Believe it or not, the 2022 NASCAR season is upon us.
Three months ago, Kyle Larson won the Cup Series championship and capped an era of NASCAR history.
Now, arguably the biggest year for NASCAR since 2001 is ready for its opening (points counting) act.
Which means it’s time to lay out some ground rules.
No, we don’t mean rules that are enforceable by any ruling body (unfortunately).
These are guidelines (along with some demands) intended to make the 2022 NASCAR season as pleasurable and productive as possible for everyone.
These 12 rules cover everyone from fans to broadcasters and NASCAR executives.
12. Don’t overreact. 2022 is a special year. The Cup Series has a history-making car that no one knows how it will perform any given week. Just because someone looks reasonably good at Auto Club Speedway doesn’t mean we should christen them as a dark horse playoff contender.
11. Do not call the first three drivers who win more than one race the “Big Three” (But “Terrific Trio” is fair game).
10. Dear FOX Sports and NBC Sports, on-board cameras have been around for more than 30 years. Stop treating them as if you just discovered them. We’re missing the action.
9. No matter how much you may want to, don’t call William Byron, “Willy B.” He’s a 24-year-old man, not 12.
8. Please, please stop calling Truck Series drivers “truckers.” (Related: If we hear “we’ll keep on trucking” one more time, we will turn this car around.)
7. You’re allowed to go one race without mentioning Byron’s history with iRacing.
6. Country music artists who perform pre-race concerts or the National Anthem are not required to be called “stars.” They’re just whoever the track could afford.
5. The term “playoff implications” is off limits until August.
4. Do not take NASCAR Twitter as an accurate reflection of the majority of the NASCAR community. It’s an echo chamber.
3. Sponsors of the defending Cup Series champion — in this case, Larson with HendrickCars.com and Valvoline — must produce at least one national TV commercial (aired during and outside race broadcasts) showing off how proud they are to back NASCAR’s champion. This rule is instituted after Chase Elliott‘s sponsors — NAPA, Hooters, Llumar, Unifirst and Adrenaline Shoc — were MIA on America’s airwaves during Cup broadcasts in 2021. Sure, you get value from making videos for social media, but see previous item about Twitter and reality.
If you need pointers, we recommend the ads from Advance Auto Parts and Mahindra Tractors that aired during the Busch Clash.
2. Do not say, under any circumstances, the following: “The racing was better in the ’90s/early 2000s” or “NASCAR died with Dale.” That was more than 20 years ago. If you’re still watching and complaining, that’s a you problem.
1. NASCAR CEO and Chairman Jim France must give one press conference or an interview with a media outlet that is not directly tied to NASCAR. He assumed his position in August 2018 after Brian France stepped down following his arrest for a DUI. In the roughly four years since Jim France took over, he has not given a formal interview or provided an on the record comment outside Hall of Fame ceremonies or statements about a notable death in the NASCAR community.
This is arguably one of the most important years in NASCAR’s history. While you can safely assume that President Steve Phelps doesn’t say anything without France’s approval, Phelps is not a France.
The NASCAR community deserves to hear from Jim France himself.
2022 is Daniel McFadin’s ninth year covering NASCAR, with six years spent at NBC Sports. This is his second year writing columns for Frontstretch. His columns won third place in the National Motorsports Press Association awards for 2021.
Daniel McFadin is a 10-year veteran of the NASCAR media corp. He wrote for NBC Sports from 2015 to October 2020. He currently works full time for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and is lead reporter and an editor for Frontstretch. He is also host of the NASCAR podcast "Dropping the Hammer with Daniel McFadin" presented by Democrat-Gazette.
You can email him at danielmcfadin@gmail.com.