The spec car makes it an actual race. It's simple, easy to follow, and the drivers are the ones marketed rather than the cars.
Not really an actual race between cars (as that is what you are implying) but between drivers with most skill and best setup for the car. Yes it may be simple, and easy to follow, but it is quite boring. If someone wants to have lunch in a recliner and take a nap while the event is on, then why bother watching it?
It's also quite obvious that drivers are marketed over the cars too, because Americans (at least my entire family is) are generally annoyed at commercials. However, in the case such as Jimmie Johnson on SC with the mattock, or Jr. with the "Dale Call", it's quite obvious to tell the drivers are marketed... Why would Chevy, Ford, or Toyota even want to promote V8's when everyone is all about efficiency anyways? There is no drive in the sport to induce change unlike how there is in Formula 1, which although is not how people want it, but it is needed. Sure they could loosen up the regulations a bit to make them louder, which should happen imo, but F1 is a modern day series, as with the WEC, and many others. NASCAR is far from it... It's cute they had their little eco-green commercial, but the prevalence is not talked about actively every day by the commentators, so in part, it has little to no effect at all on the viewer's knowledge.
It relates to the American motorsports market much better than anything else so far. Going away from what it is would ruin it.
Mostly because no one wants change. A lot of people like the old Camaros of the 60's, and many other things, but change is most of the time the best decision to take. When someone thinks something is perfect, they are far from realizing there is much more in potential. If the France family still want to keep it like it is, that is fine, but as more and more markets and businesses expand elsewhere in the racing world, they will slowly loose sponsorship to run full grid races.
NASCAR kinda has factory teams. In the form of heavily funded privately owned teams that receive direct funding but are responsible for building the chassis and I think the engines themselves(Hendrick, RCR, JGR, Penske, Roush, and MWR for example). Outright Manufacturer owned and sponsored teams would be great but it would drive 60% of the smaller teams out and NASCAR wouldn't want that
That's not true entirely how it would drive them out. Look at F1, WEC, or any other major competitive motorsport and you will see that there are more private teams than factory teams. It's quite the opposite really, as in manufactures would rather have a privateer team race their cars and handle the liability, and then the manufacture boasts their claims..
NASCAR wouldn't want that but it's ludicrous to think the small guys even have a chance against the fast guys. There are too many cars on the track. Top 20 are fast and the others really have no business out there.
Essentially F1, except it's spilt just about every 6-8 drivers, rather than the top 20. If F1 were to have 40+ cars on the track, it would be an entertaining sport to most all Americans I imagine, but the circuits can not handle that many cars, or hot-headed talent.
edit: nor is there enough companies out there that can pay for the kind of madness they have to all endure with. Mercedes is the only German manufacture because they race (manufacture wise) in limited series. DTM, F1, and a few GT3 races (I'm not sure the names of the GT3/2/1 organizations but I know there are factory teams from Mercedes) are about all that come to mind, which the majority of their spending is F1. Audi would never consider it, because they seem to have found better returns in WEC, and BMW nor Porsche, or any other posh/luxury/super car manufactures will join simply because of the costs.
Showbiz, sustainable economics and institutionalizing racing as a weekly American entertainment industry is what NASCAR is all about. I've followed F1 since 1961 for its artistry and technology. I follow NASCAR because it delivers excellent entertainment.
Essentially that. The same for NFL because they both deliver a large televised market, which the sport hasn't changed unless it's for safety reasons, and appeals to everyone in their area.. It's marketing genius if you have a sport team, but only if they are televised and somewhat good.