Gordon outside looking in after only two Chase races? (cont'd)

2. Television ratings have taken a dip for the first two Chase races. Should NASCAR be concerned?

Getty Images

Have fans seen this scene too many times?

David Caraviello: In the sense that the Chase was designed to spur television ratings during football season, yes, I think a degree of concern is merited. But this is also the lull of the Chase. The contenders are still being sorted out. I'd expect the numbers to pick up as it gets closer to the end of the year.

Duane Cross: I'm not ready to press the panic button on TV ratings. Yes, they are down -- but the bubble surrounding NASCAR has burst, and anyone who was paying attention saw this coming three years ago. The market is settling and while I believe the sport will remain a viable marketing option for companies, the glory days are in the rear view.

Joe Menzer: Listen, we just talked about Tiger. Do you realize all that they were up against last Sunday? You had Tiger battling Phil Mickelson in golf and tons of quality NFL action. You needed to have a man cave like mine to follow it all. Unfortunately, most of the rest of America doesn't.

David Caraviello: And yet, they've been up against Tiger and the NFL plenty of times before, and fared better. Granted, Dover wasn't the most compelling race. But New Hampshire was, and those numbers were down, too. Maybe the Oh No Here Comes Jimmie Johnson Again fatigue factor is coming into play.

Duane Cross: Now is the time when NASCAR should look at cutting the schedule. It's that simple. NASCAR is never going to compete with the NFL, and the argument of more Saturday night races doesn't bode well in comparison with college football. I mean, c'mon -- Texas flipped its spring 2010 race so it wouldn't have to compete with the Masters? Really, golf has become a player in the TV game, compared to NASCAR ratings? (Ratings comparison below) NASCAR needs to address its shortcomings -- and word is, changes are afoot in regards to the TV schedule -- and stick to doing what it does best.

Joe Menzer: Well, cutting about six weeks out of the schedule is a great idea. But you know it's not going to happen. I think folks should just start outfitting their garages like mine -- with three TVs so they can follow all the sporting action on any given weekend. And absolutely golf is a player in the TV game now. Has been ever since Tiger burst onto the scene.

Duane Cross: Then let's not televise anything on the weekends when the Chosen One is playing. It's ridiculous. Again, take care of your sport and the product and the fans will take care of the rest.

David Caraviello: Please. Golf is a factor four or five times a year, at most. Football is the big dog here, and we all know it. That's NASCAR's prime competition. There are plenty of non-football weekends in June and July when NASCAR wins the weekend. All that changes once football kicks off.

Joe Menzer: More TVs in the garage! I'm telling you, guys, that's the answer to all of this. Then you can follow it all. (Although I'm not sure how that works with the ratings, when you're watching three channels at once.)

Duane Cross: And NASCAR is taking its cue from The Shield. Anyone else see a problem with that? Let's move the Daytona 500 because the NFL is having the Super Bowl the same weekend? Go back to racing at 1 p.m. The Super Bowl is at night. Don't move the race because of something happening hours after the race ends.

David Caraviello: The Shield? What does Vic Mackey have to do with this? Oh, the NFL shield. Now I get it.

Joe Menzer: I don't. But "The Shield" reruns aren't in the three-TV rotation in my Man Cave.

Duane Cross: Well, he carries a big gun -- just like the NFL.

Joe Menzer: You know, in all seriousness, this goes back to our previous discussion about the 48. Nothing against Jimmie and the gang, but what NASCAR really needs is someone to seriously challenge him, maybe even beat him, in this Chase.

Duane Cross: The whole "return to roots" initiative needs to rear its head. Consistent start times -- 1 p.m. ET -- would be a good first step.

David Caraviello: So while we're cutting the schedule and standardizing start times at 1 p.m., can we also eliminate some of these seats? I mean, really, is Dover ever going to sell out again? It's not 2001 anymore, and some of these places are so overbuilt they look ridiculously bad on television.

Joe Menzer: It's already happening in the places that are most proactive, meaning the SMI tracks. Texas took out a bunch of seats, and so did Charlotte. Of course, I believe they took out a few at Martinsville, an ISC track, a few years back to create a very nice row of spaces for motor homes overlooking the backstretch. As for starting times, I like the idea of the standardized 1 p.m. Sunday starts. But you aren't suggesting they do away with all Saturday night races, are you? Because I think sprinkling some of those in is smart.

David Caraviello: I don't think anyone is suggesting that. Even though Saturday is historically a poor viewership night, fans and tracks understandably love those night events. As for the ratings as a whole -- get back to me after, say, Talladega. If they're still down then, it might be time to worry.

Duane Cross: Saturday nights will remain sprinkled through the schedule, no question. And those need to go green at 7:05 p.m. ET -- five-minute pre-race, drop the flag. (Continued)