This is the first time i've written about it since i left the old rantville and i don't even really talk about it much anymore. last season left a really bad taste in my mouth. i was fine with Stewart winning, i like the guy, it was just the media coverage and NASCAR's shady behavior where rules and punishments are concerned that drove me away. so on to a few observations.
- i'm not alone in my attitude toward how NASCAR has been treating non-bandwagon fans. a friend of mine wrote and told me about something they read in a newspaper
"NASCAR's Tuesday night version of the old Winston Cup Preview, held for so many years in Winston-Salem with sellout crowds of 25,000, was again a disappointment, with perhaps only 500 people (at $15 a head) showing up for what is now billed as Fan Fest, next to the Daytona garage."
when people are ducking a fan fest in NORTH CAROLINA then you know you have a problem. selling NASCAR in NC should be a total freakin no-brainer. that's like holding a University of Texas rally here in San Antonio and getting a poor turnout. NASCAR not only needs to start noticing this shit but they need to do something about it. when the johnny-come-lately fans are gone you're going to need that Southern support to survive, and your current trend of peeing on them just make an extra buck isn't going to help you when times are tough.
- i read that Mark Martin is expected to have a busy year. in fact an even busier year than last year. ok so wait a sec, i thought he was retiring BECAUSE HE SAID HE WAS TOO BUSY!!!! so this is his answer? to get even BUSIER!?!?!? someone needs to explain this to me. either Mark is a complete and total pantywaist who got bullied into postponing retirement or he's a pants-on-fire level liar. i'm sorry but you don't plan retirement to slow your life down and then turn around and take on MORE work. if someone can explain i'd appreciate it.
- Jr. well, honestly i don't have much to say here. he's back with Eury, he seems to be happy, and i think we all just have to wait and see what happens.
- the car of the future. i've seen some pics online. it looks like shit. the future is looking crappier and crappier with each shitty decision France and Helton make. given their track record as of late, i'm surprised Kansas City is out of the running for the Hall of Fame. come on guys, throw an occasional kick to the head of the southern fans while you're busy stomping their nuts.
- Daytona. everything about testing and practice is all a total wank. having the fastest time means dick. it don't matter how fast you're going if you're in the danger zone when Jimmie Johnson decides to wreck someone. the only real indication we'll get on who's running well will be the Bud Shootout.
so anyway, we'll see how this season goes.
19 comments:
Mayor ya gotta stop reading my mind! Since France Jr. has taken over, he's bound and determined to shit on all us "Old school Race fans" to line his pockets with silk.
I've chosen just to sit out a Year (no races) to take a stance...versus feeding the Racetrack with my hard earned money while France Jr. bends us Southerners over and rides us like Dogs in heat.
How many other Race fans feel the same way I do?
Welcome back dude. I've missed you. No one says it better than you do!!
hi jimmy,
welcome back :)
I am sooooooo glad you are back. I missed you.
Welcome back Jimmy. http://tiredawg.blogspot.com/
Glad to see you are back! You were MISSED!!!!!!!!! :)
Glad your back, Jimmy!
I have to agree with what you're saying. But unlike Cynthia, who is a great friend of mine, and with whom I often agree, I will not sit out races. Why? Well, if folks quit attending races at Southern tracks, they'll start losing their race dates. Rockingham has already been an unfortunate victim of the France family's greed and need to expand. If we don't attend tracks like Darlington, Atlanta, and others, the ones with what NASCAR considers less-than-stellar tickets sales could possibly lose race dates to tracks out West...or to one of the proposed new tracks in New York or Seattle. Sure, they may lose race dates anyway, but if attendance is poor at a track, it becomes more likely.
The car of tomorrow is definitely not pretty, and the test sessions at Atlanta Motor Speedway didn't go so well. NASCAR tried to make it sound as if they did, but when more than one car got out on the track, they were unstable. I can understand the need for more driver safety. I'm all for that. But I don't quite believe NASCAR's claims that they're trying to put racing "back into the drivers' hands." I guess I've become somewhat skeptical of late.
But, as always, these are just my humble opinions. :-)
No offense Mandy. : )
But because of my in depth consideration of the New Race tracks up for proposal...I decided if I was gonna sit out a Year...this was the Year ( or two) to do it. Only because it will take many years to get those tracks up and running.
They gave another Date to California. LESS than steller attendance in the 2nd race. Very disappointing. Texas did okay....
:)
Cyn, I see your point. If you're going to protest by sitting out a race, now is probably the time to do it. But, you can bet that NASCAR is never going to take a race date from the track closest to you (Daytona). ;-)
There are whispers that NASCAR wants to persuade SMI to move an Atlanta date to either Sonoma or Las Vegas...specifically the October race, as that falls inside the 10 race chase for the cup. Right now, these are just rumors being bandied about by fans. I'm going to be so pissed if they take a race from my home track.
California, in my opinion, is almost always a snooze fest. I'm still peeved that they added another date at that track.
Texas can probably be counted on to have continued good attendance, as there are a whole lot of race fans in that part of Texas, not to mention the folks that drive in from Louisiana, Kansas, and Oklahoma.
Sonoma? So-Snora.....
LOL
My fear is they'll push all these races out on the west coast and NOT get the attendance they hoped...thus taking a race from the backs of those who have supported thier sorry ass's from the beginning.
In my opinion...Atlanta will never lose a Race. Too good of a Track. ALL the Drivers love it. I'm sure Drivers would pitch a fit anyday ...anytime over losing a race in Atlanta.
It's not like Rockingham where the track quality was less than steller....on cars and tires. Atlanta is a top OPERATION....with roots as deep as Daytona. Those races aren't going anywhere.
My guess would be IF California doesn't show more promise this season...they may lose that 2nd date...and by all means take it! I hate the track...hate the record...I hate all of it.....Wake me up when the race is over!
Well, now that I think about it, SMI did just spend a good chunk of change to repair the tornado damage at AMS, so it is probably safe for a while.
Wow, you hit a lot of things right on the head. Only thing is the Fan Fest I understood as being held in DAYTONA -- Not NC. Maybe I'm mistaken. Anyhow keep it up!
If you don't know me I write for speedwaymedia and I don't pull any punches.
from what i was told Chris, the fanfest was a local thing in NC. i think maybe it was supposed to be "like" the fanfest at Daytona.
Got it backwards, mayor. The Cup preview USED to be here in W-S back when RJR was the title sponsor. When Nextel took over NASCAR still wanted to have the event, but they didn't see any reason to keep it here in the region that had nurtured and supported it for years. So now it's in Daytona, and nobody goes...probably because there's too much competition from similar fan events in that area at that time. Good one, France.
thanks for clearing that up Sara. guess there wasn't enough money to feed the beast in NC.
Right. That must be why they took away N. Wilkesboro and Rockingham. You know how us North Carolinians are. I mean, it's not like we have a history of spending every extra cent on Dale Earnhardt napkin rings or anything. Racin', schmacin'.
"it don't matter how fast you're going if you're in the danger zone when Jimmie Johnson decides to wreck someone."
YES!!!! LOL.
I swear, I sit in the stands at Talladega now and cringe whenever I see Johnson anywhere near drivers I support.
I cringe and he don't even need to be out on the Track nessasarily.....LOL
Headed to the corner.........
Cynthia
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