The beginning of the 2019 Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series season represents a medley of things: The Daytona 500, an end of an era for large horsepowered engines, the anticipation of a new aero and engine package, and the eagerness of the unknown of how the aforementioned rules package.
All of these variable have put traditional fans on pins and needles because of how the new engines will be restricted in the horsepower department along with larger spoilers to hopefully induce closer and more exciting racing. Fans have argued that the reduction of speeds in cars isn’t what the sport needs to return to its peak days of glory, while some are applauding the effort from officials to eliminate the long parade-like lines weekly.
While I sympathize with the traditionalists, I want to throw the metaphorical “caution flag” to tell them to slow down on the assumptions and hate. Nascar is trying and that’s what many have been complaining wasn’t happening in years past. There’s new leadership at the helm for a full season this year and they’re being as transparent as ever. It’s no reason to start judging the on-track product before Memorial Day.
In a season that spans 9 months there will be good races and there will be bad races just like any other major sport. This year’s Super Bowl was a snoozefest to many, Major League Baseball for many years has had its fair share of dull moments, and even last night’s NBA Slam Dunk contest left more to desire.
All sports corporations are at the end of the day are businesses and businesses’ jobs are to sell the best products to a consumer. As consumers fans have every right to complain when the product isn’t up to standard, but also try to see the other side as someone that’s ever tried to put together a puzzle.
Nascar is putting some of the best engineers, drivers, and mechanics in the world together and attempting to fix a problem that has occurred for years in a short time span. This isn’t meant to be a Nascar public relations statement, but someone who grew up watching great close racing of the late 90’s and early 00’s longing for those things to come back.
There are many things to be optimistic about this upcoming season outside of the new rules package: Drivers with new teams, a large rookie lineup, and the broadcast teams of Fox and NBC who constantly are upping the ante on how flag-to-flag coverage of races are consumed.
It’s not an overnight fix and we all need to crack a cold one, get in the lazy boy, and enjoy the long 9 month journey that will be full of excitement, but also ups and downs like anything else in life. Before approaching your social media timeline with hate in early March or April about how something is working, appreciate the effort and “pump the brakes” because drivers, fans, and media, and Nascar are all in this together like it or not.