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Ill make this easy. Make everything like it was in 1996.... when mechanics needed more than a box cutter, engines were allowed to be remotely different, almost all full time teams had a corporate sponsor, live tv, cars didnt have to weigh 2/3s of a ton and everyone realized that there were already plenty of other spec classes for the racer with a regular job.
Luna's Ford engine style that won 2 WoO titles and 3
Kings Royals before a weight rule against the best EVER
in their prime and now DOMINATES super dirt late model
racing is no longer allowed/wanted in a WoO sprint
car.... Was Luna a miracle worker?
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Reply to:
Posted By: Stroker_Race on March 31 2017 at 02:03:47 PM
You may say it's a load of crap and that is the right you are given. Here's my 2 cents worth.
The World Racing Group is a business. As a business they require that their drivers only run shows under their sanction, or get permission to go run anywhere else well in advance. These are their "Gold" card carrying members. In return, the fans upon purchasing tickets expect to see "the stars" that travel with the WoO brand. You say the locals making a WoO show can be their "highlite" and I get that. But let's consider that these locals are just that, a local. They have the benefit of racing at their home track and another benefit of gearing up for their 1 or 2 nights with the WoO to bring their best. Agree or disagree, but in all honesty the fans are their to see the Pittman's, Saldana's and Schatz's. If for 1 of many reason's one of these guys doesn't make the show the fans are the one's that ultimatly pay the price. Then take into consideration that the WoO guys run roughly 90 shows a year, the odd's of them missing a show or 2 is pretty high. The regular WoO teams need to also be protected for their loyalty (remember the contract they signed, limiting them to only certain races) by having a provisional or two to fall back on. Remember the beating Schatz and team took for leaving last year afer the B-main? What were they going to gain by running the A-main? There was no prize money or points to be collected so why stick around? This also robbed the paying customer (fans) of seeing one of the series more prolific names run the A-main that night. Do I like provisionals myself? Nope. Are they something that a series needs to have in place to protect the people that run for them, well I hate to say it but, Yes. By bringing back to Gold card carrying members the ability to gain points by taking a provisional it has once again made it worth running for that member every time they take one. All in all, I believe it was the correct thing to do. Like I said early in this post, just my 2 cents.
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If a fan is there to see Pittman/Saldana/Schatz... they see them in hotlaps, time trials, heat, and C-Main/B-Main... just not the A. If a high-profile driver doesn't make the A, is pissed and takes off early, ultimately that driver is only hurting themself (t-shirt sales and reputation). Last year there was very little incentive to use a provisional... but sticking around for the fans is always a classy move. There are a lot of legitimate reasons why teams pack up and leave early... it's their call... their reputation.
As a fan paying a lot of $$$ to watch these guys race, don't you want to be assured that every driver that turns a lap is going as hard as they possibly can... hammer down... take no prisoners... 100% of the time?? I think most (if not all) WoO drivers do race extremely hard. With provisionals though, I have no assurance that it's not in the back of their mind that they could lay off, save their stuff, and fall back on a provisional. No provisionals? Removes all doubt!
We agree that provisonals stink... and both understand why they're there. The series will spin it to say it's all about the fans... but that's lip service. As you said, it's a business. No drivers, no business!
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