USA TodaY: NASCAR Identity Crisis

[Ron61]

I meant the empty seat comment for NASCAR races. Notice they don't show the crowds like they used to and when they did have a camera shot that showed the cars coming out of a corner I could see a lot of empty seats in that area, but nothing was ever mentioned about them.

Ron

[95CobraR]

Originally Posted by Ron61

I meant the empty seat comment for NASCAR races.

I understood. I was just complaining that fans do not attend good racing events. I remember when Road Atlanta would attract more fans to see the old Trans-Am racing than would attend the Nascar event at Atlanta Speedway.

I guess people would rather watch cars continually turn left than turn left and right?

I don't think it is a secret that many sporting events have suffered in this recession. I hear ads on the radio pushing discount packages for Atlanta Braves tickets.

BTW, does anyone remember these cool old T/A cars?

[Silverback51]

Originally Posted by 95CobraR

I understood. I was just complaining that fans do not attend good racing events. I remember when Road Atlanta would attract more fans to see the old Trans-Am racing than would attend the Nascar event at Atlanta Speedway.

I guess people would rather watch cars continually turn left than turn left and right?

I don't think it is a secret that many sporting events have suffered in this recession. I hear ads on the radio pushing discount packages for Atlanta Braves tickets.

BTW, does anyone remember these cool old T/A cars?

To many of the new NASCAR fans come for the crashes.

[fsstnotch]

Originally Posted by Silverback51

To many of the new NASCAR fans come for the crashes.

True... but that is because there is RARELY anything else exciting. There are no real battles between cars. It's always zoom... right on by and then zoom right back. The only excitement left in NASCAR are the wrecks!

[Ron61]

Originally Posted by 95CobraR

I understood. I was just complaining that fans do not attend good racing events. I remember when Road Atlanta would attract more fans to see the old Trans-Am racing than would attend the Nascar event at Atlanta Speedway.

I guess people would rather watch cars continually turn left than turn left and right?

I don't think it is a secret that many sporting events have suffered in this recession. I hear ads on the radio pushing discount packages for Atlanta Braves tickets.

BTW, does anyone remember these cool old T/A cars?

I remember those Mustangs. They had one of them at the Monterey Historical Races a few years ago along with one of the Pensky Camaros. Those were the days of really good racing and you could actually relate to the cars on the track. I used to go down to our local road course and watch when they had races but my health has made it hard for me to be gone for more than an hour or so and it is a 40 minute drive down there. The last time I went down, someone had one of the old NASCAR short track cars there but it didn't handle very well on that road course.

Ron

[95CobraR]

Originally Posted by fsstnotch

True... but that is because there is RARELY anything else exciting.

I am a road racing fan, and I really enjoyed the Nascar race at Sonoma. The two-abreast starts were exciting. The skills of the drivers were obvious to me.

I also enjoy Pocono. There is something different about an oval with three turns (in the past, they would shift down a gear). I will certainly be watching the Nascar guys at Watkins Glen (August 9th).

I'd even go to the Labor Day weekend Nascar race at Atlanta if someone offered me a free ticket to a track-tower suite.

BTW, one of those Bud Moore Boss 302 T/A cars is owned by a friend of mine. He doesn't hide it in a garage but races it.

[Ron61]

That is awesome that your friend drives the Mustang like it was built to be driven. Pocono is more like a road track in someways than an oval. It is almost impossible to set a car up for all 3 of those turns. I think the two abreast starts are the best thing NASCAR has done on years. Get the lap down cars out of the way and have the ones on the end of the lead lap go around and fall in at the back instead of the leader starting behind a bunch that are trying to keep from being lapped.

Ron

[fsstnotch]

The only problem with the 2 abreast restarts is that NASCAR will surely be throwing a caution ever race with 4 or 5 laps left so the fans can get their exciting finish. Will it make for some exciting finished... you bet!! But if that's the way it's gonna be... why not just run 50 lap races?? 50 laps, all out! Not 197 half a$$ed and 3 all out for the win!

I tell ya, the longest race i have ever been in was 50 laps on a 3/8 mile asphault track and by about lap 25 I was litterally yawning in boredom! And that was from a drivers perspective! Luckily I blew a tire and found out how hard the wall really is with about 10 laps left or I just might have fallen asleep at the wheel! That was my first and last asphault race.

[Don]

Progress??

The TNT graphic referred to the old name on FOX of " Lucky Dog ", as a " Wave Around "

[fsstnotch]

Smoke wins Lou Blaney Memorial classic at Sharon speedway. Also in attendance, Kasey Kahne and Dave Blaney. This is a local track for me, about an hour from my house.

http://www.sharonspeedway.com/

[Ron61]

Truex to drive for MWR next year. Guess he wasn't the star thet DEI thought he would be for them.

In signing Martin Truex Jr. to drive for his race team, Michael Waltrip made one thing clear on Tuesday, according to Joe Menzer: He's proving he's one smart team owner.

Ron

[95CobraR]

Originally Posted by Ron61

Truex to drive for MWR next year. Guess he wasn't the star thet DEI thought he would be for them.

I think Earnhardt Ganassi Racing was the problem, not Truex. He is a two-time Nationwide champion.

There was an interesting article (in the WSJ) about how Waltrip welcomed business owner Robert Kaufmann (Fortress Investment Group) as a partner and got more aid with real estate developer Johnny Harris. The team is now known as Michael Waltrip Racing Holdings LLC.

Kaufmann (based in London) hired three F-1 engineers to come over and work with the team. They have definitely shown improvements this year.

P/S I get most of my Nascar news from the Wall Street Journal.

[Ron61]

That is probably a better source than the NASCASR web site. I heard rumors late last year about Truex and that he may leave DEI, but he stayed for this year. I really feel the Tressa messed up the organization back when she first took over and put her friends in places they had no business being as they didn't know how to run the organization. Now of course, all teams and groups are having to merge just to stay afloat.

Ron

[Don]

I opened a separate Thread on the program:

Refueling NASCAR, CNBC, Thursday 7/9 @ 9 ET:

Refueling nascar: Cnbc 7/9 @ 9et

[95CobraR]

Originally Posted by Ron61

I really feel the Tressa messed up the organization back when she first took over and put her friends in places they had no business being as they didn't know how to run the organization. Now of course, all teams and groups are having to merge just to stay afloat.

The first thing that Dale's wife did wrong was to let Dale, Jr. run off. She had the most famous driver in this decade and wouldn't agree to terms. He wanted an ownership position and would bring a massive amount of sponsors and fans.

I don't know anything much about running a race team, but I have owned a business and realize the importance of free cash flow.

I doubt that they need my help. I don't even own my own private jet.

[Ron61]

If I had my own private jet I would have to keep it on the ground. I cant even afford to drive my car.

Ron

[fsstnotch]

Originally Posted by Ron61

If I had my own private jet I would have to keep it on the ground. I cant even afford to drive my car.

Ron

Aint that the truth!