John Shiels

Watching the race (Fontana CA) and the stands are by my guess 50% empty. cars with no sponsors, announcers asking for car sponsorship for teams, and teams starting the race and parking because of no sponsorship


Not looking good with all the high prices to go to a race. I think the drivers will be in for a reality check soon on their huge salaries.

Datawiz

Once NASCAR solidified their TV deal, the sport went down hill fast. Economy is rough. I think this might be a year that we see our first race without a full field.

FWIW, fontana is a big time boring race.

John Shiels

sure is shaping up that way

I guess you could say there was no full field today. Nemechek started and stopped right away due to no sponsor.

Datawiz

Agreed about the field fillers. Some of these lesser teams start and park just because it's a net positive cash flow to do so.

John Shiels

Your right I forgot how much they get paid just to start.

jjtoma

NASCAR has turned into the NBA, just turn the TV on with 2 mins to go(or 20 laps)

dfinke23

Thank God our president and the rest of congress have officially eliminated the possibility of a depression for the rest of us.

John Shiels

second housing bust coming soon we will be England West

rfn026

You can actually make decent money with a start and park team. TRG has a 2-car start and park team this year. Now that's really crazy.

On the other hand you could always race a Corvette in the ALMS. Winning the series championship gets you less money than a single NASCAR start and park.

Is everyone else here sick of Waltrip? I can't stand when he's on the air.

Richard Newton
My Speed TV Blog
My Corvette Stuff

grantar2

If you think Fontana is boring, especially todays race, you one were not there and two didn't watch closely. Very good race, cars were sliding all over the place on the green surface (it rained Friday & Saturday nights), and there was a lot of side by side. Not to mention several cars were running so close to the wall you couldn't stick a sheet of paper between the car and the wall without it getting paint from both on it. The number of position swaps behind the leader was eye watering.

There won't be a race without a full field this season. They sent 3 cars home that had sponsors and could run the distance. The economy is tight and manufactures aren't helping like they used to, but both the Cup & Nationwide fields were full and sent cars home.

The issue may be if they cut some races, but I don't think NASCAR is threatened yet. The tracks are the ones hurting the most, and they don't have a lot better shows to draw.

I love all forms of racing, but I am pretty sure there were more people in the stands for Saturday's Nationwide race than are at most Rolex or ALMS events. (Danica not withstanding).

The attendance was lighter today than normal, but California isn't NASCAR territory to begin with, and the only team / event selling out in So Cal are the Lakers. Everyone else is discounting heavily and leaving seats empty.

Interestingly the Cup guys did have some lightly sponsored cars, but the Nationwide field was well sponsored.

Joe_Knesek

The estimated attendance of 55k for today's race in Fontana was down by only 5k. That's not much considering the track's prior history & today's weather forecast.


For more insight into attendance predictions read the following transcript from International Speedway Corp found at www.SeekingAlpha.com.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/1851...all-transcript

grantar2

Perhaps as interesting was that the RV infield was full to the brim again, and if you didn't have a press pass you couldn't find a spot on the grass infield in front of the stage for the Styxx concert.

johninar

I couldn't agree more. Can't stand him.

grantar2

On a personal level very nice when you meet him.

drivinhard

I'd rather listen to Waltrip than Allen Bestwick and/or Bill Weber.

0Finspeed

How long do you think NASCAR will allow that?

grantar2

It's been happening for years when things are lean for teams. Morgan Shepherd comes to mind as the most recent. He was leasing motors, and had to eat a big cost if they were too worn or blew up. He got his sponsor on the track, got the introductions. In his case it was primarily to get his Racing for Jesus message out there. Now he try's to run Nationwide.

The woods brothers did it for a short while as did (I believe) Derek Cope.

CodeBlack

Don't worry John, there's always your Gran Sport, wax, the beach on Sunday mornings and a breakfast after. Sell the race car and drive to the beach with a folding chair. IT'S OVER

joemoia

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...ey-racing.html

BrianCunningham

I noticed the empty stands as well.

How much of this is the economy

How much is it COT backlash