H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler was one of NASCAR's pioneering promoters. Whether it was boxing matches, a shark in a tank eating whole chickens while being driven around the track, or full-fledged military battle reenactments, Humpy's pre-race promotions were landmarks in the racing world. Now retired, Humpy took to YouTube to address NASCAR's recent struggles.
"We're not getting all the best drivers, I hate to say that. But because they don't talk right, they don't look right, they don't dress right - they may not be corporately-inclined. And I hate that word. Corporations, to a certain extent, have put us into this and that is big controversy - me saying that. People will say 'They are the people that fed you. They are the people that sponsored Lowes Motor Speedway. All these companies made racing what it is today' - well it is to a certain extent. But what happened is they got some fancy people working for them that did not know what racing was all about. They tried to change it."Besides the lack of a "working man's driver," Humpy pointed to the emphasis on points over wins, suggesting bigger bonuses for leaders and race winners. Humpy's comments come during declining ratings and attendance, including only 80,000 for a 240,000-capacity Brickyard 400 and both TNT and ESPN declining to renew their television deals.
Read more at WBTV.
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