[LONGHAIR]

I was a big fan way back in the day, like when Sr. was a rookie. It wasn't very easy to see on TV back then though, Daytona or Talledega and probably only highlights, not the whole thing. If it was the whole race, it would be a week delayed.
Real cars, innovation, and experimentation were still the thing. I started losing interest with the changes that allowed for "converting" front wheel drive cars (Taurus,etc) and allowing big V8 engines in cars that never had them. (Camry)
Then came the stupid tire slashing splitter on the "car of tomorrow" and the very IROC-like push to make all of the bodies identical.
Can't even imagine the old-school dudes putting up with that template nonsense that everything had to fit. The cars were different and they made their choices based upon what advantage they thought they could gain because of those differences.
Of course some of those innovations got shot-down by the rules. The wing on the Daytona Charger or Super-bird come to mind, but they got to try it for a while.
I used to be part of a group that had 2 (side by side) infield camping spaces at the Michigan track (MIS) but I gave it up in '06. The stages, the "play-offs", identical cars, etc......not Stock Car racing IMO.