Ghosts of North Wilkesboro

I don't really think anyone needs to build a new track. They just need to race at a few others that already exist.
 
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It was awesome on many other short tracks that no longer exist. Wonder why? nah most people just bitch because of the changes which were larger tracks. But it is what brought Nascar out of the bush leagues into the forefront. Like it or not. Glad they still have short tracks in the series, but ARCA, and K&N have great racing, plenty of short tracks, but no prize money and little public support.
 
StandOnIt said:
If golden boy thinks they are so great, why doesn't he buy/build one. Not like he doesn't have the money to do it. More PR bull speak
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I know Bruton wants a ton of money for North Wilkesboro, but I honestly think that a few of the drivers should get together, buy it and bring it up to code.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Yeah, I don't know what the cost difference would be but I know I prefer the small size of a short track. Better racing and you're right on top of the action. No place like taking in a race at Martinsville and I'll be sitting right here in a few more weeks.....
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Been there , loved it . Neighbours backyards, campgrounds , souveniers,concessions , right there . Bristol too , great tracks for fans . My dream is to someday get to Richmond . Don't get me wrong , I didn't mean to defend mile and a halfs . Just that instead of blaming Bruton , the tracks were the best suited to Nascar at the time they were built . The other tidbit that nobody mentions is that the fans are the only ones who think that they are cookie cutter tracks . Drivers and crew chiefs will tell you that they are all very different and the set ups for one mile and a half won't work on another.
 
The Nature Boy said:
Another track for drivers to learn their craft? Host some Truck and Xfinity races?

Honestly, if you want to fix the problem of too many Cup guys in Xfinity then run fewer companion races. Tracks like Rockingham and North Wilkesboro would be perfect for the Xfinity Series.
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The money people don't seem to see that as a problem requiring a fix.

Rockingham ran Truck races in 2012 / 2013 after being shuttered for 8 years. They stopped. Andy H couldn't make it pay.
 
The story pointed out that the move to larger tracks was aided by the fact that short tracks cost teams money from damaged race cars vs. the purse at that point in time.
 
a lot of people bitch about Ft Worth, but the two dates are two of the larger paydays on the circuit. Spring race paid Logano, over a half a million for the win, 567 thousand, compared to 158 thousand for Kurt Busch Martinsville spring race. It would be really tough to stay afloat on a steady diet of short tracks.
 
aunty dive said:
The money people don't seem to see that as a problem requiring a fix.

Rockingham ran Truck races in 2012 / 2013 after being shuttered for 8 years. They stopped. Andy H couldn't make it pay.
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The attendance was pretty dismal for those races if I recall. Tracks don't last when nobody shows up to support them.
 
ToyYoda said:
The attendance was pretty dismal for those races if I recall. Tracks don't last when nobody shows up to support them.
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That's right.

Perhaps Hillenburg was counting on the support of the very vocal squadrons of internet forum posters howling for racing to return to The Rock. They cried like little girls and when they got their way they went looking for something else to whine about rather than buying the guy's tickets.

The subject of this thread is a very interesting story and a great read. Time passes and things change. The track is done. Strip mall?
 
ToyYoda said:
The attendance was pretty dismal for those races if I recall. Tracks don't last when nobody shows up to support them.
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yeah and the coup de gras for Rockingham was Nascar lowering the hammer with safety upgrades that there wasn't any money for. I watched the truck race, take nostalgia out of it, and I didn't see anything special, but a lot of announcer hype. Watched Andy Hillenburg at Tulsa speedway, 15 years old racing his first sprint car, wanted his track to be a success, so I am not a hater of Rockingham or short tracks, I enjoy what Nascar has to offer, but I am also a realist, they don't support big time racing.
 
Just happened to remember this article and finally got around to reading it, and my first and foremost reaction is what a sad story. As NB said, it's too bad that some big money people couldn't get together and buy this place and make something of it.

Given the current state of NASCAR, what they did with moving last year's Southern 500 back to Labor Day weekend was a huge hit and one of the best moves that the sport has made in recent memory (granted, that move was undoubtedly driven by NBC). I know it's a pipe dream but imagine if someone or some group of people pumped enough money into North Wilkesboro to bring it up to par and they held 1 race there a year, even if it's just the All Star Race? That could undo some of the damage that the sport has done to itself over the years. This place is clearly nostalgic much like Fenway Park or Wrigley Field is to baseball. But as I said, a pipe dream.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Yeah, I don't know what the cost difference would be but I know I prefer the small size of a short track. Better racing and you're right on top of the action. No place like taking in a race at Martinsville and I'll be sitting right here in a few more weeks.....

View attachment 18425
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Awesome photo, This track is high on my Bucket list! :D
 
carolinabuff said:
Just happened to remember this article and finally got around to reading it, and my first and foremost reaction is what a sad story. As NB said, it's too bad that some big money people couldn't get together and buy this place and make something of it.

Given the current state of NASCAR, what they did with moving last year's Southern 500 back to Labor Day weekend was a huge hit and one of the best moves that the sport has made in recent memory (granted, that move was undoubtedly driven by NBC). I know it's a pipe dream but imagine if someone or some group of people pumped enough money into North Wilkesboro to bring it up to par and they held 1 race there a year, even if it's just the All Star Race? That could undo some of the damage that the sport has done to itself over the years. This place is clearly nostalgic much like Fenway Park or Wrigley Field is to baseball. But as I said, a pipe dream.
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Greg said:
Burn in Hell Bruton Smith.
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Without Bruton Smith....... the France family would have a stranglehold on ALL the tracks....... I applaud Bruton for having the tenacity and gumption to come back from the Charlotte fiasco to be a major player in track ownership...... he may have pissed off a lot of folks along the way but at least the France family doesn't own the whole shooting match........
 
kymartin6 said:
Without Bruton Smith....... the France family would have a stranglehold on ALL the tracks....... I applaud Bruton for having the tenacity and gumption to come back from the Charlotte fiasco to be a major player in track ownership...... he may have pissed off a lot of folks along the way but at least the France family doesn't own the whole shooting match........
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Well I will agree both about like counter two mafia lords.
 
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