Dale JR, Harvick, Burton and Marks scoop up CARS Late Model Series

[MikePeters95]

In a huge move that will put lots of eyes on local grassroots tracks, and open up the possibility for national sanctioning and rules without the burdensom NASCAR fees, Trackhouse’s Justin Marks, Dale Jr, Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton have acquired an ownership and investment stake in the NC abased CARS tour. 
 

If you haven’t been keeping up or following a lot of Justin Marks’ modern, outside the box ideas on growing motorsports I implore you to do so, and with JR’s constant ability to step back, wipe the board clean and look at a blank slate approach alongside his experience, I think we’re going to see a huge pivot that will have a ripple effect for the next few decades with this move. 

Will we see, finally, some unilateral rules and sanctions?  A more structured pathway up?  Will Marks and JR’s very open vocal desire for vintage oval series come to be?  GNSS has showed us it can work, Marks has been very vocal about it, NASCAR recently trademarked NASCAR classic….could be very interesting and innovative times ahead. Hopefully they will yield National interest and grow the fanbase into a new crowd like the days of old. 
 

And, as Texans, will we see any trickle down, or even some bigger events that interlink us outside our own state?
 

Could be cool!  Either way huge news with some the most powerful innovators in modern American motorsport making a direct investment in grassroots level short track racing.  

 

Edited January 9, 2023 by MikePeters95

[metroracer]

Yes,  Expansion of Events of that Series Westward towards S/E Texas would be a great thing Indeed for the Deep Rooted Race fans & Drivers of this region to have a Home Based event would be Wonderful indeed.  

However that Successful / Grass Roots type of Touring Racing Series Basically Has been Based Primally in Virginia, North Carolina, & South Carolina at mostly the Old Time Race Tracks.....   Expansion of events To Florida, Alabama, Ohio, Indiana, & even to the Lone Asphalt Track in Texas would be Awesome....

Edited January 10, 2023 by metroracer

[RodneyRodriguez]

Hoping the CARS Tour continues to be what it is, a true grassroots series as much as possible these days. Don't change rules, don't let it get corporate and don't start running in huge markets.

I think NASCAR is awake now.

[MikePeters95]

14 hours ago, RodneyRodriguez said:

 

I think NASCAR is awake now.

Have you been keeping up with Grand National Super Series https://www.grandnationalsuperseries.com/ , Justin Marks very, very open comments/constructive jabs at NASCAR for not tapping into a vintage series, then his subsequent XM update where he said if NASCAR was going to do it, he'd do it on his own, followed up with NASCAR Classic being trademarked a day or two later?  They're definitely looking at things with both eyes wide open at this time.

In the heyday of NASCAR I was a kid, and I remember the investment in all the feeder and touring series, and the fact that there were actual names in those.  With the CARS deal, and what they've said about it, as well as what some of these guys are re-investing not to make money, but to create sustainablity (nice to see some folks placing value in places other than just cashflow, while also keeping some business sense) in grassroots and local motorsports, as that funnels fans and racers both to the big events.

Look how big everything was in 1997-early 2000's when TMS packed itself.  Still the second biggest NASCAR spectator event ever (216,000 IIRC).  Asphalt had a lot of tracks around here and Oklahoma, the fans would trickle up/down the pro-level and local events.  

There is a direct correlation between when local short tracks died out, and the stands becoming empty at TMS, as well as other venues.  While it is just one of many problems, I am stoked that the guys at the top are seeing the erosion of the bottom, and rebuilding the foundation of their sport as quick as they can to create stability up top.

The days of 216k folks in a non-climate-controlled non UV protected environment for 5 hours are gone, but I don't think the days of 50-75k folks in that environment for a day are gone, but they're going to need to pull from communities of 2-5k to add up to those numbers, and it looks like the rebuilding of those small communities is in a good spot.  Hopefully around here we see that community grow again, but I hope we understand we can't do the same things we did in the 90's and 2000's and expect results in 2020's.  Sadly my observations and involvement previously have indicated some folks haven't quite accepted that, which is a huge risk of getting the same result.

Exciting times for sure.

Edited January 10, 2023 by MikePeters95