The goals of NASCAR's new drivers council are "coming into focus," as it seems most drivers "agree on at least a couple" of priorities, including future Sprint Cup rules and driver safety, according to Jim Utter of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. Driver Jimmie Johnson said the council is "really focused on rules and being a helpful hand in decisions made there and safety. It’s hard to say which one is a priority." He added, "We just want to make sure our voice is heard and the people who make the decisions know what is really going on in the car.” Several participants in early council meetings have said that NASCAR facilitated a meeting at Dover Int'l Speedway and "offered suggestions on how the drivers could create their group." Sunday at Pocono Raceway, NASCAR Chair & CEO Brian France said that he is "open to more formalized conversations." France: “I’ve said from the beginning that we’re going to improve our communications across the board with all the stakeholders across the board and they are certainly as important as anybody. We’re getting the stakeholders as close to us as we can because there are a lot of good ideas that come out of these discussions.” Utter notes some veteran drivers have "called the initial meeting at Dover one of the best things to happen in the sport." Utter notes while the creation of the council "might seem like a great opportunity for drivers to present a wish list to NASCAR, it’s clear the sanctioning body isn’t abdicating its role." Decisions "will be made by NASCAR that drivers don’t like, but with drivers having a spot at the table during the decision-making process, the hope is they will better understand the sanctioning body’s reasoning" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 6/9).
