Bad economy not bad?

[mghtx]

Ok, so now there's talk of going back to consistant start times for races. That's great but it still irks me that it took times like these for nascar to "listen" to fans.

How long have fans screamed for the new restart rule? And it's made for more excitement at usually boring tracks. And fans have been saying for YEARS to fix the start times and nascar turned the other cheek....until now.

When they lose money, attendance, and viewership then they listen. Anyway, I'm glad. So now if fans will give the finger to hotels who ramp up the cost and minimum nights and to tracks that force "packages" we might get this ship back on course.

 

[dpkimmel2001]

Ok, so now there's talk of going back to consistant start times for races. That's great but it still irks me that it took times like these for nascar to "listen" to fans.

How long have fans screamed for the new restart rule? And it's made for more excitement at usually boring tracks. And fans have been saying for YEARS to fix the start times and nascar turned the other cheek....until now.

When they lose money, attendance, and viewership then they listen. Anyway, I'm glad. So now if fans will give the finger to hotels who ramp up the cost and minimum nights and to tracks that force "packages" we might get this ship back on course.

:bigthumbup:

 

[semipenguin]

You still have to make allowances for start times on the west coast. You can't be starting a race at Sonoma at 10am in the morning, although 2pm PDT is too late for east coast people.

1pm for day races on the east coast. 8pm for night races on the east coast.

I'm looking into going to the Atlanta Race on Sept 5 & 6. Not minimum nights stay at the Hotel I'm looking at

 

[jC...]

You still have to make allowances for start times on the west coast. You can't be starting a race at Sonoma at 10am in the morning,

Just about everyone I have talked to that lives on the west coast wishes the races would start at 10am PT like they use to.

 

[mghtx]

Hell, I'm in TX and I would LOVE for a 10am start time!

 

[semipenguin]

Just about everyone I have talked to that lives on the west coast wishes the races would start at 10am PT like they use to.

So the people you know don't mind having to be at the track my 10am? I went to the Fontana races from 2003-2004 and i know 10am would have been too early for me to get there :right:

 

[mghtx]

I was talking about the TV start time. But no, I don't think I would want to be at the track for a 10am race.

If I'm going to a race it's usually a Saturday night race. :headbang:

 

[semipenguin]

If I'm going to a race it's usually a Saturday night race. :headbang:

That's a good idea. Make all west coast races Saturday night races

Could you imagine a night race at Sonoma? :right:

 

[DexterMorgan]

I think its a bit of a joke that Nascar needs to come up with ideas from the fans on how to make their product better. You would think all the "smart" people in Nascar would be able to come up with a plan and a direction for the sport to help better it. The fact that Nascar is changing policy based on the whims of the fans tells me the people in Daytona have no idea what to do next.

But all these restart rules, start times mean nothing if the product on the race track is crap. And has it ever been crap. Did you guys know that in the last 5 1.5 mile + tracks there have been a grand total of 7 green flag passes for the lead? And 2 of those were cause guys ran out of gas.

People will go the extra mile for a product thats worth it. That should be Nascar's first and only priority right now.

 

[semipenguin]

People will go the extra mile for a product thats worth it.

Don't you mean, "Go the extra kilometer"? :right:

 

[DexterMorgan]

Hey I got a question for you, when they say, "Hes your right hand man", how come its your right hand man, and not your left hand man.

And ill give you a hint, it relates to my screen name is some degree.

 

[mghtx]

I think its a bit of a joke that Nascar needs to come up with ideas from the fans on how to make their product better.

Well, yes and no. I agree mostly. It just seems like there's this wall between nascar and the fans sometimes. Like an "us versus them" thing. It wasn't that way with Big Bill or Jr.

 

[DexterMorgan]

Well thats cause Brian is a suit who doesnt even know how own product from his ass. The thing with Bill and Bill Jr. is they knew what the fans wanted before the fans did. They knew how to market their product and their drivers.

 

[dpkimmel2001]

The start times really don't bother me that much since I DVR most all of the summer races anyhow but I think a 1PM EST start time for all days races would be a good idea. 10AM for people on the west coast, I think they could handle it. They watch the NFL, don't they? Having to get up early to go to a race shouldn't be that big a deal. Have you every seen how full the RIR parking lots are @ 9:00AM for a 7:30PM start. How about the Bristol night race. Many people are there 10+ hours before the race starts. I know because I'm there.

As far as listening to the fans for ideas goes. IMO, it's a good thing if they are starting to listen. Their are many good ideas out there.

 

[Raceimages]

I have been saying it for a couple years, the later start times are hurting attendance at the Sunday races.
Think about it, you have the people who are there for the weekend camping at the track, they are there until the race is run, they know it going in. But you also have the people who come in on Sunday only. Say those folks are 100-200 miles away from the racetrack. They are there for Sunday only because they have to be at work on Monday. NASCAR lets TV push the start times back so the races can butt up to primetime programming.

If you are one of those fans, do you really want to drive home in all of that traffic after the race, get home at midnight or later and then have to get up in the morning and go to work?

Start the races at 11am local time, let people get home at a decent time on a Sunday. I know at Sears Point this year, having the race start at 2pm was a joke. Your expecting people to spend 4 or 5 hours at the track with nothing to do except watch the same airshow that they have had the last 3 years, followed by a "concert" of a local band that was horrid at best. If you are one of those fans who want to get autographs, you had to be at the track to get a ticket at 7am. That makes for a long day if you have the kids along.

I have the same argument with Indianapolis and the start time for the 500. With the 11am start a person who lives on the west coast can get a flight home on Sunday night. Now with the later start I'm pretty much stuck in Indy until Monday.


Hopefully someone gets a clue and they get the races started earlier.

 

[Sirius01_8]

If NASCAR wants to be more like the NFL here is the solution,

Tracks Located In:

East and Central Timezones, races start at 1pm Eastern Time

Mountain and Pacific Timezones, races start at 4pm Eastern Time

Just like the 2 NFL games that are played on Sundays.

 

[dpkimmel2001]

If NASCAR wants to be more like the NFL here is the solution,

Tracks Located In:

East and Central Timezones, races start at 1pm Eastern Time

Mountain and Pacific Timezones, races start at 4pm Eastern Time

Just like the 2 NFL games that are played on Sundays.

Certainly a different idea. How would you possibly split the current crop of drivers up? I don't think that any owner is going to go for having half their team racing in the east and the other half out west. They'd have to hire so many more people, I'd think that the costs would be astronomical. Just using two teams as an example, even if you did something like put all of the Hendrick drivers in the west series & Roush drivers in the east, you'd have to have Hendrick have his organization based out west somewhere rather than Charlotte, NC because of all of the travel costs associated. Then there are those of us that go to some the races. I go to at least 3-6 races a year. Living in western PA, I hate the thought of them moving my team out west where I can't attend any longer. Sure, other people would take my place in the stands but I'd be less apt to go to races out here when my driver isn't running in them. I think that it's a cool idea. It's just at this point, since everyone is already established where they are, I don't know how it could be pulled off. :scratch:

 

[mghtx]

Since nascar SEEMS to be listening......here's MY request for more short tracks!

The Frontstretch: It's About Dreams: Lessons From A Short Track by Amy Henderson -- Friday July 24, 2009

...

 

[Sirius01_8]

Certainly a different idea. How would you possibly split the current crop of drivers up? I don't think that any owner is going to go for having half their team racing in the east and the other half out west. They'd have to hire so many more people, I'd think that the costs would be astronomical. Just using two teams as an example, even if you did something like put all of the Hendrick drivers in the west series & Roush drivers in the east, you'd have to have Hendrick have his organization based out west somewhere rather than Charlotte, NC because of all of the travel costs associated. Then there are those of us that go to some the races. I go to at least 3-6 races a year. Living in western PA, I hate the thought of them moving my team out west where I can't attend any longer. Sure, other people would take my place in the stands but I'd be less apt to go to races out here when my driver isn't running in them. I think that it's a cool idea. It's just at this point, since everyone is already established where they are, I don't know how it could be pulled off. :scratch:

I guess I should have been more clear;

West Coast Races Start At 4PM East Time

All Other Races Start At 1PM East Time

No Split Series.

 

[dpkimmel2001]

I guess I should have been more clear;

West Coast Races Start At 4PM East Time

All Other Races Start At 1PM East Time

No Split Series.

I must have misunderstood. I think that I was still sleeping or something. I agree with what your saying.