Yes, that’s when the slow decline began. Jeff Gordon’s departure was one dagger. This is the other.
My father has an account at MIS and Bristol. We would go there every summer with about 13 other people in tow. I was an amazing time. But this was back when Rusty and Sr. were battling it out. NASCAR, as it is now, is almost unrecognizable from those days. I Maybe watch 3 races a season whereas missing one used to be unthinkable. Gimmick after Gimmick after Gimmick...in “stages” That’s NASCAR today. Its’ amazing to me that guys like Richard Petty still have the stomach to support it.