Author’s Note: As I come off a short summer hiatus (and no, I wasn’t really suspended for actions detrimental to calling a spade a spade), a few things have happened that warrant sharing my opinion with you in my usual extremely sensible and quite right manner. Everything from new old tracks to NASCAR porn… so let’s get started!
“As a team owner in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, I know pleasing fans is a top priority because, without the fans, there’d be no NASCAR. Just like if it weren’t for customers, there’d be no Nationwide.”
Does that sound familiar? If you watch NASCAR at all, it should – you’ve probably heard those words ad nauseum almost every weekend. It’s the “sponsor script” for this sport’s Most Popular Driver, the beginning of one of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s commercials for Nationwide Insurance.
Now what does that have to do with anything? Let’s think a minute. Ironically, it is the move of the Nationwide Series race from Lucas Oil Raceway (LOR) to the fabled Indianapolis Motor Speedway that ranks as one of the stupidest decisions in all of racing history – displeasing millions of fans across the country.
Yes, IMS is a Mecca of racing history and perhaps even worthy of a place on someone’s “bucket list,” but not for watching NASCAR. Never has been and never will. So why move a second date with more stock car racing over to that speedway? Unfortunately, NASCAR is now run by some of the stupidest people in all of racing history so really, the decision should come as no surprise. So take heed, Nationwide; NASCAR, at this rate, will soon lose what customers it has left. Sounds like you know what to do!
“We’d like to think that we’re going to stay in [their] future and them in ours,” Mike Helton said, speaking on the move from LOR. “But this weekend just presented too much of an opportunity [to jump to IMS].”
Yeah, a great opportunity to create a wider gap between the sanctioning body and fans.
Speaking of “sanctioning bodies”… I see where a Miss Sprint Cup girl lost her job after nude photos of her surfaced, of all places (gasp!), on the Internet! Gee, who’d have thunk it?
Apparently, the now 24-year-old, Paige Duke, never thought something like this might happen.
“These were pictures I had sent an ex-boyfriend when I was 18,” she said. “This is the most embarrassing thing that could have ever happened to me.”
Question 1: How dumb is this girl that she, having grown up in the digital and internet age all her life, would not think that pictures taken in the past would show up on the Internet… pictures that were no doubt sent to the boyfriend via internet in the first place!
Question 2: If you’re sending nude photos of your sweet, 18-year-old body to your boyfriend, either you’re giving it to him already or you’re just teasing the poor lad, so you might as well just show them goods in person if you haven’t already! OK, that’s not really a question, more like a joke.
“I just wanna set the record straight, I’m gonna own up to my mistakes,” Duke said in an interview. “It’s something I did, I’ve cried enough tears over it, I’m tired of crying, I’m tired of hiding from everybody.”
Hey Paige, we’ve all seen it, no need to start hiding now! And another thing; you’re only 24. You think this is the most embarrassing thing that’s going to happen to you in your life? Wait, you’re young yet!
But seriously, folks, this again just shows you how out of touch the so-called “marketing geniuses” that run NASCAR have become. You want to really reach out to the 18-to-34 demographic? You don’t fire Paige Duke for nude photos… get her out there signing 8×10 glossies!
She’s a damn sight prettier than Danica!
It’s good to be back!
Stay off the wall, (and out of the camera eye!)
Jeff Meyer
About the author
The Frontstretch Staff is made up of a group of talented men and women spread out all over the United States and Canada. Residing in 15 states throughout the country, plus Ontario, and widely ranging in age, the staff showcases a wide variety of diverse opinions that will keep you coming back for more week in and week out.
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