Updated Dec. 4
A few Thanksgiving leftovers in this week's mailbag as readers sound off on Jimmie Johnson, the Chase, NASCAR's testing ban and the future of racing television coverage.
From: ruisen
Is Jimmie Johnson automatically the prohibitive favorite to win next year's title? If he is -- and does -- I think it will continue to hurt the sport in terms of interest as fans get tired of seeing the same guy win every year.
It is definitely Johnson's title to lose until one of the regular-season points leaders shows he can also be a factor during the Chase, when the No. 48 team shines. As for the dwindling interest because one driver keeps winning the championship, it's a problem other sports deal with when one team dominates, and NASCAR is not immune. Fans will either tune in to watch history being made if Johnson runs for a possible fourth straight title, or they will ignore it. I can guarantee you Johnson and Co. couldn't care less, as long as they're winning.
From: edwuadrs
The Chase is the worst format to determine a champion in any sport and NASCAR will continue to struggle as long as the system is used.
As long as the BCS is used in college football, the Chase will never be in danger of being considered the worst format to determine a champion. I like the Chase and think it provides the necessary excitement for the NASCAR title in this day and age. Take Jimmie Johnson and his historic run for three straight titles out of the equation and I bet more fans would embrace the Chase.
From: budlorch
I think the 'declining ratings' for NASCAR broadcasts lies squarely with the networks and their push for subscribers to buy their specialty channels. Gone are the days when you could rely on a race being on a regular network. Now, there are many that can only be seen if you have the resources to subscribe to cable or satellite bundles which usually contain other channels you will never watch. I refuse to be taken in by this, and therefore don't see all the races I'd like. I can't afford it.
Like other sports, NASCAR has seen the majority of its programming migrate to cable and away from over-the-air broadcast networks. But in reality, the bulk of last year's Sprint Cup races were carried by either FOX or ABC. There will no doubt be more events and programming heading to cable and satellite in the coming years as the sanctioning body looks for additional revenue streams. Some fans might unfortunately be priced out.
From: garry
Do you think NASCAR's testing ban will have an effect or is it just a political move by the sanctioning body to look like it's trying to save team's money?
Teams have told me they will save anywhere from $3 million to $5 million a year by eliminating a testing program in 2009. That's a pretty big chunk of change and, with this mandate, I do believe NASCAR has the interest of teams trying to cut operating expenses in mind. Whether or not it levels the playing field between the super teams and the mid- to lower-sized operations is debatable. I still believe teams will test outside of NASCAR-sanctioned tracks and wiggle around the rule.
