Trucks at Martinsville

Do the fans really care who is driving the trucks? I go to the truck race at MIS every year and I never care who its racing.
 
I was somewhat disappointed in the Truck Race. There was some action in the pack but no competition at the front. I still really like the track and the Truck Series is my favorite - but I wasn't enthralled by what I saw today.

It will be really interesting to see how full the grandstands are tomorrow. Today's turnout was a dissapointment - even by Truck Series standards.

The overhead view of the campground made it look like it was less than half full. Not a good sign, IMO.

What will the Martinsville Lovers will have to say if 40% of the seats are unoccupied Sunday? Will they jump up and down and demand that the racing surface be returned to it's earlier form (DIRT)? A poor fan turnout would really put a big hole in the argument that people are staying away from BMS because they no longer like the track...
 
Weather was a big factor today as far as fans going to the race. This race, and I'm sure many other truck races, get a lot of local fans to come out and purchase tickets on race day and decide whether or not to attend. I live just an hour south and it's been raining off and on all day.
 
I think there are different types of Nascar fans . Some are real race fans who closely follow all of the other series' . Others are just Cup fans ,like me . I sometimes watch ARCA , trucks, Nationwide , etc. mainly to see who is coming up . I am a lot more likely to watch them if there are a couple of Cup regulars racing . That's what draws fans to Tony Stewart's big dirt race. I think it's cool that a Kenny Wallace or a Kenny Schrader can go to a local short track on an off night and win a race . They draw a lot of fans and create a bunch of interest ,nothing wrong with that.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Natalie Sather is not a "Danica clone".

Take notes, because here's your lesson for today. Natalie finished second in points at South Boston Speedway last year, second to one of the greatest late model drivers of all time (Philip Morris).

You're forgiven.
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How did that work out for you:confused: My note pad is still empty..but of course you know evrtything
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Tell that to the 5,000+ people who show up at South Boston Speedway every week.
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I have to agree with Andy, the local tracks are huge.
This much should be obvious. You get a kid hooked on the local action, and you will usually have a fan for life, it is a foundation.


I will admit that today's generation of fans are less appreciative of the local action, but that foolishness is nothing to flaunt or celebrate.


BTW some of the most talented drivers never made it to Sprint Cup, it is not a simple ABC pathway.
 
Greg said:
I have to agree with Andy, the local tracks are huge.
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I love the local tracks!
It's too bad that the track in Irwindale is being shut down.
They also closed the dragstrip in Fontana.
Sign-o-the-times, I guess!
 
The short tracks around here struggle to bring in a decent car count. They rely on figure 8 races with school buses and trucks pulling trailers to make the show. We end up with a modified race and a late model race if we're lucky. The worst are the pony stocks featuring Dodge Neons and Ford Fiestas running around the track at 35 mph.

But I still go. I have to go. When there is a track so close that I can hear them from my house I drive over with my kid and plunk down the $20 it costs us to get in because there is no where else in town that I'd rather be.
 
Greg said:
I have to agree with Andy, the local tracks are huge.
This much should be obvious. You get a kid hooked on the local action, and you will usually have a fan for life, it is a foundation.


I will admit that today's generation of fans are less appreciative of the local action, but that foolishness is nothing to flaunt or celebrate.


BTW some of the most talented drivers never made it to Sprint Cup, it is not a simple ABC pathway.
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Just read the comments on here from fans who don't care about local tracks, thinks its just hillbillies racing on country roads, etc, etc.

The fans who make these comments are the reason we're stuck with boring ass ****** tracks like California and Michigan and only show up to races if Dale Jr is in it. And NASCAR trying to appeal to these fans, who will move on to the next fad in five years (or have already moved on to UFC) is the reason the sport is dying.
 
robbybee said:
I love the local tracks!
It's too bad that the track in Irwindale is being shut down.
They also closed the dragstrip in Fontana.
Sign-o-the-times, I guess!
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All but one of our local tracks are bringing in more fans than ever. The fans know they'll get to see just as much racing (and much better racing for that matter) at $10 per ticket (kids admitted free) as at a NASCAR race f0r $100 a ticket or more. Sadly, we have fans like some commenting on this thread who think late model racing sucks.

For the record, Philip Morris is a five time national champion.
 
I like short tracks and big tracks. I like seeing local racers win trophies and I like watching NASCAR superstars race at Michigan. I also like F1.

But my first choice is Sprint Cup. (I'd go to every race of I could afford it) I'll not be made to feel guilty about that. :)
 
Greg said:
I have to agree with Andy, the local tracks are huge.
This much should be obvious. You get a kid hooked on the local action, and you will usually have a fan for life, it is a foundation.


I will admit that today's generation of fans are less appreciative of the local action, but that foolishness is nothing to flaunt or celebrate.


BTW some of the most talented drivers never made it to Sprint Cup, it is not a simple ABC pathway.
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Isn't that the truth. Many present NASCAR fans are what I call Neo-NASCAR fans. They are shallow at most and will find another outlet for their fun quickly. But I can say that local racing is still strong, but usually only in the area of the local track. Andy cited 5,000 fans at South Boston and that is good if not great. Our local track, Bowman Gray Stadium doubles that each and ever weekend, including those Saturday nights when NASCAR Cup races are held. In the top series of NASCAR, it isn't how good you are, it's who you know.
 
Greg said:
BTW some of the most talented drivers never made it to Sprint Cup, it is not a simple ABC pathway.
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No Doubt! I couldn't agree more.
The same thing can be said of the music business too! Some of the very best never get "discovered".
 
robbybee said:
It will be really interesting to see how full the grandstands are tomorrow. Today's turnout was a dissapointment - even by Truck Series standards.

The overhead view of the campground made it look like it was less than half full. Not a good sign, IMO.

What will the Martinsville Lovers will have to say if 40% of the seats are unoccupied Sunday? Will they jump up and down and demand that the racing surface be returned to it's earlier form (DIRT)? A poor fan turnout would really put a big hole in the argument that people are staying away from BMS because they no longer like the track...
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That was the typical crowd in recent years at a Martinsville Truck race but as far as the campgrounds go, you're spot on.

It is a shame that a track as good as this can't fill those grandstands. They'll never do it for the Truck race but for the Cup there should be a waiting list for this track IMO. The seats are cheap, free parking, inexpensive food, old school feel to the place. If this dates fell right for me and my family, I'd have seats to both the spring and fall races there again. For now just the fall works out for us.

As far as the big hole in the argument goes for BMS..... Only one track has an increased attendance in the time since the Bristol reconfiguration. Fontana of all places. Here's a refresher from one of the other Bristol threads on this subject.....

I find it kinda odd how the reconfiguration of Bristol has caused declining attendance @ most all venues that NASCAR runs on. ;)​
​
Sure every track has its own story but I think that these numbers go a long way to show that the lack of interest in the sport or the economy have way more of an impact on attendance.​
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Here's a look @ the attendance during the same time frame as Bristol's reconfiguration to the most recent year of the comparable race. I think that you may see a trend here.​
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2007 vs. 2011 & 2012 attendance figures for the same weekends.​
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Daytona 500 (2007) 185,000 - (2012) 140,000 - down 24.32%​
Phoenix (2007) & (2012) - No attendance figures released​
Las Vegas (2007) 156,000 - (2012) 150,000 - down 3.84%​
Bristol (2007) 160,000 - (2012) 102,000 - down 36.25%​
Fontana (2007) 87,000 - (2011) 88,000 - up 1.11%​
Martinsville (2007) 66,500 - (2011) 60,000 - down 9.77%​
Fort Worth (2007) 191,000 - (2011) 168,400 - down 11.83%​
Talladega (2007) 160,000 - (2011) 115,000 - down 28.12%​
Richmond (2007) 100,000 - (2011) 90,000 - down 10.00%​
Darlington (2007) 70,000 - (2011) 61,000 - down 12.85%​
Dover (2007) 90,000 - (2011) 82,000 - down 8.88%​
Charlotte (2007) 175,000 - (2011) 145,000 - down 17.14%​
Kansas (2007) 110,000 - (2011) 80,000 - down 27.27%​
Pocono (2007) 105,000 - (2011) 90,000 - down 14.28%​
Michigan (2007) 145,000 - (2011) 88,000 - down 39.31%​
Sonoma (2007) 102,000 - (2011) 93,000 - down 8.82%​
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There can only be two reasons for this IMO. Lack of fan interest in the sport or the economy. I guess the other option may be to reconfigure ever track on the schedule. Yeah, that's the answer.

Again, JMO, NASCAR totally effed up by pretty much skipping a generation of fans with it's Turner exclusive contract. While other sports were connecting with the fans in the information age, NASCAR was tied into a multiyear contract with a very shortsighted company, that being Turner. We are soon going to see the benefits of the relaxing of this exclusivity of information in the form of more options available via smartphone apps, more internet access to the sport, perhaps more television options, etc..... Right now NASCAR is playing catch up. I'm not sure that it can ever get back to what it once was but I'll still be along for the ride.
 
If it weren't for Andy I would even know the the UFC existed. :confused: I don't know a single person that has ever mentioned it in person or on any NASCAR related BB other than here. Heck, I had to look it up the first time. I'm also a little confused of it's relation to NASCAR. I guess it's just me?
 
#17D500winner said:
Not once did I see Dillon challenge Harvick. Of course I may have missed something.
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The only time that he challenged him was when Richard came over the radio and asked Harvick to let him lead a lap. Other than that Harvick was in a league of his own.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
The only time that he challenged him was when Richard came over the radio and asked Harvick to let him lead a lap. Other than that Harvick was in a league of his own.
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That's hardly what I'd consider a challenge ;) Dillon let Harvick drive away but I understand why.
 
#17D500winner said:
Dillon let Harvick drive away but I understand why.
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Why would Dillon LET Harvick 'drive away'? And why did the rest of the field LET him? Isn't it possible that he had the best truck ? The announcers said that the only truck on track with similar times was Sauter till he broke.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
The challenging part was trying to make it look like a legitimate pass. Which was a complete failure btw.
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Yeah, why even bother? Dillon was most likely ordered to follow Harvick around and learn what he could. I have no problem with that but it would've been nice to see another couple of trucks put some heat on those two.
 
ted@economy said:
Why would Dillon LET Harvick 'drive away'? And why did the rest of the field LET him? Isn't it possible that he had the best truck ? The announcers said that the only truck on track with similar times was Sauter till he broke.
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Of course it's possible. However, that's the way I seen it but I don't expect everyone to agree with me. It's MY opinion of the events - nothing more.
 
#17D500winner said:
Of course it's possible. However, that's the way I seen it but I don't expect everyone to agree with me. It's MY opinion of the events - nothing more.
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Well ,for what it's worth , I don't agree . I find those type of "the fix was in " statements a bit offensive .Only my opinion of course.Sorry.
 
buckaroo said:
Isn't that the truth. Many present NASCAR fans are what I call Neo-NASCAR fans. They are shallow at most and will find another outlet for their fun quickly. But I can say that local racing is still strong, but usually only in the area of the local track. Andy cited 5,000 fans at South Boston and that is good if not great. Our local track, Bowman Gray Stadium doubles that each and ever weekend, including those Saturday nights when NASCAR Cup races are held. In the top series of NASCAR, it isn't how good you are, it's who you know.
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I have to disagree buck...I think the fans we have now are NASCAR fans...The ones that Jeff Gordon brought in the 90's were the short term fans..One the economy dried up and Gordon dried up those fans dried up....Awwww you had to bring up Bowman Gray!!!!!!! That is the worst thing about listening to Chocolate Meyers......he can't go 10 mins without mentioning that place.
 
Bucky Badger said:
I have to disagree buck...I think the fans we have now are NASCAR fans...The ones that Jeff Gordon brought in the 90's were the short term fans..One the economy dried up and Gordon dried up those fans dried up....Awwww you had to bring up Bowman Gray!!!!!!! That is the worst thing about listening to Chocolate Meyers......he can't go 10 mins without mentioning that place.
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Okay, maybe you are right about current fans, but I still think that many of them are faddish, if that is a word. As for BGS, do you have a local track? Any big names talk about it? As for Myers, he lives here and two of his nephews race and win championships there. BGS is unique and is one of the oldest NASCAR tracks in the nation. It is completely flat and runs around a football field. And speaking of football fields, the city is thinking about selling the stadium to Winston Salem State University, who uses the stadium for their football games. Racing at the famed track could end sometime in the future and that would be a shame.
 
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