Today, NASCAR has great drivers but not a single superstar. The sport has always relied on the value of the drivers taking center stage. Richard Petty did it during his run in the 60s and 70s, and then came the era of the ‘Intimidator’, Dale Earnhardt, who reigned supreme until the 90s. Thereafter came the likes of Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, who further carried the sport on their backs.
Unfortunately, the current generation of drivers just hasn’t been able to replicate the success of their predecessors. In contrast, the product of racing, rules, and structuring have had their say in curbing any dominant streaks by the drivers. But that has further added to the woes of the decline of the sport, and without a central figure, NASCAR feels just different, not in a good way.
Kyle Busch, who is among the only current two drivers to have won multiple championships, addressed this issue ahead of the Kansas race, stating that the current generation of drivers, including himself, have not been able to retain the hardcore fans. Further signifying how the lack of star drivers has hampered the growth and progress of the sport.
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Why can’t we have the next NASCAR superstar driver?
Multiple reasons contribute to this mystery. However, the biggest of them is the idea of parity racing with the NextGen car. Not only do all the teams and drivers share the same equipment, but now they can get hold of SMT data from the rival