news-record.com

Let them race. It's the mantra from fans on Internet message boards, comment sections and even Twitter. A short, simple declaration to NASCAR after what fans saw in Sunday's race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Yet, some fans are discovering what drivers have said for years: Restrictor-plate racing is not true racing.

NASCAR has created a show — a reality show with no basis in reality. Safety measures keep the cars artificially close and render the idea of the fastest car winning absurd.

"I feel like racing here with the (Car of Tomorrow) and the plate is a lottery," Dale Earnhardt Jr. said after Sunday's race. "We show up to bust our (rear) and work hard to get our cars to handle and drive right and do right everywhere else, but when you come here, you just sit in the bus and wait for the (darn) race to start and see what you're number is at the end of the deal. It's a lottery."

That seemed to work for many fans. Not only did they get side-by-side racing, they got three-wide racing. Later, when Talladega was repaved, cars ran four- and five wide.

The competitors became stunt drivers. Bunch them together and wait for a bump that would incite chaos and carnage. The more flips, seemingly, the better. That's made Talladega among the sport's most popular tracks. Its TV ratings often are among the highest of the Chase races.

The danger lured fans. When would the big crash happen? Who would be involved? Whose car would defy gravity?

No driver was immune. Bobby Allison flew into the frontstretch fence. So did Carl Edwards. Jimmy Horton tumbled out of the track. Rusty Wallace flipped at the finish. Dale Earnhardt skidded upside down. Ricky Craven soared over cars. The list of drivers who have flipped, flown or rolled grows. Mark Martin became the latest member with his last-lap rollover Sunday. Ryan Newman joined the two-timers club at Talladega and was none too pleased about it.

"That's not something anybody wants to see," he said of his crash Sunday. "At least I hope not. If they do, go home because you don't belong here."

The message, though, from fans appears to be "we want more."

They turned their wrath on NASCAR for prohibiting drivers from bump-drafting or pushing each other in the corners.

NASCAR's action limited what drivers could do, but when series officials saw cars wrecking early in practice Friday because of aggressive driving, they knew action was needed.

So, two hours before the race, NASCAR President Mike Helton told drivers no bump drafting in the corners. Drivers, not always known to be patient, settled down early in the race and ran single-file. It was quite a sight to see more than 35 cars creating a multi-color train. To many fans it was the sight not worth seeing.

They wanted action, danger and suspense.

Instead, they got ABC broadcasting quips from bored drivers. Tony Stewart, who rode in the back of the pack part of the race, asked his crew to tell him something interesting, "so I don't fall asleep out here."

He was told a fan in the stands had a sign saying they were selling NoDoz.

The race gained momentum with a season-high 58 lead changes among 25 drivers, so fans did see the close racing they crave and even a last-lap accident, which gave Jamie McMurray his first win since 2007.

What fans saw earlier, though, was too stark to forget. They saw the curtain pulled away on this track. Once you see what's behind the curtain, it's hard to look at something the same.

For fans, Talladega has a new look. One they're not used to seeing.

Contact Dustin Long at 373-7062 or dustin.long@news-record.com