Pre-Season Musings
By M.L. Morgan

Well, race fans, less than a month until the BIG one - the Daytona 500. Why we have our biggest, most prestigious race at the beginning of the season is beyond my comprehension. But I'll save that for another column.

A recent article in Winston Cup Scene (no byline) reminded us that Nascar is considering some more rule changes for the 1999 season. That in itself should surprise no one; Nascar is constantly tweaking the rules to suit their mood of the week. But now they are talking about revising the Past Champion's Provisional Starting spot rule. All I can say is it's about time !

This absolutely preposterous rule allowed Darrell Waltrip to start 20 races in 1998 which he could not get into by owner's points or speed. (I can't believe I said 'D.W.' and 'speed' in the same sentence). This is outrageous. These 20 starting spots could have been used by one of the competitive teams who did not have the owner's points to qualify but had actually posted better qualifying speeds than Waltrip. After all, this 'sport' is called RACING - and I equate racing with speed - not getting free admission based on 10 year-old accomplishments. That's a bunch of crap. And it's high time to bring it to a screeching halt.

The whole deal with provisional starts was well-intentioned but it has gotten completely out of hand. As the rules stand now 7 cars out of each 43-car starting line-up make the field via provisional starts. That's absurd. I am 100% in favor of doing away with provisional starts completely. The 43 fastest qualifiers make the field each week - the rest of the teams can put their junk on their trailers and try again next week. Such is life - I told you this is called RACING. Let the teams who missed the field race back to their shops and work a little harder.

Another rule change Nascar has bandied around for some time is limiting the number of crew members at the track for each race and/or test session. Spare me please ! This is absolutlely unenforceable and I suspect Nascar knows this. I doubt they will pursue this notion any time soon. Nascar frequently turns a deaf ear to fans' complaints but I'm sure they heard the collective chuckle of all the teams when this crew-size limit was proposed last season.

One new rule for 1999 is the re-definition of test dates, ostensibly to reduce the distinct advantage the multi-car teams enjoy with their extras test dates. Can we all say "Lip Service " ?

The most hysterical item which has reared it's ridiculous head again is the idea of a split-season for Winston Cup Racing. Only Bruton Smith would have the audacity to suggest something like that. For years he has been treating race fans like they were animals and now he wants to treat race fans like idiots. No thinking race fan is going to shell-out Winston Cup ticket prices to watch only half of the top drivers compete in a particular race. Not in this lifetime, pal.

We can all expect some rule changes when the new Monte Carlo's are introduced in May - business as usual. But the season hasn't even started and we are being bombarded by Nascar press releases through it's official organ, Winston Cup Scene. Give me a break.

Race Views doesn't get any provisional starts so we have to try harder all the time. And we do. Stay tuned.