Loudon observations

Magicmiler

Magicmiler

Giovanni Ruggiero #17 Truck
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Haven't been to my favorite place since after September 2017. Taking the September race was sad, so we attended other tracks. Bristol twice in a row. Finally returned to Loudon this weekend.
Here are some thiI noticed
 
Let me try this again..
Here are some things I noticed. I am not bad mouthing , just things I noticed.
The t shirt midway has shrunk to half rhe regular Loudon size, considerably. Multiple drivers are now in one trailer, Larson, Elliot, Chastain had their own trailers. Even Dale Jr. had a trailer, an old pup tandem. The rest were grouped under manufacturer banner.
Cashless. All SMI related vendors were cashless. Independent vendors on the midway, and t shirt trucks took cash.
No event pin, decal or souvenir program with the diecast car.
SMI merchandise: hat- $38.00,t shirt-$38.00, Hoodie, $70.00, etc. Etc.
No bleacher hawkers( ice cream, pretzels, etc.)
The NHMS gift shop used to be good size. Now, I had to go outside to change my mind ,it was that small. If it was 20'×20,that was generous.
And finally. The sold out thing .Yes, it was a good size crowd. Here is some is some of the reason why.
The main grandstands were 'improved' with drink rails. At the expense of every other seating row eliminated .
The bottom 5 rows, eliminated.
The Laconia grandstands were tore down years ago. A track that once held over 101,000, now holds about 55,000.
Loudon is one of my favorite tracks, but things change. And I was somewhat taken aback, having not been there for 8 years.
The Mods, Trucks and Cup races were absolutely fantastic, and That is the reason I went back..
Main grandstands bleachers...
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Magicmiler said:
Let me try this again..
Here are some things I noticed. I am not bad mouthing , just things I noticed.
The t shirt midway has shrunk to half rhe regular Loudon size, considerably. Multiple drivers are now in one trailer, Larson, Elliot, Chastain had their own trailers. Even Dale Jr. had a trailer, an old pup tandem. The rest were grouped under manufacturer banner.
Cashless. All SMI related vendors were cashless. Independent vendors on the midway, and t shirt trucks took cash.
No event pin, decal or souvenir program with the diecast car.
SMI merchandise: hat- $38.00,t shirt-$38.00, Hoodie, $70.00, etc. Etc.
No bleacher hawkers( ice cream, pretzels, etc.)
The NHMS gift shop used to be good size. Now, I had to go outside to change my mind ,it was that small. If it was 20'×20,that was generous.
And finally. The sold out thing .Yes, it was a good size crowd. Here is some is some of the reason why.
The main grandstands were 'improved' with drink rails. At the expense of every other seating row eliminated .
The bottom 5 rows, eliminated.
The Laconia grandstands were tore down years ago. A track that once held over 101,000, now holds about 55,000.
Loudon is one of my favorite tracks, but things change. And I was somewhat taken aback, having not been there for 8 years.
The Mods, Trucks and Cup races were absolutely fantastic, and That is the reason I went back..
Main grandstands bleachers...
View attachment 87743View attachment 87744
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Kansas did roughly the same thing with their bleachers, except instead of a drink holder, it’s a bench/counter that you can sit your food and drinks on. The confusing thing is that they didn’t completely remove the row decals, so it’s a bit tough for first timers to know which row they are on.
 
All tracks are downsizing their bleachers by either taking down sections, covering up sections, or condensing sections with table tops/drink rails. Bristol has done two of of three of these. Las Vegas covered up huge sections of seating with dirt.

Almost all professional sporting events are cashless. Even many college events are that way now.

I guess they don't sell enough programs to justify making them. They still print them at the University of Tennessee, but they are now free. I only grabbed one last season because I had the chance to get Rick Barnes' autograph.

I went to Nashville in June for the first time as a fan in over 15 years. I was surprised how much the fan experience has changed. Some of it good, some of it not good. Not dealing with as many people was a positive.
 
MRM said:
All tracks are downsizing their bleachers by either taking down sections, covering up sections, or condensing sections with table tops/drink rails. Bristol has done two of of three of these. Las Vegas covered up huge sections of seating with dirt.

Almost all professional sporting events are cashless. Even many college events are that way now.

I guess they don't sell enough programs to justify making them. They still print them at the University of Tennessee, but they are now free. I only grabbed one last season because I had the chance to get Rick Barnes' autograph.

I went to Nashville in June for the first time as a fan in over 15 years. I was surprised how much the fan experience has changed. Some of it good, some of it not good. Not dealing with as many people was a positive.
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Rightsizing is the Nascar language for downsizing.
 
Magicmiler said:
Let me try this again..
Here are some things I noticed. I am not bad mouthing , just things I noticed.
Click to expand...
You don't say when you were last at a race prior to this. As others have said, most of the changes you noted were made at other tracks years ago.
  1. Rows, sections, or grandstands removed. Why maintain the infrastructure if no one is going to use it?
  2. Midways reduced in terms of number of souvenir trailers, sponsor displays, food vendors, overall square footage. Back in the day, that was the only way you could get driver gear. Now it's all on line and you don't have to wait until you can get to a race.
  3. Gift shops reduced or eliminated. Again, track gear is available on line, year round.
  4. Cash only at track facilities, which has become common at most entertainment venues. Much easier for the track to manage than having to arrange for a ton of cash a couple of times a year.
  5. Souvenir programs went the way that newspapers, magazines, and many other printed media are going in this Internet age. I don't remember event pins being offered since 2015 or so.
  6. Did Loudon have bleacher sales as recently as 2017? At the eight or so tracks I visited semi-regularly, I don't remember bleacher sales since before the turn of the century.
  7. You weren't really surprised at the cost of T-shirts and hats, were you?
 
I have been attending Loudon events since it was Bryar Motorsports Park and have seen massive changes. The Bahres knew how to give fans the best value. Then, they sold to SMI.That is when ot started to change.The last time I went was 2017 to Loudon . Went to Bristol in 18 and 19. Went to Dover in 23. I went to Loudon for the racing first., but was suprised by the lack of familiar things.
What's there to maintain with aluminum bleacher seating?
Why have haulers at the track, other than a driver autograph ( which some require you to make a minimum $50.00 purchase ) if you can get it online?
Why even have a track gift shop, if it's available online?
Bought an event pin at Dover in 2023.
Bleacher sales were available in 2017.
T shirts and hats were a reasonably priced 20-25 bucks back then.

As with anything, change happens. I went for the racing, bought the wife a Blaney souvenir Before the race( yay) , and nothing else... I had spent enough on tickets and reserved parking(which was a Blessing).Brought our own food & drink, and had a good time watching the Mods,Trucks and Cup. That's why we came. The other things I mentioned are something a first timer will never get to know.
 
I kind of envy you getting to see the modified race at NHIS. We attended the first race held there in 1993. Chose to sit in first turn for modified race where we could see them exit four and come down that front straight and what a thrill!! I don't ever recall an event that gave me so much excitement and can't even begin to estimate the races I've attended but that race was without a doubt the one that impressed and excited me the most. The following NASCAR events were overshadowed by those modified cars.
 
Magicmiler said:
What's there to maintain with aluminum bleacher seating?
Click to expand...
Bathrooms and plumbing, electricity, fencing and gates, stairs; possibly ramps, elevators, maybe grass. Even if you do nothing, insurance and property taxes. Why keep something you won't use when you can sell or transfer?
Magicmiler said:
Why have haulers at the track,
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You'd have to ask each team's merchandising department. I'd guess because they sell enough to make a profit.
Magicmiler said:
T shirts and hats were a reasonably priced 20-25 bucks back then.
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Inflation. $35 for a racing shirt or hat is in line with other sports' clothing; maybe even a bit less.
Magicmiler said:
Brought our own food & drink
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One of the few sports that let's you do that!
Magicmiler said:
had a good time watching the Mods,Trucks and Cup. That's why we came.
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That's what counts!
Magicmiler said:
The other things I mentioned are something a first timer will never get to know.
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If they never knew it, they won't miss it much. I don't miss 'chicken bone seats' on concrete, or not having enough space for my cooler, scanner, open food and drink.
 
Whizzer said:
Chose to sit in first turn for modified race where we could see them exit four and come down that front straight and what a thrill!!
Click to expand...
Same for Darlington. I don't know why anyone would sit on the S/F line. I've been to maybe ten Cup tracks and that's never one of the better views.
 
Whizzer said:
I kind of envy you getting to see the modified race at NHIS. We attended the first race held there in 1993. Chose to sit in first turn for modified race where we could see them exit four and come down that front straight and what a thrill!! I don't ever recall an event that gave me so much excitement and can't even begin to estimate the races I've attended but that race was without a doubt the one that impressed and excited me the most. The following NASCAR events were overshadowed by those modified cars.
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For over 30 years,I've always felt the Mods we're the best racing of the weekend at Loudon. I've seen some spectacular races, and this weekends finish was one of them. Showing up in Victory Lane with a destroyed front suspension was different. Middle of 1&2, Laconia, the views right there are great. The mezzanine is an added bonus.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
Same for Darlington. I don't know why anyone would sit on the S/F line. I've been to maybe ten Cup tracks and that's never one of the better views.
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High in turn 1 is my go to at any track that has that option available. If not, I sit as close to a corner as possible. More action right in front of you, and don’t have to turn your head as much.
 
Great observations. I went to Loudon maybe 2017 or 2018. It was one of the most boring Cup races I ever attended. They drove like it was a gentleman's sports car race. Glad that has changed.

Frankly, for me, now is the best time ever to be a NASCAR fan. I remember the days of sold out tracks, 18" seats with little leg room (barely enough for a small cooler) hours to get out of the parking lot after the race, jammed midways with long lines for everything and you were lucky to get a bathroom break completed during a caution. Man, I hate the sound of those race cars getting the green when I am standing at a urinal.
Back in those days I would always look forward to a rain out Monday race!
...and yes, I think the racing is pretty darn good right now.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
I still do. The atmosphere is absolutely surreal. It's tough to work one in but I recommend every race fan try to attend at least one rain-delay race.
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The one time I have been to a race where rain was a big factor, it was a disaster. It was at Bristol for an Xfinity race. Clint Bowyer won the rain-shortened race. But the grounds were soaked and muddy, and trying to walk around was miserable. I think I’ll pass on dealing with that again if I have the choice.
 
Brentford said:
The one time I have been to a race where rain was a big factor, it was a disaster. It was at Bristol for an Xfinity race. Clint Bowyer won the rain-shortened race. But the grounds were soaked and muddy, and trying to walk around was miserable. I think I’ll pass on dealing with that again if I have the choice.
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Just to be clear, @DIDIT and I were discussing going to a race on Monday when it was rained out on Sunday. With only a few thousand people returning, the experience is stripped to the essentials. Getting in, parking, and getting out is a breeze, with few or no parking attendants. Cooler checks are minimal to non-existent, and you'll definitely need one because there are reduced or no food concessions. Ditto souvenirs sales; many trucks and gypsies have already left although some of the track shops may be open. Sit where you want; if you're in someone's ticketed seat, there are often entire sections available to move to. Ceremonies are minimal; everyone with credentials is interested in getting the race run and the heck out of Dodge. At times it can feel like they're running the race in a ghost town, just for you.

But the Port-A-Johns can be ... challenging. :eek:
 
I was talking to a friend who went to Loudon this past weekend. He suggested bringing back the trackside Fanatics tent fiasco from '15...
I had to put him in time out...
 
@Charlie Spencer, yep…one time we were down on the inside wall at Darlington when the race started. No security no one checking credentials. Once at Daytona they didn’t even check tickets. At Atlanta I literally parked in the midway. All, once in a lifetime experiences. Guess we shouldn’t tell everyone.
 
I was scrolling through X and saw where Adam Stern reported that the race had a 0.70 rating & 1.29 million viewers. I think a lot of people missed a really good race. It wouldn’t hurt my feelings if this track went back to 2 dates.
 
AlTerego said:
I was scrolling through X and saw where Adam Stern reported that the race had a 0.70 rating & 1.29 million viewers. I think a lot of people missed a really good race. It wouldn’t hurt my feelings if this track went back to 2 dates.
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I'm not ready to have two dates just because they had a decent race once in a blue moon. There needs to be a series of decent races before I am a fan. In other words, the track needs to earn two dates.
Something that hasn't been mentioned in this veil of tears thread is that the crowd was full house. That also goes a long way in getting two dates a year.
 
Efisher131 said:
I agree with him that the tent is better. Do I sit on the bottom step or stand against the wall for time out?
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I liked the tents too. The spread-out merchandise was easier to see, I didn't have to compete with other fans for the attention of a limited number of sales people, and I only had to stand in line once to pay instead of at multiple trucks. Many of the complaints I recall seeing were from people who liked chit-chatting with the hauler folks; I'm there only to buy stuff and get it back to the car.

Nowadays with the reduced inventory, the tents may indeed be better. The negative response to the first attempt will keep anyone from trying again soon.
 
Comparisons to dirt racing for NASCAR merch are what I go to; every top driver touring nationally has their own trailer and a line of people buying things. I compare my attendance at the IMS double headers with NASCAR and Indycar to attending the National Open last year at Williams Grove and the contrast in fan interest for souvenirs is stark. Using that damn marketing speak of "activated fans"; dirt has far higher percentage of them attending races to the point where their attendees are out consuming crowds multiples of their size.

As far as the stands at SMI go; if the fans return they want to have seats for them. The benches are a fine option in the meantime for me going and wanting a place to put my hot dog and Pepsi and sunscreen and camera bag over my lap or the "floor".
 
virtualbalboa said:
Comparisons to dirt racing for NASCAR merch are what I go to; every top driver touring nationally has their own trailer and a line of people buying things. I compare my attendance at the IMS double headers with NASCAR and Indycar to attending the National Open last year at Williams Grove and the contrast in fan interest for souvenirs is stark. Using that damn marketing speak of "activated fans"; dirt has far higher percentage of them attending races to the point where their attendees are out consuming crowds multiples of their size.

As far as the stands at SMI go; if the fans return they want to have seats for them. The benches are a fine option in the meantime for me going and wanting a place to put my hot dog and Pepsi and sunscreen and camera bag over my lap or the "floor".
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Precisely. What I noticed when I went to London a few years back was that very few fans were wearing racing apparel. Almost no one. Here’s two poor pictures from London.
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Charlie Spencer said:
I liked the tents too. The spread-out merchandise was easier to see, I didn't have to compete with other fans for the attention of a limited number of sales people, and I only had to stand in line once to pay instead of at multiple trucks. Many of the complaints I recall seeing were from people who liked chit-chatting with the hauler folks; I'm there only to buy stuff and get it back to the car.

Nowadays with the reduced inventory, the tents may indeed be better. The negative response to the first attempt will keep anyone from trying again soon.
Click to expand...
2 years into a 10 year deal says otherwise.. The Fans spoke...
 
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