Late Start Races

ChexOrWrex

ChexOrWrex

Ya gotta wanna
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I made a point about this a few weeks ago & last race when the green flag dropped ~3:30pm. I cant imagine fans driving home after a 2.5 hour later start time than usual.

Your take?

 
When I'm attending: The later the better

On TV: The opposite (Except during football season)

That's just me though.
 
ChexOrWrex said:
I made a point about this a few weeks ago & last race when the green flag dropped ~3:30pm. I cant imagine fans driving home after a 2.5 hour later start time than usual.

Your take?

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From the standpoint of a fan in the eastern time zone who likes to watch the races live from home or attend races I agree with Clint that it totally sucks. If you want to attend a race and the green drops at 3:15-3:25 and the race ends around 7:15 you are back to your vehicle about 8:00 and if you live a couple of hundred miles away you are probably getting home around midnight. If you need to be up at 5 or 6 to work the next day and are in Nascar's dominant age group you are probably not going to go.

If you watch from home you are more likely to go out and do things and catch the last third or quarter of the race. When football starts it may cause me to watch more races on Monday as I probably won't have time to watch a complete race on Sunday. The problem with that is once Monday rolls around do you make time to watch the race or just delete it and move on to other things?
 
As someone who can daytrip to Dover, Pocono, and Loudon the later times the better. I'd rather sleep till 7am instead of 5am on raceday, even if it means getting home at 10pm.


Back in the day when sellouts were the norm daytripping to a Cup race s-u-c-k-e-d. I wasn't really a fan til '07 so I didn't get to many events that were sellouts, but it's been a lot easier getting to and leaving the track these days with attendance down.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
I've got no problem with a late start. I always take days off following a race so it doesn't affect me at all. Helluva lot more relaxing that way too.
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Same. Good rain plan as well.

On the topic of rain and late starts I live 2.5 hours from Pocono. Last year when the race was rain delayed to Monday I had to wake up at 5am for the 11am start. Sucked.
 
As long as they start the race, I am good with what ever they come up with, I DVR the races anyway, so, no biggy to me.

If I attend a race I always take two days off past the posted start date, just in case of bad weather.
 
I loved 100 pm start times when I lived out west

Wake up cook a good breakfast. Race over about 130 or 200 and I still got a whole afternoon ahead of me
 
“We did some later start times this year and some in the industry have not liked that, but it was important to interact with our West Coast audience,’’ Dewar said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “Still our largest audience is California, and 1 o’clock starts is too early for them on the West Coast. So we’re trying to find the right balance of that. But yes, I think you’ll see more innovation to make it a win-win for the industry. We will do it together as an industry. It won’t be unilateral on NASCAR’s part.’’

Anyone here on the west coast attest that 1pmEST (10am) start time too early? Ive heard opposite from west coasters.
 
ChexOrWrex said:
“We did some later start times this year and some in the industry have not liked that, but it was important to interact with our West Coast audience,’’ Dewar said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “Still our largest audience is California, and 1 o’clock starts is too early for them on the West Coast. So we’re trying to find the right balance of that. But yes, I think you’ll see more innovation to make it a win-win for the industry. We will do it together as an industry. It won’t be unilateral on NASCAR’s part.’’

Anyone here on the west coast attest that 1pmEST (10am) start time too early? Ive heard opposite from west coasters.
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Common sense would suggest that it doesn't matter. Late start....Take care of stuff early. Early start....Take care of stuff after race. Seriously. SMDH.
 
ChexOrWrex said:
“We did some later start times this year and some in the industry have not liked that, but it was important to interact with our West Coast audience,’’ Dewar said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “Still our largest audience is California, and 1 o’clock starts is too early for them on the West Coast. So we’re trying to find the right balance of that. But yes, I think you’ll see more innovation to make it a win-win for the industry. We will do it together as an industry. It won’t be unilateral on NASCAR’s part.’’

Anyone here on the west coast attest that 1pmEST (10am) start time too early? Ive heard opposite from west coasters.
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"I think you’ll see more innovation." Really?...........how many engineers does it take to affix a start time of a race?

Me thinks Nascar is looking for some low hanging fruit in order to try and goose TV ratings and is trying anything it can in order to facilitate it. In most cases if Nascar can keep the year over year loss of audience to 5-7% it is a good week.
 
ChexOrWrex said:
“We did some later start times this year and some in the industry have not liked that, but it was important to interact with our West Coast audience,’’ Dewar said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “Still our largest audience is California, and 1 o’clock starts is too early for them on the West Coast. So we’re trying to find the right balance of that. But yes, I think you’ll see more innovation to make it a win-win for the industry. We will do it together as an industry. It won’t be unilateral on NASCAR’s part.’’

Anyone here on the west coast attest that 1pmEST (10am) start time too early? Ive heard opposite from west coasters.
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I wonder how many of those Pacific folks go to church in the morning and can't get home in time for green
 
Revman said:
Common sense would suggest that it doesn't matter. Late start....Take care of stuff early. Early start....Take care of stuff after race. Seriously. SMDH.
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If the stuff to be taken care of is outside, taking care of it after the race in the US Southeast isn't a summertime option.

Me, I'd prefer they start as early as possible when I'm attending (say, 10:00 a.m. like a rain-delayed race).

I guess I don't much care when they're on TV, but I don't see how you're going to draw people who have been watching another sport since 1:00, esp. NFL. They're spent two hours getting emotionally vested in that game.
 
Revman said:
Common sense would suggest that it doesn't matter. Late start....Take care of stuff early. Early start....Take care of stuff after race. Seriously. SMDH.
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I think it is just how some people are wired and also what they are used to. IMO the 3:30 green flag starts don't help attendance or viewership with those on EST/EDT as many will have started their days activities prior to the race so they will miss a good chunk of it or not see it at all. IMO the bigger question is how do prospective new fans like it?
 
Sounds like the younger crowd is not in favor while the older crowd doesnt have an opinion.

In today's economy, most millenials dont have the luxury of taking extra days off to attend a race - much less take rest for the days afterwards. So that later drive home is a kicker.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
Eh. Everyone on the west coast is godless Commie Liberal and don't attend church, even at Easter and Christmas. :p
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It would be interesting to do a poll of the forum to see how many members attend any kind of religious services regularly. My guess is that it would be crickets.
 
ChexOrWrex said:
Sounds like the younger crowd is not in favor while the older crowd doesnt have an opinion.

In today's economy, most millenials dont have the luxury of taking extra days off to attend a race - much less take rest for the days afterwards. So that later drive home is a kicker.
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Young people of any generation don't usually have the luxury of taking days off. They haven't accrued the vacation time to use, esp. the extra days to cover a delay. They also likely haven't reached salary levels where this type of recreational travel is an option.
 
ChexOrWrex said:
Sounds like the younger crowd is not in favor while the older crowd doesnt have an opinion.

In today's economy, most millenials dont have the luxury of taking extra days off to attend a race - much less take rest for the days afterwards. So that later drive home is a kicker.
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But then factor in the fact that it COULD rain even with an early start time, correct? So either way you should at least try to make sure you have some sort of backup plan when buying tickets no matter what.
 
I didn't like it at first, I'm used to turning on the race at noon (CST) on Sundays. But I'm adapting and getting some extra chores done before race time.
 
I really liked having the double header at Kentucky with the Xfinity race running at noon and Cup at 7:30. NASCAR should do it more often and not just because of rain.
 
Simple Fan said:
I really liked having the double header at Kentucky with the Xfinity race running at noon and Cup at 7:30. NASCAR should do it more often and not just because of rain.
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The tracks don't like it. They'd lose a day of souvenir and food / drink sales. It's also a butt-pain to manage getting the right ticket holders in and out for each event.

But who knows what they'll adopt next?
 
Charlie Spencer said:
Young people of any generation don't usually have the luxury of taking days off. They haven't accrued the vacation time to use, esp. the extra days to cover a delay. They also likely haven't reached salary levels where this type of recreational travel is an option.
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Not every race is in a large metro area but many are in close proximity to populous areas. I think the track promoters could do a much better job of attempting to entice the locals to attend instead of relying on people traveling great distances. On the other hand when large metro areas like LA and Atlanta lose races maybe it is impossible.

What you say is so true about young people coming up as they don't have the resources available to make a 1 day event into a 2-3 day affair.
 
Blaze88 said:
But then factor in the fact that it COULD rain even with an early start time, correct? So either way you should at least try to make sure you have some sort of backup plan when buying tickets no matter what.
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You would think so but judging by the empty seats at races run on Monday many people don't have any sort of backup plan and roll the dice that the race will be run. The nice thing now is you can wait until the last minute until making a decision to go to the track.
 
Skoalbandit33 said:
You would think so but judging by the empty seats at races run on Monday many people don't have any sort of backup plan and roll the dice that the race will be run. The nice thing now is you can wait until the last minute until making a decision to go to the track.
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Hell the seats seem to be empty on Sunday as well most of the time. But yeah I don't understand people's mind set when it comes to this sort of thing. Maybe it's cause they can't take the time off, but if you can't do that it's best to wait to see how the weather will be. If it's the start time then yeah don't go. I like later times myself.
 
Dont think the starts matter much in terms of attendance and it has to be a burden from those driving home from the track that work the next day. Wish they'd go back ( central time zone here) 12 Pm start for a regular Sunday afternoon race, 6-7 PM for Night races. But what do I know, I dont make the schedule.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
The tracks don't like it. They'd lose a day of souvenir and food / drink sales. It's also a butt-pain to manage getting the right ticket holders in and out for each event.

But who knows what they'll adopt next?
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I can understand the track not liking it for the reasons you stated. On the ticket side though I dont think it would be all that much if a hassle. Didn't seem like one at Kentucky either and we were able to go right in for the Xfinity race, our seats weren't sold for the Xfinity race though so it made it a bit easier.

Still think the double header races is a great day at the track and something NASCAR should explore. Xfinity and Trucks would benefit greatly from it I believe if they just ran them on the same day.
 
Simple Fan said:
I can understand the track not liking it for the reasons you stated. On the ticket side though I dont think it would be all that much if a hassle. Didn't seem like one at Kentucky either and we were able to go right in for the Xfinity race, our seats weren't sold for the Xfinity race though so it made it a bit easier.

Still think the double header races is a great day at the track and something NASCAR should explore. Xfinity and Trucks would benefit greatly from it I believe if they just ran them on the same day.
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Kentucky and Daytona had both already sold tickets based on a two day schedule, so they'd gotten all the advance sales they were going to get for each race. At that point they didn't care who attended what. If they were to do a planned two-fer, they'd either have to clear the stands between races or raise the price of that one-day ticket (or accept reduced revenue :rolleyes:).

Atlanta runs X and Trucks on the same day. I can see tracks accepting that more than adding a second race to the Cup date,
 
I will try and answer everything above from a West Coaster's mind set......

I do not attend church or any other religious gathering, but it is because I am not interested in it whatsoever. As far as start times go, I actually do not mind the later starts, because for me its a nooner. It allows me the ability to get a little extra sleep (if my kid allows it) from the short track race and travel home the night prior. It also allows for me to do any errand running that I need to before it starts. I like to do my stuff earlier when less people are out and about on a Sunday.

As far as viewing it live, I always make a concession when it comes to the Monday after a race day. I have the vacation time, but I am stingy with it. I am more prone to making the drive home and then suffering through the next day at work.

At the end of the day there is DVR and that gives me the ability to watch whenever I please, but I do like to listen in on the radios, so live is preferred, but not necessary. More than anything I just like to be a lazy piece of garbage on Sunday's and when Football season comes around, NASCAR takes a back seat for my Fantasy team and my 49ers football, as bad as they have been.
 
What gets me is the TV people blame it on NASCAR for the start times and NASCAR (until late) has blamed it on TV. Now, NASCAR wants to say it's to cater to the west coast audience. I'd like to see the ratings for the west coast for early races versus later races.
 
I prefer late starts, but I think it is in NASCAR's best interest to start them as early as possible on Sundays so that they have some wiggle room if the weather is bad.

If I could have it my way, every race would be a Saturday night race. Drink all day, racing at night, and then a day to recover/travel before the work week starts. Leaves Sunday open if they need to push the race back a day due to rain and it's still a weekend race instead of a Monday afternoon race. Unfortunately, no one gives a **** about what I want.
 
anyone know a site where you can look up start time for previous years? i feel that during the 90s there was even a lot of 1200 eastern 1100 central starts
 
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