Fan Commentary

Moving The Winston The Next Screw-Up?

by Grandstand Bob

When my dad first set me loose with the grill, I made the most disgusting burgers you’ve ever seen. Obsessed with not letting them burn, I flipped the patties continuously until they fell apart and dried out. Only with copious amounts of catsup and Budweiser was I able to convince anyone to try eating them.

Whether it’s burgers or racing, if you screw around with something long enough, you’re going to ruin it. That’s what would happen if The Winston were moved from Charlotte.

The Winston belongs in Charlotte; it belongs the weekend before the 600 and it belongs at night. That’s not to say that other tracks are not worthy of an all-star event – hell, I’d like to see a shoot-out at Martinsville – but The Winston works better in Charlotte than it would anywhere else for a number of reasons.

The main reason why The Winston should not move is that it is located in the heart of stock car racing country. The France family might like you to believe that Daytona Beach is the epicenter of NASCAR, but the fact remains that nearly all of the race shops and most of the teams are located within an hour or two of Charlotte. That geography benefits both the spectators and the participants in The Winston.

Spectators can tour race shops and other businesses associated with Winston Cup racing as part of their trip to Charlotte. In fact, many make an annual pilgrimage to their favorite driver’s shop each year in conjunction with The Winston, and they get two races in one trip by bookending their vacation with the 600. In addition, because these teams are based near Charlotte, the town is bursting with things for race fans to do, particularly during the days surrounding the race. Speed Street is a prime example of this. Music and racing-related activities provide fans with something to do away from the track. Yes, other towns do similar things, but no one does it better than Charlotte.

Racing in Charlotte to most teams means sleeping in your own bed, which is a rarity for most of these guys. Plus, it means seeing your wife and kids, and having your wife, kids and friends see you at work. These are ordinary people, and they enjoy a sense of being at home as much as anyone of us.

Speaking of ordinary people, even the series’ struggling drivers get a shot at The Winston, but if it were moved to a different track, travel to that track might make it impossible for a team with limited resources to go. Furthermore, everyone tests at Charlotte, so everyone has had a chance to fine-tune their car. That would likely not be the case at any other track.

Though it’s not my favorite track for racing, the fact that Lowes Motor Speedway is an awesome facility is beyond contention. Just driving up to the facility you get a sense that this is one special place. I still remember the first time that I took my brother-in-law to Lowes. His only other NASCAR experience was Martinsville, and seeing Lowes made him speechless. Plus, the track is nice and clean, and doesn’t mock common sense with bogus cooler bans.

The racing at Charlotte can be good, and the format of The Winston encourages good racing. Whereas the marathons like the 600 can spread the field out all around the 1.5-mile track and make a race a yawner, short sprints encourage drivers to race all out, and with Charlotte’s banking, that means side-by-side racing and using pure guts to make passes. Just look back on some past Winston action for proof.

Now, NASCAR wants to throw all of that away and move The Winston to some other track, which you can bet the farm will be an ISC track. Does anyone else smell retribution for Johnny Cochran's suit? The way things are going, it will be flat 1.5 mile track and tickets will only be available through a package deal with all of the track’s other races. Oh, and don’t bother bringing your cooler or expect to get your scanner serviced with your usual trailer. As a matter of fact, just mail your wallet to Daytona Beach and let ISC take what they want.

My friend Terry finally helped me grill a good burger. “Your @Q#ing with it too much Bob,” he said. “Quit @Q#ing with it.” Hello Daytona Beach, are you listening?

Grandstand Bob Profile and Past Columns

note: This opinions expressed in this column are those of writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of ARS Racing Outlet or its parent company, amI, Inc.