Stage Racing in NASCAR? - Page 2

makeup addict · ‎03-29-2010

Great article

http://m.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2017/02/22/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/NASCAR.aspx?

hckynut · ‎03-10-2010

Thank you for the link to this story. Very enlightening considering the loss of fans at the tracks, and what appears to be a big drop in TV viewers. I was both a racer, different type, and fan most of my life.

Watched as auto racing fans went up, finally to a point to get TV contracts. I remember going to the theater to watch Indy 500 races. Also "pay for view" what few were available.

I hate watching this decline more than the stage racing. To see a sport I have loved since my young teens rise, which was decades, and now watch it fall is very disheartening. I remember all the arguments with my co-workers and them saying Auto Racing is not a sport. My response, once I got the numbers.

The ONLY sport(?) that more fans? Horse Racing, and me saying, "take away the betting and see what happens". They ended many of the discussions.

Thanks again,

hckynut(john)

sfnative · ‎03-10-2010

@hckynut wrote:
@fortune wrote:
NASCAR has started doing their races in stages. Why are they doing this? Does anyone like this new format? I think it takes away the momentum and makes the race a little tedious.

@fortune

I understand 3 periods of regulation hockey, 4 quarters in football, but when it comes to foot or auto racing? Ever see an Olympic 10k race with a rest brake at the 5k distance? I have ran hundreds, no rest stops.

Stages make no sense to me when it comes to racing. Safety checks at certain laps for tires, I understand. But stages for the sake of changing how driver/owner points are acquired? Stupid is one of the many words I will use.

@gardenman said pretty much how I feel about the leaders of Nascar. I think their whole focus has turned to the almighty $$, and ruining this great sport in the process. I still enjoy watching the races, but little by little, the racing of the past is getting even closer to the forefront in my thoughts about Nascar racing.

hckynut(john)

@hckynut @fortune @gardenman

Until recently, I had been a huge NASCAR fan for years and years. A comment made by Benny Parsons during one Sunday race with regard to air dams might have saved my life, when my sportscar's front end lifted off the pavement, when I accelerated too fast from a dead stop.

However, when I read about the "Stages" prior to commencement of the season, disbelief doesn't begin to describe what was going through my head. I went so far as to watch 2.5 races before giving up. Potty breaks for cars is what NASCAR created. Bleeding potty breaks.

Not only have these idiot stages slowed races unbelievably, but they've changed race outcomes, caused additional wrecks, because we all know that "cautions breed cautions." This, in turn, means that owners will have more $$$ down the drain as more cars are caught up in wrecks that would not otherwise occur.

When other sports are coming up with means to shorten games, NASCAR decided that the best thing to do is to l-e-n-g-t-h-e-n races, by giving cars a potty break.

Well, NASCAR, I'm gone.

sfnative · ‎03-10-2010

@gardenman wrote:
Nascar might be listening to us. This week's fan council poll had lots of questions about the stages and how the fans felt about the stages. If nothing else the poor attendance at Martinsville likely got their attention. The backstretch grandstands were covered with advertising and the main grandstands looked to be about half full. For a track where a few years ago there was a wating list for tickets, seeing that level of crowd participation might just help to get their attention. The attenedance was likely 25% of what it had been in the past. When you lose three quarters of your paying fans, it should be getting their attention.

@gardenman

Thank you for sharing this info about Martinsville. I don't watch the races any longer due to the idiot stages, so was glad to read the stats you offered.

sfnative · ‎03-10-2010

@hckynut wrote:

It so glaringly obvious from the aerial views how few fans were at the Martinsville Race. When it gets to a point where the smallest track on the Cup Circuit cannot even fill the seats? Many of the drivers and team owners and crews, seem to like the stage racing, at least that is what many are publicly saying.

Even if that is fact, if more fans dislike, or even hate this type of racing, where will all the money be made, besides TV contracts? Once Nascar started making all cars in Cup racing like those in IROC, I began to lose interest. I want to see REAL FORDS race REAL CHEVIES and REAL TOYOTAs, not some built the same/ look pretty much the same, pieces of metal.

Will see how big a crowd shows up Sunday at Texas.

hckynut(john)

@hckynut

I miss Dodge and Pontiac.

Was listening to a sports round-up program and heard Jeff Gordon literally gushing about "the race to the finish" of one of the stages. Gag!

fortune · ‎03-14-2010

@hckynut wrote:

@makeup addict

Thank you for the link to this story. Very enlightening considering the loss of fans at the tracks, and what appears to be a big drop in TV viewers. I was both a racer, different type, and fan most of my life.

Watched as auto racing fans went up, finally to a point to get TV contracts. I remember going to the theater to watch Indy 500 races. Also "pay for view" what few were available.
I hate watching this decline more than the stage racing. To see a sport I have loved since my young teens rise, which was decades, and now watch it fall is very disheartening. I remember all the arguments with my co-workers and them saying Auto Racing is not a sport. My response, once I got the numbers.

The ONLY sport(?) that more fans? Horse Racing, and me saying, "take away the betting and see what happens". They ended many of the discussions.

Thanks again,

hckynut(john)

@hckynut

I expect the Kentucky Derby will copy NASCAR by giving the horses "Oat Breaks" half the way through!!!

gardenman · ‎03-09-2010

I'd love to know what the results of that last Fan Council poll was. I'm betting it was strongly opposed to the stages. I don't know anyone that's not paid by Nascar who says they like the stages. Nascar's pushing it hard, but the turnout at the races has to be scaring them.

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!

sfnative · ‎03-10-2010

@gardenman @hckynut @fortune @deepwaterdotter @makeup addict

Just prior to the race today, I tuned on FOX to check out the crowd, as gardenman's Martinsville remarks interested me. One of the commentators said, "Well, the parking lot is full today!" Then we find ourselves down in the pit area, with the stands behind. The race start is about 15 minutes out. I hung in through about lap 10. Though painted seats made estimating somewhat challenging, it would appear that filled seats amounted to somewhere around 1/3 to 1/2. Interesting.

gardenman · ‎03-09-2010

There are a lot of empty seats. A whole lot of empty seats.

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!

VaBelle35 · ‎03-10-2010

I stopped watching when Jeff Gordon retired and now just follow DW and Dale Jr on Twitter to find out how he did each week. I watched a bit with Jr in the broadcast booth and Jeff back in the car, but hadn't followed any of the rule changes in the last few years as they tend to get more and more convoluted each time.

This was a sport with rules written on a napkin and raced by gentlemens' agreement.

I don't know what the heck this sport is anymore.

In full disclosure, I don't like change and I am still bitter about the designated hitter rule. And don't even get me started on instant replays in baseball.

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