[EmpireWF]

It could happen. There's a proposal right now to build a .8-mile track in Staten Island. The locale of the track would have the New York City skyline in it's sights so the view would be amazing. Nobody's worried about whether or not fans would show...the belief is that if Nascar races there, people will show up.

However, the problem is in getting the racetrack built. As Yahoo! Sports points out, the piece of land was purchased for over $100 million in 2004 and Nascar has tried to get the proper authority to build a track ever since.

Do you guys ever think a Nascar race will occur in New York?

[Souporscotty]

How about parking?

[Quality88]

How bout building it in New Jersey on the garbage dump like other sports venues. They can call it the Brain France Stinkway.

[wingkey1]

Originally Posted by EmpireWF

It could happen. There's a proposal right now to build a .8-mile track in Staten Island. The locale of the track would have the New York City skyline in it's sights so the view would be amazing. Nobody's worried about whether or not fans would show...the belief is that if Nascar races there, people will show up.

However, the problem is in getting the racetrack built. As Yahoo! Sports points out, the piece of land was purchased for over $100 million in 2004 and Nascar has tried to get the proper authority to build a track ever since.

Do you guys ever think a Nascar race will occur in New York?

That just went down in the old proverbial "flames". See following.

USA Today recently indicated the revival of the plan to locate the track (if ever there is one) in the area of Atlantic City.

International Speedway Corp. scrapped plans Monday to build a track on Staten Island, stalling NASCAR's dream to bring a race to the New York area. The goal was to build a 0.8-mile track that would have seated 80,000 fans and had the New York City skyline as its backdrop. The proposal was met by severe public resistance.www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/nascar/2006-12-04-staten-island_...

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by EmpireWF

Do you guys ever think a Nascar race will occur in New York?

Mty prophecy/success rating is pretty marginal BUT IF I were to make a prediction on your question I'd have to say Probably never and IF it were to come about it would be a little less successful than the California track.

NYC and the nearby surrounding area is strictly a stick&ball city, irregardless of the diverse nature of the inhabitants. Every NY paper I ever read grudgingly put auto racing in the sports section put it somewhere between knurling and body building in importance. The New York borughs just have no real history with auto sports, only with stick&ball sports. Plus, auto racing will NEVER have a bevy of dedicated journalists to report on it because almost all current journalists have college drgrees and colleges are only concerned with stick&ball.

On the plus side, everything iread indicates that IF they ever pay off the right people enough money and the track gets built, it'll be a Richmond-type track and not another cookie-cutter one. But even if the track has good racing I don't see the locals being won over from the Mets. Yankees, Giants, Knicks, Rangers, Devils, etc., etc. I just don't believe a vast majority of New Yorkers have a great interest in cars.

I still don't see why they selected Staten Island as a site for a track. I would have thought the area aropund the Meadowlands or Secaucus would have been cheaper and better?

[LSC9901]

I agree with the thoughts that the city folks are all about stick & ball sports. That's where the fame and the big bux are. For me a .8 mile track would be more of a mess than Bristol. I know many, many racing fans love Bristol. It is a great track to watch a race but what they call a race, I call a constant accident with drivers that fall laps down in minutes. I'm not crazy about the 2.5 mile tracks but for my taste, .8 is really to small.

[Quality88]

Ok... on a serious note... I would have to say those city dwellers wouldn't care much about the Circle Boys. I say this because I have a friend that used to be my roommate and he is from Jersey and is one of the biggest Yankees/Giants fans( and I gave him hell since my beloved Cowboys beat the Giants the other night) I've ever seen. He didn't watch much Na$car till he met me. He still really don't care much about it. He flat out said New Yorkers wouldn't support a track. I'm inclined to agree with him. Of course... I'm sure there will be that one percentile that would support a track.... but then again that won't matter much since it won't give Francenstein his money. Anyways... I'll vacate before I hit the soap box cause I don't want to get into the whole Kentucky not gettin a cup race thing.... oops there I go... later folks before I get worse.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Quality88

Anyways... I'll vacate before I hit the soap box cause I don't want to get into the whole Kentucky not gettin a cup race thing.... oops there I go... later folks before I get worse.

Boy, I hate to rub salt into a gaping wound (because I totally agree that Kentucky is getting the shaft big time) but...

The local word in the media is that Dale Jr. wants to build his track here in Mobile and the only thing holding him back is the decision on where it will be. It is suppossed to be a drag strip, a dirt track, and a asphalt speedway of a little under a mile in length with immediate seating for 125K people and plans to expand to 200K soon after opening. Coupled with the Earnhardt name, that sounds like a lock on a Cup date to me.

I'd still like to see California lose a date and having it picked up by Kentucky...or, better yet, move the Southern 500 back where it rightfully belongs, in Darlington, on Labour Day!

[BringBackWilkesboro]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

I agree with the thoughts that the city folks are all about stick & ball sports. That's where the fame and the big bux are. For me a .8 mile track would be more of a mess than Bristol. I know many, many racing fans love Bristol. It is a great track to watch a race but what they call a race, I call a constant accident with drivers that fall laps down in minutes. I'm not crazy about the 2.5 mile tracks but for my taste, .8 is really to small.

.8 is just right for me. Its only a tad larger than Wilkesboro . To answer the question, I say no. The idea of tracks ins Seattle and Staten Island were shot down months ago.

[wingkey1]

ISC, the company owning the Staten Island property, essentially "gave up" in an announcement just yesterday (12-4-2006). Various news sources have the details of the "why". There are many.

Being a "Jersey" resident, what is seen more often in various newspapers and local race specific periodicals (Such as Area Auto Racing News aarn.com) is the possibility of a facility that could/might host a NASCAR top level event in the Millville area which is west and a bit north of Atlantic City. A tri-oval track is planned to be part of a very "interesting" endeavor. See Thunderbolt Raceway - New Jersey Motorsports Park

Keeps coming to my mind though that it would be drawing from the same geographies as Dover and Pocono at the very least. Of course there are sure a lot of folks in that geography so filling the house would likely not be an issue. No matter where additional tracks are rumored and/or will be built, eventually another track must lose a second race (that it already has). Something would have to "give". Millville certainly would be a much "friendlier" ride than Staten Island where the major roadways are already over burdened with traffic.

We shall see.

[LSC9901]

Think about this for a second. Nobody has to give up a race. Run the 36 race season as is and then have the playoff season at the new and improved race facilities. Huh ??? How about that for an idea ????

Correct !!! I hate the chase.

[wingkey1]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Think about this for a second. Nobody has to give up a race. Run the 36 race season as is and then have the playoff season at the new and improved race facilities. Huh ??? How about that for an idea ????

Correct !!! I hate the chase.

Ummmmm ----

Sorry but you're selling to an "old timer". Playoff = Chase.

Chase = not as good as - Schedule some number of races (36 or whatever) and crown the "champ" based on accomplishments over the schedule.

Perhaps implement Playoff (Chase) AFTER the split of NASCAR in to division/groups.

Boo Playoff (Chase)!

[LSC9901]

Sorry, you'll get no argument from me. I absolutely hate the chase/playoff season. My point was that if owners want more tracks to race on ... thats fine. Just extend the season. Sounds simple enough. 12 months worth of sponsorship exposure versus just 9.

[wingkey1]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Sorry, you'll get no argument from me. I absolutely hate the chase/playoff season. My point was that if owners want more tracks to race on ... thats fine. Just extend the season. Sounds simple enough. 12 months worth of sponsorship exposure versus just 9.

Again this is against the "old timer" in me and will support the pursuit of $$. More dates = more cost (for the teams). And from what we hear (and it would seem believeable / reasonable) the teams are pretty much already stretched to the max. Stretch 'em more (with increasing number of races) and quality will suffer as your top teams and drivers simply will not be able to participate in all races. Boy will this be ever getting away from what I long to see.

Not that I expect to ever really see it again.

[LSC9901]

I, too, am not necessarily in favor of a longer (regular) season. 36 races is fine. I agree that the teams would be stretched financially and also mentally and physically. Because there are owners out there that would like a race my simple solution would be to let them have the chase/playoff. Only the team sin the chase would participate and it really doesn't need to be 10 races. There would be more purse $$$ available to the chase teams since they wouldn't be paying 33 more teams. I realize my point of view is not shared by the France clan and probably not by the fans of todays NASCAR. I'll just sit back in my easy chair and remember the days of old.