Nostalgic NASCAR fan wants earlier races back in 2010

Q: Greg, I really enjoy your nostalgic car collector columns on the old cars and racing, so how about you let NASCAR know it's time to turn the clock back and start the races in 2010 at a normal time, like 1:30 eastern time. I loved the good old days of racing, and especially the Daytona 500 and Southern 500 at Darlington. NASCAR moved the Labor Day Southern 500 date, and we don't have a race anymore in Darlington on Labor Day. Thanks, Bob an "Old Timer" from the South.

A: Bob, I have good news for you. NASCAR and TV officials recently announced a new agreement for 2010 to change the starting times "back to normal." This is welcome news for all race fans.

I also applaud FOX TV for taking its share of the blame on the "delayed starts" and pre-race hoopla issues. David Hill, the talented FOX Sports Chairman who came to America from the United Kingdom's successful SKY Television/Sports, admitted he was wrong in the move for more pre-race hullabaloo, especially at Daytona in February. Hill hoped the event, which shared stage time with rain clouds and singing groups, would end in prime time. However, the rain everyone knew was coming ruined the strategy, shortened the race and upset many a fan.

I respect Hill for owning up to this, yet in the overall scheme of things I'm glad we have someone with Mr. Hill's talents and expertise in sports TV production. Specifically, it's been Hill and his FOX staff behind many of the novel racing extras we've come to take for granted.

Furthermore, not every Sprint Cup race is "Super Bowl Sunday." When it comes to the long February through November Sprint Cup grind, I feel there are perhaps three or four races that deserve additional pre-race ceremony. But from a fan and viewer's perspective, we had to endure way too much during the 2009 season in the guise of "pre-race" shows.

On the flip side, when a NASCAR presentation does begin I love the pre-race invocation. Specifically, it's a clergy led blessing rooted in the principles our great country was founded on. I feel NASCAR rises above all other sports in not being afraid to ask for God's blessing for a safe race in front of millions of fans and viewers. Thank goodness NASCAR is a non-governmental authority, or we'd have some "anti religion" group in here telling us to get rid of the invocation. That would be a sorry sight if I know race fans, and I'd be smack in the middle of the bunch to preserve the invocation, too!

I also love the national anthem with the military planes flying over, the "gentleman start your engines" from a race day dignitary (usually the race sponsor chairman or big boss) and a few minutes of hype from the talent. Forget the rock bands, cartoons, country singing stars or whatever entertainment that holds up what the fans paid their hard earned dollars to see. When an eastern time zone race starts at 1:30 p.m. (after a max of 15 minutes of pre-race necessities), race broadcasters have more than enough time during yellows or lulls in action to delve into other subjects and special canned features (which they do well).

In addition to the Daytona 500, there are other races that deserve more pre-race pageantry, and be packaged properly with the intent to honor instead of expand into a prime time ending. I'd say the Brickyard 400 and World 600 (the latter an automatic prime timer) deserve pre-race extras, as does the now extinct Darlington Labor Day Southern 500, which you mention. If NASCAR is truly listening to its fans, it will finally return the Labor Day "golden ram" of races to its rightful place of veneration, and support the effort now going on in Darlington to preserve its legacy. Granted, this year's Labor Day event at Atlanta proved to be a better move than California, and fans did turn out, but the oldest and one of the most prestigious races on the NASCAR circuit should be returned to its rightful time and place.

Next year, Sprint Cup's eastern races will start at 1 p.m., west races at 3 p.m., and evening races at 7:30 p.m., with the exception of the World 600, which will go off at 5:45 p.m. And, even with the 1 p.m. start as an example, pre race shows at Noon or 12:30 p.m. can still be presented for a 1 p.m. race.

Finally, congrats to Jimmie Johnson, Rick Hendrick and Chad Knaus on winning four Sprint Cup championships in a row.

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