Sorry NASCAR. You guys get enough exposure and generate enough money already. It is a Saturday Night. I would rather support my local short track. Tonight was a 75 lap Modified race at Punta Gorda Speedway in Punta Gorda, FL. I had fun and saw alot of great racing and drivers who race with alot more gusto.

I have made the decision to support my local short track tonight because lets face it they are a dying. Many tracks around the country are closing. Reason being is not enough support. What could be the reasons these tracks seeing lack of support? I can think of several reasons.

1.) Promoters and track owners do not treat the competitors and the fans right. In turn, competitors are more then likely to race someplace else if they feel uncomfortable with the management. Fans will go elsewhere or not go to a race at all if the track is not kept up right, the prices are not reasonable and the programs are not run well. This is not a shot at all promoters and track owners. Theres many great ones out there and I am only speaking of the very few bad apples of the bunch.

2.)The Economy. If an area is industrial and the local factories or businesses are laying people off, its a good chance they will not be going to races or even competing.

3.)Developers want to come in and buy property and tear down tracks. Its happened to many tracks. Lowes Home Improvement now sits on the old site of the Flemington Speedway in New Jersey. USA International Speedway in Lakeland Florida did not generate enough money and as a result was closed and bought out by developers so it could be turned into an industrial park. Real shame considering the track was fairly new and modern. So more tracks die killing local racing and the possible prospect of tomorrows future stars.

4.) Lack of exposure, promotion or advertising. Tracks are not doing enough to get the word out that they are open and racing. I remember I used to hear radio and see TV ads but advertising is not something tracks do not have the budget for now. Local television stations do not cover it and even some of the local newspapers do not cover it as extensively. Some use the internet but if its not plastered online enough how would you know?

5.)Very few strong sanctioning bodies. If a local track had a NASCAR sanction it would be an identifiable brand for the consumer. What I find interesting is NASCAR has its headquarters in Daytona, and yet many local tracks in Florida are not NASCAR Sanctioned. NASCAR used to sanction alot of local racing but many tracks either do not want to run as a NASCAR sanctioned track because of costs or because NASCAR may have some issue with the track. For example I heard from one of my friends who works on one of the cars that race at Oswego Speedway that NASCAR will no longer sanction races there because they did not like the steel inside hub rail. ASA sanctions too but is that a brand many recognize? Many track owners would like the freedom to run the track their way and not have to be constantly bugged by a sanctioning body. But without a sanctioning body's involvement we see less interest, less sponsors, less special races and less driver incentive.

6.) Lack of sponsorship. I go to some tracks and notice advertisements spread all over the walls at some tracks. Others, I see none at all and this is a bad sign. Same goes with race cars. Some cars I remember had lots of big name sponsors from the area or even nationally known. I can remember going to local races and would see alot of big time sponsors on the side of a car be it Coca Cola, Nestles, Miller Brewery, Wheels Discount Auto, Magnum Engine Oil, K-Mart, Genesee Beer, Blockbuster Video, Pepsi, Coors Light, RC Cola, McDonalds, Burger King and many others. Unfortunately today you just do not see too much of that anymore. It makes for a tougher time for drivers to compete with less backing. Same goes with race sponsorship. I could not even tell you who sponsored tonights feature. Used to be that at some local tracks a local business would sponsor a race and put up the purse. We are seeing less local involvement in the way of sponsorship because they are perhaps distrustful of track management or because they just no longer have the money any more to support local racing in these tough economic times.

7.) The home entertainment center. People now construct these home theaters where they can watch sports, movies, play videogames and create their own entertainment experience without leaving home. People no longer go out as much citing costs or find it more relaxing. What is also something to take note is that the kids today are more attracted to videogames, ipod and internet then guys racing at a local track. So the attitudes have also changed. With this it becomes harder to get a fan to sacrifice a Saturday night. I see families at tracks but not as much as I used to. I think its up to each and everyone of us through word of mouth to get some interest in the local racing. Talk about it at work. Bring it up at the next family function. Or USE THE INTERNET!!! LIKE WE ARE NOW!!

8.)This is the big one. The naysayers. We got too many people who perhaps are just miserable people and dislike something about a local track. Then they go down to their basement, log on to their nameless faceless account and talk trash on messageboards about a track, driver or track owner. The things said are very mean, negative, untrue and immature. I see posts with fans accusing a certain driver of cheating. I see other posts bashing track management whining about not being able to bring coolers full of beer into the track. I see people whining about how bad the track food is. Just very petty stuff. But the worst is when they find one thing they do not like about a track and air all this dirty laundry that is counterproductive, not true and destroys a track's reputation. They rather kick a track while its down then actually do something about it. Like it makes them feel so good to tear a track down online. Pathetic! They rather hide behind a nameless faceless screenname and hurl insults to a driver or trackowner online then address it publically, face to face or over the phone. The internet is a great tool to promote a track and it is. Not saying the internet is bad. But I see alot of people trying to tear down a track and the perception they create is hurtful considering tracks do not promote themselves as much.

So taking all this into account I can honestly say I had a better time at Punta Gorda Speedway and had a little bit of piece of mind knowing the money I spent there helped a track. Total cost for my night of fun was only $20. $10 for food and $10 for admission. Sure beats spending loads of money on a weekend at a Sprint Cup race. I know many of us whine about NASCAR. Call it boring or complain about how whimpy the drivers are. If all that upsets you, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!! Get in your car and go out to your local short track. Give these guys the support. I have found it to be a cheaper alternative, entertaining and an active thing to do. Because unfortunately while NASCAR is thriving, local tracks are fighting for survival.