It has been a great start of the season....until Bristol.
Attendance and ratings were up all across the board....until Bristol.
This track used to be the place with the toughest tickets to get, now that is no longer the case. Now, you could buy twenty to thirty thousand tickets just 20 seconds before the green flag. Why? It's all because of the new configuration.
Bristol Motor Speedways decided to install progressive banking on the surface in 2007 - meaning the top of the track has more banking than the bottom of the track. This creates more side by side racing, however, it wasn't as good of an idea as it was on paper. As lead changes increased, bumping, wrecking, and fighting decreased.
Bummer.
That's exactly what the majority of the fans are saying, if not, all of them. Bristol is no longer 'The Place' to go watch a NASCAR race. It's just like any other track, just a lot smaller.
Now, that's not to say the racing isn't good. The racing is still one of the best and would be great to see anywhere else. However, this is Bristol, the ultimate short track, the ultimate bull ring. Here, side by side racing is just a let down.
So where does NASCAR, and most importantly Bristol Motor Speedway go from here?
This might be a lot to ask for, but the track needs to be re-done.
It is now time to mix it up. Whether it be put back like the old Bristol, or re-done in a different way, it is key that the speedway gets back to its motto of "racing, the way it ought to be." If not, who knows where Bristol might be in the future.
