NASCAR AT INDY? LET'S GET REAL FOR A MOMENT
Current NASCAR
BB, what's a typical NASCAR sanctioning fee? I'm sure there's lots of variables, but what did Indy pay for sanctioning?
Forum Activity for @bobby-williamson
Current NASCAR
NASCAR AT INDY? LET'S GET REAL FOR A MOMENT
Current NASCAR
"USA Today" has an article "We Must Redouble our Efforts to Grow the Brickyard" http://goo.gl/BOjd9C where the estimated crowd of 50,000 was termed "optically horrific". The usual dumb reasons were given, but the dumbest was the heat. Right, fans stayed home because of the heat! Not too many years ago........a ticket to the Brickyard 400 was essentially impossible to obtain. One had to be a licensed ticket big-wig of the Indy 500 in order to even buy Brickyard ticket.....Never has John Q. Race Fan simply decided to go down the Speedway and buy a ticket........heat or not. The weather is NOT the problem.
Obviously, NASCAR had decided, with the parade of retiring drivers, and all sorts of other stuff falling from the sky, Kyle Bush will be the next mega-super-star....He's going to pass Richard Petty, Jeff Gordon, and anybody else necessary. That's apparently NASCAR's silver bullet. However, the more he wins, the more fan interest, shrinks. Hey NASCAR, Kyle Busch, and Toyota are not going to save the day.
I have this feeling that...
Current NASCAR
Agreed. There's not another Winston/RJR. NASCAR is facing the same challenges as everyone: the culture is changing and those NASCAR-loving- baby-booming-blue-collar individuals are shrinking. Along the way, NASCAR made a quantum decision: That fan, the fan that built the sport, is no longer relevant. People felt it. They still do. In spite of that, the last remnant of "old" NASCAR banded together as Junior-Nation. However, they resent and have resisted everything "new" beginning with TOYOTA. If the Toyota's win everything in NASCAR for all time, from here on, it will only move the needle backwards. It won't help. Perhaps is should, but it won't. Humanity is not rationale. It's tough to make superstars from drivers that no one has ever heard of. Every fan knew Harry Gant, for example, when he got to 'Cup. He had respect, he'd paid his dues, and he brought fans with him. The collapse of the feeder system is now "paying dividends".The old fans will continue to shrink, and new fans will never embrace to the former extent. So, NASCAR without Junior is about like DEI without Junior.....Tony Stewart aptly labeled it "a museum".
I have this feeling that...
Current NASCAR
Dale Jr. has had several concussions; he's 41 years old. If he doesn't return, or if this hastens the inevitable, what happens to "junior nation"? Where does NASCAR go from here? Star-power is approaching an all-time low.
Super Dirt Week Moves to Oswego
Local and Regional Short Track Racing
You right as rain, Dave! WRG's headquarters is Charlotte. NC. We interviewed Mr. Donnelly last fall on the Goat Rodeo program. Everything was rosy at that time....he even mentioned a trial run for the new facility around Memorial Day 2016. The fuzzy part, at least to me, is the "clause" requiring completion of the new speedway BEFORE bestowing the $5-Million grant I'm sure Mr. Donnelly was counting of the NY state funds to complete the facility. Also, human nature being what it is, and Super Dirt Week being the plum that it is.........I'd speculate a rival offer from the new host track was made to the governor's office. I wonder if the state of NY will "fund" the dirt-conversion of Oswego?
Super Dirt Week Moves to Oswego
Local and Regional Short Track Racing
From "Speed Sport" ........"
Following the demolition of the New York State Fairgrounds Moody Mile, which had been the home of NAPA Super DIRT Week since its inception, an agreement was struck between DIRTcar Racing and the State of New York to keep the annual event in New York for the next 10 years. As part of the agreement, Super DIRT Week was committed to the Central New York Raceway Park under the condition that the facility be fully completed. Committed to keeping the event in New York, the state agreed to assist in moving the event to Oswego if needed and is putting that plan in action in recognition of the importance of motorsport to the State of New York.
While we are disappointed CNYRP will not yet be ready for 2016, we understand the challenges of building a new facility, Carter said. Glenn Donnellys vision for CNYRP will be an incredible addition to the racing landscape in Central New York when complete.
Super Dirt Week Moves to Oswego
Local and Regional Short Track Racing
We touched on this topic on the Goat Rodeo.......seems the state of New York never came through with the promised $5-MIL to Glen Donnelly and his new Central New York Raceway Park. Governor Cumo announced the annual event will now take place on a dirt-converted Oswego Raceway this October.
updated by @bobby-williamson: 12/05/16 04:09:31PM
Daytona Xfinity
Current NASCAR
I don't normally watch Xfinity races, but realizing it was the 4th of July weekend, and one was probably underway, I found the coverage on NBC-SN Friday night. The race was a classic 'plate extravaganza, complete with big crashes and ending with nobody really sure of who had actually won. Eventually, Almirola was declared victorious, at which point he began the mandatory burn-outs, in front of an empty "Daytona Rising" stadium. There were many overhead shots during the event, and try as I might, I could never see any fans........anywhere. There appeared to be some activity around the start-finish line, and I can only assume fans were clustered in that specific area. I haven't watched an Xfinity event in a while, and was shocked. Maybe it's the new normal, maybe less is better, maybe it don't really matter...... just didn't look like that back in the day.
updated by @bobby-williamson: 12/05/16 04:04:08PM
What is better? Watching professionals on TV or grassroots drivers in person?
Stock Car Racing History
Patrick, you preaching to the choir!