100 Stock Car Racing "What Ifs": Bruckheimer's Bump

Nascar has a long and storied history, but it also has a past littered with “What If?” questions.  Join author Mike Mackler as he takes a look back at stock car racing’s 100 most-intriguing hypotheticals in “100 Stock Car Racing ‘What Ifs’”, the book available on Amazon in both Paperback and Kindle formats.  Here’s a preview of one of the one hundred “What If” questions asked throughout the book:
Nascar's best-ever promotion?

25. What if Days of Thunder was never made?

Background: The first modern big-budget action movie based around Nascar, the Tom Cruise vehicle (pun intended) premiered in 1990 after significant production support from Nascar.

What Actually Happened: Although derided by critics and hardcore racing fans alike, the movie sparked an interest in stock car racing from the general public—arguably the first wave of publicity that would peak with Jeff Gordon’s first championship.

What Could Have Been the Turning Point: What if Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson realized that they’d already made Top Gun and didn’t need to make it with race cars?
I own this on DVD--sorry

What COULD Have Happened: If you said you were a Nascar fan in the early-90’s, you would occasionally get a response of “Oh, like Days of Thunder”.  The film was a touchstone for the general public to identify stock car racing, and arguably having the star being a racer who was NOT a “good old boy” helped the sport shake its southern stereotype.

And if THAT Happened…: Would Nascar have become a national force in the late-90’s and 00’s without Days of Thunder?  Probably.  But while the movie itself isn’t the best, it was nice to have a slick Hollywood production as a promotional tool for the sport, rather than something like “Stroker Ace” or “Six Pack”.

What Else Could Have Happened: It could be argued that had this movie never been made, it would have been easier for Nascar to sweep the history of Tim Richmond (the inspiration for Cole Trickle’s character) under the rug.

Why It Had to Turn Out The Way It Did: Nascar needed an introduction to non-race fans, and this assault on the senses was, for better or worse, just what the sport needed.


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100 Stock Car Racing "What Ifs": Kyle's Chance

Nascar has a long and storied history, but it also has a past littered with “What If?” questions.  Join author Mike Mackler as he takes a look back at stock car racing’s 100 most-intriguing hypotheticals in “100 Stock Car Racing ‘What Ifs’”, the book available on Amazon in both Paperback and Kindle formats.  Here’s a preview of one of the one hundred “What If” questions asked throughout the book:

74. What if Kyle Busch had signed with Roush Racing?

Roush Racing Truck Series drivers
Jon Wood and Kyle Busch
Background: Shortly after Kurt Busch began his Cup Series career, his younger brother Kyle emerged as a serious prospect for future success.  With Kurt racing at the time for Roush Racing (later renamed Roush Fenway Racing), a spot for Kyle with Roush’s driver development program made sense.

What Actually Happened: The younger Busch only ran a handful of Truck Series events for Roush Racing before a new age minimum of 18 forced him out of Nascar and into the American Speed Association.  When he returned to Nascar, Kyle decided to instead take an offer with Hendrick Motorsports, seeking what he felt was a better contract offer and the chance to succeed out of his brother’s shadow.

What Could Have Been the Turning Point: What if Roush Racing had signed Kyle earlier on to a longterm contract, keeping him with the team?
The Busch Brothers have pretty much
blazed their own paths in Cup

What COULD Have Happened: Despite Nascar’s reputation as a family-centric sport, very few brothers have raced together on the same team on a regular basis.  Whether its the tendency of drivers to want to take out their own identities, or owners’ desire to avoid putting all their eggs in one (family) basket, the Busch Brothers racing together in Cup for Roush would have been a rare event.

And if THAT Happened…: While the opportunity of two young, talented brothers racing together could have been enticing to sponsors, the brash personalties of Kurt and Kyle might have been more of a turnoff than an inducement to fork money over to Roush.  Furthermore, Kurt’s eventual departure from Roush Racing would have been made all the more awkward with his brother possibly caught in the middle.

What Else Could Have Happened: While Kyle had a successful run at Hendrick Motorsports, it wasn’t until his arrival at Joe Gibbs Racing that he really came into his own as “Rowdy”, one of the most-successful and polarizing drivers of his age.  Such a move may never have happened if Kyle had signed with Roush at first, although oddly enough that would have meant that three future JGR drivers would have been in Roush equipment—Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, and Carl Edwards.

Why It Had to Turn Out The Way It Did: In the long run, signing with Hendrick Motorsports put Kyle Busch on the path to Nascar superstardom.


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100 Stock Car Racing "What Ifs": DEI's Decision

Nascar has a long and storied history, but it also has a past littered with “What If?” questions.  Join author Mike Mackler as he takes a look back at stock car racing’s 100 most-intriguing hypotheticals in “100 Stock Car Racing ‘What Ifs’”, the book available on Amazon in both Paperback and Kindle formats.  Here’s a preview of one of the one hundred “What If” questions asked throughout the book:

53. What if Dale Earnhardt Jr. got partial ownership of DEI?

Inside DEI (the "Garage Mahal")
Background: Dale Earnhardt Jr. got his start in Nascar racing for his father’s team, Dale Earnhardt Inc.  After his father’s death, Dale Jr. became the public face not only of the team, but of the sport itself, driving the familiar number 8 Budweiser car for the team now operated by his stepmother, Teresa Earnhardt.

What Actually Happened: A downturn in DEI’s performance coincided with a contract year for Dale Jr.  He asked for controlling interest in the team in order to re-sign, something that Teresa Earnhardt refused almost out of hand.  Spurned, Dale Jr. moved to Hendrick Motorsports, while DEI would continue a slide into irrelevance.

What Could Have Been the Turning Point: What if Teresa Earnhardt was so concerned about losing Dale Jr., her most-talented driver at the time, that she simply gave into his demands?

What COULD Have Happened: Dale Jr. is a sponsorship magnet, as even in the sport’s challenging marketing atmosphere of the 2010’s, he rarely went without solid backing in Cup.  His presence likely would have been enough to maintain sponsorship both for his own car and his teammates.
Who could've imagined Dale Jr. a HMS?

And if THAT Happened…: While the immediate financial future of DEI would have been secured, the competitive picture may have continued to head downward.  DEI had fallen behind Hendrick Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing in the Chevrolet pecking order, and while GM would likely have done whatever they could have to keep their most-popular driver in winning equipment, the company’s financial troubles were coming to the forefront as well.

What Else Could Have Happened: Would DEI have stayed in Nascar?  That remains to be seen.  The relationship between Dale Jr. and Teresa was frosty, albeit usually professional, and one may have still left the organization in the years that followed.

Why It Had to Turn Out The Way It Did: Dale Jr. was given the opportunity of a lifetime to race for Rick Hendrick AND run his own race team in JR Motorsports.


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