Here is a good article from ESPN talking about how Nascar's ultra-strict rules with "the new car" are hurting the sport;

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar..._ed&id=3556643

Some of the points made:

The great majority of violations, aka "cheating," over the past few years have been offenses that, just a few years earlier, would have been settled by inspectors telling the team to take the car back to the garage stall and fix the violation, and then bring it back through the inspection line.
Crew chiefs & engineers have a much less enjoyable job when they have to work to Nascar's ultra tight rules and aren't allowed to innovate or be creative.

Fans are turned away by loss of some of the fun & tradition of stock car racing, as well as upset by the huge fines and penalties against their favorites for trivial items.

The media & non-fans doubt the integrity of Nascar more then ever, because every week there are big "cheating" busts.

By trying to clean itself up, NASCAR has made itself look dirtier than ever before to the outside world, and too squeaky-clean to its traditional fan base.