Nascar was created on the east coast. 18 of 22 tracks are in the Eastern and Central time zones. I have no numbers to prove it, but the majority of fans HAVE to live on the east side of the Mississippi River. If these things are all true, and I know they are, then tell me why the sanctioning body that is NASCAR feels that they some how owe California the right to see a race finish during prime time? Yes, I know the race was in California, and there is a three hour time difference, but wouldn't common sense tell you to start the race at noon or one pm instead of waiting until 3:15pm local track time? Is it really necessary to make the majority of fans wait up until 10pm to see the end of a "day race"? I know, 10pm is not that late, but when you're little budding NASCAR fan wants to see how his favorite driver fairs, but mom wants him in bed at 8:30 because there is school in the morning you're border lining on ridiculous.
I understand a late start for the east when they're racing on the west coast, and I don't mind it myself all that much. But when it starts to affect the chances of finishing a race, that is when I have to protest. This years running of the Daytona 500 is the perfect example. The big question that went around was if Mike Helton and the powers that be made the correct decision to call the race so quickly when the rain started. People saw roughly 2/3 of the race, the rain came, the race was called, and when driving home didn't even have their wipers on. Matt Kenseth got to victory lane and it was a dry celebration. Questioning the weather is a crap shoot, you never know for sure, so I can't say they were wrong.....
BUT it wouldn't have been an issue if they would have just started the race at 1:30 instead of after 3:30. We have the technology to put a man on the moon, surf the world wide web at awesome speeds, and the ability to do many other unbelievable things, and yet it seems that not a single person who works for NASCAR knows how to log onto weather.com and look at the forecast or a weather map. Starting the race so late leaves you no grace period at all. Sure it puts the race on later in California, sure it gets the finish into prime time television, but if you can't at the very least have a provision for bad weather where you start the race earlier, then you are cheapening the fans experience. The most important aspect of keeping the sport healthy is keeping fans. Once you lose the fans you've lost the war. If I pay hundreds or thousands even to go to a race I want to SEE THE END. I know it's not always going to happen, but right now I just don't see them making the proper adjustments to give the race the best possible chance of finishing.
Are Mike Helton and NASCAR really that blind and stupid? I'd like to think they aren't, but so far the jury is out. They need to realize that, while getting new fans is important, you can't forget about the ones that got you where you are today.
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