get back on the lead lap and start racing each other.

• Racing was everywhere! Drama in the end. Good stuff.

• Good, solid action on the track (I was there so I didn't have to deal with TV). Pretty amazing to go 172 laps without a caution. It was fun to watch the good drivers really work the track and pass.

• Darlington is never going to be a track that produces great side-by-side racing. It's one of those tracks where you like to have the drivers have to drive. Having said that, I thought it was a good race for Darlington.

• Having so few cars on the lead lap is never exciting to me. Add the lack of passing for position as well as the near elimination of the crossover pass took a lot of the fun away. Even the wrecks didn't come from tight, hard racing. I'm not a member of the "wrecking is always good" club. If they're a by-product of very hard racing, that's where the excitement is.

• Boring first half. AMAZING race after the first caution.

The Backseat Drivers Fan Council was founded and is administered by Dustin Long. Fans can join by sending Dustin an email at dustinlong002@gmail.com.

Please include the following information:
Name, city, state, Twitter name, e-mail address and favorite driver.

Danica Patrick (Photo by ASP, Inc.)

Talladega always leaves fans with something to talk about and last weekend was no different from Danica Patrick’s bump that sent Sam Hornish Jr. into the wall after the checkered flag in the Nationwide race to the Jeff Gordon’s woes and the type of racing fans saw.

There was much to discuss after Talladega and members of the Backseat Drivers Fan Council tackled some of those subjects.

SHOULD NASCAR HAVE PENALIZED DANICA PATRICK FOR HER ACTIONS AFTER THE TALLADEGA NATIONWIDE RACE?
On the final lap of Saturday’s Nationwide race at Talladega, Sam Hornish Jr. squeezed Danica Patrick into the wall and Patrick retaliated after crossing the finish line by tapping Hornish, which sent him into the wall. Hornish said afterward he had a right front tire going down, which made it difficult to control his car. NASCAR did not call either driver into the hauler after the race — but will talk to both this weekend at Darlington. Patrick later apologized to Hornish. Fan Council members were asked if NASCAR should have penalized Patrick for her wrecking Hornish after the checkered flag flew:

41.4 percent said Patrick should be put on probation for the next few races
41.0 percent said Patrick should not be penalized in the era of “Boys have at it”
9.4 percent said Patrick should be put on probation until the next Nationwide plate race (Daytona in July)
8.2 percent said Patrick should have been suspended for at least the next Nationwide race

What Fan Council members said:
• If Busch gets tossed for wrecking Hornaday under caution, she should miss a race for wrecking Hornish on a cool down lap. FINED, at the very least. 

• I don't think a warning is inappropriate. People were comparing that incident to Kyle vs. Hornaday at Texas, but I watched that with a stopwatch and Kyle was on Hornaday's bumper for five seconds under the caution, while Danica hit Hornish but didn't push him around the track like Kyle did.

• For me it was a racing deal. Sam said he had a tire going down and got into Danica. Danica felt she was run up the track and into the wall on purpose. She made her feelings known to Sam that she didn't like what happened. I have seen this happen before with other drivers and NASCAR didn't really do anything to them. It was not the extreme as it was with Kyle Busch plowing into Ron Hornaday at Texas where NASCAR had no choice.

• Yes, probation at the very least! You don't wreck drivers on the cool down lap, bottom line.

• Let it go. It's over and was clearly boys (and girls) have at it.

• No, I do not think she should be penalized. She is NOT KYLE BUSCH and intentionally wrecking anyone to affect the outcome of the race.

• I choose that she should be put on probation but that's such a meaningless penalty. I know they'll be talking to her at Darlington but I think they should have called her to the NASCAR hauler right after the race. Waiting a week makes it seem like they're only talking to her because fans were upset.

• I love “boys have at it” but there still has to be some policing of the drivers, Danica should at least be put on probation. This is nothing like the Kyle Busch/Ron Hornaday incident last year, but she still turned Hornish head on into the wall at over 100 mph, and given what took place with Eric McClure earlier in the race, there's no place for retaliation to that magnitude. 

• While we are in the era of “boys have at it,” that doesn't extend to yellow flag or post-checkered flag car issues. If she wanted to punch him after the race, that's fine, but no retaliation with her car. I think a warning is a good first punishment. Kyle Busch was suspended because of a pattern of this type of behavior, she doesn't have the pattern (yet!), so a probation that lasts through the next plate race seems fair.

• Aren't we getting just a tad worked up about all things Danica? If this had been any other driver, it wouldn't be making headlines. Evidently NASCAR didn't see a problem with it. Get over it and stop scrutinizing everything she does.
 

Jeff Gordon (Photo by ASP, Inc.)

WILL JEFF GORDON MAKE THE CHASE?
A crash relegated Jeff Gordon to 33rd in Sunday’s race at Talladega. That drops him to 23rd in the points with 16 races left until the Chase field is set. Fan Council members were asked if Gordon will make the Chase this year:

59.6 percent said No
40.4 percent said Yes

What Fan Council members said:
• I think he needs to win three races to get in as a wild card, so no. He’s out.

• He's running fast enough to possibly get a couple of wins and get in as a wild card. But it's looking unlikely that he drives his way into the top 10.

• His luck won’t turn around.

• I think some of the people higher in points than Jeff Gordon will have engine issues and other issues throughout the summer months and Gordon will end up in the Chase.

• I think he is a fantastic driver, but this just isn't his year. I feel bad for him.

• He’s toast. I’ll be surprised if he gets more than one win and it will take two to get a wild card. The field is way too competitive.

• Even though I’m not a fan of his — what makes him arguably one of the great drivers is his ability to get things turned around.

• I think we are witnessing the downfall of the great Jeff Gordon's career. It happens to everyone, it’s just his turn now.

• Jeff Gordon is one of the greatest drivers in history and is very capable of knocking off a string of top 10s and top 5s, as well as knocking off a couple or three wins between now and then. Looking at the run Brad Keselowski had from July to September last year to make the Chase, I believe Jeff Gordon will be able to fight his way in.

GRADING SUNDAY’S CUP RACE AT TALLADEGA

62.3 percent said it was Good
18.5 percent said it was Great
14.6 percent said it was Fair
4.6 percent said it was Poor

What Fan Council members said:
• NASCAR needs a permanent fix instead these band-aids to fix tandem racing and high speeds … your customer base is growing impatient.

• It was great to see pack racing back at Talladega, and 3-wide and even 4-wide racing helped keep it interesting!

• Finally a race that had everything. Pack, train, tandem ... it was all there. More passing then I've seen in a while.

• I don't know what more people would want. It was interesting, sure it went green forever, but people were able to pass and race.

• I’ll say the race was GOOD... Can't give it a GREAT rating because the rules package wasn't amended to allow everyone to run in the pack without overheating. It was different though because it wasn't quite tandem racing and it wasn't quite pack racing. This is a crazy year in NASCAR!

• The best race of the year for me.

• Was very good race with action all over the track. The rules changes worked as far as preventing a two-car tandem from just taking off BUT the (engine) temp issue was a negative.

• Looks like the rule changes lived up to the expectations. Almost no two-car breakaways at all except on the closing laps. And with a G-W-C at the end, made it a great race.

• Can't say I am a fan of the plate races anymore. What we've seen the last couple of years at the plate tracks is not racing. I actually liked the two-car tango more than what we have now.

• I thought this race was good. There was plenty of action for everyone. There was pack racing, tandem racing, and for those people who like crashes, there was that.

Ab-so-lute-ly ridiculous that NASCAR refused to provide a fix for the overheating of engines. I hope Tony doesn't get into trouble for his comments. He hit the nail(s) on the head.

SHOULD A RESTRICTOR-PLATE RACE BE IN THE CHASE?

75.3 percent said Yes
24.7 percent said No

What Fan Council members said:
• Frankly, I'd be fine with no plate races in the Chase. Now that there is no tandem, I am back to loving them, but as far as the Chase goes, I’m not a fan of races where the drivers don't control their own destiny.

• Absolutely! I believe the Chase should include some of the tougher tracks like Talladega. Since the Chase is about the BEST drivers and the BEST teams racing for the championship, why shouldn't they race at the toughest tracks? Talladega combines strategy, performance, endurance and the element of surprise to give drivers a test of their driving skills, their stamina, their mental acuity, their abilities to manage the car, their reflexes and their powers of observation and quick thinking.

• Yes, I'm fine with it, but I wouldn't complain one bit if they took the plate race out of the Chase.

• A wild card race at Talladega adds a lot of excitement to the Chase. Although racing there is so different than anywhere else, it has become a tradition; and an important part of the NASCAR identity. It clearly deserves to have a place in the process from which we crown our champion.

• I'm kinda at the point where I don't think Daytona and Talladega should even pay points much less have one race in the Chase. It's too much like the lottery. Last year's fall Talladega race didn't have much to do with the title race but it has in the past.

• The Chase needs to showcase a sampling of all the tracks in the regular season.

The Backseat Drivers Fan Council was founded and is administered by Dustin Long. Fans can join by sending Dustin an email at dustinlong002@gmail.com.

Please include the following information:
Name, city, state, Twitter name, e-mail address and favorite driver.
 

Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart at Richmond. (ASP, Inc.)

Confusion in Richmond, Changes at Bristol and Pastrana’s Impact

NASCAR officiating, Bristol’s changes and the debut of Travis Pastrana. It was quite a week for the sport and created a lot of topics for members of the Backseat Drivers Fan Council to debate.

With so much to discuss, no need to delay things. Here’s a look at how NASCAR fans saw these issues:

WAS THE DEBRIS CAUTION LEGITIMATE LATE IN THE RICHMOND RACE?
NASCAR called a debris caution with 13 laps left in Saturday night’s Cup race at Richmond with Tony Stewart leading. Stewart said the debris was a water bottle. MRN announcer Dave Moody tweeted that he saw a “big hunka metal” on the track. TV did not show the debris. Fan Council members were asked if they thought the caution was legitimate.

65.7 percent said Yes
34.3 percent said No

What Fan Council members said:
• Well I can’t say it was legitimate, but I did see them pick something up. It was right in front of where my seats were.

• I have listened to the NASCAR Officials Channel on SiriusXM enough to know that they do not throw phantom cautions and they are legit. If there is something out there, and especially if they cannot identify it, they will throw a caution.

• Absolutely not! Evidently NASCAR has brought in Vince McMahon as a consultant, and decided to add artificial drama to race(s) that needed none. It turned a great race, that Tony Stewart had earned the win of, into a tire-changing contest. Let the racers race!

• I have to trust NASCAR, but this is easily avoidable — SHOW THE DEBRIS. We don't have to trust officials in other sports because foul balls are shown to be foul, touchdowns are shown to be touchdowns. Just show the debris, and all is solved.

• Since the fans have been complaining and the press has picked it up about no drama we had plenty of it at RIR. Jeff Burton tweeted “it looked like a can to me. It was on the exit of 2 it was about 1/3 up the track.” And Matt (Yocum of FOX) tweeted “robin p told me on the plane last pm that it was a can not water bottle. Mid turn 2 like u said MkJ” And from what others said it had been there for a bit and Carl was the one screaming about it the loudest.

• NASCAR has been VERY good about not tossing out phantom cautions this season — I think that there is no reason to not believe them.

• Phantom cautions are a problem in NASCAR. There is no reason why the reason for the caution can’t be shown to us. It should be mandatory.

• This is unbelievable. One week fans are complaining about lack of cautions and NASCAR needs to do something. This week they are calling the caution bogus. 

• With all of the HDTV cameras, why can't the race producer show us the debris for every caution? They could show us the GEICO roof camera during the GEICO side-by-side commercial and the 5-Hour roof camera during that side-by-side commercial. They show us the replays for a wreck from these roof cameras, why can’t they try to help NASCAR be legitimate and show the debris?

• If David Hoots says "Put it out,” it's legitimate enough for me.

DID NASCAR MAKE THE RIGHT CALL IN PENALIZING EDWARDS FOR HIS RESTART?
With less than 100 laps left in Saturday’s race, NASCAR penalized Carl Edwards for jumping the restart and passing leader Tony Stewart too soon. It happened as there was some confusion with Edwards’ team if he was the leader or not. Fan Council members were asked if NASCAR made the right call to penalize Edwards for jumping the restart.

75.0 percent said Yes
25.0 percent said No

What Fan Council members said:
• I really don’t see the debate here. From the replay it showed that Carl jumped the restart before the restart box. Even IF he was the leader, he still jumped the restart. NASCAR made the right call. I don't see why everybody is so up in arms about it, because that's always been the rule, regardless. End of story.

• If he jumped the restart, and there is a penalty for the infraction, then YES. Having said that, I think a black flag is a stupid penalty for that infraction. Just wave it off and make them do it again. That is WAY too harsh.

• Absolutely not!!!! I was at the race and listening to his channel, his spotter came over the radio and told Carl NASCAR said 99 is the leader, and the scoring tower called him the leader. There was obviously confusion so why didn't NASCAR call off the (re)start and get it fixed like they have done a million times before? Tony spun the tires bad, and Carl simply got a great restart like he had done all night. I think NASCAR just made themselves look terrible Saturday with two bad calls, and the only explanation was basically “sorry bout your luck.”

• Once again, I believe in NASCAR and its integrity … though I will say that in that particular situation it would have made sense to go one more lap under yellow to make sure there was no confusion.

• Clear as day. He jumped the start.

• Tony clearly spun his tires on the restart. That was a bad call.

• It was blatant. Props to NASCAR for having restart lines visible on the wall, this was a black and white call to me, no gray area.

GRADING SATURDAY NIGHT’S CUP RACE AT RICHMOND

55.6 percent called it Good
23.0 percent called it Great
16.7 percent called it Fair
4.8 percent called it Poor

What Fan Council members said:
• Loved it. I’m so glad I blew off my Saturday night plans to stay home and watch TV.

• NASCAR has a HUGE problem on their hands. I’ve been critical all year of the boring (nature) of the racing, and after seeing this race in person I gotta say it’s not the drivers being too cautious, it’s the fact that they don't get a chance to be aggressive. There is not much passing, there is nobody charging up through the field, and I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s all in the car. The dictatorship of NASCAR has to loosen up the rules a bit. Every car is the same, therefore they just get strung out and basically run a fast-paced parade. If NASCAR doesn’t make some changes real quick, they are going to dig a hole that will take years to recover from.

• The Jimmie Johnson pit crew penalty, Carl Edwards jumping the restart and Tony Stewart’s debris caution added needed drama to this race. Without these three events, it would have been a rather dull race overall. Short track racing is always better than the 1.5- and 2-miles tracks. This Richmond race did have some long green-flag runs, but short tracks always have active racing because 43 cards don’t get spread out well at a 3/4 mile track. The restarts were some of the best moments of the race, including the last restart with about 10 laps to go.

• I saw more passing this week; some interesting pit road incidents (!) and penalties that spiced up the situation.

• For all the people that say it is boring, these past few weeks have been for the most part about how well the teams can make the best changes and compete in mostly green-flag racing. THAT is what racing is all about to me.

• Boring. I was there and it was boring. Restarts were the only exciting parts and I'm only giving a “good” rating for them.

• Another solid good race, not spectacular but kept my attention throughout.

YOU GOING TO BUY BRISTOL TICKETS AFTER THE CHANGES TO THE TRACK?
Last week Bruton Smith announced plans to grind Bristol’s top groove to take away the advantage of that line. He said it also will narrow the groove, forcing the cars to run closer together, which could lead to the beating and banging often associated with racing there. The move was made after a decline in attendance for the spring race. Fan council members were asked if this was enough to make them want to buy tickets to the August night race there.

81.6 percent said No
18.4 percent said Yes

What Fan Council member said:
• I am going regardless.

• Hoping it makes a difference … Will wait to get tickets again though until next season though.

• Actually, I’m skipping the Bristol race this year. I really didn’t find anything wrong with the racing as it was but with the economy as it is right now I’m just going to see what happens with this one.

• I like the progressive-banked Bristol because I’d rather see guys run side-by-side for 75 laps without hitting each other instead of just plowing in the back of someone to pass. Not a fan of Keselowski or Kenseth but their battle in March was epic.

• Hey Mr. Smith, instead of grinding the top groove to “help” bring fans to Bristol. How about giving $50 gas cards to those that purchase a ticket from the BMS ticket office. In addition, the hotels that increase their rates race weekend, how about pay the difference so the race fans pay the normal rates? Because the bottom line, Mr. Smith, (is) “we the race fans DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY” with the increased cost of living.

• BMS was on my bucket list, so I am going no matter what — I am very anxious to see what happens under the lights in August!

• This is going to help bring back the racing we all love so much there! Can't wait to see Bristol back to being the special place that it's always known to be! Go Bruton!

• The racing at Bristol was fine as it was. I’m not going to get more interested in any particular race because of a gimmick.

Travis Pastrana (ASP, Inc.)

WERE YOU INTERESTED IN TRAVIS PASTRANA’S NATIONWIDE DEBUT FRIDAY AT RICHMOND?

54.6 percent said No
45.4 percent said Yes

What Fan Council members said:
• He seems like a genuinely nice guy, but I really don't care that he is here. I don't think our sport needs the X-Games fans anyway. We don't need to let A-D-D generation take over. They'll be gone tomorrow anyway. I was much more interested in Ryan Blaney’s debut. That kid is a wheelman!

• I love Travis Pastrana because he is a fun personality. I hope he does well and was excited to see him be solid.

• He seems to have a very genuine interest in the sport. He certainly is knowledgeable and appears to want to learn. I think he's good for the sport.

• I read on Twitter that after the race, Travis Pastrana went into the grandstands to sign autographs, mingle with the fans and even gave his shoes away to a fan. He returned to the infield in his socks.

• I am interested in drivers who have proven themselves and earned their opportunities. He is a male version of Danica, and, although they bring attention to a sport I love, right now they are nothing but field fillers. I do not or go to races to see field fillers.

• I couldn't have cared less. Until NASCAR people started talking about him, I didn't even know who he was. I despise when people from other forms of racing come to NASCAR. They need to just go back to where they came from.

• NICE To see new faces coming into our sport.

• I met up with a friend on Saturday afternoon and he asked, “How’d Travis Pastrana do in that race last night?” My friend doesn't follow NASCAR, so at least he was interested. I was no more interested than I would be in any other NASCAR Nationwide Series event.

• Really aggravated me when he kept making mention of “beating the girls.” Shows still what a long way we have to go when comments such as his (and a couple other male racers) were made. Why can't we just focus on driver and not gender?

• Not really interested in him or DP. More “cult of personality” courtesy of ESPN and NASCAR. I was much more interested in Johanna Long and Ryan Blaney, two real racers with under-funded teams finishing ahead of the much-ballyhooed TP and DP.

The Backseat Drivers Fan Council was founded and is administered by Dustin Long. Fans can join by sending Dustin an email at dustinlong002@gmail.com.

Please include the following information:
Name, city, state, Twitter name, e-mail address and favorite driver.
 

Photo by ASP, Inc.

What makes for good racing ... and would "phantom" cautions help NASCAR?

Ask a NASCAR fan a question about the sport and you’ll likely get a strong opinion. Ask the Backseat Drivers Fan Council about the sport and you get many strong opinions — especially when the questions focus on the racing.

Fan Council members were not shy with their feelings when asked if NASCAR should throw a caution to break up a long green-flag run in a race, a topic that has garnered considerable debate this season. Here’s what Fan Council members said about that issue and others this week.

SHOULD NASCAR THROW A CAUTION TO BREAK UP A LONG GREEN-FLAG RUN?

79.8 percent said No
20.2 percent said Yes

What Fan Council members said:
• I may stop watching NASCAR if that's what they go to. If anyone says yes to this question they are not a true fan of NASCAR or racing. Period the end.

• Strung out racing is boring. The most exciting points are restarts — so why not have more of them?

• NO, dear Lord. Please, please, please DO NOT start creating "phantom" cautions to bunch up the field or do anything to change the outcome of the race. I firmly believe that if you do not have enough of an attention span to watch a race from green to checkers, with the chance there may be little or no caution laps, then I'm sorry but NASCAR may not be your cup of tea. I want to watch racing not wrecking. Please take this opportunity to exit NASCAR and go to the local demolition derby if you are in this for nothing but wrecks.

• Yes, I'd definitely like to see more cautions but there is a difference between hoping for cautions and looking for wrecks. Don't lump us all in together — there are those who like cautions because they bunch up the pack and those that want cautions because they want to see wrecks. Too often those two thoughts are combined into one.

• Of course not! No way should NASCAR cheat. I can't believe anyone would want NASCAR to throw a fake caution after all the complaints over the years blaming them for cautions that benefited various drivers. That just proves that the fans who complain are only complaining to complain.

• Everyone wants a late caution to bunch the field... unless their favorite driver is the one with the 10-second lead.

• Once the race is under green I want NASCAR to stay out of the “show making” business. A race, like every other sporting event, is an organic event that needs to play out on its own. NASCAR needs to let the teams and drivers determine the outcome. Not every race is going to come down to a last-lap pass with a win by 0.001 seconds, just like not every baseball game ends in a walk-off grand slam. What NASCAR can/should do is work on ways to encourage more passing and competition in the field by somehow finding a way to reduce the influence of clean air.

• People complained about their artificial debris cautions, now they complain about NASCAR not finding a reason for a caution. You can't please everyone all the time, and I, for one, am loving the racing this season. Feels much more real, it accentuates the drivers’ real talents behind the wheel. I'd much rather see two drivers and their styles clash to see who comes out on ahead.

• They do need to do something to make these races a little more exciting. I know I have turned off the last two.

• HELL NO! If NASCAR starts artificially manipulating races, then I am out. I prefer to see how the race unfolds naturally. If a driver manages to get out to a great lead, so be it. If a driver leads the whole race, that is okay with me.

• NASCAR's number one purpose is to entertain. Without fans in the seats and fans watching the races on TV, there would be no NASCAR. But if NASCAR wants to turn this into WWE and fabricate the results, I will no longer be a fan. Arbitrarily throwing a caution to add entertainment value is wrong.

• The restarts were the exciting part of this week’s race, so for entertainment purposes, yes.

WHAT MAKES FOR GOOD RACING?

54.8 percent said passing throughout the field
19.4 percent said a close battle for the lead at the end of the race
13.6 percent said Other
10.4 percent said many lead changes
1.8 percent said numerous cautions

What Fan Council members said:
• Just good hard racing makes the race more exciting to watch. It gets boring when the cars get strung out and there is really no side-by-side racing.

• Battling for the lead is what I remember most from watching on TV. You see more passes back in the pack when you attend live, but passing for the lead is what makes a race exciting.

• A good race to me is many lead changes, passing throughout the field, and a close battle for the lead at the end. I don't ask for much. When I am at the track I only need the sights, sounds, and smell.

• What every fan wants is drama, which always seems to be missing at California, Michigan and multiple cookie cutters.

• In my mind, auto racing should be a combination of human skills and equipment quality and endurance, the perfect blend of human and mechanical structures organized into a symphony action, reaction with an unknown outcome.

• I love good side-by-side racing, especially at the tracks that make up the bulk of the schedule (the 1.5- and 2-mile tracks). It’s exciting and you stay tuned to see who is going to prevail. There is an exception though, at the short tracks (Bristol, Martinsville, Richmond, etc.). That's when I like to see beating and banging and cautions because that is what short track racing was built upon.

• Not just a close a battle at the end but throughout. Making sure the pit crews do their job, the crew chief calls a good strategy all race long. All that stuff makes up a good race. I also like seeing many cars going for it, not just two or a few. A little sideways to watch now and then doesn't hurt either, but I don't watch for wrecks.

• I would like the teams to have a chance to work on their cars under caution and give more drivers a shot to drive up through the field and contend for the lead. Such few cautions don't allow for drivers to work on anything and pretty much the top 10 stays the same from qualifying to the finish.

• The battle between Hamlin & Truex was very exciting (at Kansas) and kept me on the edge of my seat. Neither are my favorite drivers, but I was cheering for Truex at the end to pass Hamlin.
 

Photo by ASP, Inc.

GRADE SUNDAY’S CUP RACE AT KANSAS

53.8 percent said Good
27.8 percent said Fair
9.4 percent said Poor
9.0 percent said Great

What Fan Council members said:
• I like the multiple racing grooves at this large track. I saw lots of racing for positions between drivers, and I enjoy watching that.

• I'm sick of these cookie cutters, and I don't care what anybody says about what kind of fan that makes me. I am a die-hard fan of this sport, I love to see a great race where drivers are working on each other for multiple laps and make the pass when the other makes a mistake, but at the same time I HATE to see the same race 14 races a year. I understand the concept that NASCAR had to expand to other parts of the country, but the people that built the tracks should have stopped building the same kind of mile-and-a-half track and should have dared to be different.

• Bored me so much, I went to the kitchen and washed the dishes

• It was a good, competent race, and I have learned to appreciate the intermediate tracks for what they are. People complaining about the boring races need to learn to love the intermediate tracks because we are stuck with them. NASCAR made their bed with all these cookie-cutter tracks, now they have to figure out how to market a bunch of races with not a lot of action.

• The race was fine and I'm pleased with the results. Now that the other teams seem to have caught up to Hendrick, you really never know for sure who's going to win and that makes it interesting.

• After turning off the race on Sunday, I immediately thought of this question and the only thought that came to my head was “forgettable.” Not that great of a race and not that bad, just a typical 1.5-mile race.

• Except for the battle at the end and the restarts ... not much else to talk about in this race. I was more excited by playoff hockey which has continuous action throughout.

• One of the best Kansas races in a long time even with long green runs. I work nights and was extremely tired (but the) race still held my attention all the way through.

• A little better than Texas because it was only 400 miles of boring racing.

• As a Truex fan it was great. As a race fan it was boring until the end.

• Love the green flag runs and pit stops. Team efforts are on full display for the results. Today the drivers had to push every lap or get left behind. Today was a race!

The Backseat Drivers Fan Council was founded and is administered by Dustin Long. Fans can join by sending Dustin an email at dustinlong002@gmail.com.

Please include the following information:
Name, city, state, Twitter name, e-mail address and favorite driver.
 

Thunder Road at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. (ASP, Inc.)

Hall of Fame Nominees, Grading Texas and a Return to "The Rock"

With NASCAR’s recent announcement of the 25 nominees for its next Hall of Fame class, members of the Backseat Drivers Fan Council selected the five people they think should be inducted next and why. They didn’t stop there, though, adding suggestions on who deserves to be nominated but hasn’t yet so far.

Fan Council members also discussed Rockingham’s return to the NASCAR schedule and what’s next there and dissected the racing at Texas. There’s much to debate this week, so here’s what the Backseat Drivers Fan Council had to say:

WHO WOULD YOU ELECT TO THE HALL OF FAME?
Fan Council members were asked to select five of the 25 nominees for their ballot. Here’s the five people they would vote into the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the percentage of votes each received:

Fireball Roberts ... 52.4 percent
Leonard Wood ... 50.0 percent 
Benny Parsons ... 44.3 percent
Wendell Scott ... 41.9 percent
Red Byron ... 39.9 percent

AND THE REST OF THE FIELD ...

Buck Baker ... 37.5 percent
Raymond Parks ... 31.8 percent 
Rick Hendrick ... 18.2 percent
H. Clay Earles … 17.9 percent
Rusty Wallace ... 17.2 percent
Curtis Turner ... 16.2 percent 
Richard Childress ... 15.9 percent
Tim Flock ... 14.5 percent
Fred Lorenzen ... 13.2 percent
T. Wayne Robertson ... 13.2 percent
Anne B. France ... 12.6 percent
Ray Fox ... 12.5 percent
Cotton Owens ... 10.1 percent
Herb Thomas ... 9.8 percent
Jack Ingram ... 9.1 percent
Joe Weatherly ... 6.1 percent
Ralph Seagraves ... 5.4 percent
Jerry Cook ... 4.7 percent
Les Richter ... 1.7 percent
Bobby Isaac ... 1.0 percent

What Fan Council members said:

• I think this is the year to recognize the very early days of NASCAR. The one thing really lacking at the Hall of Fame is an appreciation of the stars of the 50s and early 60s. Curtis Turner was really the first superstar of stock car racing, and should be recognized. His accomplishments in stock car racing were great, plus you need to consider the great record he had in NASCAR's convertible series, as well as in road racing. He was also the man who had the vision to build the Charlotte Motor Speedway, an icon in this sport. 

• Wow that's tough to only pick 5 from that list ... so many are deserving. I think Childress and Hendrick are no-brainers as far as the current. Turner and Fireball should be the two recognized from the past because of what they accomplished in their time, and having the pleasure to work with him, I think Benny is just as deserving as a driver as he is for his broadcasting work.

• Without Ralph Seagraves and Winston, we may not even be talking about a Hall of Fame. Flock, Baker and Fireball's records speak for themselves and Cotton Owens is my pick for his success with Pearson and Buddy Baker. 

• My choices were Leonard Wood, Raymond Parks, H. Clay Earles, Red Byron, and Buck Baker. Reasons being Wood deserves to be in the HOF for all they have done for this sport everything from fielding winning cars for anyone and everyone that has ever been a factor in this sport, they also changed the way pit stops were completed. Byron was the very first series champion and that stands for itself; Earles because he founded a wonderful facility that helped BUILD this sport; Parks for being the first championship car owner. Baker was one of the best drivers in his era and like everyone else on my list he helped BUILD this sport. If you take anything from my votes these people helped BUILD this sport.

• Wendell Scott ABSOLUTELY must make it to the Hall this year. First and ONLY African American to win a Cup series-level race at the time when he was running? This really needs to happen — now rather than later.

• I'm not buying Wendell Scott deserves a spot over people who helped build the sport to what it is today. H. Clay Earles founded a track that is still here today. Raymond Parks, first champion car owner and helped behind the scenes. Both deserve a spot first. I understand the need to show that he broke a barrier but would he have broke that barrier without others in this nominee class stepping up?

• Wendell Scott should be inducted since it must have been an incredibly difficult thing to compete the stock car racing as an African American in the time period that he did it. He did it on a shoestring and won. IMO, that achievement should be recognized.

• The shoe-ins were covered by the first 3 classes. Now it's time to catch up on the founding fathers

• You cannot tell the meteoric rise of NASCAR without T. Wayne. Shame they skipped over Leonard Wood last year.

• In my mind the early members of the Hall of Fame should have changed the sport. Anne B. France — Big Bill couldn't have, wouldn't have, done it without her. All of the previous members have stressed how much their families sacrificed for the sport. Anne B. France is the first representative of that group.

• Why is Anne B France on this list? I guess anyone that worked in the office in the beginning of NASCAR deserves to be in the Hall of Fame?! How about the first ticket collector?

• I believe Raymond Parks should have been in the Hall of Fame in the first or second class due to his contributions to keeping the sport alive in its infancy. Fred Lorenzen is one of the greats of the sport and health has deteriorated, which means this might be his last chance to enjoy the spoils of making the Hall. Since Glen Wood made the Hall of Fame last year, his brother Leonard coming in the following year makes perfect sense. Just like the Petty family over the first three years, the Wood brothers have a chance to take their place in the Hall. Buck Baker is the first repeat champion in Cup racing and having Buddy Baker up there would be a great representation for the building and for NASCAR. I chose Jack Ingram because they should incorporate the other series greats as well and The Ironman was a legend in Nationwide.

WHO BELONGS AMONG THE 25 NOMINEES FOR THE NASCAR HALL OF FAME?
I provided a list — not a complete list certainly — of people to be considered for the NASCAR Hall and Fame. Here’s how the Backseat Drivers Fan Council voted:

THE FIVE THEY WOULD ADD AS NOMINEES NEXT YEAR

Ken Squier .. 46.6 percent
Barney Hall ... 45.6 percent
Smokey Yunick ... 43.9 percent
Alan Kulwicki ... 37.8 percent
Davey Allison ... 35.4 percent

AND THE REST OF THE FIELD ...

Humpy Wheeler ... 34.0 percent
Chris Economaki ... 32.0 percent
Sam Ard ... 29.6 percent
Bruton Smith ... 28.2 percent
Tim Richmond ... 21.1 percent
Janet Guthrie ... 19.7 percent
Ray Evernham ... 18.7 percent
Hershel McGriff ... 17.0 percent
Jake Elder ... 16.7 percent
Ralph Moody ... 11.9 percent
Rex White ... 11.2 percent
Harold Brasington ... 5.4 percent
Paul Sawyer ... 3.7 percent

What Fan Council members said:

• Maurice Petty seems to always be forgotten, yet, accomplished more than most listed above

• Moody & Yunick because of their work on car development. Hall, Squier & Economaki because without their voices, the sport would not be the same ...

• Humpy Wheeler was one of the first promoters in this sport to truly understand the concept of what fans wanted from a racetrack besides just the race.

• To me, Barney Hall is the voice of NASCAR. I am 59 years old and went to my first NASCAR race when I was 12. Barney Hall was there and has been there ever since. Along with Chris Economaki and Ken Squier. These three men helped build the fan following of NASCAR and without the fans we wouldn't have NASCAR!!!!!!!!!

• Barney Hall has always been the voice of NASCAR for me. There will never be a better NASCAR announcer period. You can't have that Hall without him being in it. Squier, too. Davey, Ard and Richmond had their careers cut by tragedy. Who knows what kind of numbers they would have put up.

• Harold Brasington is also not given the credit he deserves. People don't stop and think how risky and pioneering it was to build a superspeedway for stock cars at the time; and out in the middle of nowhere to boot.

• Many of the early stories I can recall reading about in regards to NASCAR involved stories of “Suitcase” Jake Elder. He was a man who had influence in many drivers’ careers, and is usually mentioned in connection with those drivers as opposed to getting his own mention. It’s time to tell his story. It is amazing what Janet Guthrie was able to accomplish in what was considered a man's sport. Her story is an inspiration and deserves recognition.

• I want to add Harry Hyde to this list also! 

• Red Vogt, one of the founding fathers of NASCAR, the man who coined the term NASCAR, and championship winning crew chief deserves to be in the HOF.

GRADING SATURDAY NIGHT’S CUP RACE AT TEXAS

41.0 percent called it Fair
33.2 percent called it Good
20.0 percent called it Poor
5.8 percent called it Great

What Fan Council members said:

• It was boring. Too many green flag laps — we needed some phantom yellow flags to bring the field back together. Nice race for Biff but not much excitement for the rest of us.

• I'm glad there was no phony caution at the end just to add excitement.

• I like what Dave Despain said about viewers expecting blow-ups and excitement every lap: long green flag runs “IS RACING!” If there had been caution after caution, fans would have bitched about THAT, too. I enjoyed the race. Was I enthralled every single moment? Well, I had my heart in my throat praying Kasey Kahne would not have another night of bad luck, so I was watching intently, but no, I simply enjoyed it. That's all I ask of a race!

• Very little passing. I'm OK with long green flag runs if lots of guys are passing. This was not the case on Saturday. I felt like it was an Indy follow-the-leader type of race.

• You're going to get a lot of “OMG that was so BORING” comments, but I thought it was fine. Sometimes in sports there are blowouts, but only NASCAR can essentially wipe out a three-touchdown lead with a wave of the flag. It is to NASCAR's credit (and credibility) that they didn't throw a sketchy caution to bunch up the field, because the two cars that deserved to battle for the win did so.

• 224 green flag laps at Texas is just not what I wanted to see...

• YAWN. I had to force myself to stay awake just in case anything happened in the last 10 laps. Racing thus far in 2012 has been boring. I think Goodyear needs to change the tires so they will wear more.

• I hate to say this, but it was the most boring race I have seen in the last three years. At the same time, it’s good to have a clean race, unencumbered by wrecks and long delays. Basically, it just lacked good fender banging competitiveness.

• I guarantee a lot of folks will say poor, but I didn't mind the long, green-flag runs. The race was not boring, as many will say. I can remember watching races back in the day that went caution free for long periods of time. The best drivers with the best teams usually do well in these races. That's what we saw on Saturday night

• It was decent. It was nice to watch Jeff Gordon's drive from deep in the field to fourth. It would have been nice to have a caution with under 10 to go to see if he had anything for the 16 or 48.

Racing at Rockingham Speedway. (ASP, Inc.)

WHAT SHOULD BE NEXT FOR ROCKINGHAM SPEEDWAY?
After a NASCAR-estimated crowd of 27,500 watched the Camping World Truck Series race at Rockingham on Sunday — the first NASCAR race there since the Cup series left after 2004 — Fan Council members were asked what should be next for the track:

86.0 percent said run both the Truck and Nationwide series there next year
13.4 percent said run only the Trucks there next year
0.3 percent said run only the Nationwide series there next year
0.3 percent do not return to the track next year

What Fan Council members said:

• I was at the Rock, and it was an awesome event. Andy Hillenburg has done a great job, and NASCAR should embrace it with both series next year.

• Great to see The Rock back. Let's build back the base first before we get carried away with bringing other series back there.

• Let the trucks have a “Showcase” event like this from time to time. Cup ran on Saturday and let them be the Sunday event. Loved it.

• It is unrealistic to see NASCAR move a Cup date to the track, but it would be great to see commitment to a track that can produce exciting racing for the fans.

• I was there. Traveled from California to be there. The numbers don’t tell the whole story. The event was great. The racing was great. The crowd on Saturday for practice and qualifying was bigger than some race crowds I’ve seen for truck races at other tracks. The community was so supportive and appreciative of those of us visiting and spending our money in their businesses.

• Seems like people want to see the races there so try it out with two races and see how is goes-people want it, people should show up!

• Although I don't think we'll ever see a Cup race at The Rock again, I think today's attendance proves the track can definitely support another truck race, AND a NW race.

• Too soon to take away a Nationwide race from another track until there is consecutive “almost sell out” crowds at the track. If today's effort is duplicated next year and the year (after) it would make sense.

The Backseat Drivers Fan Council was founded and is administered by Dustin Long. Fans can join by sending Dustin an email at dustinlong002@gmail.com.

Please include the following information:
Name, city, state, Twitter name, e-mail address and favorite driver. 

Photo by ASP, Inc.

2012 surprises, tips for the track and listening to NASCAR on SiriusXM Radio

by Dustin Long

A weekend without racing didn’t mean that the Backseat Drivers Fan Council had a break. While offering opinions throughout the season, the Backseat Drivers Fan Council also is here to help fans with tips this week on how to make your experience at the track better.

And oh yes, the Fan Council also is weighing in on a few subjects, including the biggest surprise this season.

TIPS TO MAKE THE RACE MORE ENJOYABLE
With many of the Backseat Drivers Fan Council veterans of numerous races, I asked them what they would tell someone going to the track that they should do to make that event more enjoyable. 

Here’s what Fan Council members said:

• Camp... pretty much any track. Camp at least once and walk around; meet and get to know other campers/NASCAR fans. Will meet some of the best people and greatest fans around camping at a NASCAR track. Have met folks over the years that will be lifelong friends and my first time was on a whim at the invite of another friend.

• I would tell any fan going to Indianapolis Motor Speedway to go to the infield and visit the museum along with sitting in turn one during practice or qualifying. The speed is amazing and the sound reverberates off the stands. It's like sitting at the old Yankee Stadium or other places similar.

• 1. The museum at Darlington. 2. Go to a Tweetup! 3. Hit a local short track on Friday night and see where these guys got their starts!

• Pit passes at least once in your life.

• Experience a night race, day races are great but night races have a whole different vibe to them.

• Going to the Driver introductions. It costs extra at most tracks but it is well worth it! Being on the track so close to the drivers, the national anthem and the flyover is incredible from right on the track. 

• Go to Jeff Gluck Tweetup. Jeff enjoys meeting the fans & he usually has a surprise.

• When at RIR take an extra day to visit the places of historical interest around the central VA region, the museum of the Confederacy, The Wilderness battlefield, Seven Pines, Tredegar, the state Capitol, St. John's Church, Monticello.

• Eating at Ridgewood BBQ about a mile from Bristol Motor Speedway is a must, if you don’t mind the wait obviously. 

• Get a scanner to listen to the drivers. Very entertaining.

• Be prepared to have a long wait after the race to leave the parking area. Just pull out the grill, cook some food and enjoy some cool drinks. After an hour or so you will be able to leave and so you will be behind the cars that left as soon as the race was over. A lot less stress this way & saves gas.

• You have to do the No Limits celebration at Texas. Eddie Gossage knows how to throw a party and entertain people. He always has drivers there and the music and food is awesome. 

• Stand with your face on the fence in Turn Four at Daytona when the cars are coming by. Absolutely amazing. 

• At Dover, be sure to go a little south and east to see the Delaware Bay and some of the beach communities like Rehoboth and Lewes which are less than hour away. Also some of the best birding in the country is within 15 minutes of the track at Bombay Wildlife and other Wildlife Preserves nearby.

• Since I'm a “people watcher,” I think the hidden gem is studying the fans. Big, small, skinny, fat, half-dressed, over-dressed, beer-swilling, pretzel-stuffing, you name it. It's a study in Americana at the best _ and sometimes the worst. Yet, when standing for the invocation, they take off their hats, they sing along (thankfully at times) with the musical artist struggling with the national anthem, and they erupt in joyous shouts as the jets roar overhead.

Photo by ASP, Inc.

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST SURPRISE OF THIS SEASON?

26.3 percent said Michael Waltrip Racing having all three cars in the top 10 in owners points
22.2 percent said Kasey Kahne 31st in the driver point standings
13.7 percent said Jimmie Johnson and his team having most of their Daytona penalties overturned on appeal
11.3 percent said Hendrick Motorsports winless in the first six races
7.8 percent said Jeff Gordon 21st in the driver point standings
7.5 percent said Dale Earnhardt Jr. second in the driver point standings
4.1 percent said Greg Biffle leading the driver point standings
4.1 percent said Other
2.4 percent said five different winners in the first six races
0.7 percent said no major feuds so far this season

What Fan Council members said:

• This was a tough question to pick just one answer. Dale Jr. 2nd in points, MWR having all three cars in the top 10, Biffle leading points and the 48’s penalties being overturned are all kind of neck in neck.

• I still can’t believe they gave the points back...

• None of the listed options... it was Kevin Harvick announcing DeLana’s pregnancy.

• Poor Kasey, if he didn't have bad luck he wouldn't have any luck at all. I believe he can pull out of his slump, but not sure he will make it in the Chase unless he finds himself in Victory Lane a few times.

• I thought the sport as a whole was going to build on the momentum from a great 2011 season, but to me the opposite has happened and it just feels kind of flat now.

• Tony Stewart picking up 2 wins before the thermometer hits triple digits, If you called that one, then I need you to tell me this week’s winning lottery numbers.

• I think it’s great what MWR has accomplished, their drivers are getting to be 'must' picks instead of risky picks in the weekly fantasy pools. I'm happy for Mikey to begin to see some success. I think they'll soon be somewhat regular visitors to Victory Lane.

• Lack of phantom debris cautions. I was shocked NASCAR has let them go on so many long green runs.

• My biggest surprise is Bristol and Burton Smith announcing that he will change the track.

• Truly, it could be any of these, but for the Hendrick cars to be so incredibly fast and not have the results because of wrecks, blown engines and others’ bad driving just seals it for me.

• Five different winners in the first six races seals the deal as the biggest surprise of the season and we will see more.

ARE YOU LISTENING?
Recently, SiriusXM announced that its NASCAR Channel was being made available to listen to online. Fan Council members were asked if they were listening more to the channel since that announcement.

51.4 percent said they don’t have SiriusXM
32.2 percent said No
16.4 percent said Yes

What Fan Council members said:

• They charge extra $$$ to listen online. Not worth it!!

• Have SiriusXM in my car and at home. Can’t listen to it work or I would be fired.

• I had my SiriusXM subscription before, but am thrilled I won’t miss any of the action at work. I can listen to it on my phone even. I'm so excited to have full time access!!!

• Love it!! Now I don't have to sit in my car in the morning to keep up with Bagley and Pistone.

• Haven’t reactivated yet. Need $.

• THANK HEAVEN & it’s about time!!! Love listening anywhere!!!

• I listen every day now. I spend 75% of my time at home on computer working and have it running in background. Used to only listen when I was in one of my cars.

• A little irritated that I had to purchase a radio and Premium plan but I just have some kind of feeling about this year and I have increased my NASCAR spending to include more races and SiriusXM, etc.

• I bought the service with great expectations but the callers who persist in contacting every show and spewing the exact same monologue have made listening often tedious. I'm not interested in any more of that.

• Still refuse to pay for radio

• I’ve been asking for this for years. I can’t get reception at home or at work so I'm relegated to listening only in my car. Good thing I have a horribly long commute!

Fans can join the Backseat Drivers Fan Council by sending Dustin an email at dustinlong002@gmail.com.

Please include the following information:
Name, city, state, Twitter name, e-mail address and favorite driver.
 

David Reutimann, pre-stall. (ASP, Inc.)

by Dustin Long

Members of the Backseat Drivers Fan Council had much to talk about in regards to Martinsville. From their thoughts on David Reutimann trying to make it to the end but causing a late-race caution to the racing in both the Sprint Cup and Camping World Truck Series races, Fan Council members didn’t hold back in what they had to say.

DO YOU SIDE WITH WHAT DAVID REUTIMANN DID?
One driver said there was “no logical reason” for David Reutimann to end up stopped on the track at the end. Reutimann apologized afterward and said, “I was just trying to stay in the top 35 (in car owner points — he fell out of the top 35), which is why we were trying to limp around out there.” Who do you side with? Reutimann for trying to stay out or those who were critical of him? Here’s how Fan Council members voted:

53.3 percent sided with drivers upset with Reutimann, saying he should have exited the track sooner.
46.7 percent sided with Reutimann and staying out to do all he could to remain in the top 35 in car owner points.

What Fan Council members said:
• If a car/driver has mechanical problems, I think they are obligated to get the car off the track for their safety, as well as of the others. In this case, his decision changed the outcome of the race!!!!!!

• David did what anyone else would have done and if they say they wouldn’t they’d be bald face lying!

• Absolute bonehead move on his part. He affected the outcome of the race.

• Reutimann is in a position no other team has ever been in — trying to stay in the top 35 to satisfy a commitment made to another team. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Also, while the caution definitely changed the race why is Clint Bowyer not the one people should be focused on? Or Ryan Newman? Them driving 3-wide into turn 1 at Martinsville had much more of an impact than David Reutimann did.

• I’m not a big Reuitimann fan, however I can’t fault the guy for trying to do what was best for his car. Yeah, its unfortunate he stopped where and when he did —and changed the outcome of the race. But, you know, every race’s outcome is changed by all kinds of things — some notable and some not.

• While I empathize with Reutimann, he should NOT have stayed on the track. I feel particularly bad for him because he has always been a good guy who never deliberately caused any problems for anyone & you could tell by his post-race interview he felt genuinely awful. However, IMO there is never a good reason to screw up a race, especially with so few laps left, when you KNOW your car is not going to survive.

• I 100% side with Reutimann on this. NASCAR has created this mess with the top 35 (rule) and the driver and crew were doing everything possible to stay in the top 35. Only solution is do away with the damn top 35. It is the worst thing that has happened to our sport in the history of NASCAR.

• I see both sides and, unfortunately, there was no good outcome on either side of the argument.

• I understand the desire to stay in the top 35, but there comes a time you need to Get. The. Damn. Car. OFF. The. Track!

Staying in the top 35 is crucial for Tommy Baldwin Racing. Reutimann’s choice did not force Bowyer to dive-bomb Gordon, nor did it force Newman to tap Bowyer. The real problem was with the lack of common sense and lack of respect displayed by Bowyer and Newman. They chose to make moves (to win at all costs) which cost the strongest cars in the field. Reutimann, well aware of his weak position, was doing the best he could with what he had. The same could NOT be said for Bowyer and Newman.

• I get what people are saying, but it is tough for the “non super teams” to compete in Cup. They have to scratch and claw there way around week after week, so being in the Top 35 is very important. Plus, there is the obvious added pressure for Reuti because it is Danica's car and they NEED it in the Top 35 for her Darlington start. I was more annoyed with Bowyer, to be quite honest.

• He was black flagged. Get off track when black flagged.
 

Martinsville Speedway. (ASP, Inc.)

GRADING SUNDAY’S CUP RACE AT MARTINSVILLE

52.0 percent called it Good
37.9 percent called it Great
8.5 percent called it Fair
1.6 percent called it Poor

What Fan Council members said:
• The end was wild. Start & middle the same old boring racing!!

• Best race this year so far. Lots of good side-by-side racing and a great and exciting finish. Plus, no rain!!!!!!

• Maybe my expectations for Martinsville are too high. I have been going twice a year for the past 7 years and this is the first time I ever left disappointed. A wild finish does not make a good race. It was just overall boring.

• All the action that’s been missing from Bristol for the past 4-5 years. Not as good as last year’s spring Martinsville race, but it was still a great one to watch nonetheless. With the way most of the media have talked about the fans wanting the “old” Bristol back, they make it out as though we aren't real fans of racing because that's what we want. But just look at how absolutely entertaining the race was Sunday from green to checker and I ask was that not some real racing we saw? There was everything you could want: Side-by-side racing, long green flag runs, retaliatory bumps (not intentional wrecking), entertaining pit strategies, and multi-car wrecks, not intentional but caused by the circumstances. It was great but yet they want me to feel bad because I'd like to see it at Bristol as well as Martinsville? Sorry but I want it at every track.

• The first 490 laps reminded me of Bristol two weeks ago. It was business as usual with no noticeable incidents. There was more bumping and banging but it was tame. The few laps before the Reutimann caution were exciting watching the 24/48 battle it out again at Martinsville. The last two restarts obviously spiced up this otherwise semi-boring race.

• Best race of the season, so far. Now if Bristol can get its act together.

• That was the first Martinsville race I have seen that was a little boring...

• I was at race and action around track all day. Great race. Ending was exciting too!

• I love racing at Martinsville. Can we race here 4 times a year? Definitely the next track on my bucket list!

• That’s short track racing at its best. Even the long green flag runs had good side-by-side racing. Why NASCAR doesn't run more races at these type of track I will never understand.

WHICH CUP RACE WAS BETTER? BRISTOL OR MARTINSVILLE?

84.7 percent said Martinsville
15.3 percent said Bristol

What Fan Council members said:
• I enjoyed both races, but found Martinsville bit more exciting. I felt passing was easier and the best cars were able to get to the front.

• Beatin’ and Bangin’! Rubbin’ is racing on short tracks and Bristol doesn’t have that anymore. Road courses have more collisions than Bristol does now. Just hope Bruton doesn't screw it up more.

• Martinsville was by far the more entertaining race from a TV viewing perspective.

• I picked Bristol because I liked the side-by-side racing, which Bruton is now going to try to do away with.

• I choose Martinsville only because of the ending. The first 490 laps were like a normal race at Michigan or California (or Bristol). Lots of racing, but lacking excitement. If Reutimann had not stopped on track, the 24/48 battle would have provided some excitement to the checkered flag. But nothing beats a restart in overtime.

• I love both tracks. Every time I watch the race it makes me even more unenthused to watch the 1.5 (milers).

• It seemed that at Bristol no one could pass and at Martinsville there was passing going on all over the place. Jimmie was able to come up thru the field twice.

• I’m choosing Bristol because I like the side-by-side racing. But to compare the two, that’s not fair to either race track. I got to see the exact race I expected out of both tracks. I know there’s a call to change Bristol back to the old Bristol, but I’m not sold on it. I also think that fans that voiced their opinion better be careful what they asked for.

• The expectations for Bristol are SO high that anything less than all out beatin’ and bangin’ will be a disappointment.

DID YOU WATCH THE TRUCK RACE SATURDAY?
Last Saturday marked the Truck Series’ second of the season (its first race was more than a month ago at Daytona). Fan Council members were asked if they watched the race and why or why not.

61.3 percent said they watched the race
38.7 percent said they did not watch the race

What Fan Council members said:
• Always watch the truck races! Looking forward to seeing them revive racing @ Rockingham!

• Best racing in NASCAR hands down. I wish the trucks got more notoriety.

• Some of it, but got tired of seeing Harvick dominate, so I left. Think they have too long a break in between the 1st and 2nd race.

• Love the truck series, too bad we had to wait a month for the second race. If NASCAR is serious about the Truck series, I feel they need to be more consistent in the scheduling of races. How could they expect the casual fan to keep interest in the series?

• What? There was a truck race?? (Insert cricket chirps here.)

• Couldn't watch it. Was on the road from Virginia Beach to Lynchburg then on to Martinsville… Listened intently on Sirius MRN feed!!!!!!!!!

• Yes I love watching every NASCAR event I can and the past year or two I’ve really gotten into the Truck and Nationwide series. NASCAR did a brilliant thing when they did the choose-one-championship rule because now these two series really are developing their own identity separate from the Cup series even though the last Nationwide and Truck races were won by Cup regulars.

• Sorry, truck races just lack excitement for me. They look like little low power die-cast hot wheels that don’t really belong on a race track. I do understand they fulfill a needed training level to help introduce and provide a training platform (for) the next generation of Nationwide and Sprint Cup drivers.

• Too long of a break and honestly just forgot about them...

• Wasn’t at home — had no control of the set at the home where I am staying as a guest. They were nice enough to let me watch the Cup race.

• Was on the campus of Michigan State University seeing a production of “Memphis.” Culture on Saturday, racing on Sunday!

I was at Legoland with my family. We were celebrating my son's 10th birthday. So, family won out over a race. Otherwise, I would have watched the truck race.

Fans can join the Backseat Drivers Fan Council by sending Dustin an email at dustinlong002@gmail.com.

Please include the following information:
Name, city, state, Twitter name, e-mail address and favorite driver.