What is wrong with the NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series? Nothing!

When I started going to NASCAR races in 2001, when I say races I mean race weekend, I never understood why race fans didn’t also go to the lower series races.

I was fortunate that the buddy who got me into going to NASCAR races insisted that we go to what was then the Busch Series race as well.  The first race Busch series or what is now known as the Nationwide Series, race I went to was well attended.  Then again races at Indianapolis Raceway Park or IRP as it was called were well attended because it was very small.  It was always sold out.

When we got to the bigger tracks, like Michigan, Atlanta, Chicagoland and yes, even Daytona, the crowds were small.  Small not in comparison to the amount of seats available at those tracks but even smaller.  As we would walk to the track for these races, even ARCA races, there would be race fans in the campgrounds throwing bags, or washers and drinking their favorite beverages but not going to the race.  I never understood it.

When my buddy and I would go to the track it was an investment of both time and money.  Unless you were incredibly lucky and lived right near the track, you would have to take off work to travel.  Then there would be the cost of travel, the cost of lodging and food.  When all was said and done the cost of the extra ticked to the other races was very small compared to the total.  Why not go to those races as well?

The NASCAR Sprint Cup series race is as competitive as ever.  In the years that I have been going to race weekends, there has been more than one race weekend where the Nationwide or Camping World Truck Series race was more exciting than the Cup race.  People sitting at their campsite missed it.  One year NASCAR.com listed the top 10 races of the season.  Even though we only went to three race weekends, three of the races were on the list and yes they were all Nationwide or Camping World Truck Series races.

Even the ARCA series companion races are good.  We got to see Kyle Busch put on a dominating show at Michigan one year.  The way he was running he would have surely lapped the field but then again the way he was running he wore out his tire and blew up spectacularly. This was before he became a star.

The point is, someday the NASCAR stars of the Cup Series will be different.  Your there anyway why not go to a Nationwide or Camping World Truck Series race and get familiar with them now.  As you are making your 2013 NASCAR race plans consider adding the rest of the races that weekend.  Your there anyway and it might just be the best race of the weekend.

Brian Berg Jr. is a NASCAR writer for www.RantSports.com.

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