The world of NASCAR has been abuzz lately, but not for the right reasons. A recent decision by the racing body has left a significant chunk of its stock car racing community unhappy. So, as the dust settles on the Go Bowling at Watkins Glen race, it’s clear that a major change introduced by NASCAR has backfired, earning the disapproval of fans.

At the start of the 2023 season, NASCAR announced a major change in the rules that left fans divided. For the first time in seven years of stage racing, the thrill of designated stage breaks was absent at road courses and the Chicago Street Circuit. However, the excitement NASCAR had anticipated was met with a different reaction from its stock car racing community.

NASCAR’s gamble: Fans react to rule change as Watkins Glen race becomes predictable

Go Bowling at Watkins Glen marked a significant chapter in NASCAR history, becoming only the fifth race in Cup Series history to feature stages and stage points without actual stage breaks. NASCAR’s initiative aimed to challenge teams and create fresh narratives. Yet the response from fans indicates a potential mismatch between expectations and reality. They were opposed by the fact that there was no battle to be seen anywhere in the field. Especially at the front as William Byron just ran away with the win.

Before NASCAR went ahead with the decision to eliminate stage breaks, significant voices within the industry complained about the predictability of race results on road courses. In putting strategy back into the equation, NASCAR deemed it best to remove the stage blocks, but with the cost of drivers gasping for air and reset. After all, after seven consecutive seasons with stage blocks, the realities of the drivers were further apart from what they were used to, and they weren’t the ones to shut up about it.

Brad Keselowski was one of them. As reported by Racer, he said, “Your heart rate never gets the chance to drop. I went the whole race last weekend without drinking a sip of water because [I] couldn’t. There was no time to do it. It’s really easy to get dehydrated, and there’s fatigue that’s associated with that [which made it a] really grueling race. I expect something very similar [at Watkins Glen Sunday], and we’ll have to react and adapt accordingly.”

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Austin Cindric was seen pulling his arm back physically after getting out of the car. Larson too agreed, and said, “It’s just more physically demanding, for sure, and wrapping your head around it mentally took an adjustment. I remember at COTA, I kind of forgot that we don’t have a caution and I’m racing really hard, and you’re getting your heart rate up and pushing to the end of that stage where typically you can relax. As soon as I crossed the start-finish line, I was like, ‘Oh [expletive] we still have to keep going?’ That was mentally tough trying to manage your race and your body. Indy was the same thing, but I was more ready to keep going. It was hot, but I enjoyed it. It’s more of a pure race.”

Notably, a Twitter poll by Jeff Gluck on whether the race was enjoyable revealed that more than half of the community respondents found it unsatisfactory. The NASCAR community is no stranger to passionate fans. And their voices resonated strongly in response to the poll. As of now, the results stand at only 39.6% of fans voting in favor and the other 60.4% are against. They not only voted against the race being good but most took it to the comments and voiced their discontent, primarily targeting the absence of stage breaks.

The NASCAR community deemed the Watkins Glen race as boring for the most part

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The discontent among NASCAR fans reverberated across social media platforms. The removal of stage breaks seemed to have irked many, impacting their overall viewing experience. Fans voiced their concerns in the comment section of Jeff’s tweet, lamenting the lack of excitement and action on the track due to the new rule.

The absence of stage cautions and the resultant impact on race strategy left a void that fans found hard to fill. Fans pointed out the lack of passing on the track and the absence of stage cautions as key factors contributing to their disappointment. It altered race dynamics in unexpected ways, removing opportunities for teams to strategize effectively. As the racing community shared their perspectives, it was evident that the sport’s attempt to reinvent itself didn’t quite resonate with its dedicated fanbase.

“Softer tires and the return of stage breaks needs to happen. NASCAR isn’t changing the car and right now there’s no penalty for going 100% for 100% of the race. Softer tires create comers and goers while stage cautions break up the monotony of all the cars being the same.”

“No stage cautions. That doesn’t save the race.”

“My driver dominated and I thought it was boring. After Chase ran out of gas, there was really no drama on the playoff scenario.”

“Had that caution didn’t come out. It was going to be the worst race of the season because caution free races are bad for the sport. The race was just average at best.”

“To short, need stage breaks back on road courses, could not pass… BORING”

The fanbase’s response to Watkins Glen underscores the importance of maintaining the delicate balance between innovation and fan expectations. As the racing world grapples with this evolving landscape. The journey to find the perfect formula for captivating races continues, driven by the passion and opinions of dedicated stock racing followers.

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