3/18/2008
By: Rob Simon
For years fans have flocked to Bristol Motor Speedway. Bristol has long been the most coveted ticket in NASCAR. It wasn’t just the charm of this jewel nestled in the Tennessee hills that brought the flocks of fans. It wasn’t just the incredible views of the race from anywhere in the stands that kept them coming. And it wasn’t simply the endless nights of partying in the campgrounds that drove them here.
It was the helmet tossing, fist throwing, car crashing excitement that brought the fans. It was the single groove, move them out of the way to win, fast paced grudge fest that kept them coming back for years and years. It was 18+ cautions, twisted metal, cars hitting the wall at full speed and high emotions. It was where friends became enemies and drivers would do anything to make a pass. It was Dale Earnhardt spinning out Terry Labaonte for the win. It was Kurt Busch pushing Matt Kenseth out of the way for a chance at the lead. It was Dale Jarrett getting his car repaired only to return to the track to get some payback on Ryan Newman. It was drivers cursing on the scanners and spotters arguing on the roof. Almost every lap was a hold your breath chance to see fireworks. At almost any point in the race there was a controversy brewing. Remember the endless clips of drivers standing on the track, waiting to throw something at the guy who just ended their day? Remember the rumors of guys fighting in the pits after the race? And of course we all remember Jimmy Spencer punching Kurt Busch in the face after an on-track incident?
Well those days of Bristol Motor Speedway are now gone. What has been left in its place is a race. Two and three wide passes for position. Long green flag runs where pit strategy most certainly comes into play. If a guy is holding you up you simply move up the track and make a pass. It’s 14 cars on the lead lap and 42 cars still motoring around
the track and the end of the race. It remains to be seen which type of event is better. True race enthusiasts will definitely prefer the new Bristol with it’s incredible racing. But the masses will miss the old days of 4 hours of pure entertainment. It was that entertainment that made Bristol the most coveted ticket in the sport.
What we wonder is if it wasn’t broke why did they attempt to fix it? What was the point in changing a configuration that gave NASCAR the highest attendance year after year? Race fans had Bristol season tickets in their wills and prenuptial agreements. They would wait years at a chance to own these tickets. What has been replaced is empty seats, empty campgrounds and easier odds at scoring a ticket. What is happening is Bristol is becoming just another race in a 36-race schedule. Bristol has lost a piece of its charm. It’s lost the flavor that made it a simply awesome event. No one will argue that the new Bristol has become a great race and the drivers love it. But the old Bristol was an event that was remembered for years to come. No one will remember the time that a driver made a pass on the outside to take the checkers but everyone will remember the time Jeff Gordon pushed Matt Kenseth with his helmet on. Come on Bristol, rip up that progressive banking and give us fans something we can tell our grandkids about.