The Frontstretch: Voices From the Heartland: Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Isn't the Only Master of the "Self Spin" by Jeff Meyer -- Wednesday March 1, 2006

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Is your life in shambles? Are you in need of some good PR so that others won’t realize how bad things really are? If that’s the case, NASCAR and ISC are the only numbers you need!

In case you are a new viewer of the entertainment show known as NASCAR Nextel Cup, let me connect a few dots for you so that you may follow this article with some sense of understanding. The fans that have been around for awhile who remember when NASCAR was a sport, please bear with me.

NASCAR is a privately held company by the France family. International Speedway Corporation (ISC) is a publicly traded company, controlled by the France family. I commonly refer to both as conjoined twins. California Speedway (along with 11 others) is owned by ISC. Gillian Zucker, whom I will be quoting from during this article, is the president of California Speedway, i.e. an ISC employee and this week’s official company spokesperson. Ok, now that we have cleared that up"¦

If you are one of those fans that was against the move of forsaking "˜The Rock’ altogether, and Darlington losing a date just so California could have two dates, you might have been happy to see over 10,000 empty seats at this past Sunday’s race. Well, I’m sorry to burst your gloating bubble, but those seats were not actually empty. They were actually bought and paid for, not by race fans, but by some SERIOUS California shoppers.

“I was underneath the midway area during the event,’’ said track president Zucker. “It was packed. When I came around to this side of the grandstands I thought, ‘Oh, wow! They’re going to think that there’s a lot fewer people here that are here.’ Underneath that grandstand there were [fans] that were shopping during the race.’’

Let me see if I got this straight. There were 10,000 NASCAR fans out there who figured that the cheapest way to shop for NASCAR stuff was to buy a ticket to the race just so they could go shopping? Oh my! That has got to be NASCAR’s ideal fan base! Rich and stupid! No wonder they were so eager to get two dates into the country’s second largest MARKET. It is all becoming clear to me now.

I do, however, have another question/problem that, I hope, someone who has actually been to a race at California Speedway can help me with. I have never been there, but at every track that I have been to, the main areas where the souvenir TRAILERS are located are actually OUTSIDE of the areas of the speedway that you need a ticket to get into. Is this different in California? Like I said, I haven’t been there, so I really don’t know the setup. Hopefully one of my faithful west coast readers can help a brotha out and let me know.

Despite the fact that there is apparently some fantastic shopping deals at the California Speedway which people will go so far as to buy a ticket for, ISC may be thinking about doing something to the track, such as progressive banking, to make the racing almost as good as the shopping.

“Certainly in Miami, it’s completely changed the show,’’ Zucker said. “If that’s what the fans are telling us that they need to see … we always hoped to have some of the spectacle that brings so many people to the track.’’

Wow! Nothing gets by this Zucker chick! The president of California SPEEDWAY (note SPEEDWAY!) is beginning think that the folks who buy tickets to a SPEEDWAY want to see more of a spectacle called RACING! My God, where do they get these people?

This is the current state of NASCAR folks! I absolutely cannot make it any clearer to you. If you still do not get it, you are dumber than a post.

The silent majority of true race fans can ill afford to be silent much longer. We MUST let the idiots that have done this to the great sport of racing know how we feel. The only way to do that is with the dollar. Write, call, email, send a carrier pigeon if you have to, but let NASCAR know what you WON’T be buying or which race you WON’T be attending this year.

"We’re 40 miles from the entertainment capital of the world, and that’s something we’re really looking to maximize on,’’ Zucker said.

Hey Gillian baby, call me a hayseed from Iowa, but if you want to fill the stands at a SPEEDWAY, maybe you should be looking to maximize on the RACING! Just a thought.

Stay off the wall,

Jeff

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mary4jr8
03/01/2006 10:19 PM
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I live less then 2 hours from California Speedway, and even I think it is a waste of money to attend their races.

They need to make a Richmond or Texas out of the current track. Follow the leader racing is not exciting at all. Plus they only seem to sell the “Good” seats to those with who get renewable packages. It makes it tough for the regular people.

clueless
03/02/2006 07:56 AM
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Big money ruins all sports. NASCAR is no different. It has become ALL about marketing and cash flow and nothing about racing. It has become an “entertainment” business. Unfortunatly if you like racing it is no longer entertainment. If you like Americain Idle and Inside Hollywood it probably is entertaining to you.

Buzz
03/02/2006 08:18 AM
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Well said, Mr. Meyer. I just don’t understand why NASCAR has to make this an “us” versus “them” battle. Give Cali two dates, I don’t care. But if you’re going to leave Darlington with only one date, make it the Labor Day Southern 500. Give the old fans their due while trying to attract “new” fans. Why do we race at Loudon? Especially twice? Give one of those dates back to Rockingham. Spend a friggin’ dime on the facilities at Darlington so the toilets don’t stop up half the time. NASCAR thinks that they have to forsake their roots to grow. Name me one thing on this earth that grows without roots.

Irish
03/02/2006 08:46 AM
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Hey Buzz!! Sorry you don’t like Loudon. But we NASCAR fans who live here in the north can’t always afford to travel hundreds of miles to see a race. So, we LOVE the fact that Loudon exists and has two races a year. It’s the only time we get to see racing in person. And since the July race is ALWAYS sold out, it’s a good thing September gives a few more people the chance to go. We go to both races and travel 150 miles one way to get there. But it’s the closest place we have.

Ed
03/02/2006 11:17 AM
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NEXTEL had an advertisment which said, “the best way to honor a sport is to honor its traditions.” Then, NASCAR/NEXTEL promptly did away with the Southern 500 on Labor day. What a way to honor a tradition.

MMARSHALL
03/02/2006 12:12 PM
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I have been to California Speedway twice, and you are correct in your assumption that the souvenir trailers are outside of the area requiring a ticket. And as far as being a bargain….......not! After the spring 2005 race, my brother and I agreed that it would be our last time attending. Hmmmm maybe Las Vegas next time or Phoenix. San Diego fan.

Dot
03/02/2006 03:06 PM
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Hi Jeff:
Good article. I think the CA fans weren’t in the stands because they bought tickets for Las Vegas. At least what happens here stays here, and not 60 miles away from the track (as in L.A.).

Lisa
03/02/2006 03:21 PM
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Excellent article Jeff. All week I’ve been reading the comments by one Gillian Zucker and, quite frankly, they are an insult to “real” race fans. She must not realize that most of us have been to an actual race. We know what is good racing and what is bad. Sunday’s race at California Speedway was awful – took a nap in the middle and missed NOTHING! Does she actually think 10,000 people were under the grandstands “shopping?” TOO FUNNY! What I keep thinking about is that they have been racing at California Speedway since 1997 – ten years. If you can’t get more than 75,000 people out of a 17 million person market to come to your track after ten years of racing then you need to seriously rethink your marketing strategy….either that or change the track to make the racing better. But Ms. Zucker sounds like an idiot so they’ll probably worry about their marketing strategy.

Pieman
03/02/2006 04:39 PM
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It is truly sad that NASCAR has become so blinded by all the money flying in thier face to see that they have ruined the sport. When did the on track product NOT become the main goal and seriously I want to know why they kept adding tracks that were the same (cookie cutter) when the best racing occurs on other tracks. Anyone know?

jeff
03/02/2006 04:55 PM
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If you would all please realize that clifornia has some great racing roots, I think that would help your understanding fo the problems. Did you all forget about Riverside? Ontario? I’m only 18 and have never been to these tracks as they were destroyed before my birth. I’m glad that CA has two races, it’s the only time those of us who don’t travel get to see thw rold’s greatest sport. I agree that the race was boring, but there were good ones in the past, such as the ‘03 event and the inagural night race in ‘04. Give some consideration to the fans who are out here. Just because our region doesn’t grow up with racing shove down our throats doesn’t mean we don’t give a damn. The term success means a different thing to each person, so lay either lay off or get out here yourselves.

Mad Mikie
03/02/2006 09:53 PM
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Riverside was lost to the housing expansion in southern California. It was a great track and had many great races there not only of NA$CAR, but sports cars also. Ontario had some great races. Unfortunately, it was lost to the greed of the owners who turned the track into an industrial park. Last I heard was the industrial park is pretty empty. Several good short tracks have been lost to the housing expansion in several areas. So the places where race fans can go to enjoy racing are getting to be fewer and fewer in California.
Now with that being said, they’ve had 10 years to build their fan base for that track. They did good with one race. But, like Texas, when that second date was brought in, the fan base started to shrink. Since the racing has taken a turn for the worse, those fans who were loyal are leaving because the racing has become a snooze-a-thon and the ticket prices keep getting jacked up higher and higher so that season ticket holders can’t afford to go any more. So you can imagine the Average Joe’s reaction when he finds out he’s got to lay out a good chunk of his paycheck just to attend one race out of curiosity. No repeat attendees there. And southern California is loaded with other forms of entertainment that are cheaper for a family to attend than going to a race. According to figures I’ve read from several California newspapers, there are approximately 20 million people living within a 2 hour drive of the track. That’s the figure that NA$CAR uses to figure out how successful a race will be and how many folks will attend. Well, you get 141,000 people jamming into Bristol, population 25,000, who come from all over the US and Canada to see the races there. And they can’t even get 92,000 people out of 20 million to go to Fontana? We’re talking about.46% of the people there attending the races. There is something definitely wrong with this picture. Either NA$CAR over-estimated their fan draw and pulling power or the way it’s promoted, the high ticket cost, and the other forms of entertainment there are keeping folks away. Of course, the way the second date was given to the track and where it came from did upset a lot of traditional race fans who still insist on boycotting the fall race at Fontana. So that’s definitely going to cut into the attendance. And wait, it’ll get worse next year with the arrival of Toyota when even more of the traditional fans quit attending races because of the appearance of the Toyotas.

Dr. Jerms
03/02/2006 11:11 PM
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With Jewel’s performance, stall out; the energetic “start your engines,” what energy; and watching everyone drive lined up like a.m. rush hour, please people; who didn’t have a blast Sunday? Living in Birmingham, Dega-Bound get’s more response than a tornado siren. California needs some serious revamp. The comment about Bristol and Darlington sum it up, LEGACY. People start planning for the fall race as soon as the checker falls in the spring race. Come on, let’s go to California and pay twice as much for gas, accommodations and have a terrible time. Maybe we could go to Mexico and spend the day lost or with the trots.

Charlie D.
03/02/2006 11:17 PM
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Good article Jeff…

Earlier I was reading the “Track Smak” thing over at NASCAR.com and they were discussing the California thing.

One of them said that the butts in the seats is not what matters, but it’s the market.

So I asked them to explain the math to me.

If a major T.V. market ratings are no more than the smaller market ratings and attendance doesn’t mean anything then why is it so important that we give up good racing just to be in a major market area?

I don’t know… it doesn’t add up when I do the math.

What is the point of being in a major media market if no one is interested.

Both NBC and Fox go nation wide with their networks, so a signal from Rockingham or Darlington will reach anywhere in the good ole U.S. of A. so why is NASCAR so willing to give up good racing for the same viewership?

I don’t understand the logic. If there is no difference in how many people are reached via the air waves from a major market with bad racing or a small market with great racing, then why?... Why do it.

I guess it’s more of that NASCAR “new math” stuff.

You know where you say you have 75 million fans but none of the factual numbers back it up.

Go figure….

Kent
03/02/2006 11:24 PM
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Can’t help but shake my head at the way NASCAR has raised rationalization to an art form.

They ignore a venue like Kentucky Speedway that sells out (70,000+) for stand-alone Busch, NCTS, and even ARCA races.

Maybe my problem is that I’m old enough to remember how good it was and because of that, I can see how bad it has become.

glenn
03/03/2006 07:22 AM
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I used to attend 3-4 races per year up until about 1996. Now when the weather is nice I barely watch them on TV. I always watch Bristol, Richmond and Talledega regardless. I’d rather spend the money at Buck Baker to get some seat time! I went to Dover twice a year until they ruined it by putting the concrete down and shortening it by 100 laps. Of course the tickets cost more for the 400 lapper than the 500 laps the year before. Hopefully Toyota doesn’t do to NASCAR what it has to every other series it’s been involved in. Eh, they can just rename it the “NASCAR Toyota Cup”.

Rodney Snipes
03/04/2006 09:25 AM
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Jeff, a lot of us would gladly let Nascar know our opinons if they ONLY would have an e-mail address to send it to them.

 

Contact Jeff Meyer

Recent articles from Jeff Meyer:

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