on number 25 snags the guardrail on the backstretch. >> reporter: ...nascar has been for decades one of the most thrilling, unpredictable, and dangerous sports americans love to watch. ert enthusiasm for the sport has been sputtering in recent years, and today, nascar is facing record declines. in 2004, eight million people tuned into nascar's sprint cup series. last year, only 4.6 million did, a decrease of almost half. there are also fewer fans in the stands. admissions are down 30% since 2010. david scott covers nascar for the "charlotte observer." he says there are several factors to the decline. first, the new generation of drivers is more corporate than the so-called good old boys that made it famous. >> they're going to have to watch what they say and what they do a little more carefully than they did in the old day. >> reporter: the second is safety.