2014 NASCAR Cup regular season

[gomick]

Harvick on the pole at Darlington from Logano & the 2 Petty Cars

[JHamilton]

When it's not raining this year, they are just blowing tires.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Great race for some reason Sprint Cup has been unusually crazy/exciting this year. Only boring races this year were Vegas and Texas and those had last lap passes.

[MJ_N_09]

Yeah, but we've talked about the progressive ratings decline over and over. It's a shame that this may have all come too late for people to see.

[NaBUru38]

Standings after Darlington:

1. Jeff Gordon (Chevrolet), 297
2. Matt Kenseth (Toyota), 296
3. Carl Edwards (Ford), 278
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr (Chevrolet), 271
5. Jimmie Johnson (Chevrolet), 270
6. Kyle Busch (Toyota), 269
7. Brad Keselowski (Ford), 246
8. Joey Logano (Ford), 245
9. Ryan Newman (Chevrolet), 236
10. Austin Dillon (Chevrolet), 235
11. Greg Biffle (Ford), 227
12. Brian Vickers (Toyota), 224
13. Tony Stewart (Chevrolet), 224
14. Denny Hamlin (Toyota), 223
15. Kyle Larson (Chevrolet), 223

Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson haven't won yet, so they need a win to (almost) secure a Chase spot.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by MJ_N_09

Yeah, but we've talked about the progressive ratings decline over and over. It's a shame that this may have all come too late for people to see.

The borefests of 2012 and 2013 certainly didn't help.

Although 'good racing' last year certainly didn't help Indycar either...


I say more boobs and explosions, those will probably help auto racing's TV ratings problem in the States.

[gomick]

The true fans will still watch - wont they?
Not a bad race at all, Harvick deserved that one & I am glad he beat the Hendricks cars...
Bit of credit to the #9 team on finishing 14th, that car must have been poo in the changing conditions dropping from 4th to 30th & losing a lap - they have showed they can run top 10 if they can get the car right...

[rustyfan]

Would've preferred seeing Junior win, but good race overall.

I wonder if Bowyer will be nervous about being around Kurt Busch on track when they come to Richmond in two weeks...

[Hendrix]

It's nice to see Harvick get a win considering how crappy the last few races have been for him. Also nice to see Dillon & Larson running towards the front.

[gomick]

How about Allmendinger calling Dillon a rich so & so when they rubbed - guess Austin is used to being called that by now

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by gomick

The true fans will still watch - wont they?

They aren't watching much now.

Not a bad race at all

I've never seen a bad race at Darlington. This is what the true fans want to see; real tracks, that have history and grit. Not some new, squeaky clean facility with modern restrooms and smoking bans.

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

I've never seen a bad race at Darlington. This is what the true fans want to see; real tracks, that have history and grit. Not some new, squeaky clean facility with modern restrooms and smoking bans.

[gomick]

Haha, I agree... F1 has become boring with all those new age design tracks - bring back the forest at Hockenheim

[R.Lee]

FULLY AGREE, have NEVER seen a bad race at Darlington! My favorite track and the track that I consider the greatest race track in the world. Ashame there are not more tracks, with the "character" of Darlington. Love the short tracks, Bristol and Martinsville have their "character" too. I miss Rockingham and North Wilkesboro. Richmond isn't bad, though I liked it better in it's old 1/2 configuration. That Iowa track might be a good addition to the schedule, and I wish they would run at Memphis Motorsports Park. Always liked that 3/4 track. Throw in a dirt track or two (Eldora was extreamly popular, with the trucks last year) and we'd be in business!

[HJJ]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

They aren't watching much now.

True dat.

Early Darlington TV Ratings: Primetime coverage of "NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing From Darlington " with 5.921 million viewers, adults 18-49 a 1.4 rating in front on Saturday. In 2013 FOX was the top draw on Saturday (4-13-2013) with its coverage of "NASCAR: Sprint Cup Racing from Texas" (5.908 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1).(Futon Critic), for past TV Ratings for the 2014 races and a 5-year comparison chart, see the 2014 TV Ratings page.(4-14-2014)
UPDATE: Saturday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Southern 500 from Darlington (SC) earned a 3.2 overnight rating on FOX, down 9% from each of the past three years (3.5) and the lowest ever for a Sprint Cup telecast on FOX (dates back to 2001). The previous low for NASCAR on FOX was a 3.3 overnight for the 2009 Subway Fresh Fit 500 from Phoenix, also on a Saturday night. Six of the seven lowest rated NASCAR races on FOX in the metered markets each took place on a Saturday night - 2014 Darlington (3.2), 2013 Richmond (3.4), 2012 Richmond (3.4), 2011 Richmond (3.4), 2010 Richmond (3.4), and 2009 Phoenix (3.3). The lone exception was the rain-drenched 2012 Fontana race, which earned a 3.4 overnight on a Sunday afternoon. Prior to this year, the Darlington race took place in May opposite the NBA Playoffs.(Sports Media Watch / Sports Business Daily)(4-14-2014)

And this nugget...

Subway 'exploring' F1 sponsorship: Subway is considering a ground-breaking sponsorship deal with Formula One which could see several of the sport's teams and superstar drivers teaming up to promote the brand. Subway was founded in the US in 1965 by billionaire Fred DeLuca but the UK and Ireland has become its biggest market outside America since the company opened its first store across the Atlantic in 1994. Its sponsorship strategy centres on athletes such as English boxer Anthony Ogogo and Holly Bleasdale, who holds the British pole vault record. Zak Brown, chief executive of JMI which handles Subway's motorsport sponsorship, says that F1 would be the "perfect" fit. "I took the Subway Chief Marketing Officer to meet Bernie [Ecclestone, F1's chief executive] in Montreal last year, and I would say they have been exploring it for a year," says Mr Brown. "They are all about the consumer, they are massive media buyers so they would look at a sport and see if it stacks up from a media point of view and Formula One does." Subway is JMI's oldest client and first worked with it in 2002. JMI is responsible for bringing Subway to F1's American rival NASCAR, where it sponsors a team, a driver and a race (#99 Carl Edwards, no Cup race in 2014). Mr Brown says it is likely Subway would follow the same model in F1.(in part from The Telegraph), no word if thie would affect the sponsor of the #99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford and/or Carl Edwards.(4-14-2014)

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by HJJ

True dat.

And this nugget...

Originally Posted by R.Lee

FULLY AGREE, have NEVER seen a bad race at Darlington! My favorite track and the track that I consider the greatest race track in the world. Ashame there are not more tracks, with the "character" of Darlington. Love the short tracks, Bristol and Martinsville have their "character" too. I miss Rockingham and North Wilkesboro. Richmond isn't bad, though I liked it better in it's old 1/2 configuration. That Iowa track might be a good addition to the schedule, and I wish they would run at Memphis Motorsports Park. Always liked that 3/4 track. Throw in a dirt track or two (Eldora was extreamly popular, with the trucks last year) and we'd be in business!

Its so obvious that they have alienated and sacrificed the fans they have had for decades to make it bigger even when it was busting at the seams. It's blowing up in their face as we speak.

Originally Posted by JHamilton

Dem Som ******* couldn't close an umbrella.

[jimmer]

Darlington once again delivers , great car for harvick and a awsome win , Good lad

[MJ_N_09]

Uhoh, we're down to at least 6 Rookies and at least one less full time team. Swan Racing is closing one or both of its teams due to lack of sponsorship. If the team continues past Richmond, it'll only be with Cole Whitt. The other team for Parker Klingerman is already gone. The other scenario is the team being absorbed by BK racing, who seem to be stable.

[R.Lee]

Well, it's the Easter break. No racing to watch, this weekend. But the break is good for the teams and drivers, I know. Probably for us fans too, if you really think about it. Racing will return, this coming weekend, at Richmond. I've not been to that track, since they expanded it to 3/4 miles. It was still a half hile track, when i went there. Maybe I'll get up there again, one day and see a race on this track configuration. It seems to produce some good racing. Anyway, everybody have a Happy, safe and above all, a Blessed Easter.

[rustyfan]

Originally Posted by MJ_N_09

Uhoh, we're down to at least 6 Rookies and at least one less full time team. Swan Racing is closing one or both of its teams due to lack of sponsorship. If the team continues past Richmond, it'll only be with Cole Whitt. The other team for Parker Klingerman is already gone. The other scenario is the team being absorbed by BK racing, who seem to be stable.

According to the latest update at Jayski, from yesterday, Cole Whitt is now looking for a ride for Richmond.

It's a shame, but I can't help but feel Swan Racing was a tad too ambitious going for a unsponsored two-car team with rookies coming into the 2014 season. Obviously Speedweeks wasn't kind to the team, which probably left them in a bit of a hole due to several torn up cars, but still...

[Hendrix]

The #26 is now a part of BK Racing with Cole continuing to drive it, the #30 is now a part of Xxxtreme Motorsports with Yeley driving.

[R.Lee]

Originally Posted by Hendrix

The #26 is now a part of BK Racing with Cole continuing to drive it, the #30 is now a part of Xxxtreme Motorsports with Yeley driving.

Swan racing said the same thing about Parker Kligerman, that they said about Cole Whit, that they are going to make ever effort to keep him on the track for the rest of this season. He remains under contract with them. They were successful with Whit, hopefully, they will find success in keeping Kligerman employed as well.

[rustyfan]

I'm looking forward to Richmond. Gonna keep my fingers crossed there will be some... fireworks, of the retaliatory kind, out on track

[MJ_N_09]

BK racing must be beyond loaded to take on a 3rd team. Also, at least now XXxtreme can actually make races (they said they won't be a S&P).

Speaking of that, the #77 seems to be our only Start and Parker in Cup. The #87 would also have been if it continued.

[R.Lee]

Originally Posted by MJ_N_09

BK racing must be beyond loaded to take on a 3rd team. Also, at least now XXxtreme can actually make races (they said they won't be a S&P).

Speaking of that, the #77 seems to be our only Start and Parker in Cup. The #87 would also have been if it continued.

Hard to say. It will be interesting to see what unfolds with these teams in the next few races.