[Bob Tanner]

LSC, and anyone who cares to read the enclosed link,

If you remember, a couple of months or so ago I made a prediction as to what might be in NASCAR's future. The following was the front page center story in today's USAToday. I thought you might find it interesting.

The only thing they don't address is the disallusionment of the veteran fans.

NASCAR's growth slows after 15 years in the fast lane - USATODAY.com

[Souporscotty]

Good article. I think next year will be worse. I know a lot of people that are gonna quit watching when Toyota starts. I think they need to let Humpy run NA$CAR.

[Quality88]

Sigh... I am glad but saddened. Bob I hate it when your right... bad thing is I knew you would be.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Souporscotty

Good article. I think next year will be worse. I know a lot of people that are gonna quit watching when Toyota starts. I think they need to let Humpy run NA$CAR.

LOL. Yeah, I can see a Humpy-run NASCAR. Let's see... they could change California into a gigantic Figure-Eight race (hmmm...? that might be an improvement?).

And at Charlotte they would have a race on Easter Sunday with a reenactment of the Crucifixion of Christ, with the original cast. (No offense meant, I swear. Just a methaphor for Humpy's sense of the theatrical.)

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Souporscotty

Good article. I think next year will be worse. I know a lot of people that are gonna quit watching when Toyota starts. I think they need to let Humpy run NA$CAR.

I don't think Toyota will make a great deal of difference. I believe it'll be a combination of the stick&ball retreads finally getting bored with racing and either going back to S&B or finding some other trendy sport with glitzy participants, and actual fans that know something about racing becoming increasingly disenchanted with the contrived and "made-for-TV" racing Brian has given us.

I look for Brian to change the length of the races to comfortably fit within the standard three hour time frame S&B fans are used to viewing. It's tough enough to hold their interest for over fifteen minutes, let alone over three hours.

I think Kyle was onto something when he criticized the 36-race season length. IF Brian really thinks about it, lookout for a two division, 25-race season, with most of the races running on Saturday night. Which, of course, will kill local racing.

I think a straight 30-week season with, at least one weekend off each month would do fine. What they have now, during the last half of the season is just plain overexposure.

But, what do I know?

[Souporscotty]

I was gonna bring up the length of the season, but figured I'd be tarred & feathered. I think a lot of fans would like to see a 52 race schedule. There have been several drivers, I believe, that have been critical of the 36 race season.

[LSC9901]

Excellent posts from all of you. You guys are terrific in your views. I need some time to collect all my thoughts on this one. Got what feels like a lot to say, so I'll think about it tonight and make my loud and proud statements tomorrow.

Bob ... if we can have the Fire Cracker 400 the Easter deal sounds good to me !!!!!!!

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

.

Bob ... if we can have the Fire Cracker 400 the Easter deal sounds good to me !!!!!!!

<Groan> I could come up with sooooo many potential names for an Easter event, but discretion being the better part of valor, I'll just take a pass...

[oncea3fan]

I really think this just the after math of the spike that dale sr.'s death caused.
I know quite a few poeple that because nascar fans in the wake of dales death, most are now ho-hum fans that really don't keep up. they never were the type to talk crew chiefs and rule books.

I'd like to see were nascar's "growth" (not popularity) is now, compared to dayona 01 before thew final lap. I'll bet it would fit like a puzzle piece.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by oncea3fan

I really think this just the after math of the spike that dale sr.'s death caused..

Excellent point. The fact that Dale's death occured during the running of FOX's first network telecast, and the well-publicized grieving in the aftermath obviously drove non-NASCAR fan's interest up a bit.

Originally Posted by oncea3fan

I know quite a few poeple that because nascar fans in the wake of dales death, most are now ho-hum fans that really don't keep up. they never were the type to talk crew chiefs and rule books.

These are the good folk I refer to as "driver fans," never to be confused with racing fans. They are the type who will pay lots of money to attend a race but if "their driver" leaves the race after a few laps, they have no compulsion to stay but rather they pack up and leave because, without "their driver," they have no interest in watching the competition. Sad, sad people who are prone to live their lives vicariously through others.

Originally Posted by oncea3fan

I'd like to see were nascar's "growth" (not popularity) is now, compared to dayona 01 before thew final lap. I'll bet it would fit like a puzzle piece.

I can't give you exact figures, mostly because NASCAR keeps its attendance figures and such stats as secret as Coca-Cola keeps its recipe! However, in Feb. 2001 ISC stock was trading at about $44 a share. In the couple of months which followed it dropped to around $35 but as of the bell yesterday, it traded at a little over $53.

If you want a graph showing NASCAR's growth stock-wise, which is about as good an indicator of company growth as I can imagine, here is a good link you might find interesting. It shows NASCAR's growth over the past ten years.

ISCA: Intl Speedway'A' Charts - AOL Money & Finance

[oncea3fan]

I know it's not as simple as this,but take out the peaks and valleies ,and it's right in an upward line.

well I can't post the graph

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by oncea3fan

I really think this just the after math of the spike that dale sr.'s death caused.
I know quite a few poeple that because nascar fans in the wake of dales death, most are now ho-hum fans that really don't keep up. they never were the type to talk crew chiefs and rule books.

I'd like to see were nascar's "growth" (not popularity) is now, compared to dayona 01 before thew final lap. I'll bet it would fit like a puzzle piece.

Me thinks your on to something there Once







http://www.smileycentral.com/sig.jsp...p=ZSYYYYYYYYGB

[LSC9901]

Where to begin …..


The complaint by Kyle Petty is probably well founded …. IF ….. you are a team member. For the NASCAR fan 36 isn’t a bad number. We differ from the team in that if we have something important to do (fly a balloon) we can skip the race or tape it for later viewing. I don’t think they have yet figured out how drive now for tomorrows race. Then again nobody is ball & chaining them to the sport. There are plenty of Busch drivers just waiting for a vacant seat.

TV viewership up or down ??? I’d be willing to bet as time goes on that will be a constant. Viewership will be on a rollercoaster ride. As has been noted many times in many threads more and more of todays fans are fans of “their driver”. The other NASCAR fan is the one who is the fan of racing period. Those fans know all about the sport and tend not to get tangled up in the “my driver” issues. Another reason for up and down viewership will be the level of broadcasting that gets shoved on to us. Once again on the worlds best NASCAR Forum we have discussed the good and bad announcers. They know who they are and in my mind they do have an effect on how badly I want to watch a race. The number of commercial breaks is and will continue to have an impact. XM & Sirius radio made itself much more attractive by the number of commercial breaks they have. Brian France says “we are in a bit of a lull.” NASCAR will have the hoola hoop syndrome. This is in reference to the fan who watches or attends races until “their driver” goes belly up. Next year promises to be a year of change. The COT, Toyota, new chase rules, new teams. Viewership and attendance should be up next year just due to the newness of the game.

In this article Humpy Wheeler speaks about veteran drivers and Dale Earnhardt Sr. and what their loss has meant to the sport. Once again to the racing fan it is a mere asterisk. When Mark Martin finally does leave the cup series, the sport isn’t going to go down the tubes. Some of his fans may fall by the side but the racing fan will continue. The racing fan is who NASCAR needs to look at. They are the ones that will be there for sure tomorrow and everyday after that. As for possibly shortening some of the longer races I will agree with it. Especially with the car that will be racing in the future. The races at Talledega and Pocono and Daytona prove to me that with all the sanctions that NA$CAR is putting into effect they are going to be to long.

Sponsorship !!

Well hell yes it is still strong. All the major sponsors couldn’t get that kind of advertising for that kind of money anywhere else.

I’m sure I could go on but that will be it for my effort tonight.

[Souporscotty]

Bob, I think a giant figure 8 in California is the best idea I've heard in a long time. Back in the 60's I used to love watching f8 racin' on "Wide World of Sports".

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Souporscotty

Good article. I think next year will be worse. I know a lot of people that are gonna quit watching when Toyota starts. I think they need to let Humpy run NA$CAR.

I know alot of people who are going to keep watching just to see those Yotas plow the wall. It will be bitter sweet for me though.