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That is of no consequence.They havent run a cup race
There are people here who can see the air.
That is of no consequence.They havent run a cup race
Who is asking for Dover to be replaced with a D intermediate track?Be happy that NASCAR is listening and trying to shake **** up.
Dover owns Nashville.Who is asking for Dover to be replaced with a D intermediate track?
This is as much “the fans have spoken” per Brian France in regards to the playoff points system.
Good for them but the question wasn’t “Did the owners approve?” but I guess it does answer “who is asking?”.Dover owns Nashville.
It's all within their wheelhouse, they approved the move.
Dover owns Nashville.
It's all within their wheelhouse, they approved the move.
SMI wants the state of Tennessee to pass a ticket tax to use that money for improvements to FGS. In other words, rich people want the taxpayers to pay for something they (rich people) will make money from.
A market that wanted NASCAR to be there.Good for them but the question wasn’t “Did the owners approve?” but I guess it does answer “who is asking?”.
SMI is trying to get things done with other people's money. That is a good reason why it isn't going anywhere. Smith proposed a 45 million bond and 2 million in hard cash that wouldn't go very far. I think that was twice as much as the city was willing to go on the hook for.This will be a hard sell to your typical Nashvilian who overwhelmingly probably don't GAF about racing at all. And it's the same with professional sports venues everywhere. These billionaire owners always looking for taxpayer money to build their stadiums. City taxes aren't much fun that's why I dont live in one.
It’s a sure fire market, that’s not the argument.A market that wanted NASCAR to be there.
That was the reason why the banquet was moved to Nashville.
The Fairgrounds are not ready to house the fans SMI wants.It’s a sure fire market, that’s not the argument.
Fans see Nashville NASCAR race and overwhelmingly point towards the Fairgrounds.
Nope. Returning to the super speedway.
They’ll attend but the excitement is quelled.
I hope I’m wrong but in my eye the superspeedway being immensely successful is a death warrant for ever racing at the Fairgrounds. I dont want the superspeedway to fail, don’t twist it. But for over a decade NASCAR fans have stated “moving to more big race tracks made sense when the sport was peaking but now the stands cant be filled and the racing isn't attractive”. At any moment the funds from 1 or several intermediate races could have been used to rebuild a lost short track but it never happened, owners were content. They even added Kentucky to the Cup schedule - another intermediate.The Fairgrounds are not ready to house the fans SMI wants.
They still are fighting for the funding to move everything forward along with the Soccer Stadium Complex. There are still a lot of moving blocks, so use Nashville as a baseline for the next 4-5 years to see what is needed to grow. It's a combination of letting Nashville's cabinet to fund the track and giving SMI a baseline of what is possible in the needs of expanding the facility. Nashville had a nice facility and more seating can be put in by Dover, in the past Dover did not want to put in more seating, that's why the track closed for an extended period of time.
Use the Independent marque (Dover Motorsports) to set a baseline and then SMI can look everything statistics wise to make the moves necessary. How many people on average are attending? How many seats need to be added? What needs to be done in terms of ensuring campgrounds have the space for fans? How much are they charging for tickets? What is the average ticket cost per person? What amenities does Nashville have that the Fairgrounds do not? Enough garage space for teams and haulers, does the Fairgrounds need more space? Safety precautions? What are the fans wanting to see around the track for entertainment, etc? There are so many questions that can be asked to see how the Fairgrounds can be prepared after watching Nashville operate for the next 4 to 5 years.
Money of course is a big deal. They want to ensure they are able to maximize after what is going to be spent by SMI in changes to the track, its the same reason why Phoenix is the last race on the schedule. ISC wants to give a reason for fans to attend a newly renovated track to maximize their profits to pay off for the reconfiguration.
The ghost of Dale SrThat is of no consequence.
There are people here who can see the air.
I'm in Knoxville. I haven't kept up with the MLS stadium they want to build on the fairgrounds site, so I don't know if any taxpayer money went into that. I know it did when they built Nissan Stadium over 20 years ago and that got a lukewarm reception. The thought was the Titans' owner should pay for it. He was the ultimate rich guy cheapskate.This will be a hard sell to your typical Nashvilian who overwhelmingly probably don't GAF about racing at all. And it's the same with professional sports venues everywhere. These billionaire owners always looking for taxpayer money to build their stadiums. City taxes aren't much fun that's why I dont live in one.
If people would have filled Rockingham up we would still be there.I'm in Knoxville. I haven't kept up with the MLS stadium they want to build on the fairgrounds site, so I don't know if any taxpayer money went into that. I know it did when they built Nissan Stadium over 20 years ago and that got a lukewarm reception. The thought was the Titans' owner should pay for it. He was the ultimate rich guy cheapskate.
I agree FGS isn't the ideal place for a Cup race. There isn't much room for anything around it, especially when they add the MLS stadium and some huge apartment complex. The problem NASCAR has had for 10 years is they left the "dumps" that produced some exciting racing for these polished speed palaces that usually produce ho-hum racing.
Not sure they'd fill it up either if it was revived ( I would buy a Cup and Xfinity ticket for sure). Cool track though, I love watching old races from thereIf people would have filled Rockingham up we would still be there.
Incoming hot take.
Not every race track is going to be Humpy Wheeler’s family attraction with entertainment to boot. Most tracks are smack in the middle of nowhere with 2-3 star lodging surrounding and the track facilities are straight out of a county fair.
If fans and teams can stomach those dumps, they can stomach a revitalized Fairgrounds.
When I was a paying fan going to these races, I HATED the Saturday night races at Richmond. I would've rather them qualified in the afternoon before the race, or run Xfinity in the late afternoon, or something. NASCAR tracks were freaking obsessed with "the party" and the Humpy Wheeler carnival and the pre-race country concerts.
I'll always remember walking through the lot at Richmond, 30 minutes to the green, four drunk guys shaking the car back and forth, trying to wake the fifth drunk asleep behind the wheel, doors locked, windows up, ... race tickets on the dashboard.One of them is always so drunk that he misses most of the race but his money, not mine.
I usually don't drink at sporting events because I want to enjoy the event and get my moneys worth. As I result, I also end up being the DD.
The hotels around Martinsville Speedway are ****holes. You have to drive a good ways to get to a good one.
NASCAR needs to get back to racing and quit trying to make every race a carnival-like event. I'd rather see them qualify in the morning or run and Xfinity race or something instead of getting to the track and waiting.
When I was a paying fan going to these races, I HATED the Saturday night races at Richmond. I would've rather them qualified in the afternoon before the race, or run Xfinity in the late afternoon, or something. NASCAR tracks were freaking obsessed with "the party" and the Humpy Wheeler carnival and the pre-race country concerts.
Ironically, this was around the same time I gave up on going to NASCAR races and started going to short tracks and dirt tracks and dragstrips instead.
Andy isnt your typical Southern fan by a long shot. The majority live for camping, pre race, souviner row, the whole 9 yards.Well it's one of the cooler parts about racing is the "big event" atmosphere. But also I think it's funny how most southerners differ on the way they view race attending, compared to someone like myself who grew up in the Midwest. For us race weekend was a camping vacation so having all those things at the track made it cooler in my opinion because the track is a destination, not just a venue.
When I used to go to races by myself (or with one other person), I would show up right around green flag time in order to miss all of the pre race ****.
I started going to races with a bunch of other guys a couple of years ago and we started tailgating in order to not have to deal with that ****. One of them is always so drunk that he misses most of the race but his money, not mine.
I usually don't drink at sporting events because I want to enjoy the event and get my moneys worth. As I result, I also end up being the DD.
Well it's one of the cooler parts about racing is the "big event" atmosphere. But also I think it's funny how most southerners differ on the way they view race attending, compared to someone like myself who grew up in the Midwest. For us race weekend was a camping vacation so having all those things at the track made it cooler in my opinion because the track is a destination, not just a venue.
A market that wanted NASCAR to be there.
That was the reason why the banquet was moved to Nashville. Dates are not moved for the fun of it.
The ghost of Dale Sr
Dover did not want to add anymore seating to the track at the time and they wanted a Cup event. Attendance was good, but it slowed quite a bit by the end and with Dover not getting the numbers they wanted... It led to them letting the track go in 2011.NASCAR WAS there, and they left for 35 years because A, they weren't getting along with the track promoter, and B, they they wanted to get out of the south. Bristol, came a heartbeat away from the same fate during the same period, for the same reasons. NASCAR could have stepped up and taken control of the track in 1985 for loose change and didn't do it, so them making goofy choices now to try and get back into that market is not going to gain any sympathy from me. I fail to see how making a five year commitment to the superspeedway helps the cause of a Cup race at the short track much at all, which was the point of the whole exercise as far as I'm concerned. Once again, if Nashville is such an important market, (and I'm not saying it isn't) why didn't they step in to keep the races at the superspeedway?
Welp, the TRACK decided they didn't want Xfinity or the trucks, They were unable to obtain a cup date FROM Nascar. Get your story straight. And guess what, by eliminating one of their Dover dates, they have a cup date. BTW there are only so many cup dates they don't grow on treesMy point about the superspeedway was simply that if NASCAR thought it was so important to have at least Xfinity and or truck races in that market, I'm quite sure they could have fashioned some sort of an arrangement to make it happen, up to and including just buying the track.
Without seeing a single cup race with the package they are running or the track prep they will use the R-F verdict is in. Personally, I can't wait to see what they will come up with for the race. Most of social media has been positive about the change. Not that I would attempt to change any of the R-F experts, just saying.
So you are saying that your smarter than Nascar..got it.Some tracks are just dogs no matter what you do. Kentucky is one, I think Nashville is too. Could I be wrong about Cup races there? Sure, but at least one accomplished NASCAR star sees it the way I do, so I don't feel I'm out on much a limb. Like I said in my first post, I don't remember ONE driver being sad when they no longer got to race there. The ONLY ARCA driver I knew that had anything good to say about the place was Chase Montgomery, and he practically lived next door to the track.