NASCAR must do more to earn trust

  I have been thinking about this for a long time. NASCAR has a credibility problem, both with its fans and the mainstream sports media. I, my friends, am not a typical NASCAR fan. I LOVE NASCAR, the NFL and the NHL all equally. I know the history of all 3 sports pretty well. I am by no means an expert but knowledgeable in all three. That being said I see a glaring problem with NASCAR's credibility. Let me explain.
  I know many of you are familiar with the shows Around the Horn (ATH) and Pardon the Interruption (PTI) on ESPN. These shows talk about ALL sports except... you guessed it NASCAR. Even Tony Kornheiser of PTI made a comment about NASCAR being rigged so Dale Jr could win the pole for the 2011 Daytona 500. ATH features prominent sports writers in major markets like Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe, Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas News and a few others in major markets. These folks will go to great lengths to avoid discussing NASCAR. Heck Tony Reali, the host of ATH, will mute anyone that tries to talk NASCAR unless they win that episode. Why? Because he said "we don't discuss WWE on this show".
   Another example of the lack of trust of NASCAR is evident on SIRIUS Satellite Radio. I am a subscriber and listen to NASCAR radio, NHL radio, and NFL radio. The NASCAR radio channel has at least 1 conspiracy call a day. It is rare I hear a conspiracy call on the other 2 channels from fans of those sports. 
   My theory is that the France family who has controlled NASCAR from its inception, are not keeping up with the times. They run it like a huge family business. While I agree that is part of NASCAR's charm, the times they are a changing. NASCAR's belief that it is their show and they can do what they want has somewhat outlived its usefulness. They run the sport with an iron fist and say "do it our way or go home". We the fans have to rise up against this attitude.
   How many of you knew that NASCAR is the only major sport to not make its rule-book available to the fans? The NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB all have their respective rule-books posted on their official sites. NASCAR continues to give the impression that we the NASCAR fan have no right to see the rule-book.They have started with these secret fines against the drivers for speaking out in social media. While I have no issue with the fines, I do have issue that they are secret. NASCAR will have meetings with drivers in their hauler after a race, that the press or we the fans have no knowledge of the happenings in said meeting.
   Some of you may ask why I want NASCAR to be 100% transparent. Well it's their own secrecy that is killing their credibility. Along with that it makes the general sports media(not the media that follows/reports on the sport every week), who are the opinion makers in sports like Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe etc etc... not want to even learn about NASCAR because they feel it is beneath them to follow a "fixed" sport.
   Some of you die hard fans may say "who needs them?" I say we do. They can help grow the sport and convince some new fans to at least give NASCAR a shot. However why would those potential new fans give NASCAR a chance if respected sports journalists believe NASCAR is at least guided if not outright fixed? NASCAR is missing the boat on millions of potential new fans. This would lead to new and fresh sponsors getting into the sport. If there is a time when our sport needs that it is NOW!
   I know if very many fans read this I will receive backlash from the old school fans that don't want their sport to change. To those I ask you this: Do you want your sport to never change and die, or adapt and keep cars on the track with the colorful drivers we know and love to cheer for?
   Please feel free to leave comments below also I hope you follow me on twitter @SubmarineMike88