2nd Cup race in Kansas... really

[smyler]

Of all the places to send a second race to, Kansas is not at the top of my list.  Heck, I'd rather watch a 2nd race at Homestead before Kansas.  Anyway, here's the story:

GAMBLING ON FUTURE

Kansas Speedway has an awful lot riding on the possibility of a casino-hotel complex being built on its property.

The track, in partnership with the Cordish Co., has proposed building a $705 million Hard Rock Hotel & Casino above turn two on the 1.5-mile oval if it wins the casino management contract for Wyandotte County in Kansas. Three other groups have also submitted proposals to the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission.

Track officials have announced that they plan to build a road course if the contract comes through. That’s on the heels of International Speedway Corporation president Lesa France Kennedy saying that if the track and Cordish, doing business as Kansas Entertainment LLC, is awarded the casino management contract, ISC would petition NASCAR to move a second Sprint Cup Series date to Kansas Speedway from one of its other facilities.

The road course would allow the speedway to host additional races and events throughout the year, and would be only the second active road course in the state of Kansas.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news?slug=ap-autoracingbriefs&prov=ap&type=lgns

[skool]

LOL  Its not really a gamble when it is ISC that has a track that wants another date.

What? You think ISC is gonna SUE NASCAR to get one!? Uh huh!

I've said all along, and I will say it again....If all the lawsuits against NASCAR that claim they are a monopoly have no merit, WHY would ISC try so damn hard to build a track in NYC and the Northwest?  Do you really think, had the neighbors not finally run them off and they had actually got their tracks built, that they.....ISC....would NOT be awarded a date?

Kansas is a lame track. Always will be. I've not been there yet, but probably will go next year (mainly to see friends) but it is not a track that I even try to frequent (same with Chicago...been there once, that's enough) and they are both only about 4 hours from me.  Both are ISC tracks.....go figure.

[south jersey girl]

so...if they give KS a second date, and take it from an ISC track, which track loses a race?

these are the other ISC tracks:
California, Chicago, Darlington, Daytona, Homestead, Martinsville, Michigan, Phoenix, Richmond, Talladega, and
Watkins Glen

[skool]

California would be my choice.  That track never should have even had two dates....IMO.  It is even ashamed to have its town or state in the NAME of the darn thing.   Auto Club Speedway.....c'mon!   The only 'sellout' that can be associated with it, is what NASCAR did to the fans when they gave it a second date!

[20forLogano]

We will see if that happens.  Kansas is a lame ass track and unless they bank that sucker more, it doesn't warrant a race.  If they get one I say MIS is out of luck.  Cali is boring but it is in Hollywood and attracts 90,000 fans.  MIS has 40,000 empty seats in June.

[DougS]

so...if they give KS a second date, and take it from an ISC track, which track loses a race?

these are the other ISC tracks:
California, Chicago, Darlington, Daytona, Homestead, Martinsville, Michigan, Phoenix, Richmond, Talladega, and
Watkins Glen

Skool how you feel about ACS I feel about Michigan. There is not a more boring race (ACS comes in second) than Michigan.

[FS_Amy]

You guys ought to love this one.  Scuttlebutt says ISC will trade a date from Martinsville.

YES! Let's take ANOTHER date from a great, unique, HISTORIC track and give it to a boring cookie-cutter wahose main goal on race day is not a great race, but simply to keep fans awake for most of the race?  I hope it's not true.  NASCAR and ISC already sold fans out by giving the Southern 500 to California...not they want to throw away Martinsville, too.

[south jersey girl]

I hope that's not true...even though I'm not a big fan of the M'ville race, I do like the fact that it's not a cookie cutter.

[zebmonkey]

I say that ACS deserves to lose a date more than HISTORIC Martinsiville. I don't think KS needs another date anyway, it's as bad as ACS. I like MIS more than i do ACS. Just from a TV perspective. I have done the tour at KS, but never watched a race there. I've never been (or ever plan to go ) to California.

[smyler]

Follow me here.  Horse racing has 3 or 4 big races that casual watchers pay attention to but races happen all the time.  I'm wondering if NASCAR allows this to move forward if that kind of thing will happen here.  Maybe people will stop paying attention to the races on a weekly basis and only watch the ones that are actually fun such as Bristol, Richmond, etc.?

[Happy Hour]

Kansas will have to build more seats before there will be a 2nd race. 

IRL is part of the forced ticket package (along with Nationwide and Craftman), and I see the IRL having to stand on it's own feet and not being part of the package deal.

Ticket sales are starting to get soft (no waiting list) and the real demand is for Cup.

Nationwide, Craftman and IRL tickets can be bought for $.50 on the dollar on Ebay 2 weeks before the race.

To draw the big Cup crowd (like Texas), people will have to be able to buy just Cup tickets.

Oh, and I do have season tickets there, $630 (2) for decent seats.

[Chris]

these are the other ISC tracks:
California, Chicago, Darlington, Daytona, Homestead, Martinsville, Michigan, Phoenix, Richmond, Talladega, and
Watkins Glen

I'll with the rest of you... I don't see ANY way Kansas even deserves a second date.... no way, no how.
Of course if The Brian has anything to do with it,.. and it puts even MORE money in his pocket,... it's guaranteed to happen.
Now looking at the tracks listed at "who" to take a date "away" from....
California... not gonna happen.   Gotta have some races in "warm climates to get races in early in the year.  Cali is the second race of the year,... as for their second date, they just moved it to be in "the chase" so that date is solid also.
Chicago.. they only have one date.  I can't see then taking away their only date when it is the only stop in the Chicago market.
Darlington.... Kinda the same as Chicago.. and this is a track I think the'd heep around
Daytona... come on.. Take a race away from Daytona.... LOL
Homestead.... See Chicago..
Martinsville... although this is one of the few "historic" tracks left on the circuit... we have saw NASCAR could care less.  I could see NASCAR taking away a date here, even though this is much MUCH better than the racing at Kansas.
Michigan... possibility here also... probably not.  Lots of good racing, multiple lines, and only track close to Dertoit market
Phoenix... Same as Cali.. gott have some place to race when weather is cold.  Both there races fall when weather turns off cold and rainy every where else.
Richmond..... Good racing,.. recently spent a BUNCH of money to totally redo the track and provided close competition and draws good crowds.
Dega,....  Nope... not gonna happen
Watkins Glen... They gotta keep two road courses on the schedule.. just for variety.

SO... when you break it all down... WHO SAYS they gotta take a race away from an ISC track..??
I could almost see it coming from someplace like Pocono or NH..??  Much as I would be against it.
Kansas just don't warrent a 2nd date.
If they do anything they should take a date away from Cali and ADD Rockingham back to the schedule.

[south jersey girl]

the original article said that the "ISC would petition NASCAR to move a second Sprint Cup Series date to Kansas Speedway from one of its other facilities"

that is why I listed the ISC facilities, of course I guess it's possible that the ISC could try to acquire another facility, and then move that date...such as Dover (I would hate to see that happen)

[Chris]

ok.. thats cool.. I had missed the original article...
not been as up to date as usual since I hate a lot going on lately.

[smyler]

I like Dover, so I agree that I'd hate to see that one bought and moved.  For the casual fan, Dover is kind of like a large Bristol... only it has the added bonus of having a casino right there on the back stretch.