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Yes, the economy is a big part of the problem with attendance but there is more........my DH has faithfully watched NASCAR for 40 years plus. His son is involved in NASCAR. The sport has changed. To many rules, the cost is out of sight and it's to commercial now. It has ruined it for the people who have stood by NASCARS side through thick and thin. Sure there is the "new" fan base---but I doubt they will be nearly as faithful as the old fan base that they are rapidly losing!!
There will always be new fans and loss of old fans in any sport, but when was the last time you could purchase tickets to Bristol? Michigan and Cali are an absolute disgrace for attendance and should lose ALL of their races. And NASCAR and the tracks have put the screws to fans for years. You think a die-cast car is worth the money they are asking? How about a racing jacket that costs $2 to make and they charge $150? They are pricing (GREED) themselves out of business.
I used to be a big NASCAR fan a few years ago, but I never went to a "Cup" series race. I was more interested in a few of the other touring series that NASCAR hosted, along with their short track racing program. When they dropped the Elite Division (Southwest Tour, etc.) after the 2006 season, I pretty much gave up on NASCAR. I still have some interest in the Camping World Series West, because I know several of the drivers, and I follow a couple of drivers (Harvick, Hornaday, Gilliland, Ickler, and others) in each of the other series because I have watched them move up from the local tracks.
Another reason I've nearly given up on NASCAR is that they have done everything possible to promote the top three series, and have made everything else almost non-existent. I have tried on several occasions to find information about the Camping World Series East and West divisions, and have been unable to locate it on nascar.com.
For these reasons, and several others, I now follow the SRL Southwest Tour. To me, the racing is just as exciting, and the racing action is much easier to watch. For one thing, the tracks are almost all short tracks, so you can see the whole track from the stands. Another thing is that the tracks are mostly within a few hours drive of my home, so I can attend nearly all the races of the season. Ticket prices rarely (if ever) exceed $35 per person, and the tracks usually go to great lengths to provide a great experience for the fans. One other reason I like the SRL is that most (if not all) of the tracks allow the fans into the pits after the races, so fans can meet and greet their favorite drivers.
The sport has changed. To many rules, the cost is out of sight and it's to commercial now. It has ruined it for the people who have stood by NASCARS side through thick and thin. Sure there is the "new" fan base---but I doubt they will be nearly as faithful as the old fan base that they are rapidly losing!!
I agree. From our past discussions, I know about your involvement in short track racing. That used to be a major focus for NASCAR, and was the door through which many drivers and fans entered into the sport. Now it seems that NASCAR has done everything possible to distance themselves from this part of the sport, so they can focus on their upper divisions (where all the commercialism is). What they seem to have lost focus of is the fact that all the top name drivers all had to get their start on a small track somewhere before moving up to the higher divisions. For instance, where would Harvick and Hornaday be if it weren't for the Southwest Tour and tracks like Mesa Marin and Saugus Speedway (both now defunct, unfortunately)?
I agree. From our past discussions, I know about your involvement in short track racing. That used to be a major focus for NASCAR, and was the door through which many drivers and fans entered into the sport. Now it seems that NASCAR has done everything possible to distance themselves from this part of the sport, so they can focus on their upper divisions (where all the commercialism is). What they seem to have lost focus of is the fact that all the top name drivers all had to get their start on a small track somewhere before moving up to the higher divisions. For instance, where would Harvick and Hornaday be if it weren't for the Southwest Tour and tracks like Mesa Marin and Saugus Speedway (both now defunct, unfortunately)?
You are 100% correct! Infact just look at how many drivers have come from CA in the last few years. Years ago a driver from CA was rare. It is a shame that NASCAR has lost interest in it's "roots", the short tract racing you have mentioned here. That is the kind of racing I enjoyed most! What fun everyone had!! Sigh.............
xlabel is correct. I have been a lifelong motorsport fan. For the last several years I have been privileged to be part of the safety team at a local speedway. I will not mention the name for obvious reasons. I have worked every type of event from Motorcycles and go-karts, through CART\IRL, world GT, SCCA, you name it. Part of the job is to go out on the "hot" track to put out fires, rescue drivers and pick up debris, oil etc. NASCAR is the only organization that employs what they call "competition yellows". I have been told to go out and pretend to pick something up just as someone is about to go down a lap. I don't believe they actually choose who will win, but the competition is "fixed" in order to make the racing more exciting for TV. In the old days the best teams would be able to run away from the pack and dominate, now every race is a 500 mile parade with 20 -30 cars racing with-in a few seconds for the last twenty laps. Maybe more exciting for the casual fan but for someone who appreciates the art of real racing, it is no better than the WWF.
xlabel is correct. I have been a lifelong motorsport fan. For the last several years I have been privileged to be part of the safety team at a local speedway. I will not mention the name for obvious reasons. I have worked every type of event from Motorcycles and go-karts, through CART\IRL, world GT, SCCA, you name it. Part of the job is to go out on the "hot" track to put out fires, rescue drivers and pick up debris, oil etc. NASCAR is the only organization that employs what they call "competition yellows". I have been told to go out and pretend to pick something up just as someone is about to go down a lap. I don't believe they actually choose who will win, but the competition is "fixed" in order to make the racing more exciting for TV. In the old days the best teams would be able to run away from the pack and dominate, now every race is a 500 mile parade with 20 -30 cars racing with-in a few seconds for the last twenty laps. Maybe more exciting for the casual fan but for someone who appreciates the art of real racing, it is no better than the WWF.
Not sure what to believe in this fairy tale. The guy has one post.
Anyway, almost every time NASCAR throughs a caution for debris, the TV network will find it and show it on camera. I can't remember the last time this has not happen. Sure some of the debris is small and possibly questionable if it would hurt the car or tossed up in the stands, etc...
NASCAR is just looking out for the safety of the driver and fans in those instances.
A "competition yellow" as the OP mentioned, that he described wrongly BTW, is used when there has been no practice on the track due to weather, so the crews can make their adjustments they would have had to do if they practiced. It is thrown early in the race, like 30 laps for instance. Very rarely are cars a lap down that early in the race.
Lastly, I can't recall a driver who has been several laps down come back and win the race, other than Jeff Gordon a few years ago at Darlington....my memory is rusty, so there may have been other times. Johnson may have done it too.
all nascar races are fixed, I have been to 3 and they were all frauds. Indy 2006, michigan 2007 and 2008. When you can call the debris yellow 20 seconds before it comes out(I did at michigan in 08) something is wrong and it is quite obvious what it is. When nascar decides to run a real race maybe it will be taken seriously, unfortunately that has not been the case since corporate greed took over. Greed is not good, it has ruined stock car racing.
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How many NASCAR races have been fixed?
