5 Reasons Why NASCAR Sucks

With start of yet (unfortunately) another NASCAR season, here's my five reasons why NASCAR just sucks.

1. With a few exceptions the tracks are cookie-cutter.
I'm a native East Tennessean and with that info you should know that I'm a huge fan of Bristol Motor Speedway. It's 1/2 mile long and banked at 30 degrees. This is one of the few remaining tracks on the circuit that you have to actually drive. Gas mileage rarely matters. Drafting does not matter. Hell, more times than not the winner emerges with no front end on his car. It's a test of the driver's skill and most of all his patience. 

2. The drivers' skill no longer matters.
Racing has always been about (a) who can build the best car and (b) who is the best driver. That doesn't seem to matter anymore as technology has become more and more prevalent. Gas mileage and conservation matter more now on the "cookie-cutter" tracks than the driver's actual skill level. (Which is one reason, I believe, that NASCAR pumps up the personalities of it's drivers; to make up for the lack of true talent.) NASCAR was built on local tracks where the drivers actually worked on and built their own cars. Today most drivers couldn't find the oil plug on their ride. It's more soap opera than sport at this point.

3. They slowed the cars down

Restrictor plate racing began in the early 70's with Bobby Allison and the like. Some say it was intended for better fuel economy. But it also slowed the cars down. It's only used at large, fast tracks such as Talladega where in 2004 Rusty Wallace tested at 228.6 mph and an average lap of 221.
Now drivers are reaching 205 mph and are "shocked". There should be no slow lane for racing. The entire objective of racing, regardless of what type of racing is to GO FAST. If you can't handle 230 miles per hour, go do something else. (As a side note, top fuel dragsters run 320 mph in 1/4 mile and they are continually trying to make then go faster.)

4. It's all about $$$$
Like much in life NASCAR is all about the Benjamin's. The teams with the most money win more often than teams with less money. There seem to be too many teams in the sport currently. Teams that cannot get a leg up with the larger, more well-funded teams. They should move on. But what the heads at NASCAR choose to do, rather than putting 15 really competitive teams in a race, is consistently tinker with the points standings, the set up of the cars, the rules and regulations in order to make it more "fair". Horseshit! If you can't run with the big dogs stay on the porch; or in this case stay at your local dirt track.

5. With 2 exceptions, they only turn left
There are only two races each year in NASCAR where the drivers are required to make a right-hand turn. This is my biggest issue with the sport. There's a reason that the same guys win the road courses every year; they are better overall drivers. I truly believe that if they added 5-6 more road course tracks to the schedule they would also add butts in the seats. Make it a combination track with some right hand turns and some long straight-aways where they can get some speed. That coupled with adding more small tracks (see BMS) that required the drivers to do more than go fast- turn left. The overall attendance for NASCAR has steadily dropped since 2011 and I see no reason that this trend will change until the sport has a complete overhaul.