Pocono Proves That NASCAR’s Issues Include Their Fans

NASCAR could not win in Pocono this weekend and it’s through no fault of their own. NASCAR fans have reached a new level of ridiculousness and it’s beginning to negatively impact the sport.

Let’s be honest for a moment because we have all been there. At one point or another everyone reading this (myself included) have bashed NASCAR for one thing or another. Maybe it was the restart fiasco last season, maybe it was over the way they penalize teams, the point is that we have all been there.

NASCAR has had their share of moments where they deserve to be looked at with a critical eye but that doesn’t mean that every situation should be handled the same way by fans. Every NASCAR decision should not be viewed as a move of incompetence or another example of the governing body not doing what is perceived to be the right thing to do.

There comes a point where NASCAR fans need to get over themselves and while some will say that point has already come, I say that point happened this weekend in Pocono.

For starters, NASCAR fans need to understand where Pocono Raceway is located. Was putting a race track in the mountains the best choice when it comes to potential weather issues? Maybe not. However, the track is located where it is located and that’s that. Yes, it rains a lot around the track, it rains in June, it rains in July and it rains in August. Those other months, it also rains (or snows) so when it comes to Pocono everyone should know it’s hit-or-miss in regards to the weather. With this in mind, those who constantly complain about the weather or blame NASCAR for it, you need to move on.

That brings us to the race on Monday.

The NASCAR fans who were upset that they didn’t run the final 22 laps in the fog, I don’t have much to say to you because you’re clearly already in a place of madness. Anyone who would suggest running 40 cars around a track at 165+ MPH in conditions where visibility is reduced (and in some spots non-existent) is off of their rocker. This is most likely the same demographic that critiqued Jeff Gordon for falling out of the pack so he could put his seat belt back on. Apparently racing without a seat belt in foggy conditions is not an issue for these NASCAR fans.

Those fans aside, there was a tremendous social media outcry against NASCAR during the red flag portion of the race. NASCAR fans came in droves and demanded that NASCAR end the race and declare Chris Buescher the winner. Some claimed that if another driver was leading the race (Earnhardt Jr., Gordon, Danica Patrick etc.) NASCAR would have called the race sooner to award them a victory.

Please stop.

When NASCAR calls the race quickly fans complain (like they did on Sunday) and when they wait to call it fans still complain. NASCAR did everything in their power to try to run those last 22 laps but the weather simply did not cooperate. Every driver not named Chris Buescher wanted that race to restart so they could run for the win or a better finishing spot.

The NASCAR community then took another turn after the race was called. The droves of NASCAR fans that just called NASCAR out for dragging their feet in calling the race then bashed Buescher for being eligible for the Chase via a win in a weather-shortened race.

What?

On Sunday you’re upset because NASCAR didn’t try to run a 400-mile race in what might have been a two-hour window between 6:30 and 8:30, at a track with no lights. On Monday you’re upset that NASCAR doesn’t let the field run in almost zero-visibility conditions. Later on Monday you’re upset because NASCAR tries to wait out the weather to finish the race and when they finally do call the race, you bash the driver who won the race.

I am not even going to get into the fact that the majority of NASCAR fans complain when the same driver wins every week. I am not going to even take the time to point out that Buescher is not only a rookie but also a first-time winner in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

NASCAR has reached a point where the majority of fans now simply complain to hear their own voices. NASCAR cannot win, nothing they do will ever be right anymore. On Sunday NASCAR could return to how things were done in the early 90’s (what many fans beg for) and fans would still find an issue with it.

must read: Winners And Losers From Pocono

NASCAR has done plenty of things in the past that deserve critique but not every move or decision deserves to be met with the utmost opposition. Monday was a great moment in NASCAR and a great moment for Buescher but it was overshadowed by fans and their contempt for NASCAR. This year’s NASCAR Chase could potentially have three rookies in it along with a couple of third-year drivers. NASCAR is in a good place right now and they are slowly moving towards a brighter future.

Supposed NASCAR fans need to get either get onboard or move out of the way because you’re slowing down the train and making the journey less enjoyable for the rest of us.