OK, but then what’s the point of putting millions and millions into these tracks if they aren’t bringing SRX, NASCAR top 3, ARCA, CARS, Modifieds.
Interest builds around possible changes to NASCAR schedule
- Thread starter FLRacingFan
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OK, but then what’s the point of putting millions and millions into these tracks if they aren’t bringing SRX, NASCAR top 3, ARCA, CARS, Modifieds.
Charlie Spencer
Road courses and short tracks.
Political goober smooching. Let's use federal money to score points with the locals. It has no influence on schedule makers.
That article is now blocked but as I recall, there's absolutely nothing yet guaranteeing the money will be spent as publicized. A lot of promises but no legislation has been passed.
Dale Jr is at the meetings so obviously there is some weight to it.
Google “North Carolina auto racing grant” or “NC lawmakers budgets include money for motorsports”
Charlie Spencer
Road courses and short tracks.
Dale was invited and showed up. Celebrities get asked to PR announcements all the time.
Wilkesboro is still SMI property. The state can allocate all the money it wants but it can't make Bruton spend it.
Rockingham has demonstrated repeatedly it can't turn a profit any more, including a stint with Penske as the owner. Trucks failed, ARCA failed; what sanctioning body will look at that and bother with it?
Charlie Spencer
Road courses and short tracks.
Passing the House isn't passing the Senate, surviving a conference committee to iron out differences, or getting the governor's signature. Until ALL of those things happen, nothing is official.
And again, even that doesn't force the facility owners to spend the money or guarantee a race date. If Smith wanted Wilkesboro rebuilt, he could have done that with pocket change.
Because there is other ways to make profit besides racing and NASCAR.
Charlie Spencer
Road courses and short tracks.
Yeah, that worked out really well at Rockingham, didn't it? Name a track that's successfully hosting other events AND is located in the boondocks.
Would have to do more research on that music festival. There has been more activity at Rockingham lately.
Define boondocks. Pikes Peak International Raceway is doing a lot of events without NASCARs help.
Charlie Spencer
Road courses and short tracks.
What do you mean by activity? Maintenance or something that actually brought in money?
I'd love to see these places get even an ARCA race. It ain't gonna happen. The sanctioning bodies don't want to be there.
JGR_20
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To be honest, the only reason I was even giving credit to the Wilksboro rumor was because I’ve heard rumblings of it from so many directions, not just one website…
when Dale Jr acknowledged the rumors I felt like that must mean it has some chance of NASCAR running ‘something’ there later..
Im not surprised if the answer is “No” though. It would go against all the other decisions being made expanding the sport and such…
Thats why I suggested if NASCAR ever touched the track again it would be basically them doing it for old school fans in hopes that would please them. Is there revenue to be made at the track… probably not as much as other markets… so I’m not surprised at all
when Dale Jr acknowledged the rumors I felt like that must mean it has some chance of NASCAR running ‘something’ there later..
Im not surprised if the answer is “No” though. It would go against all the other decisions being made expanding the sport and such…
Thats why I suggested if NASCAR ever touched the track again it would be basically them doing it for old school fans in hopes that would please them. Is there revenue to be made at the track… probably not as much as other markets… so I’m not surprised at all
They just had a Truck Festival (IIRC) with big rig racing on the oval? Didn’t they just have a monster truck show? The CARS Tour WAS on the schedule until the tire shortage & probably a needed repave?
Charlie Spencer
Road courses and short tracks.
Pikes Peak is 20 minutes from a state capitol, interstate all the way, in an area with plenty of outdoor activities in the area. Wilkes and Rock don't have those advantages.
Colorado Springs isn’t the state capital. My point is that they don’t HAVE to have NASCAR to function. Also I don’t see how North Wilkesboro is in the boondocks, it’s very close to every single NASCAR shop out there. Rockingham I could maybe see your point, but last I checked the track is hosting events again. Both tracks are an essentially hour away from Charlotte.
Charlie Spencer
Road courses and short tracks.
I readily admit being unaware of the truck events. Yes, repaving with state money might get CARS to try again. None of these are going to draw people from very far. I'm only 2.5 hours from Rock but I'm not driving 5 hours round trip for a 75-lap CARS race that will run in about an hour.
Charlie Spencer
Road courses and short tracks.
It's in the boonies as far as potential attendees are concerned, not the participants.
No, they don't need NASCAR to be successful, but they didn't invite Jr. to press conferences to attract bottom tier monster truck events. Rockingham (the town) is an armpit with matted hair and warts. Roaches wont spend the night. People want a minimal level of local services. People aren't filling Charlotte, and it has millions of people to draw from.
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Well North Wilkesboro is in a solid location IMO, halfway between Charlotte and the Piedmont Triad area.
Rockingham is……. not the greatest location, but manages to stay alive longer than North Wilkesboro, ironically.
NASCAR/SMI just needs to market their product/tracks better.
Yeah Rockingham is in a pretty awful location. The track is running events though and would be well served with a racing school/driving experiences back.
North Wilkesboro has potential if they’d fix the place.
Charlie Spencer
Road courses and short tracks.
SMI isn't interested in marketing Wilkesboro. Rockingham doesn't belong to either one. And you've said they don't need NASCAR anyway.
In fact, they'd probably stand a better chance of long-term profitability if they focused on being event venues and forgot about racing entirely. The old Columbia (SC) Speedway has been successfully revived as a concert and small festival venue. They paid no attention to the track's original use, other than to tear out what was in the way.
That’s exactly my point about both, more so North Wilkesboro. SMI just doesn’t want to pay out money for the track, but the state does and I’m curious what NASCAR thinks about this.
Charlie Spencer
Road courses and short tracks.
If they repaved Rock, I don't see a driving school going there. Charlotte and Darlington have them and are closer to population centers and interstates.
Have you seen NW? It's in worse shape than Rock. I'm serious when I say it would be cheaper to start from scratch elsewhere. The track surface itself is about all that's left. The physical facilities are unsafe for occupation and beyond affordable repair.
Carolina Motorsports Park is successful as a track. It's in the sticks; Kershaw SC is smaller than Rock. It's a road course that makes money hosting sports car and motorcycle clubs, open track dates, occasional NASCAR tests, and LeMons / ChumpCar events. They make money off track fees, not spectator events. They're not trying to revive past glory and don't depend on the whims of sanctioning bodies. Doing that at NW or Rock would require accepting completely different business models.
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Well it sounded like 20 million was wanting to be spent to repair North Wilkesboro.
North Carolina wants to preserve their history & increase tourism.
Charlie Spencer
Road courses and short tracks.
NASCAR won't go on the record until someone submits the paperwork and check to request a race date. SMI isn't going to do that but if they did, NASCAR would ask the TV networks if they wanted to go there.
No. I was curious what NASCAR thinks about a renovated North Wilkesboro that potentially brings SRX (if SMI does or does not allow that).
Charlie Spencer
Road courses and short tracks.
There are better investments to increase tourism, including improving operational tracks. NC tourism can't fill a track in Charlotte with airport access, two interstates, and plenty for the non-racing family members to enjoy. How are they going to draw people to NW and Rock? They aren't. These are vote-buying jobs programs with no return on the taxpayers' investment. A racetrack in 2022 isn't Field of Dreams; you can build it but they don't have to come.
Charlie Spencer
Road courses and short tracks.
I don't know why NASCAR would care one way or the other. Not their series, not their track, and it wouldn't compete for TV viewers. You might as well expect them to weigh in on IndyCar running the streets of Nashville.
Bed time.
Jorge De Guzman
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Not sure if I feel as definitive of a no as you do. I don’t feel as optimistic as I initially did hearing Marcus Smith talk about it on The Download. If the money comes from the state, I think the conversation changes to having lower NASCAR series and ARCA there. I also don’t get the rumors and teases of SRX running there next summer, there’s no way that place is ready to hold racing. I wouldn’t sit my family in those stands that’s for sure.
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These 2 places failed. Capital F.
Right in the middle of stock car country.
Right in the middle of stock car country.
How did North Wilkesboro fail?
And the Truck races at Rockingham were a success from an attendance standpoint.
And the Truck races at Rockingham were a success from an attendance standpoint.
FLRacingFan
Team Owner
Not a whole lot of groundbreaking stuff but he mentioned Soldier Field and the Meadowlands again. Said the LA Coliseum setup will be north of $1M. International race(s) still being considered.
I wouldn’t mind seeing Soldier Field now that the Bears apparently don’t wanna be there anymore.
Not big on the Meadowlands. Pocono is a great camping trip lol.
Not big on the Meadowlands. Pocono is a great camping trip lol.
FLRacingFan
Team Owner
Rockingham for sure had better attendance with Trucks than a place like Gateway has had. Less market potential though and hasn’t had a consistently good owner like Francois.
Yep and going back to your international markets point. I wish they’d give Trois-Riveres in French Canada a shot. No need to spend millions in upgrades either when it’s MOSTLY there.
What is considered “poor performing races”. Because I’ll be honest, LVMS, Texas (place is overbuilt so hard to judge), Richmond, Kansas probably do not need two races a year.
Jorge De Guzman
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Yea what is defined as a “poor performing” race because those places you listed might be in trouble
FLRacingFan
Team Owner
I believe that refers to the 70% of grandstand capacity benchmark they instituted within the last few years. TMS is one of those planning to downsize in the near future, probably with this in mind. LVMS did that already with their recent upgrades too.
Texas - attendance isn’t as bad as people think, racing seems a bit overrated for 2 races a year, still deserves a race, attendance is still good I bet
Las Vegas - attendance was mediocre in September, only deserves 1 race in the spring, thought the Tourism board was paying for the extra race?
Kansas - only deserves 1 race, in the fall IMO
Richmond - racing has gone down somewhat for Cup, new garages are nice, attendance seems to level out, not sure what these requirements are
I would drop a TMS, LVMS, Kansas, Richmond race for Nashville Fairgrounds, Iowa, a Denver street race, and maybe Eldora. Give Bristol its spring race back on concrete. Move IMS back to the oval.
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Jorge De Guzman
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Thanks!