David Pearson: Doesnt watch NASCAR because of all the rules

#2
#2
I remember last year in an interview with Kyle Petty he said the same thing. That was a good article.
 
#3
#3
"Half the time, I don't think they know what they're talkin' about," Pearson said. "Who ever heard of putting a quarter-pound of air in a tire and being able to tell a difference? Stuff like that, I think they're wrong. All they have to do is move up the race track or down half a car length, three or four feet, and it would be the same thing."

He said even when he comes around, his interaction with today's drivers is limited at best.

"Quite a few of 'em talk to me. But some of 'em I wouldn't even know," said Pearson, now 74 but still looking tanned and dapper with his streak of silver hair. "They could be right here, standing next to me, and I wouldn't know 'em as far as that goes.

"And some of 'em, when they go to Darlington, you'd be surprised how many of 'em ask me the best way to get around that place."
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My favorite part of the article.
 
#5
#5
Nascar has screwed up and david knows it. When they took the car setup out of the crews hands they effectively killed the nascar i knew. That was such a big part of it all nascar doesn't know what they have done. I'll say this also, fox's coverage is awful. I could care less about seeing a stupid cartoon of a groundhog or whatever that stupid thing is (digger). What the hell are we watching now disney? Their hour and half long pre race stuff drives me crazy also. Brian france needs to wake up or this thing is going too erode to a point of no return.
 
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#6
#6
Bill France Jr. would love to wake up, but he died almost two years ago.

(I'm assuming you meant Brian, but I couldn't resist. :))
 
#7
#7
Cartervol said:
Nascar has screwed up and david knows it. When they took the car setup out of the crews hands they effectively killed the nascar i knew. That was such a big part of it all nascar doesn't know what they have done. I'll say this also, fox's coverage is awful. I could care less about seeing a stupid cartoon of a groundhog or whatever that stupid thing is (digger). What the hell are we watching now disney? They're hour and half long pre race stuff drives me crazy also. Bill france jr needs to wake up or this thing is going too erode to a point of no return.
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I don't like ALOT of what NASCAR has done now by reeling in the drivers and also by tying the crew chiefs hands behind their backs.

But I will defend Digger believe it or not. I'll try to do this as a comparison to pro wrestling (which I still watch). In wrestling you have giants, midgets, hotties, and everything in between. Wrestling has all different types of personalities for the different types of fans. You can have technical wrestlers that appeal to the wrestling purists, larger than life muscle guys that appeal to weightlifters and kids, cocky heels that appeal to cocky people, fun babyface characters like Rey Misterio and Kofi Kingston that appeal to children, etc. You have guys like the Undertaker and Shawn Michaels still kicking around appealing to old school fans.

In racing you have some of the same type of characters when NASCAR lets them be themselves. You have the cocky heels like Kyle Busch, Robby Gordon, Tony Stewart. You have the fun clean babyface characters like Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. You have the "old school" guys that appeal to some of the older crowd like Mark Martin, Michael Waltrip, and Bobby Labonte.

The kids like the bright colors of some cars but its hard to keep kids attention. I've noticed when my nieces are over (ages 5 and 3) that they won't really be watching the races but when they show the Digger graphic they jump up and say there's Digger and get all excited. Yeah, I personally could do without it but then seeing them getting excited and laughing over the cartoon character it made me "get it." Digger is most definitely not about the more adult fans - its for the fans with kids that might watch and they can sell Digger shirts for the youngins.

So at least IMO Fox does a pretty good job with that. Also I think they get a bit of a bad rap because they are doing what wrestling does - appeal to a broad range of people. If they were too technical it would go over some casual fans heads and that might turn them off. I hate having TV break to Jeff Hammond sometimes to show me what I've seen 2,593 times already but I have to remind myself that it could be the first race some of these people have ever seen. So, they mix a little technical talk in but also dumb alot down for the newer fans. Also on Fox you'll notice them having alot of fun with the broadcast when the racing is a bit lackluster on track. They do this to try and keep people entertained and awake. They are trying to appeal to a large range of people.

Say you go to the best steak restaurant in your state. Of course you want that good steak more than likely. But odds are that you might have a wife that don't like steak but wants chicken or a good salad. Your kids might want macaroni or a hamburger. That steak house knows they have the best steaks but they serve other items as well because not everyone is there just for the steak.

Digger is one of those items on the kids menu that the adults might not get because they are there for the steak but having a hamburger and chocolate milk makes the kids happy.
 
#8
#8
there is no place for cartoons in motor racing. period.

that said, i just change the channel.
 
#9
#9
thats a good analogy Dirty, but I think more people are turning Digger off than there are kids turning him on... i always change the channel.. kids dont like nascar, 43 cars going in circles dont appeal to kids..
 
#10
#10
I would much rather listen to a whole year of Fox than to have to put up with the ESPN bull. I've gotten to where I can't stand to hear "DR" Jerry Punch. I really do like Andy Petree but I can't stand to have to sit through his and Rusty's in race driver and crew chief questions. They both have etheir flaws. Good thing I have a dvr, I only have to watch what I want to.:)
 
#11
#11
d4ster3 said:
thats a good analogy Dirty, but I think more people are turning Digger off than there are kids turning him on... i always change the channel.. kids dont like nascar, 43 cars going in circles dont appeal to kids..
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Maybe I was just strange then - my mom and dad both tell me that by the time I was 3 I could name a good 90% of all of the NASCAR drivers if you gave me their number and I could also tell you their sponsors. I watched races with my dad ever since I can remember.
 
#12
#12
DownNDirty said:
Maybe I was just strange then - my mom and dad both tell me that by the time I was 3 I could name a good 90% of all of the NASCAR drivers if you gave me their number and I could also tell you their sponsors. I watched races with my dad ever since I can remember.
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Me too. It seems like since I was born I've watched pretty much every race that's been on. I grew up watching all kinds of sports with my dad. Without sports I don't know what purpose I would have on this earth.
 
#13
#13
DownNDirty said:
Maybe I was just strange then - my mom and dad both tell me that by the time I was 3 I could name a good 90% of all of the NASCAR drivers if you gave me their number and I could also tell you their sponsors. I watched races with my dad ever since I can remember.
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honestly, i didnt start liking it until i got to college... i really dont know any kids that like it, but i am stuck in STL now, where hardly anyone likes it
 
#14
#14
d4ster3 said:
thats a good analogy Dirty, but I think more people are turning Digger off than there are kids turning him on... i always change the channel.. kids dont like nascar, 43 cars going in circles dont appeal to kids..
Click to expand...

my 7 year old son would argue with you there...
 
#15
#15
d4ster3 said:
thats a good analogy Dirty, but I think more people are turning Digger off than there are kids turning him on... i always change the channel.. kids dont like nascar, 43 cars going in circles dont appeal to kids..
Click to expand...

i've been going to the race track since before i can remember and have loved every minute of it.
 
#17
#17
i remember when he was 3 or 4, we went to the nationwide race at bristol on a monday that was rained out and he walked all the way to the track on his own. it had to be a mile. he was so excited. he loves it.
 
#18
#18
Cartervol said:
Nascar has screwed up and david knows it. When they took the car setup out of the crews hands they effectively killed the nascar i knew. That was such a big part of it all nascar doesn't know what they have done. I'll say this also, fox's coverage is awful. I could care less about seeing a stupid cartoon of a groundhog or whatever that stupid thing is (digger). What the hell are we watching now disney? They're hour and half long pre race stuff drives me crazy also. Bill france jr needs to wake up or this thing is going too erode to a point of no return.
Click to expand...


yeah, they screwed this sport up. i don't even watch this stupid stuff anymore. at one time, i would watch every race.
 
#19
#19
DownNDirty said:
I don't like ALOT of what NASCAR has done now by reeling in the drivers and also by tying the crew chiefs hands behind their backs.

But I will defend Digger believe it or not. I'll try to do this as a comparison to pro wrestling (which I still watch). In wrestling you have giants, midgets, hotties, and everything in between. Wrestling has all different types of personalities for the different types of fans. You can have technical wrestlers that appeal to the wrestling purists, larger than life muscle guys that appeal to weightlifters and kids, cocky heels that appeal to cocky people, fun babyface characters like Rey Misterio and Kofi Kingston that appeal to children, etc. You have guys like the Undertaker and Shawn Michaels still kicking around appealing to old school fans.

In racing you have some of the same type of characters when NASCAR lets them be themselves. You have the cocky heels like Kyle Busch, Robby Gordon, Tony Stewart. You have the fun clean babyface characters like Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. You have the "old school" guys that appeal to some of the older crowd like Mark Martin, Michael Waltrip, and Bobby Labonte.

The kids like the bright colors of some cars but its hard to keep kids attention. I've noticed when my nieces are over (ages 5 and 3) that they won't really be watching the races but when they show the Digger graphic they jump up and say there's Digger and get all excited. Yeah, I personally could do without it but then seeing them getting excited and laughing over the cartoon character it made me "get it." Digger is most definitely not about the more adult fans - its for the fans with kids that might watch and they can sell Digger shirts for the youngins.

So at least IMO Fox does a pretty good job with that. Also I think they get a bit of a bad rap because they are doing what wrestling does - appeal to a broad range of people. If they were too technical it would go over some casual fans heads and that might turn them off. I hate having TV break to Jeff Hammond sometimes to show me what I've seen 2,593 times already but I have to remind myself that it could be the first race some of these people have ever seen. So, they mix a little technical talk in but also dumb alot down for the newer fans. Also on Fox you'll notice them having alot of fun with the broadcast when the racing is a bit lackluster on track. They do this to try and keep people entertained and awake. They are trying to appeal to a large range of people.

Say you go to the best steak restaurant in your state. Of course you want that good steak more than likely. But odds are that you might have a wife that don't like steak but wants chicken or a good salad. Your kids might want macaroni or a hamburger. That steak house knows they have the best steaks but they serve other items as well because not everyone is there just for the steak.

Digger is one of those items on the kids menu that the adults might not get because they are there for the steak but having a hamburger and chocolate milk makes the kids happy.
Click to expand...


well, the wwf cartoon on saturday mornings in the 80's was dumber than hell and i was a kid. matter of fact, the real life superstars of wrestling wasn't much better. nwa and georgia championship wrestling was much better.
 
#20
#20
thagodfather said:
well, the wwf cartoon on saturday mornings in the 80's was dumber than hell and i was a kid. matter of fact, the real life superstars of wrestling wasn't much better. nwa and georgia championship wrestling was much better.
Click to expand...

WWF was good, i thought, but i loved Continental Wrestling. i think thats what it was called. i was young.
 
#21
#21
d4ster3 said:
thats a good analogy Dirty, but I think more people are turning Digger off than there are kids turning him on... i always change the channel... kids dont like nascar, 43 cars going in circles dont appeal to kids.
Click to expand...

Until about the age of 15, I'd disagree with you there. When I started watching racing, there were only 2 drivers I cared about. Jeff Gordon was my all time favorite driver, and I hated Dale Sr. with a passion.

It's odd, as soon as Dale Sr. died, I started to not watch NASCAR as much.
 
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