A Petition from the Fans of NASCAR

Mr. Brian France, Mr. Mike Helton, NASCAR, et al.

We the fans of NASCAR racing-the sport, strongly oppose your efforts to create NASCAR racing-the game. Your decision the enact a playoff system shows a great disrespect to all who are involved with Cup and it's success.

-Your playoff system shows great disrespect for fans who follow a driver from the first practice session until the last loading of the transporter from January to November.
-Your playoff system shows great disrespect to the teams that work day and night, 52 weeks a year trying to make their car the best that hits a track on any given day.
-Your playoff system shows great disrespect to drivers who risk their lives dozens of times a year in hopes of gaining a championship or even a single win.
-Your playoff system shows great disrespect to sponsors who came to this sport with the belief and promise that they would be given fair treatment through the course of a season.

While (we) understand that there are those who are fans of this playoff system, there are a great many more who strongly oppose it's enactment and will make our voices heard on the subject. We will contact sponsors. We will contact media. We will contact manufacturers. We will contact fan clubs, teams, drivers, etc. The list goes on.

And make no mistake, we will stop buying NASCAR merchandise in the numbers you are accustomed to seeing. We will return race tickets. We will find other ways to spend our Sunday afternoons. We will find other racing series to follow. Series that respect their fans.

Fans were asked in several polls across the Internet (including NASCAR.com) and we overwhelmingly voted AGAINST just such a points change. Yet you, NASCAR, have chosen to ignore fans and our wishes and proceed with this plan.

One of (your) arguments has been a desire to gain new fans. The stands are already full, so let me ask: Just how much is enough? When do you make enough money? When do you get to the point where it is 'good enough'? NASCAR got to where it (was) because of the fans and a format that we liked and that made sense, just as it does in every other form of racing. You seem to have chosen to ignore that fact and inflict damage to the very foundation that got you to where you are.

Mr. France, Mr. Helton, NASCAR: Your greed and arrogance have brought you to a dangerous crossroad. The direction you have chosen to take is the road less taken for a reason. Do not expect to look back and see the followers you once had.