Quote:
Originally Posted by LateModel24
And that is why I think it will be hard to get a European into NASCAR as anything other than a road course ringer. We have a very different attitude to racing over here. Short oval racing is just seen as Bangers. When I first went to the short ovals a couple of years ago I got funny looks from the long circuit paddock when I was back there. Even explaining that it was costing the same to race a 400HP late model as a 90HP formula car still got funny looks.
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Well, if that be the case, that there are drivers there, that genuinely want to get into NASCAR and are being held back, due to the attitude over there, that it takes no skill to drive an oval, it is a real shame! As I said, they don't have a clue as to how difficult oval racing is, what goes into it and their perception of costs, like your example points out!
LateModel24, here is what I would like to see, both from a rather selfish point of view, but in light of your statements, a possible way to help some of these drivers if they want to try to get into NASCAR.
We have a long off-season here. Racing ends in Nov and does not start back until Feb. Four months does not sound like a long time, but when you are use to seeing racing, at some level, Sprint Cup, Nationwide, Camping World Trucks, K&N East, etc., You have a pretty sizeable void. Now I am a big fan of American football, college level football, but I have lost much of the interest that I once had in the NFL. I do not like basketball, so with college football winding down, just the bowl games left really, There is a very long, boring gap for me between the end of the season, at Homestead and the beginning of the coming season, at Daytona. There needs to be something, for racing fans, to fill that void.
In the early to mid 90s, NASCAR had the answer. On the old "The Nashville Network" (TNN), a racing series, called "Winter Heat" was run! It was a non-points series, in that it took place between seasons and it's results did not have any bearing on the upcoming season, for any of the teams, from any of the series that participated.
The first season, the different West coast series, the old Winston Cup West Series, the old All-Pro West Series, (now K&N West) and the new, in it's debute race, NASCAR Craftsman Truck (now Camping World) Series were used. All-Pro East (K&N East, now) Winston Cup, and Busch Grand National (Nationwide Series) drivers/teams could enter the races that match their series rules. It ran for around 6 weeks and did an outstanding job of filling the void between the end of last and beginning of the coming seasons.
The second year, ESPN took it over and the races, with the exception of the first race, which was an All-Pro West race, were from the local/regional (now NASCAR Home Track) series. I did not like the format quite as well, but again, the void was filled and we received a respite from the between seasons void. All of the races, both years, were run at the short track in Tucson, AZ. After the second season, Winter Heat was discontinued and has not been rescheduled since.
My idea is to bring back the NASCAR Winter Heat Series. In most of the areas of the U.S. winter is not suitable for racing, due to cold, ice, snow, etc. But, there are a couple of areas in the country, where that is not the case, the afore mentioned Arizona, around Tuson and Phoenix, also the Southern portion of Florida have tempertures and weather that are suitable for racing, year round. What I would like to see (I won't say propose, because, unfortunately, I know my idea has zero chance of ever seeing light) would be a racing series, using the following series, NASCAR K&N East and West Series, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, NASCAR Toyota Mexican Series and NASCAR Whelen Euro Series. The five series have similar cars and rules, little would have to be done for series compatibility. Have the races at short tracks in Arizona and the final race at Phoenix International Raceway. Run the first race, the last week in Nov, run three races in Dec, take the week that Christmas fall in off, start back the first week after New Year run two races, then the final, at PIR, the last week of Jan. This would give the fans something to watch during the period between the two seasons. It would be greatly welcomed!
Since, as you point out, there is only a single oval on the Euro Series schedule, any driver in this series, that hopes to one day race in the U.S. will be sadly DEFICENT in the experience that he/she need the MOST, OVAL experience! This series would allow the Euro Series teams and drivers to come to the U.S. and compete on ovals, which they will HAVE TO gain proficiency on, if they ever hope to run in the different NASCAR series here in the U.S.. The Winter Heat series that ran for two years, allowed several current Sprint Cup stars to be discovered, the top NASCAR team owners scout the two K&N Series and to a lesser degree, the Canadian Tire Series. This would give the Euro Series and the Mexican Series drivers more of a chance to display their talents and skills to the top NASCAR Series owners. I would see this as a win, win for both the fans and the 5 different series drivers and teams. Your thoughts?