Some interesting thoughts. I certainly hope they're just thoughts, and don't wind up becoming fact.
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www.speedwaymedia.com/Art...mpbell.asp
Could It Be? Could NASCAR move another tradition?
Posted on June 19, 2006
By Chris Campbell
There was a tiny blurb on Jayski Friday about NHIS and the race date for July 2007. It has not generated too much buzz as of yet. However, as a season ticket holder of NHIS I was immediately intrigued upon noticing that the standard protocol of July’s race being the third Sunday of July was not true this year. I read my white letter with a heightened degree of speculation as it was announced in bold black lettering, underlined, and italicized that the race would be held July 1, 2007. Hmmm.
This piqued my interest as to why NHIS was getting the highly coveted July 4th weekend race and I had to sit and think of all aspects. Nevertheless, let me first give you some history before going into my calculations and such.
NHIS in my understanding is one of the few tracks that send their renewal notices to the season ticket holders with each races ticket. In other words, I received my renewal notice for July 2007 along with my July 2006 tickets. New Hampshire almost always sends the July tickets sometime in May to evidently give us enough time to make sure the USPS doesn’t mess up or to forward the tickets onto someone lucky enough to be going to the race. This year we didn’t receive the tickets until this week, about three weeks later than the norm, and only one month before the race. The only times in my recollection that NHIS was late in sending the tickets was if they encountered a problem with renewal forms because they had to wait for the approval from NASCAR for a change in schedule dates.
These past two times were when Chicagoland was given the slot between the Pepsi 400 and NHIS, and when NASCAR was about to announce the Chase format. I think there might have been one or two other slight delays, but nothing that this feeble mind can recall presently. Nevertheless, they were never this late in sending the tickets. Also bear in mind that history also shows that since NHIS is one of the first tracks to send out a renewal notice to their supporters, they usually are a precursor to the schedule announcement from NASCAR. The track owner, Robert Bahr, was probably asked to hold off sending out the tickets and renewal forms for a reason.
Anyhow, back to my theories and calculations. Taking a 2007 calendar and “plugging in” the 2006 race schedule, and giving NHIS the July 1st date, there are only a few hiccups in the system. Texas moves down one week due to Easter Sunday being the same week as this years Spring race. That is something we encounter yearly with the ever-moving Easter holiday. If what Jayski reports is true that the Pepsi 400 is scheduled, according to reports, for July 7, Saturday, then that would make the Chicago race be schedule on July 15th, which is the third Sunday of the month usually occupied by NHIS. Ok, so it just means everything was pushed back a week. Huh?
You’re telling me logically that NHIS was given “seniority” to get a date coveted by many markets for a large holiday break, just because Daytona is holding their race a week later? Remember NASCAR owns Chicago (see ISC and Lesa France). Additionally, NASCAR is going to have the teams travel to Sonoma, CA then to NH, then to Daytona, FL, and then to Chicago? I just don’t see Mr. Bahre pulling off a major coup over NASCAR’s own track, especially since they are one of the four remaining independently owned tracks.
So my point is this, could this change in date be the foreshadowing of a big change coming in the 2007 schedule? Will NASCAR make a big announcement the same weekend of this year’s Pepsi 400 in two weeks? The timing would be perfect. I suspect they will announce the final schedule for 2007 in Daytona; which by the way is home to their corporate offices. I believe that since Daytona Speedway has yet to “announce” the date for next year’s Pepsi 400 on their website and their renewals don’t get mailed until October, that you will hear the Pepsi 400 has been moved to later in the schedule and more than likely to the Chase.
Yes, you heard me right – to the Chase. Think this through; it works for Daytona and for NHIS. It’s cooler in the fall in FL, but warmer than most of the country and that tends to draw people who still crave a bit of summer. If they place the race right before Homestead, then Florida gets two major races and tourism industry loves NASCAR. It helps relieve the sting of Charlotte getting the Hall of Fame (forgot about that huh?). This was all topped off by the Daytona President just in the past ten days or so saying it was very difficult to sell Pepsi 400 tickets! All together now … hmmmmm!
NHIS definitely benefits for the July race, as this is a major vacation time for families and the Northeast is sometimes cooler than Florida and its tax-free. The only thing that frightens me a bit is if Daytona gets a race in the Chase, what track is removed? Another independently owned track like Dover Downs? Maybe even Kansas City? Worse even, Martinsville? We know it won’t be one of the other major tracks; they sell tickets and generate TV ratings. It probably won’t be Kansas City; they are still stinging badly from the aforementioned Hall of Fame issue (same as Atlanta). It might not be Martinsville as Brian France seems fond of the variety of tracks in the Chase. That leaves Dover and NHIS. The battle of independents.
Well I think I have done enough speculating for one weekend, I don’t want to keep bringing up more things that make you go hmmm…that will be saved for another article. Just remember when the official announcement of the NASCAR schedule comes out in the next couple of weeks, you heard the hmmm around the world from me first.
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Makes me go "hmmmmmmmm..."
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www.speedwaymedia.com/Art...mpbell.asp
Could It Be? Could NASCAR move another tradition?
Posted on June 19, 2006
By Chris Campbell
There was a tiny blurb on Jayski Friday about NHIS and the race date for July 2007. It has not generated too much buzz as of yet. However, as a season ticket holder of NHIS I was immediately intrigued upon noticing that the standard protocol of July’s race being the third Sunday of July was not true this year. I read my white letter with a heightened degree of speculation as it was announced in bold black lettering, underlined, and italicized that the race would be held July 1, 2007. Hmmm.
This piqued my interest as to why NHIS was getting the highly coveted July 4th weekend race and I had to sit and think of all aspects. Nevertheless, let me first give you some history before going into my calculations and such.
NHIS in my understanding is one of the few tracks that send their renewal notices to the season ticket holders with each races ticket. In other words, I received my renewal notice for July 2007 along with my July 2006 tickets. New Hampshire almost always sends the July tickets sometime in May to evidently give us enough time to make sure the USPS doesn’t mess up or to forward the tickets onto someone lucky enough to be going to the race. This year we didn’t receive the tickets until this week, about three weeks later than the norm, and only one month before the race. The only times in my recollection that NHIS was late in sending the tickets was if they encountered a problem with renewal forms because they had to wait for the approval from NASCAR for a change in schedule dates.
These past two times were when Chicagoland was given the slot between the Pepsi 400 and NHIS, and when NASCAR was about to announce the Chase format. I think there might have been one or two other slight delays, but nothing that this feeble mind can recall presently. Nevertheless, they were never this late in sending the tickets. Also bear in mind that history also shows that since NHIS is one of the first tracks to send out a renewal notice to their supporters, they usually are a precursor to the schedule announcement from NASCAR. The track owner, Robert Bahr, was probably asked to hold off sending out the tickets and renewal forms for a reason.
Anyhow, back to my theories and calculations. Taking a 2007 calendar and “plugging in” the 2006 race schedule, and giving NHIS the July 1st date, there are only a few hiccups in the system. Texas moves down one week due to Easter Sunday being the same week as this years Spring race. That is something we encounter yearly with the ever-moving Easter holiday. If what Jayski reports is true that the Pepsi 400 is scheduled, according to reports, for July 7, Saturday, then that would make the Chicago race be schedule on July 15th, which is the third Sunday of the month usually occupied by NHIS. Ok, so it just means everything was pushed back a week. Huh?
You’re telling me logically that NHIS was given “seniority” to get a date coveted by many markets for a large holiday break, just because Daytona is holding their race a week later? Remember NASCAR owns Chicago (see ISC and Lesa France). Additionally, NASCAR is going to have the teams travel to Sonoma, CA then to NH, then to Daytona, FL, and then to Chicago? I just don’t see Mr. Bahre pulling off a major coup over NASCAR’s own track, especially since they are one of the four remaining independently owned tracks.
So my point is this, could this change in date be the foreshadowing of a big change coming in the 2007 schedule? Will NASCAR make a big announcement the same weekend of this year’s Pepsi 400 in two weeks? The timing would be perfect. I suspect they will announce the final schedule for 2007 in Daytona; which by the way is home to their corporate offices. I believe that since Daytona Speedway has yet to “announce” the date for next year’s Pepsi 400 on their website and their renewals don’t get mailed until October, that you will hear the Pepsi 400 has been moved to later in the schedule and more than likely to the Chase.
Yes, you heard me right – to the Chase. Think this through; it works for Daytona and for NHIS. It’s cooler in the fall in FL, but warmer than most of the country and that tends to draw people who still crave a bit of summer. If they place the race right before Homestead, then Florida gets two major races and tourism industry loves NASCAR. It helps relieve the sting of Charlotte getting the Hall of Fame (forgot about that huh?). This was all topped off by the Daytona President just in the past ten days or so saying it was very difficult to sell Pepsi 400 tickets! All together now … hmmmmm!
NHIS definitely benefits for the July race, as this is a major vacation time for families and the Northeast is sometimes cooler than Florida and its tax-free. The only thing that frightens me a bit is if Daytona gets a race in the Chase, what track is removed? Another independently owned track like Dover Downs? Maybe even Kansas City? Worse even, Martinsville? We know it won’t be one of the other major tracks; they sell tickets and generate TV ratings. It probably won’t be Kansas City; they are still stinging badly from the aforementioned Hall of Fame issue (same as Atlanta). It might not be Martinsville as Brian France seems fond of the variety of tracks in the Chase. That leaves Dover and NHIS. The battle of independents.
Well I think I have done enough speculating for one weekend, I don’t want to keep bringing up more things that make you go hmmm…that will be saved for another article. Just remember when the official announcement of the NASCAR schedule comes out in the next couple of weeks, you heard the hmmm around the world from me first.
******************
Makes me go "hmmmmmmmm..."
