tracks

[dave41]

nascar has been closing tracks because of empty seats , look at the stands this season . going to be very sad. we the people are in trouble .

[Larry L.]

A question and my thoughts........

Hi Dave
Which tracks are you referring to? General admission costs are so stupidly high that the average working guy cant go to even the local tracks, let alone the Greed Driven Nascar facilities. With the many lower divisions of basically the same car at local tracks, new fans are "one and done".

Tracks should look at what worked when the stands were full, One "headliner" (super lates/sprints) division, one "mid level" division (modifieds/street stock) and a "bomber/box stock, beginner" class. Nobody wants to spend 6+ hours in the grandstand to watch 6+ divisions. Along with that, ANY local track that charges more than 10 dollars a head for a regular weekly show is just comitting finacial suicide. People today dont have 20+ dollars per person to sit in the stands and be completey bored with classes they dont understand/cant identify with. When money gets tight, the very first thing they stop spending money on is "entertainment" and like it or not, racing is entertainment to the general public.

I want to qualify my thoughts with this next statement,

This is NOT just a Florida/NASCAR problem, its nationwide at all tracks!

Racing, especially for the spectator MUST BE KEPT AFFORDABLE in order for racing to survive in this day and economy. I am not "bashing" any one track. However times have changed, and people want a good well run show (3 divisions, NO MORE, in less than 2 hours start to finish) for the same money per person as going to a movie.

Without spectators, sadly, there is no racing, period.

Once again, these are my thought and views from over 40 years of being in many forms of motorsports as a driver/owner/car builder/promotor of a track/tech man & pit steward of the very first big money traveling dirt late model series, the NDRA.

Not hiding behind a handle
Larry Lype

ps, Wishing everyone a Safe & Happy Holiday Season!

[Joe]

NASCAR (ISC) has really only closed Rockingham in the last 10 years, and that's because ISC sold it to Speedway Motorsports, though Rockingham had too many empty seats and probably didn't deserve it's spot on the schedule anymore (You can't have your top series have 35,000 for a race).

North Wilkesboro was closed, not because of empty seats, but as part of a business deal to get a race at Texas and New Hampshire.

Looking into the immediate future, Atlanta will probably lose a date to Kentucky. But I don't see any of the big tracks going away any time soon. Darlington has had 4 straight sell-outs.

The local tracks are the ones that are in real trouble.

[ocalasp76]

Good Job Joe

Speaking of attendence. How was the fan count at the Snowball? Estimate how many and if the stands were full. We had more this year at the Truckers 200 in Orlando than last year, but it was still not a real good showing for the cause. Great racin' and good weather too.
---JIM---

[Dana Barlow]

Dose seem that there is a lot more things pulling fans or would be fans and racers away from going to the race tracks,beside just low $ in there piggy banks.
After racing for the last 40+ years I been seeing;
Kids being the next group of fans and racers have for some time now[ nearly 20 years] had a lot of other stuff to do be side get interested in racing,with the computer being the biggist time eater for most of them and the games. A lot less time out doors and doing real stuff if you know what I'm saying.

[Joe]

Diamond Jim, I didn't see an empty seat at the Snowball. Counting the infield, the attendance for Sunday alone was allegedly 12,000. It was awesome.