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NASCAR, Whose Sport Is It Anyway?
By Gregg A. Shultz, RaceFanVote.com
Stock Car Racing, started in the Old South and migrated up and down the East Coast in the
early years, but comparing then to now would be like comparing the dinosaurs to the space
shuttle. As the sport has grown, people from all across the U.S. want to claim it as their
own, but has it hit a wall as far as adding race dates and locations?
As new venues opened at various places around the country the sanctioning body allowed
certain races to be taken away from the historical tracks in the schedule and now has
adopted it’s new advertising campaign of “It’s My NASCAR, It’s Our NASCAR”. So whose
NASCAR is it really?
As big time stock car racing’s popularity continues to grow and everyone wants a piece of
the pie there just isn’t enough to go around as far as race dates go. This topic is arising
once again after the purchase of Kentucky Speedway by Bruton Smith and the finagling that
is sure to ensue.
With NASCAR standing by it’s decision not to add any races to the schedule, the whirlwind
of speculation has begun of which track will lose one of it’s dates or their only date and/or
which track will be bought by SMI next to accommodate a race at Kentucky.
The deal isn’t looking good for the track to have a Cup race in 2009 and maybe not in 2010
or ever, but the fact that the fans aren’t having a say in any of this has to be a wake up call.
A lot of what is happening now is starting to resemble trying to put a square peg into a
round hole. The ‘build it and they will come’ theory was shot down with Kentucky and then a
bunch of lawyers got involved and lawsuits and other happenings that the average fan
doesn’t care to hear anything about.
There are a few tracks that have two race dates that the fans think shouldn’t have two
races and in extreme cases shouldn’t have a race at all. There are only a handful of tracks
with two dates though and in order for NASCAR to branch out to all the potential markets
across the United States that could support a track, some tough choices would have to be
made in order to accommodate such changes. Which track will be the next ‘Rockingham’
with its historical significance giving way to a track in new market where the sanctioning
body wants to be? Obviously the Kentucky Speedway deal doesn’t fall into this category
because NASCAR has been steadfast in saying that it wasn’t a market that they wanted to
tap, but it does remind us that there isn’t a lot of wiggle-room in the schedule.
The bottom line is that in its current configuration, one series, 36 races and 43 cars in the
field, pretty much what we have is what we have. There comes a point in time when what’s
good for one track may not be good for the sport overall. Sure people will argue that some
tracks shouldn’t have two races or a race at all, but that only accounts for a few races in the
schedule and there are many people wanting to stretch the sport beyond its limits.
Perhaps it’s time that a few adjustments are made to the schedule, give at least one of the
historical races back to the fans and then leave it alone for a while. Big money doesn’t need
to strong-arm the sport because in reality the fans own it, lock stock and barrel. The fans
will get on board with changes that they like and that’s what NASCAR and the track owners
needs to concern themselves with, nothing more.
By Gregg A. Shultz, RaceFanVote.com
Stock Car Racing, started in the Old South and migrated up and down the East Coast in the
early years, but comparing then to now would be like comparing the dinosaurs to the space
shuttle. As the sport has grown, people from all across the U.S. want to claim it as their
own, but has it hit a wall as far as adding race dates and locations?
As new venues opened at various places around the country the sanctioning body allowed
certain races to be taken away from the historical tracks in the schedule and now has
adopted it’s new advertising campaign of “It’s My NASCAR, It’s Our NASCAR”. So whose
NASCAR is it really?
As big time stock car racing’s popularity continues to grow and everyone wants a piece of
the pie there just isn’t enough to go around as far as race dates go. This topic is arising
once again after the purchase of Kentucky Speedway by Bruton Smith and the finagling that
is sure to ensue.
With NASCAR standing by it’s decision not to add any races to the schedule, the whirlwind
of speculation has begun of which track will lose one of it’s dates or their only date and/or
which track will be bought by SMI next to accommodate a race at Kentucky.
The deal isn’t looking good for the track to have a Cup race in 2009 and maybe not in 2010
or ever, but the fact that the fans aren’t having a say in any of this has to be a wake up call.
A lot of what is happening now is starting to resemble trying to put a square peg into a
round hole. The ‘build it and they will come’ theory was shot down with Kentucky and then a
bunch of lawyers got involved and lawsuits and other happenings that the average fan
doesn’t care to hear anything about.
There are a few tracks that have two race dates that the fans think shouldn’t have two
races and in extreme cases shouldn’t have a race at all. There are only a handful of tracks
with two dates though and in order for NASCAR to branch out to all the potential markets
across the United States that could support a track, some tough choices would have to be
made in order to accommodate such changes. Which track will be the next ‘Rockingham’
with its historical significance giving way to a track in new market where the sanctioning
body wants to be? Obviously the Kentucky Speedway deal doesn’t fall into this category
because NASCAR has been steadfast in saying that it wasn’t a market that they wanted to
tap, but it does remind us that there isn’t a lot of wiggle-room in the schedule.
The bottom line is that in its current configuration, one series, 36 races and 43 cars in the
field, pretty much what we have is what we have. There comes a point in time when what’s
good for one track may not be good for the sport overall. Sure people will argue that some
tracks shouldn’t have two races or a race at all, but that only accounts for a few races in the
schedule and there are many people wanting to stretch the sport beyond its limits.
Perhaps it’s time that a few adjustments are made to the schedule, give at least one of the
historical races back to the fans and then leave it alone for a while. Big money doesn’t need
to strong-arm the sport because in reality the fans own it, lock stock and barrel. The fans
will get on board with changes that they like and that’s what NASCAR and the track owners
needs to concern themselves with, nothing more.
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| Submit your comments about the story or the topic. Please no rude or defamatory comments. Addressing other poster's comments will be edited if deemed to be insulting or rude. |
I hopes the deal with Kentucky falls
through not because I have anything
against the area, but that track owners
don't control the sport. If they get a race
because Bruton Smith bought it then it
just shows nascar plays favorites and that
it is an exclusive club.
Tom J.
through not because I have anything
against the area, but that track owners
don't control the sport. If they get a race
because Bruton Smith bought it then it
just shows nascar plays favorites and that
it is an exclusive club.
Tom J.
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California doesn't need two races, period.
Give one of their races to Rockingham or
anyone else besides them.
Jimmy Sawyer
Give one of their races to Rockingham or
anyone else besides them.
Jimmy Sawyer
I think every effort should be made to race
on Labor Day at Darlington, and create a
date for North Wilkesboro.
Steve Ward Austin Texas
on Labor Day at Darlington, and create a
date for North Wilkesboro.
Steve Ward Austin Texas
I'm with Jimmy Sawyer.
The California track is a real loser.
GW Yates
The California track is a real loser.
GW Yates
Phoenix doesn't need two races either.
Give Kentucky a race, dammit. With gas
prices like they are, we deserve a race
close to home. 99.9% of the people in this
state are huge NASCAR fans. COME ON!!!
Louisville Fan
Give Kentucky a race, dammit. With gas
prices like they are, we deserve a race
close to home. 99.9% of the people in this
state are huge NASCAR fans. COME ON!!!
Louisville Fan
Nascar is definitely forgetting it's roots
and this isn't really a Kentucky issue as
much as it is a money issue.
Nascar, you are making enough money
and now it's time to give the fans what we
want.
Yeah, it's OUR Nascar!
Bob Demeris, Florida, just south of
Daytona
and this isn't really a Kentucky issue as
much as it is a money issue.
Nascar, you are making enough money
and now it's time to give the fans what we
want.
Yeah, it's OUR Nascar!
Bob Demeris, Florida, just south of
Daytona
It's looking Like Bruton went out
after a pipe-dream on this one but
maybe just to shift the attention
off of him about the Humpy split.
Nascar isn't going to give in on
this one so it looks like Kentucky
will be getting their 140 million
dollar albatross back real soon.
Donald Peterson, Alexandria, VA
after a pipe-dream on this one but
maybe just to shift the attention
off of him about the Humpy split.
Nascar isn't going to give in on
this one so it looks like Kentucky
will be getting their 140 million
dollar albatross back real soon.
Donald Peterson, Alexandria, VA
NASCAR...
Please bring back the Southern 500
at Darlington. There is not one other
thing that you could do to win back
the fans that you have lost.
No one cares about the Labor Day
race being at California, not even
Californians.
Please.
Gary Hart, SC
Please bring back the Southern 500
at Darlington. There is not one other
thing that you could do to win back
the fans that you have lost.
No one cares about the Labor Day
race being at California, not even
Californians.
Please.
Gary Hart, SC