I am not interested in weighing in on what qualifies as good racing. In my world, I would be violating code, because I’m not necessarily a paying customer. Fans deserve to be the voice of authority of whether the racing is good or not, or if they feel they are getting their money’s worth as it relates to Sprint Cup Series racing.

But I don’t mind being part of the jury as it relates to the value of the new car, and in that regard, after looking at all the evidence I believe NASCAR has done an outstanding job.

Right now, 23 races into the season, Tony Stewart, a two-time champion, is leading the points. Jeff Gordon, a four-time champion, is second, and Jimmie Johnson, the three-time defending champ, is third. For me, these three being at the head of the class is confirmation that the cream is rising to the top.

Whether this translates to great racing or not, I don’t know. But as it relates to the integrity of the sport, about everybody starting the weekend on an even playing field, playing with the same ball and bat, it speaks volumes.

Let me explain.


Recently, Dale Earnhardt Jr. said the Car of Tomorrow has made Sprint Cup racing “poor.”
(Getty)

NASCAR did an amazing thing when it transitioned to this new car, but I think it’s the basis of the frustration for some drivers. Through the new car and the tight box NASCAR put teams, the ability for one team to build a better mousetrap – for a team to show up at the track with a car that had a definitive advantage over the field – has been minimized.

Let me interpret what it is I mean. At tracks a mile and longer – fast, high-speed tracks ranging from Dover to Indy – if a car with a definitive advantage showed up and got through inspection, it meant that an average driver could leave with an above-average result.

That doesn’t exist anymore.

I’m telling you, the sport has never been more pure than it is today. In my lifetime, there has never been more mechanical integrity as it relates to the race car than what exists in the Sprint Cup Series right now. As a result, it’s more difficult to drive these cars than ever before.

This is what NASCAR wanted, and it’s why Tony Stewart is first in the standings, Jeff Gordon is second and Jimmie Johnson is third.

I understand Dale Earnhardt Jr. when he says he prefers the feel of the old car. He should, because it had more down force and, therefore, was more comfortable to drive. It’s logical for all drivers to feel that way.

But I hate to break the news: that feeling isn’t coming back, not without wholesale changes.

I compare the complaints we’re hearing now to the ones we heard when I first came into the sport, where a percentage of drivers were frustrated with the new radial tires. They longed for the feeling of the old bias ply tires.

The move to radials was every bit as big a change as the CoT – remember, everything a driver feels in his car goes through those tires – but eventually the transition was made and drivers adapted.

When was the last time you heard a driver campaigning for the old bias ply feel?

You don’t hear it, primarily because most of today’s drivers never raced on them. The fact is, 10 years from now you’re not going to have drivers reflecting back on the old car, either, because new drivers will come into the sport and adapt to this car exactly the way Joey Logano is adapting now. Even a veteran like Mark Martin, who had more laps in the old car than any of his present competitors, has made the transition and adapted to the new car. I believe it speaks to his talent.

Given enough time, NASCAR will make the necessary adjustments to improve the car the same way Goodyear improved the radial tire.

In the meantime, drivers who focus their energy on making the best of this new car are going to experience more success than those who are searching for what doesn’t exist anymore.

I am a big believer in Dale Earnhardt Jr.; I’ve raced against him and have spoken to his ability as a driver. But there are times when I feel I have more confidence in him than he does, and I think this has a lot to do with his attitude toward the CoT.

Let me speak to one more thing, and that is the argument that the reason Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson are leading the way is because they are all in Hendrick equipment. Organizational success in NASCAR has been fleeting. That’s been proven over time. But there’s nothing fleeting about the success or talent of Stewart, Gordon and Johnson. They’ve been at the head of the class for most of the past 10 years. And it’s no coincidence that they still are now.

Those competing against Stewart, Gordon, and Johnson will be better served approaching each race the same way Denny Hamlin approached Pocono a few weeks ago. In that race, he willed his way to a win. He or Carl Edwards or several others could upset the top three if they focus on their potential in each of the 10 Chase races rather than their limitations.

Those drivers searching for that old-car feel are going to be met with disappointment week after week.

In this juror’s opinion, NASCAR has gotten exactly what they were attempting to get. Two years ago they wanted to create a product that put the race back in the drivers’ hands. They wanted the outcome of a race to be a greater reflection of driver ability than of engineer ability. The proof that they got it right is the three drivers sitting at the top of the standings.

I say if Stewart, Gordon, or Johnson are to be beaten this year, let’s see it done by a potentially better driver or better team, not a better car