What happens if NASCAR teams go rogue? And how 'bout a soccer shot-clock? | HEY, WILLIE!

HEY, WILLIE!

Just to see if I understand, are you suggesting that some of the teams are threatening to start racing in races that aren’t NASCAR-sponsored (Dec. 4 N-J)?

If they did that, what could NASCAR do about it? Kick them out of NASCAR competition?  

I'm just wondering if any of this has any chance of turning into something. What would be the motivation for a large team such as Hendrick or Gibbs? They are already established.  

Also, why do the tracks get 65% of the network money? Don't they get all the money made from the vending and ticket sales?

BOB

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HEY, BOB!

Quick review: The NASCAR teams currently receive 25% of the network contract money, through purse distributions. Right now, that 25% results in just over $2 billion over the 10-year life of the current deal that runs through 2024.

And a quick refresher, for those who majored in fine arts instead of math: It takes 1,000 million to make a billion. Sometimes we think it’s just swapping a B for an M, or simply adding one more comma to the number, so perspective always helps.

Where were we?

In a recent mini-salvo, the race teams floated the idea of sanctioning their own exhibition races, as early as a year from now, as a fund-raising venture to help balance their huge budgets. Well, either that or to get NASCAR’s attention and, better yet, a bigger piece of the pie — either way, it’s a potential budget balancer.

I keep coming back to this, however. Teams say they rely most heavily on corporate sponsorship to pay the bills, even with that $2-plus billion over 10 years. They spend their TV money to keep the lights on and go fast, and chase sponsor dough in order to go faster (and maybe buy more lights).

If, say, Rick Hendrick and Roger Penske get more TV money, wouldn’t they use all they could to go faster and continue chasing sponsorship money in order to go even faster?

In the end, some type of spending cap is all that could save these folks from themselves, but good luck implementing and policing that.

HEY, WILLIE!

Just wanted to say hello and tell you how much I enjoyed your article. Articles written by today’s journalists sometimes feel like they were written by fifth-graders.

I used to be a huge NASCAR fan but over the past few years I have switched to dirt racing for most of the reasons and subject matter in your article. 

The article gave me perspective and reminded me why my dollars now are spent with local dirt tracks and through dirt drivers’ websites for merchandise. 

KEITH

HEY, KEITH!

I’ve got news for you. After shipping and handling, you’re gonna pay over $50 for a Donny Schatz hoodie.

HEY, WILLIE!

Great story about new money developments with NASCAR. You named all of the names (on the surface) that are involved. 

I have heard of  a possible TV deal, and maybe a new streaming network. Keep up the great stories and keep us informed. 

TOM

HEY, TOM!

The Superstar Racing Experience, with Tony Stewart and Ray Evernham among the co-founders, has been around for two summers on CBS, proving it’s possible to borrow from NASCAR’s roster (Stewart, Bill Elliott, Chase Elliott, etc.) and operate a six-week “league.”

But remember, the current teams aren’t talking about another sanctioning body, just an exhibition race or two (or three?) in the offseason to make some additional money they wish they were getting from the network contract.

Either that, or negotiating. It’s a fuzzy thing sometimes.

HEY, WILLIE!

NASCAR needs to be taken down a couple of notches. 

The current TV money split stinks for the teams. They are providing the major portion of the interest.  

The races could be on the same tracks all season and few people would care. Fans go to the weekly race programs at tracks all over the country for their entire race season.  Yes the different tracks do provide a little variety but not enough to merit the current split. 

Also, I don’t like the current method of determining a champion. It is a joke.

So are the cost-saving new cars. It will take the better funded teams a few seasons to figure out a way around the NASCAR limitations of these cars and overcome them. 

PETE IN WISCONSIN

HEY, PETE!

Let's take 'em one by one . . .

OK, you’re not the first to feel that way.

The teams obviously agree.

You might have something there. Run ’em all in a big studio, just photo-shop different backgrounds onto the screen!

There’s a smattering of chatter, or a chattering of smatter, about the winner-take-all aspect of a one-race final. We’ll see if it goes anywhere.

“If we could afford just two more engineers, we’d crack the Next Gen code and be the next Richard Petty!”

HEY, WILLIE!

Great article about Lane Kiffin and the late Lou Saban (Dec. 2 N-J).

I knew and worked with Lou Saban many years ago. He had a very interesting life. No one will ever catch him when it comes to coaching jobs. 

Larry Brown, the former NCAA and NBA basketball coach, has come close.

JEFF

HEY, JEFF!

Close, but not too close. Lou Saban had 20 different head-coaching jobs, compared to Brown’s 14.

Brown also had a couple of assistant coaching jobs, including his current role, at age 82, as an assistant with the Memphis Tigers.

But Lou also was president of the New York Yankees under George Steinbrenner for two years, which probably seemed like 10 years because, you know, George Steinbrenner.

HEY, WILLIE!

A possible fix for soccer: A basketball-style shot clock. Maybe two minutes? 

When the shot clock expires, the offending side would have to leave the ball for their opponents. I wouldn’t mind low goal totals so much if there were at least shots on goal.

My gut says to do away with offsides too, but I'd settle for the shot clock.

After the Netherlands beat the U.S. in the World Cup, a guy on ESPN radio said belligerently, “I'd like to see them beat us at NASCAR!”  

Me too, since it's well known that the Dutch drive cautiously.

JRB

HEY, J!

I like the shot-clock idea. Would love to see it as an experiment somewhere.

Gotta keep the offsides, however. Nothing worse than a cherry-picker.

Also agree with the ESPN announcer, even though he was probably just offering bluster to his radio listeners, who love bluster, of course.

Still, if I find myself alongside a Dutchman at a four-way stop, I’ll test the theory with a little wave, then a pump-fake, another wave, etc.

— Reach Ken Willis at ken.willis@news-jrnl.com

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR teams flex, Tony Stewart's role, soccer shot-clocks |HEY WILLIE