Is Southern California NASCAR friendly?

buckaroo

buckaroo

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Mike Mulhern of the Winston Salem Journal has a nice article about what they are doing at Fontana to help draw fans to the track. Seems they are having a bit of trouble getting everyone interested in this area to fill the stands. They are doing all they can in the way of "Southern California customs" to help draw more people to this sport. We all know that up north for the race at Infineon, they talk of the wine and such, but down south, it's a totally different world and I'm not talking about south of the Mason/Dixon line. Just as Humpy Wheeler has made his Lowe's Motor Speedway something of a different experience in his various entertainment that he's brought in, the president of California Speedway is trying to do the same thing. Gillian Zucker is trying to create a personality for the speedway. Some of the things she is doing in her "Fan Zone" is to make a place where people have star sightings. This is afterall, Hollywood. Also available is a calvalcade of various things that speak to Southern California culture, such as Metal Militia, X-games athletes doing freestyle motocross stunts. There's even a Build-a-Bear Workshop where you can stuff and build your own bear, and dress him up like Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson or Kevin Harvick. As Mulhern puts it, it's NASCAR with a Southern California twist.

I don't see much wrong with this stretegy because afterall, when in Rome, do as the Romans do...but is this working? We all know why tracks such as North Wilkesboro and Rockingham were abondoned by NASCAR. It wasn't really because they couldn't fill the stands, but rather there wasn't anything around the area for the big sponsorship money to enjoy. Well in LA, there is plenty for the big corporate sponsors to enjoy, but will it be enough to fill the stands?

NASCAR is still trying to get their feet in the door in the Big Apple, but as of now, they are not successful in their attempts, and the reason is that the New Yorkers just aren't in the mood for those redneck NASCAR racers just yet. We'll see how long it takes for the Southern California types to accept NASCAR and begin to embrace the sport, or if NASCAR will just give up on trying to fill the stands and just admit it that filling the stands just isn't a priority for the sport as much as giving those high dollar sponsors what they want.
 
Buck, I know that two years ago, a couple of hours before the race they were giving blocks of 100 tickets away in order to fill the stands so it wouldn't look so embarrassing on TV.

I think that the fans coming for the California race are more from other parts of the west rather than people from L.A. When I did a few events there back in 2004 and 2005 it seemed that most passersby didn't have a clue to what Nascar was all about and couldn't care less either.

Now, you talk about the culture of L.A. and entertainment...... maybe simulated drive-bys or police cars and helicopters chasing cars around the track will draw more attendance. :tongue:
 
Some of the things she is doing in her "Fan Zone" is to make a place where people have star sightings. This is afterall, Hollywood.
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This really tickles me. Does she really think stars are going to come on Academy Award day? They are getting primped and pampered to look good for each other.
 
Guido, you funny man. :) But those are some good ideas.

TRL, but they have Sammy Hagar there. Funny that he was with Casey Mears and they asked him if he was rooting for Casey. He said well sure. But then added that he's always been a Ford fan. Hmmmm, I can see that he really doesn't know much about Casey and what he drives. :)
 
buckaroo said:
Mike Mulhern of the Winston Salem Journal has a nice article about what they are doing at Fontana to help draw fans to the track. Seems they are having a bit of trouble getting everyone interested in this area to fill the stands. They are doing all they can in the way of "Southern California customs" to help draw more people to this sport. We all know that up north for the race at Infineon, they talk of the wine and such, but down south, it's a totally different world and I'm not talking about south of the Mason/Dixon line. Just as Humpy Wheeler has made his Lowe's Motor Speedway something of a different experience in his various entertainment that he's brought in, the president of California Speedway is trying to do the same thing. Gillian Zucker is trying to create a personality for the speedway. Some of the things she is doing in her "Fan Zone" is to make a place where people have star sightings. This is afterall, Hollywood. Also available is a calvalcade of various things that speak to Southern California culture, such as Metal Militia, X-games athletes doing freestyle motocross stunts. There's even a Build-a-Bear Workshop where you can stuff and build your own bear, and dress him up like Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson or Kevin Harvick. As Mulhern puts it, it's NASCAR with a Southern California twist.

I don't see much wrong with this stretegy because afterall, when in Rome, do as the Romans do...but is this working? We all know why tracks such as North Wilkesboro and Rockingham were abondoned by NASCAR. It wasn't really because they couldn't fill the stands, but rather there wasn't anything around the area for the big sponsorship money to enjoy. Well in LA, there is plenty for the big corporate sponsors to enjoy, but will it be enough to fill the stands?

NASCAR is still trying to get their feet in the door in the Big Apple, but as of now, they are not successful in their attempts, and the reason is that the New Yorkers just aren't in the mood for those redneck NASCAR racers just yet. We'll see how long it takes for the Southern California types to accept NASCAR and begin to embrace the sport, or if NASCAR will just give up on trying to fill the stands and just admit it that filling the stands just isn't a priority for the sport as much as giving those high dollar sponsors what they want.
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I'm trying to do my part, I've now got 11 seats for Sept.
 
The stands looked about 65-70% full yesterday. Not good. California only needs one race. Give the second one to someone else.
 
We'll have to see how full LVMS is. With the expansion, increased motorhome parking in turn 3 and the new condos capacity is nearing 200,000. And, I don't think Smith is thru with it yet. But, he may have overbuilt their ability to sell out. Maybe what he needs is another date.
 
majestyx said:
Where it should have never left in the first place!!! :bounce: :bounce:
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I don't think that you'll find many people who will disagree with that, but where it really counts, in the front offices of NASCAR, there's not a chance in the world. You are now going to see that it really isn't filling the stands that is most important, but rather having places for the sponsors to have fun. And, as far as Vegas is concerned, Smitty won't have any problems with either filling the stands or having fun places for the sponsors. If it weren't for the fact that Smitty owned the track instead of the Frances, it would already have two races with one of them being one of the California races.
 
How about giving one back to the Rock? Or maybe Nashville Superspeedway?? :D

Ok, prolly a bit of a stretch
 
Yeah, I could take another race at Darlington and at least one less race at Fontana.
 
buckaroo said:
I don't think that you'll find many people who will disagree with that, but where it really counts, in the front offices of NASCAR, there's not a chance in the world. You are now going to see that it really isn't filling the stands that is most important, but rather having places for the sponsors to have fun.
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That might be there thinking now. But if the fans stop going to races, there won't be any sponsors to put in the fancy luxury boxes.
 
MRM said:
That might be there thinking now. But if the fans stop going to races, there won't be any sponsors to put in the fancy luxury boxes.
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I'd say that for us old fans, that's the only hope we have, but if that does indeed happen, I'm afraid that the sport will then be on it's way down and I'm not sure that anything will stop it. There were those days long ago when the races weren't televised and it was truely a southern sport. I sure would like to see it return to the south, but then again, I don't want to see it fade away. I'm afraid that we are all in the hands of Brian and Lisa France. For the foreseeable future, this sport is all about money, and without money, there won't be much of the sport.
 
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