Lonestar Speedzone Question of the week... here we go, Local vs. Cup

[Dawn]

We are LIVE this Saturday from Bristol Motor Speedway for the Sharpie 500. The best Saturday Night Race on the Sprint Cup Schedule in my opinion. What effect if any does Sprint Cup races like Bristol have on the Local Tracks? Is it a problem across the country, or just certain promotors not going all the way to make it benefit them as well?

 

Also, SHOUlD BRISTOL BE A PART OF THE CHASE?

 

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[Blue Moon Motorsports]

With the advent of TiVo, I don't think it affects the local tracks as much as it used to. SAS used to have TV's in the concession area so the fans could check in on the night races.

[direct-flo]

I think if a racetrack isn’t promoting itself through advertising, a nascar fan will stay home and watch the race.

 

A track could parlay a nascar Saturday night race with a local event. But if a would be fan isn’t introduced to the track through some sort of advertising you can forget it.

 

A business will never grow if it sells the same product to the same people all the time.

 

In reality I believe the effect would be minimized if a track adjusts and markets around the NASCAR race.

[SMason]

I'd have to say that Bristol at night is a good one. I personally wouldn't miss a night of racing or watching at any of the local tracks to watch it on TV, And when I'm not away working when NASCAR comes to town I don't pass on local racing to go watch it.

I can appreciate the talent that the CUP/ Nationwide/Truck series teams have in the shop, pits, and cars... And I understand that it takes an incredible amount of effort from all of them to compete at that level, it's also thier job so in my opinion it's expected of them to be talented and hard working.

I don't think NASCAR really draws many cars from local tracks, but I'm sure Saturday's race will draw a few people from that area that might otherwise go to a local short track that night, but hey it's not immoral or illegal for them to do that so I have no problems with it personally.

 

Now... speaking of talented and hard working this in my opinion is where you start really talking about the local short track racer!! The reason for this is that they usually don't have to race cars to make a living, they choose to spend a great deal of thier spare time and money racing cars... after working thier real jobs, and taking care of thier families. Yes some are fortunate enough to have more money behind thier racing teams than others, through personal income, sponsorships, family, etc... but they still have to take care of thier own business before they take care of racing business and they find time to do it, maybe not every week but they find the time. And THAT in my personal opinion makes local short track racing more appealing to me because I can relate.

 

For what it's worth that's my take on local vs cup.

 

As for my opinion on Bristol being part of the chase I really don't have much interest in points racing so I'm kind of indifferent about it.

 

Stan.

[Cool Dude]

As a race fan and team owner i would rather watch and be involved in a live race than sit my butt at home and watch somebody else having all the fun. Saturday night lights, sights and smells around a race track is very special (no i am not talking about your crewmen).

 

I think local racing should go on, even if there is a sprint cup race. Local racing is what keeps NASCAR alive. If local racing ties, bowling will get bigger, i guess.

[lenny66]

Bristol at night, 500 laps Hell Yea!!! As an owner\driver I wouldn't miss a "live" night of racing, but a pair of free tickets to Bristol would be hard to turn down. Anyway, I think Bristol should be one of the "Chase" tracks, cause if you wreck out, you are pretty much done and it would make the standings real interesting. It would show which drivers have the "marbles" to race to the front and which would putt around and try to stay "safe". I would name a couple but don't wanna start no war of words. Fortunately this weekend we (THR) are off and it's time to grill and enjoy some cold refreshments. It's a personal decision to stay at home or to support your local track. I suggest you watch Bristol this weekend and come on out on Aug. 29th and support THR. Just my 3 cents. Lenny66

[debwill]

Dawn,

 

We knew that we'd up against some tough competition against Bristol on Saturday night, so we purposely changed our schedule in August. Instead of scheduling the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month like we've been doing all year, we changed it to the 5th Saturday (August 29).

[lilmodified]

personally, local trumps nascar every time! nascar has tv...recaps, replays, nascar shows & the internet...at a local track, u only get to see it once. there are no replays (for the most part...i know there are websites) and it's always MUCH, MUCH better to go support your local guys than to put even more money in nascar pockets. don't get me wrong...i love nascar, too, but like cool dude said: you can't replace the lights, sights and smells (and, sound, if i may add) of ur local tracks...

 

besides, nascar don't race sport-mods!!

[LMR21]

I remember a time when if you were to cut me, I would bleed little Winston Cup Nascars, today not so much. I really resent the fact that they are taking potential fans from the local tracks on Saturday nights. Saturdays is when I race and the local track fans can show their support, and Sunday is when we lay around and sleep the first 100 laps away..lol In the words of the late great Dale Earnhardt "I dont know what they call this , but it aint racing"

[lilmodified]

I remember a time when if you were to cut me, I would bleed little Winston Cup Nascars, today not so much. I really resent the fact that they are taking potential fans from the local tracks on Saturday nights. Saturdays is when I race and the local track fans can show their support, and Sunday is when we lay around and sleep the first 100 laps away..lol In the words of the late great Dale Earnhardt "I dont know what they call this , but it aint racing"

 

lmr21! i thought IIIIII was the only one that did that!! and, as an added note here...i will be skipping the bristol race tomorrow to be in killeen (although, bristol is my most favoritest nascar track!)...so, i guess that pretty much sums up where i stand, huh?

[racer61]

If I can keep from breaking my own car I would be racing instead of watching TV. I like whats left of short track racing in Nascar, although its on the decline also. Like was mentioned earlier, its pretty easy nowadays to TIVO or whatever else you have to see the race later. Weve been doing it the last two rain outs. But local short track racing is where its at! Nascar has grown out of a grass roots sport and into Vince McMahons "sports entertainment". jmo

 

Cory

[RETrott]

These posts are made mostly by competitors and hard core auto racing fans. So, involvement trumps watching, but there are seldom enough posters to fill grandstands or buy "fan" pit passes that suffiently support Speedway purses/expenses. The "on the fence" racing fan who has the urge to see a race, but can sit home and watch TV and satisfy that urge, will very likely stay home. On the other hand, that same fan that can go to a local track on Friday and/or Saturday Night, and still watch a Sunday Afternoon TV race, will quite often go to the local event and still watch the Sunday event. I know all about recording for later viewing, but that really only works for some, not most. So, for that matter, NASCAR and the IRL have affected local racing attendance and the problem is among all race fans. But, the effect is there and has been for awhile.