ARCA Racing Series 2011

I don't know about ever. Rockingham 2009 fall race gave that a run for its money. Cayuga 2008 also sucked.

I didn't go to Rockingham fall 2009, but Palm Beach was definitely worse than Cayuga . They had their big drag strip grandstand, which didnt provide a good view anyway, there was only a few people in that. They had a couple of other really really small grandstands that were nowhere near being full. they must have been 8-10 row stands and were not wide at all. really bad. There were not even really any lines to meet drivers at the autograph session. At worst, like 3 people ahead of you at any time. Cayuga, you did have to wait in lines, although the session ended quick because it started raining part way through. Those both rank up there with the worst though. The worst i've seen for a cup track was MIS 2008(The one Lofton won), rained it out to saturday morning at 9am. There was no one. They even let people that had truck tickets in to the ARCA race for free.
 
I didn't go to Rockingham fall 2009, but Palm Beach was definitely worse than Cayuga . They had their big drag strip grandstand, which didnt provide a good view anyway, there was only a few people in that. They had a couple of other really really small grandstands that were nowhere near being full. they must have been 8-10 row stands and were not wide at all. really bad. There were not even really any lines to meet drivers at the autograph session. At worst, like 3 people ahead of you at any time. Cayuga, you did have to wait in lines, although the session ended quick because it started raining part way through. Those both rank up there with the worst though. The worst i've seen for a cup track was MIS 2008(The one Lofton won), rained it out to saturday morning at 9am. There was no one. They even let people that had truck tickets in to the ARCA race for free.

There were like 500 people at the 2009 American 200. There were, maybe, 59 people at the Palm Beach 150. ARCA could've got higher attendance racing on the streets of rural West Virginia.
 
Actually wouldnt mind seeing ARCA do a street circuit race(something like Baltimore or St Petersburg) as a support series. The NASCAR Canadian Tire series does this for a few of their events and it seems to work out well for them. Especially Trois-Rivieres, Canadian Tire Series is actually the headliner of that. They got an awesome crowd both times it i went to it.
 
No new hints on Rockingham yet. UARA released their schedule and their Rockingham dates are on May 14, 2011 and November 6, 2011. So, IF ARCA returns to The Rock, it would either be in May (meaning the USAR Rockingham date moves) or it would not be in conjunction with the UARA series.

PASS has also released their schedules with the exception of two races on the Southern Tour including the Mason/Dixon Meltdown (would make sense to run this race in Manassas or somewhere in PA not in South Carolina).
 
Actually wouldnt mind seeing ARCA do a street circuit race(something like Baltimore or St Petersburg) as a support series. The NASCAR Canadian Tire series does this for a few of their events and it seems to work out well for them. Especially Trois-Rivieres, Canadian Tire Series is actually the headliner of that. They got an awesome crowd both times it i went to it.

Baltimore won't happen because it's on Labor Day Weekend -- but I'd LOVE to see it! Would draw a huge crowd!

I would like to see them add a late model race to the Baltimore Grand Prix.
 
Okay, here's what I'm hearing now.

Expect a few new races on the schedule and it may not be released until the banquet. Some of you were right, they were trying to secure a few dates.

Usually, my people have already seen it and leaked it to me minus one or two dates so ARCA's really kept a good stranglehold on it this year.
 
Okay, the two Rockingham race weekends announced are USARacing Pro Cup Series races.

IF Rockingham is off the ARCA schedule, where does the season end? Would be ****ty to end it on a Friday afternoon in Kansas City. Will Toledo reclaim the season finale?
 
ARCA to Indianapolis Raceway Park in 2011, a part of Kroger Speedfest the week of the Brickyard 400. Formal announcement tomorrow morning 10am.

So now we know what the eight televised race will be. I've had hints about this all week, just got official word today.
 
IF Rockingham is off the ARCA schedule, where does the season end? Would be ****ty to end it on a Friday afternoon in Kansas City. Will Toledo reclaim the season finale?

Well, I think Toledo is the only really obvious track that they have not made an announcement for yet. Probably right that they will have they final race there. I liked that the ended the season on a short track rather than on Rockingham, Iowa and Talladega anyway. Would be nice if they actually had 1 of the short track races televised too.
 
So this is how things look right now.

February 12 - Daytona (NASCAR)
April 15 - Talladega (NASCAR)
May 1 - Salem
June 4 - Chicagoland (NASCAR)
June 11 - Pocono (NASCAR)
June 17 - Michigan (NASCAR)
June 25 - Winchester
July 9 - Berlin
July 16 - Iowa (NASCAR)
July 28-30?? - ORP Indianapolis (USAC, NASCAR)
August 6 - Pocono Raceway (NASCAR)
August 21 - Illinois State Fairgrounds
September 5 - DuQuoin State Fairgrounds
September 17 - Salem Speedway
October 7 - Kansas Speedway (NASCAR)

We can bet on Toledo being on the schedule twice, always has been. That is ARCA's Charlotte after all.

The questions surround New Jersey, Palm Beach, Rockingham and Mansfield.

I was told IRP would be a new race and to expect one or two more new races. I'd bet Mid-Ohio, Topeka or North Wilkesboro replace Mansfield and Gresham replaces Palm Beach... but I have no reason to believe that.
 
Well, I think Toledo is the only really obvious track that they have not made an announcement for yet. Probably right that they will have they final race there. I liked that the ended the season on a short track rather than on Rockingham, Iowa and Talladega anyway. Would be nice if they actually had 1 of the short track races televised too.

Well, with only eight races being NASCAR companion events (one being the IRP short track), I'd bet we get a couple televised short tracks. IF Rockingham's on the schedule, that'll be televised. Toledo would probably also be televised if it is the season finale.

Then again, with ARCA making the announcement about the IRP addition at a news conference in Indianapolis, maybe they release the big picture tomorrow.
 
So this is how things look right now.

February 12 - Daytona (NASCAR)
April 15 - Talladega (NASCAR)
May 1 - Salem
June 4 - Chicagoland (NASCAR)
June 11 - Pocono (NASCAR)
June 17 - Michigan (NASCAR)
June 25 - Winchester
July 9 - Berlin
July 16 - Iowa (NASCAR)
July 28-30?? - ORP Indianapolis (USAC, NASCAR)
August 6 - Pocono Raceway (NASCAR)
August 21 - Illinois State Fairgrounds
September 5 - DuQuoin State Fairgrounds
September 17 - Salem Speedway
October 7 - Kansas Speedway (NASCAR)

We can bet on Toledo being on the schedule twice, always has been. That is ARCA's Charlotte after all.

The questions surround New Jersey, Palm Beach, Rockingham and Mansfield.

I was told IRP would be a new race and to expect one or two more new races. I'd bet Mid-Ohio, Topeka or North Wilkesboro replace Mansfield and Gresham replaces Palm Beach... but I have no reason to believe that.

I have not been to NJ since the inagural race, but i bet that one will be back. I don't know how the crowds have been since then, but i'd be disappointed if that one was gone. Wonder whats going to happen with Rockingham if they don't have ARCA. I guess that would mean they are giving up on trying to be a big time track. Having USAR and UARA is nothing. Might as well close and just use it for testing and Hillenburgs fast track driving school if they get rid of ARCA.
 
I have not been to NJ since the inagural race, but i bet that one will be back. I don't know how the crowds have been since then, but i'd be disappointed if that one was gone. Wonder whats going to happen with Rockingham if they don't have ARCA. I guess that would mean they are giving up on trying to be a big time track. Having USAR and UARA is nothing. Might as well close and just use it for testing and Hillenburgs fast track driving school if they get rid of ARCA.

Yeah, USAR has really fallen apart. Not a great series anymore. They put on a show but it's not what it used to be.

I thought the attendance at The Rock was pretty good for the American 200 (judging by television) but maybe it was much worse than it looked from television... if so, that's a shame because Andy had some really good ticket deals and promotions to get asses in seats and he even moved it to Saturday so everyone could go watch the suck ass Carolina Panthers games on Sunday.
 
I have not been to NJ since the inagural race, but i bet that one will be back. I don't know how the crowds have been since then, but i'd be disappointed if that one was gone. Wonder whats going to happen with Rockingham if they don't have ARCA. I guess that would mean they are giving up on trying to be a big time track. Having USAR and UARA is nothing. Might as well close and just use it for testing and Hillenburgs fast track driving school if they get rid of ARCA.

A lot of people pretty much knew, if the attendance was bad at the American 200, it would likely be ARCA's last visit there. Andy wasn't going to put anymore money in to running ARCA if the fans didn't show up... but again, the audience looked good on TV, at least 8,000 it looked like which is great for a non-NASCAR event. They had more people there than IndyCar did at Homestead.
 
the new post on arcas site says "ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards " not remax. is it just a mistake?
 
the new post on arcas site says "ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards " not remax. is it just a mistake?

they pulled the article already, it just said they are in indianapolis and will make 2 announcements
 
ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.

Interesting... I find it hard to believe RE/MAX couldn't follow through for one more year and then leave when the contract expired. Even in this economy, they're making a ****-ton in profit. I mean, I knew RE/MAX was good as gone after 2011 -- the guy who was responsible for bringing RE/MAX in to ARCA passed away earlier this year and everyone knew RE/MAX was not going to renew.

I'd like to see Menards step up and get more involved -- at least as a title sponsor for the series. Menards and ARCA go hand in hand... I guess Menards' presenting sponsorship is one of the reasons we're seeing more races go to Indiana, Illinois and Ohio.

So I guess we are waiting until Saturday for the schedule. I'll be surprised if New Jersey isn't back on though. That's a popular event (I haven't gone since the inaugural but know a lot of people in Philly and NJ who do go every year). ARCA's actually built quite a fanbase out in New Jersey because of that race. If they ever build the oval at NJMP, it might be a good candidate for two races (one at Thunderbolt road course and one at the oval).
 
We could probably assume this is the 8th of ten televised races. I'd like to see SPEED televise the ARCA race at IRP and stick around to air the USAC races. That would be suh-weet.

BTW, I'm betting 2011 is the last year ARCA airs on SPEED. The contract ends and SPEED is headed in the direction of more reality programming and less racing. I bet ARCA ends up on Versus in 2012... that would actually be a good television partnership.
 
ARCA did post on their website that they would be making 2 announcements today in Indianapolis. They did pull the announcement within a few minutes of when I saw it though. We'll see if they actually do the second one and if it's the schedule or something else.
 
ARCA did post on their website that they would be making 2 announcements today in Indianapolis. They did pull the announcement within a few minutes of when I saw it though. We'll see if they actually do the second one and if it's the schedule or something else.

They never pulled that article, they just hid it from you.:D

http://www.arcaracing.com/news.php?contentid=10277

Up top in the links bar, where it says "Series News", it always pays off to click that link because there's always some hidden gems in there.
 
Oh gosh, I forgot all about you guys and this forum for a couple of months. :D

Where to start? ReMax was under contract until 2011? They must have really wanted out. I just noticed this year they started sponsoring The NFL on Westwood1 radio. That's got to be a boatload of money right there. They have plenty of disposable income for sponsoring sporting events. They're just not spending it with ARCA. And of course if they're using the term "presented by", ARCA obviously doesn't feel Mennards should be elevated to full naming rights.

Cayuga 2008 was one of the "worst ever"? It wasn't that bad! I'd say a healthy 3,000 fannies were in the seats. Heck, that's almost capacity at Salem or Berlin.

The loss of Rockingham is disturbing. But will we ever know if Andy pulled the plug on ARCA, or ARCA pulled the plug on Andy? Attendance was poor there. Kentucky seems to be long gone, and attendance seemed rather poor there too. Again, who pulled the plug on whom?
 
Oh gosh, I forgot all about you guys and this forum for a couple of months. :D

Where to start? ReMax was under contract until 2011? They must have really wanted out. I just noticed this year they started sponsoring The NFL on Westwood1 radio. That's got to be a boatload of money right there. They have plenty of disposable income for sponsoring sporting events. They're just not spending it with ARCA. And of course if they're using the term "presented by", ARCA obviously doesn't feel Mennards should be elevated to full naming rights.

Cayuga 2008 was one of the "worst ever"? It wasn't that bad! I'd say a healthy 3,000 fannies were in the seats. Heck, that's almost capacity at Salem or Berlin.

The loss of Rockingham is disturbing. But will we ever know if Andy pulled the plug on ARCA, or ARCA pulled the plug on Andy? Attendance was poor there. Kentucky seems to be long gone, and attendance seemed rather poor there too. Again, who pulled the plug on whom?

I was told Hillenburg pulled the plug on ARCA, wasn't paying off to have them run there. Rockingham has two USAR/UARA doubleheaders next season. I might try to get down for one but I'm not counting on it.

Right now, here's what I'm hoping for:

May: Millville, NJ ARCA
June: North Wilkesboro, NC UARA?/USAR
July: Hampton, VA HH200 or NKNPES
September: Baltimore, MD ALMS/IICS

There are, unfortunately, too many things that could keep me from going to the tracks but I'm trying.
 
I was told Hillenburg pulled the plug on ARCA, wasn't paying off to have them run there. Rockingham has two USAR/UARA doubleheaders next season. I might try to get down for one but I'm not counting on it.

Right now, here's what I'm hoping for:

May: Millville, NJ ARCA
June: North Wilkesboro, NC UARA?/USAR
July: Hampton, VA HH200 or NKNPES
September: Baltimore, MD ALMS/IICS

There are, unfortunately, too many things that could keep me from going to the tracks but I'm trying.

Did you ever hear anything about why ARCA isn't at Kentucky any more? Who pulled the plug on who?

You know what, I think I'm going to take a roadie to this Winchester place in Eastern Indiana. Mainly because it looks to be about 20 miles from Eldora!! Toledo, you think Eldora would put on some kind of racing on Friday night? (the ARCA race is on Saturday). I don't care if it's just some local late models or sprints, I need to see that place. The full schedule isn't out there, just the major events.
 
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