NASCAR has worked hard to do things to appease the die-hard fans of stock car racing. Even if some measures work, sometimes they simply fail. Reducing the duration of training sessions, for example, was one of these measures.
The belief was that reduced testing sessions would make the racing experience sharper. This was also intended to reduce team expenses. But more and more insiders are expressing their dissatisfaction with this decision.
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The latest article criticizing inadequate workouts is Jeff Burton. The former driver, who is a commentator for NBC Sports, spoke with Kenny Wallace in a recent interview about how NASCAR isn’t satisfying die-hard fans by cutting back on practices.
Burton acknowledged that there are clear benefits, such as reduced costs for team owners. However, he stressed that fans want to see more action on the track.
“I think they want to see cars on the track. I like to think there will be a day when we get back to having cars on the track more often than we do now,” said Burton on Wallace’s YouTube channel.
“Of all the nationally or globally televised motor sports, I would say we have the least training. F1 has three-day events. IndyCar has multi-day events. I think we’re on the right track…the races are longer. But outside of racing, we’re on the track less,” he added.
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Wallace and Jimmie Johnson aren’t happy either
Earlier this year, Wallace was brainstorming ways to bring racing fans back to the tracks. The idea that high ticket prices could be a cause of the low turnout was dismissed. All that remained was the training sessions.
Wallace had concluded, after analyzing fan sentiments and comments, that everyone wanted a longer weekend experience. That is to say, they want the racing activities to begin on Thursday.
Seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmy Johnson is also of the same opinion. However, he has his own reasons. As the Legacy Motor Club team owner, Johnson wants his drivers to spend more time on the track before races.
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“You get 25 minutes of training on the track, then you qualify, then you race. How do we get better? How to perfect your craft? Now it’s moved to a place where, wow, you don’t have a lot of sitting time. You need seat time,” said Johnson on the Rubbin is running podcast last year.
Johnson added that limited practice time is why some Cup Series drivers even resort to dirt racing and other platforms to hone their skills. The sanctioning body took several steps this season that fans appreciated. Hopefully he’ll do another one in the workout area as well.
The position Jeff Burton thinks NASCAR will benefit from more practice from a fan perspective appeared first on The rush to sport.
