Comments on: Possible Truck Series Rule Changes: Your Thoughts?

By: GOULET

GOULET — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:29:04 +0000

They should make it 5 crew members (two carriers [one of which is the catch can man], two changers, and jackman/fueler) and take fuel and tires at seperate times, like the hooters pro cup series. Its safer than the 6 man rule and will save more money.

By: Steve C

Steve C — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 01:05:10 +0000

TC, I totally agree with you, The purse money sucks. I have seen where some of the truck races pay under 20,000 to win when the cup series at the same track on the same weekend is paying 280,000 to win. I agree the truck series is getting screwed when they are racing a companion event. I also feel that the truck series needs to go back to it’s roots and race on some of the local bullrings around the country. I undestand that it would require more stand alone races, but I beleive it would be more affordable and profitable for the teams in the long run. Years ago I was involved with a truck team, we ran all the California and Arizona races, Our driver Dave Byrd did very well, infact we lost our crew cheif to MWR. Pit stops need to be mandatory on any track 1/2 mile – 3/4 mile and up. If we could get NASCAR to race the trucks on some of the bullrings around the country then and only then the 1/2 time break, pit stop would need to be put into effect. I know of 15 -20 truck teams parked in California who would run locally if NASCAR would run the local bullrings, I beleive this would be true all over the country. The reason we quit was the cost to race, lets make it reasonable and fun and the truck counts will increase. By the way, Bakersfeild would normally put 25-40k in the seats for the truck race, standing room only.

By: Newracefan

Newracefan — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:05:11 +0000

No pit stops Big Mistake. They are part of racing and what makes it a team sport. Without them a truck who has a flat or problem might as well pack up and go home they will never recover. Less guys, I don’t know about that one but it’s OK only if it’s safe for the guys over the wall. Speck engines I’m OK with this one but I bet a lot of fans are not.

By: Joe W.

Joe W. — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:25:29 +0000

I remember when the series first started and had the halftime break. It was different and added to the series being special. I would not mind that change although I hate more people lossing jobs. I HATE the spec engine rule. You will end up with all the trucks being Toyota, which is where the series is heading already. I know I for one will not watcha a race of all Toyotas. I have no interest in that. I do not watch the IRL because it is all Honda engines. That is boring to me.

By: oldtimer

oldtimer — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:13:10 +0000

This is wishful thinking but why not try and get some of the former Cup champs to come and run for the championship. Can you not tell me it would be great to watch Bill Elliott, Rusty Wallace, Dale Jarrett, DW, Cale Yarborough and greats like Ricky Rudd, Mark Martin, Harry Gant, ect. race in their retro paint and car numbers. Most say it’s the grueling nascar schedule that forced them into retirement anyway. So get a real sponsor (Coke) and a TV deal (ESPN) all night races (Monday night ?) all short tracks only 20-25 races a year. Pay the champ 1 million dollars and let the young guys come into the series and race with the greatest drivers in the world. Only problem with this is it would kill the cash cow Sprint Cup series as many would prefer this to watching the spoiled punks (Not All) drivers in the star series.

By: windowlicker

windowlicker — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:09:57 +0000

I’d like to make a dumb observation here. If you won all 25 races last year, you’d have taken home approximately $1.5 million. If it costs $2-$5 million to run a team for a year, how is it possible to run a team without a loss since it is impossible to break even winning every race with the lowest budget team?

I realize that this is where sponsorship comes into play to make up the difference but I still don’t see how it’s possible to make a profit or even break even with a truck team at all because no truck team has a $5 million sponsor. Or am I just missing something obvious?

By: M.Rose

M.Rose — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 21:45:44 +0000

No pit stops is the same as no racing though I can see 5 people instead of 7, One engine fits all?sounds bad but if the teams are for it (shrugs) OK.But the Best thing the trucks people could do is fill all those empty seats by getting on board with the Old School Racin people and help get some More Great RACERS(instead of pinup boys)in them trucks like Geoff,Ward,Terry & Steve…I know a lot of fans that would make more truck races,Me for one. And last but far from least stop the GREED all sponsers Do NOT need to become OFFICIAL THATTHARE OF NA$$CAR or sucked away by FATCATS like roush and a few others !!! The new rules should focuse on the greed problem in the “sport”.

By: House

House — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 21:12:08 +0000

The only way that a team will ever and I mean EVER save money is if there is a budget cap. I don’t like this idea but it is the only way. Think about it for a second, lest say they spend 5million a year (easy math) and NASCAR says “for now on spec engines for all” all that would do is put the engines guys out of jobs! Do you really think that if a team owner saves money on engines or anywhere else that he’s just going to sock it away?! NO! They will spend it somewhere else. Either better equipment, better personel, better cars, better shops, something. I think the whole idea of limiting the engine program or the people that go to the track is a very bad idea.

By: Neon

Neon — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 21:06:43 +0000

I hope that at the meeting at Harvick’s shop all parties agreed early on that session what they “all” wanted the series to accomplish. While everyone will not agree all of the time, at the very least, this step is crucial. Just as in any other business.
On the spec engine issue, what has been discussed concerning leased engines? When the IRL(Honda), CART(Cosworth) and Atlantics (Toyota) adopted the spec engine format, the engines were leased (sealed so to speak) from the mfg. Truck teams will save manpower, tooling and R&D money in that area. Again, does this accomplish what the teams agreed to?
Pit stops: Intermissions (competition yellows or whatever you want to call them) are just stupid. It takes away incentive to lead. The fix is to have two shorter heat races and a feature w/ min (1) stop each. Simply, top 8-10 finishers from each heat…period! Heats pay same as feature. Fans get to see three starts and three finishes, start-n-parks won’t show (yeah!), no Lucky Dogs (sorry Aaron’s), you eliminate the boring mid-race doldrum period and pit stops are a premium. If you change only two in a heat, you start the feature w/ eaxactly that.
Oh yeah….all Cup and NW series races should adopt this format.
If NASCAR is going to adopt things like the Chase, they should mix it up here as well.

By: Steve Cos

Steve Cos — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 20:49:15 +0000

I’ll tell you what. In my opinion the truck series is the most exciting of the three. The races have what both NASCAR and the Nationwide don’t have…..intensity…..passion….heart……clean hard pounding bumping and rubbing. And they have something that NASCAR only fakes. And that is fantastic finishes. They don’t have nearly as many cautions (esp for debris!!!). In fact when a truck spins out or hits a wall they give him a chance to get to pit road. NASCAR just throughs a yellow to bunch everybody up. If I was a sponsor I would put my money in the truck series before the nationwide. Last season I couldn’t wait to get home on a Friday and watch the races. Sundays? Except for being sick I only watched Daytona. And I’m a huge fan. This series is everything NASCAR wants and doesn’t know how to get. Funny, its right in front of their faces.