THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
July 12th, 2011
Volume V, Edition CXXXV
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Top News
by Tom Bowles
"Trafficgate 2011:" The Latest From Kentucky Speedway
After a tumultuous 48 hours in the public eye, Kentucky Speedway's disgust over traffic turned apologetic Monday. From Track President Mark Simendinger to Speedway Motorsports, Inc. President Marcus Smith, there were a chorus of voices created that pushed one strong, consistent message: "I'm sorry."
"To those fans that were not able to attend the Quaker State 400, we offer our sincerest apologies," said Simendinger, leading off a series of statements. "We'd also like to apologize to all of our fans who endured challenging conditions during our event weekend. As we said earlier, we're committed to working with NASCAR, state and local officials and traffic experts to address Saturday's traffic issues to ensure that we never have this type of experience again."
Stepping up their commitment to fixing mistakes, the speedway announced a ticket exchange program for paying customers unable to make the race. While not a straight refund, eligible fans can get free admission to an SMI Cup show of their choice the rest of the season, events remaining at New Hampshire (twice), Bristol, Atlanta, Charlotte, Texas or wait for the 2012 race at Kentucky. In addition, free admission is being offered to the Truck Series / IndyCar weekend at the track being held this October 1st and 2nd as part of the deal.
"I would like to apologize on behalf of Speedway Motorsports to the fans who had tickets, yet due to logistical issues, were not able to attend the inaugural Sprint Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway," added Marcus Smith in announcing their "make good" effort. "Our company has always been about enhancing the fan experience with first-class amenities and putting fans first. I feel terrible for the fans that had a bad experience at Kentucky Speedway and we are asking that they give us a chance to make it up to them. We are very thankful for the overwhelming fan support we had for this inaugural event. We learned some valuable lessons this past weekend and will do everything in our power to make sure we don't have these issues again."
Bruton Smith, in speaking to the AP's Jenna Fryer took a more straight-laced, proactive approach. "It's nothing we can't fix," he said. "We are already working on it and we are going to fix it. We are going to add more entrances and work with the state. I have already worked with the governor's office. I can't go out there and widen the highway myself. That Interstate 71 is horrible, it sucks and it should have been corrected 15 years ago. It was OK when it was built in the '50s, [but] it's not OK anymore."
However, Smith may be dealing with a different type of government issue soon enough. Kentucky Senate President David Williams, a Republican is planning hearings on the traffic issue, calling it a matter of public safety while promising to hold Kentucky to task for their mistakes.
"On behalf of those impacted and on behalf of all taxpayers, I am going to focus on analyzing the problem, getting information and finding a solution so Kentucky isn't again embarrassed nationally," Williams told Kentucky.com. "[They need to] answer [as to] why there was not better communication about the traffic flow."
Interestingly enough, despite Smith's claims to the contrary the Kentucky.com article reports $87.7 million in state money has been used in road improvements around the racetrack since 1998. But while that debate rages on, the track will work on tweaking issues internally, beefing up concession stands and restrooms besieged with complaints of long lines, no toilet paper and inadequate conditions. Marcus Smith, in interviews Monday claimed understaffing was part of the problem; track employees, like everyone else were simply caught in traffic.
Note: Read Tom Bowles' column on the website today for first-person accounts of the madness at Kentucky Speedway.
Greg Biffle Gets New Crew Chief
Through 18 races this season, Greg Biffle remains the only Sprint Cup driver at Roush to go winless.
Now, he'll be the first to undergo a crew chief change in 2011. Former head wrench Greg Erwin was reassigned Monday, ending a four-year tenure with the Biff that had produced five wins, three Chase appearances and over sixty top-10 finishes. However, the duo's strong chemistry took a hit this season, faulty fuel tanks leading to several pit road problems that caused crew member replacements, poor finishes, and an overall malaise that's lingered over the program. After Kentucky, the Biff sits 14th in the standings, winless and 31 points outside the top 10 in what's been his worst performance since Erwin came on board.
Matt Puccia, a seven-year veteran of Roush Fenway Racing has been named as Erwin's replacement. Working in RFR's Research and Development program, Puccia most recently crew chiefed Paul Menard in the Nationwide Series last season; he's also teamed with former protégés like Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Danny O'Quinn, Jr. and Erik Darnell while working through the ranks.
"Matt Puccia has been a very effective and successful crew chief with the organization in both the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series," said team owner Jack Roush in a press release. "Most recently, he has led the research and development efforts for our superspeedway program which helped put David Ragan in Victory Lane in Daytona. This is a natural progression of our crew chief development and I have every confidence that he will do well in this new role."
"I am excited for the opportunity to work with Matt Puccia," added Biffle in a statement. "Greg Erwin led this team to the Chase the past three years and I look forward to Matt doing the same."
Erwin's new role with the company will be officially announced at a later date.
Despite Chaotic Racing Weekend, Good News In The Nielsens
Paying customers may have missed Kentucky's Sprint Cup race, but any traffic troubles didn't affect fans watching from their couch. TNT scored a 2.7 overnight rating for NASCAR's inaugural Quaker State 400, similar to the network's final numbers from Pocono (3.2), Michigan (2.7), Infineon (3.2), and Daytona (3.4) this season. There's no other race in the Bluegrass State to compare to, but the date did score 17% higher than the Saturday overnight at Chicagoland (2.3) held on the same weekend in 2010.
Overall, the network is averaging a 3.0, on par with last year's average heading into their six-race finale at Loudon. Good news can also be reported on the IndyCar side; their Toronto event, covered on Versus Sunday scored a 0.41 overnight rating, the largest audience ever to watch the open-wheel series on the network. That viewership still has a long way to go over there – ESPN scored a 1.0 overnight for the same race in 2010, by comparison – but this year's overall numbers, up 21 percent on Versus remain encouraging.
Other ratings:
Truck Series: .66 (up 22 percent from 2010)
Nationwide Series: 1.2 (down 14 percent from 2010)
News Bite
J.J. Yeley announced Monday he'll replace Travis Kvapil in the Front Row Motorsports No. 38 this week. Kvapil has a Truck Series conflict, racing in Iowa and will be unable to pull double duty; a one-race deal, Yeley will return to the Whitney Motorsports No. 46 for Indianapolis and beyond.
After a tumultuous 48 hours in the public eye, Kentucky Speedway's disgust over traffic turned apologetic Monday. From Track President Mark Simendinger to Speedway Motorsports, Inc. President Marcus Smith, there were a chorus of voices created that pushed one strong, consistent message: "I'm sorry."
"To those fans that were not able to attend the Quaker State 400, we offer our sincerest apologies," said Simendinger, leading off a series of statements. "We'd also like to apologize to all of our fans who endured challenging conditions during our event weekend. As we said earlier, we're committed to working with NASCAR, state and local officials and traffic experts to address Saturday's traffic issues to ensure that we never have this type of experience again."
Stepping up their commitment to fixing mistakes, the speedway announced a ticket exchange program for paying customers unable to make the race. While not a straight refund, eligible fans can get free admission to an SMI Cup show of their choice the rest of the season, events remaining at New Hampshire (twice), Bristol, Atlanta, Charlotte, Texas or wait for the 2012 race at Kentucky. In addition, free admission is being offered to the Truck Series / IndyCar weekend at the track being held this October 1st and 2nd as part of the deal.
"I would like to apologize on behalf of Speedway Motorsports to the fans who had tickets, yet due to logistical issues, were not able to attend the inaugural Sprint Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway," added Marcus Smith in announcing their "make good" effort. "Our company has always been about enhancing the fan experience with first-class amenities and putting fans first. I feel terrible for the fans that had a bad experience at Kentucky Speedway and we are asking that they give us a chance to make it up to them. We are very thankful for the overwhelming fan support we had for this inaugural event. We learned some valuable lessons this past weekend and will do everything in our power to make sure we don't have these issues again."
Bruton Smith, in speaking to the AP's Jenna Fryer took a more straight-laced, proactive approach. "It's nothing we can't fix," he said. "We are already working on it and we are going to fix it. We are going to add more entrances and work with the state. I have already worked with the governor's office. I can't go out there and widen the highway myself. That Interstate 71 is horrible, it sucks and it should have been corrected 15 years ago. It was OK when it was built in the '50s, [but] it's not OK anymore."
However, Smith may be dealing with a different type of government issue soon enough. Kentucky Senate President David Williams, a Republican is planning hearings on the traffic issue, calling it a matter of public safety while promising to hold Kentucky to task for their mistakes.
"On behalf of those impacted and on behalf of all taxpayers, I am going to focus on analyzing the problem, getting information and finding a solution so Kentucky isn't again embarrassed nationally," Williams told Kentucky.com. "[They need to] answer [as to] why there was not better communication about the traffic flow."
Interestingly enough, despite Smith's claims to the contrary the Kentucky.com article reports $87.7 million in state money has been used in road improvements around the racetrack since 1998. But while that debate rages on, the track will work on tweaking issues internally, beefing up concession stands and restrooms besieged with complaints of long lines, no toilet paper and inadequate conditions. Marcus Smith, in interviews Monday claimed understaffing was part of the problem; track employees, like everyone else were simply caught in traffic.
Note: Read Tom Bowles' column on the website today for first-person accounts of the madness at Kentucky Speedway.
Greg Biffle Gets New Crew Chief
Through 18 races this season, Greg Biffle remains the only Sprint Cup driver at Roush to go winless.
Now, he'll be the first to undergo a crew chief change in 2011. Former head wrench Greg Erwin was reassigned Monday, ending a four-year tenure with the Biff that had produced five wins, three Chase appearances and over sixty top-10 finishes. However, the duo's strong chemistry took a hit this season, faulty fuel tanks leading to several pit road problems that caused crew member replacements, poor finishes, and an overall malaise that's lingered over the program. After Kentucky, the Biff sits 14th in the standings, winless and 31 points outside the top 10 in what's been his worst performance since Erwin came on board.
Matt Puccia, a seven-year veteran of Roush Fenway Racing has been named as Erwin's replacement. Working in RFR's Research and Development program, Puccia most recently crew chiefed Paul Menard in the Nationwide Series last season; he's also teamed with former protégés like Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Danny O'Quinn, Jr. and Erik Darnell while working through the ranks.
"Matt Puccia has been a very effective and successful crew chief with the organization in both the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series," said team owner Jack Roush in a press release. "Most recently, he has led the research and development efforts for our superspeedway program which helped put David Ragan in Victory Lane in Daytona. This is a natural progression of our crew chief development and I have every confidence that he will do well in this new role."
"I am excited for the opportunity to work with Matt Puccia," added Biffle in a statement. "Greg Erwin led this team to the Chase the past three years and I look forward to Matt doing the same."
Erwin's new role with the company will be officially announced at a later date.
Despite Chaotic Racing Weekend, Good News In The Nielsens
Paying customers may have missed Kentucky's Sprint Cup race, but any traffic troubles didn't affect fans watching from their couch. TNT scored a 2.7 overnight rating for NASCAR's inaugural Quaker State 400, similar to the network's final numbers from Pocono (3.2), Michigan (2.7), Infineon (3.2), and Daytona (3.4) this season. There's no other race in the Bluegrass State to compare to, but the date did score 17% higher than the Saturday overnight at Chicagoland (2.3) held on the same weekend in 2010.
Overall, the network is averaging a 3.0, on par with last year's average heading into their six-race finale at Loudon. Good news can also be reported on the IndyCar side; their Toronto event, covered on Versus Sunday scored a 0.41 overnight rating, the largest audience ever to watch the open-wheel series on the network. That viewership still has a long way to go over there – ESPN scored a 1.0 overnight for the same race in 2010, by comparison – but this year's overall numbers, up 21 percent on Versus remain encouraging.
Other ratings:
Truck Series: .66 (up 22 percent from 2010)
Nationwide Series: 1.2 (down 14 percent from 2010)
News Bite
J.J. Yeley announced Monday he'll replace Travis Kvapil in the Front Row Motorsports No. 38 this week. Kvapil has a Truck Series conflict, racing in Iowa and will be unable to pull double duty; a one-race deal, Yeley will return to the Whitney Motorsports No. 46 for Indianapolis and beyond.
Have news for Tom and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashland10@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.
~~~~~~~~~~
Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them John Potts' way at john.potts@frontstretch.com; and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when he does his weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. Potts' Shots will run on Thursdays with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!
~~~~~~~~~~
Numbers Game: UNOH 225 / Feed The Children 300 / Quaker State 400
~~~~~~~~~~
Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them John Potts' way at john.potts@frontstretch.com; and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when he does his weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. Potts' Shots will run on Thursdays with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!
~~~~~~~~~~
Numbers Game: UNOH 225 / Feed The Children 300 / Quaker State 400
by Brett Poirier
1
The number of drivers to win from the pole in Sprint Cup races this season. Kyle Busch became the first driver to do it on Saturday, the first time it's happened since Carl Edwards in Phoenix last November.
3
The number of points separating Brad Keselowski from the top 20 in the Sprint Cup driver standings. Keselowski needs to be inside the top 20 to qualify for the Chase for the Cup; he finished seventh on Saturday to help bridge the gap.
3
The number of finishes outside the top 15 for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in his last three races. In comparison, he finished outside the top 15 only twice in the first 15 races.
3rd
Kyle Busch's worst finish of the weekend. After starting 41st in the Nationwide race, Busch finished third while running first and first in his other two events.
6
The number of 32nd-place finishes for Andy Lally this season. He was 32nd at Kentucky.
8
The number of cars to pull off the track after 20 laps in Saturday's Nationwide race.
9
The number of different leaders in Friday's Camping World Truck race at Kentucky.
10
The number of top-5 finishes for Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch in Sprint Cup. Busch was first and Edwards was fifth on Saturday; in comparison, no other driver has recorded more than six top-5 finishes.
10
The number of finishes outside the top 10 for Aric Almirola through 18 Nationwide races.
18.6
The average finishing position of Sprint Cup drivers following a win in the previous Sprint Cup race in 2011. After winning at Daytona, David Ragan was eighth at Kentucky.
22
The number of career Sprint Cup victories for Kyle Busch, one win behind brother Kurt and Ricky Rudd.
22
The number of cars within four laps of the lead at the end of Saturday's Nationwide race. There were ten cars on the lead lap.
28th
Jamie McMurray's position in the Sprint Cup driver standings after finishing 36th at Kentucky. Last year's three-time winner is without a victory or top-5 finish in 18 starts this season.
36th
Kyle Busch's starting position (dead last) in Friday's Camping World Truck race after missing the driver's meeting. He won the race anyway.
79
The number of laps led by Brad Keselowski in the Sprint Cup race at Kentucky. It was the most he had ever led in a Sprint Cup event.
793
Laps completed this season by Joe Nemechek through 18 Sprint Cup races. He ran 37 laps at Kentucky, then parked it on his way to a 37th-place finish.
1,060
Laps led this season by Kyle Busch in the Sprint Cup Series, a number that leads all drivers. He paced the field for 125 laps and won on Saturday at Kentucky, meaning Busch has led in 14 of the first 18 races.
Brett Poirier is a Website Contributor for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at brett.poirier@frontstretch.com.
Today's Featured Commentary
How I Learned to Tolerate Five Hour Traffic Jams
1
The number of drivers to win from the pole in Sprint Cup races this season. Kyle Busch became the first driver to do it on Saturday, the first time it's happened since Carl Edwards in Phoenix last November.
3
The number of points separating Brad Keselowski from the top 20 in the Sprint Cup driver standings. Keselowski needs to be inside the top 20 to qualify for the Chase for the Cup; he finished seventh on Saturday to help bridge the gap.
3
The number of finishes outside the top 15 for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in his last three races. In comparison, he finished outside the top 15 only twice in the first 15 races.
3rd
Kyle Busch's worst finish of the weekend. After starting 41st in the Nationwide race, Busch finished third while running first and first in his other two events.
6
The number of 32nd-place finishes for Andy Lally this season. He was 32nd at Kentucky.
8
The number of cars to pull off the track after 20 laps in Saturday's Nationwide race.
9
The number of different leaders in Friday's Camping World Truck race at Kentucky.
10
The number of top-5 finishes for Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch in Sprint Cup. Busch was first and Edwards was fifth on Saturday; in comparison, no other driver has recorded more than six top-5 finishes.
10
The number of finishes outside the top 10 for Aric Almirola through 18 Nationwide races.
18.6
The average finishing position of Sprint Cup drivers following a win in the previous Sprint Cup race in 2011. After winning at Daytona, David Ragan was eighth at Kentucky.
22
The number of career Sprint Cup victories for Kyle Busch, one win behind brother Kurt and Ricky Rudd.
22
The number of cars within four laps of the lead at the end of Saturday's Nationwide race. There were ten cars on the lead lap.
28th
Jamie McMurray's position in the Sprint Cup driver standings after finishing 36th at Kentucky. Last year's three-time winner is without a victory or top-5 finish in 18 starts this season.
36th
Kyle Busch's starting position (dead last) in Friday's Camping World Truck race after missing the driver's meeting. He won the race anyway.
79
The number of laps led by Brad Keselowski in the Sprint Cup race at Kentucky. It was the most he had ever led in a Sprint Cup event.
793
Laps completed this season by Joe Nemechek through 18 Sprint Cup races. He ran 37 laps at Kentucky, then parked it on his way to a 37th-place finish.
1,060
Laps led this season by Kyle Busch in the Sprint Cup Series, a number that leads all drivers. He paced the field for 125 laps and won on Saturday at Kentucky, meaning Busch has led in 14 of the first 18 races.
Brett Poirier is a Website Contributor for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at brett.poirier@frontstretch.com.
Today's Featured Commentary
How I Learned to Tolerate Five Hour Traffic Jams
Sitting In The Stands: A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady
It was the most galling thing in the world. We had come from not too far away, leaving plenty of time before the green flag would drop, but there was a big problem—the cars weren't budging in any meaningful way. We listened to the traffic report for the twentieth time: Route 106 would take an average of two hours from Interstate 393 to the track, about nine miles. Huh? We had already been in our car for well over two hours already.
The joy and anticipation of the morning had long since vanished with the coffee and donuts. We now dreamed of restrooms, the chance to stretch our legs and yes, the possibility of actually reaching the track. Large passenger vans passed us in the grass on the edge of the road. At first, we grumbled that they weren't being patient and had decided to four-wheel it…until we noticed that everybody in the vans wore matching logoed uniforms. These were the over-the-wall-gangs for the teams, it was 11 AM, and they were already late for their jobs.
We watched the mob at the Dunkin' Donuts on the other side of the road. People had actually got out of their cars to run across and buy a little sustenance before resuming the race to nowhere. The sun rose higher. Our watches ticked. This was bad.
That interminable drive to the track was the good part of the commute. Later that day, after we actually enjoyed the race on the oval (Yes, we made it…but there were people who didn't), we once again sat in the car with a cloud of dust and smoke surrounding us. Unlike the morning, now we were in a vast parking lot with no marked roads, nobody directing the tired fans and an impossible bottleneck just to get out of the lot only to sit for hours more on Route 106 and later on Interstate 93. For a three to four-hour event, we spent approximately ten hours in our car, most of it about an hour away from our house.
This sucked. But, you know, we were young and inexperienced. We figured we just did it wrong. In the years that followed, we attempted leaving earlier and earlier—cooking eggs and bacon on a hibachi out of the back of the Escort. We parked two miles from the track entrance, figuring we'd avoid the bottleneck on the grounds. We stayed late into the night, expanding the tailgating menu to include breakfast, lunch and dinner. We tried escaping to the north, the east, back roads, tricks friends whispered to us in dark taverns…
There remained a grim reality. The traffic was horrendous. Awful. As long as a two-lane "highway" remained as the single connection between New Hampshire International Speedway with the rest of the world, we couldn't see anything improving. But you know, we did wonder…
Each race we attended there were always these people—happy, smiling people—who were comfortably ensconced in lawn chairs with a stocked cooler sitting next to them. They watched all the cars go nowhere. They chatted, carried burgers and sausages. The smoke of campfires built a heavy haze over the track property. Was there a better, less stressful way of dealing with race weekends that didn't include endless parking lots?
Well, yes, there is. And I've never regretted the choice. We camp. We up and bought the RV, parking our home away from home a week before the event and arrive days ahead of time. We put up our feet, break open the Buds and watch a city rise out of the forest. All the worries of race day vanished, including the post-race rush back to where you came from. Year after year, more and more campers remained Sunday night with us, leaving in a final flurry of convoys the following morning.
Meanwhile, we started to notice patterns about the traffic in and around the track. The State Troopers with the local police force and NHIS got together and created more effective means of filling and emptying the track. Friends told me about taking a mere two hours to accomplish a normal 45-minute drive. Things were getting better, or perhaps the way I viewed race weeks had changed. I no longer focused on those eight to ten hours of boredom and nail biting, but instead on the time spent wandering among the NASCAR haulers wasting cash on die-cast I didn't really need and gazing adoringly at the full-sized versions as they stole my breath with their roar and rumble.
Over the years since, I've decided there is a common denominator among track venues — and I've visited many: the traffic sucks. How the individual track handles the nightmare of moving approximately 80k people in a couple hours on roads often developed for small town America is what makes the difference. Rockin' racing is the most positive way to ensure happy bumper-to-bumper drivers; post and pre-race concerts help. Controlling the additional exodus of infield traffic helps the outer lots relieve some pressure, while busses and trams that assist the weary doesn't hurt, either. Yes, we're talking amenities.
There is no doubt Kentucky Speedway didn't do itself any favors by adding seats before it added parking lots or working out a functional traffic pattern plan with the state and local authorities, but I also believe the inaugural running of the Quaker State 400 was not the complete fiasco bad traffic made it out to be. Why? Because you can rest assured that there will be ticked off fans trapped in their cars as they sweat out the jams approaching NHMS (even still), Indy, Pocono, Watkins Glen, Michigan, Bristol and Atlanta…just to finish off the summer.
Sprint Cup races are major sporting events, boasting attendance that beats out many other major league sports. The fact that Kentucky managed to sell as many tickets as it did speaks well for its future…after the management apologizes profusely, offers free tickets for those denied their race and works to improve its struggling infrastructure—which should include vast, well-lit parking lots that welcome wayward travelers from early in the morning until the next dawn.
NASCAR fans do have a wealth of patience, which they are happy to use if only they know it won't be tested before they leave their house. Kentucky Speedway has an entire year to get their stuff together as well as a year for all those fans left in gridlock to reengineer their approach to the track, whether it be by staying at home, trying a little back road or maybe, just maybe, joining some of those happy campers who choose to drive before and after the fray.
I hope to see you around the campfire.
by S.D. Grady
It was the most galling thing in the world. We had come from not too far away, leaving plenty of time before the green flag would drop, but there was a big problem—the cars weren't budging in any meaningful way. We listened to the traffic report for the twentieth time: Route 106 would take an average of two hours from Interstate 393 to the track, about nine miles. Huh? We had already been in our car for well over two hours already.
The joy and anticipation of the morning had long since vanished with the coffee and donuts. We now dreamed of restrooms, the chance to stretch our legs and yes, the possibility of actually reaching the track. Large passenger vans passed us in the grass on the edge of the road. At first, we grumbled that they weren't being patient and had decided to four-wheel it…until we noticed that everybody in the vans wore matching logoed uniforms. These were the over-the-wall-gangs for the teams, it was 11 AM, and they were already late for their jobs.
We watched the mob at the Dunkin' Donuts on the other side of the road. People had actually got out of their cars to run across and buy a little sustenance before resuming the race to nowhere. The sun rose higher. Our watches ticked. This was bad.
That interminable drive to the track was the good part of the commute. Later that day, after we actually enjoyed the race on the oval (Yes, we made it…but there were people who didn't), we once again sat in the car with a cloud of dust and smoke surrounding us. Unlike the morning, now we were in a vast parking lot with no marked roads, nobody directing the tired fans and an impossible bottleneck just to get out of the lot only to sit for hours more on Route 106 and later on Interstate 93. For a three to four-hour event, we spent approximately ten hours in our car, most of it about an hour away from our house.
This sucked. But, you know, we were young and inexperienced. We figured we just did it wrong. In the years that followed, we attempted leaving earlier and earlier—cooking eggs and bacon on a hibachi out of the back of the Escort. We parked two miles from the track entrance, figuring we'd avoid the bottleneck on the grounds. We stayed late into the night, expanding the tailgating menu to include breakfast, lunch and dinner. We tried escaping to the north, the east, back roads, tricks friends whispered to us in dark taverns…
There remained a grim reality. The traffic was horrendous. Awful. As long as a two-lane "highway" remained as the single connection between New Hampshire International Speedway with the rest of the world, we couldn't see anything improving. But you know, we did wonder…
Each race we attended there were always these people—happy, smiling people—who were comfortably ensconced in lawn chairs with a stocked cooler sitting next to them. They watched all the cars go nowhere. They chatted, carried burgers and sausages. The smoke of campfires built a heavy haze over the track property. Was there a better, less stressful way of dealing with race weekends that didn't include endless parking lots?
Well, yes, there is. And I've never regretted the choice. We camp. We up and bought the RV, parking our home away from home a week before the event and arrive days ahead of time. We put up our feet, break open the Buds and watch a city rise out of the forest. All the worries of race day vanished, including the post-race rush back to where you came from. Year after year, more and more campers remained Sunday night with us, leaving in a final flurry of convoys the following morning.
Meanwhile, we started to notice patterns about the traffic in and around the track. The State Troopers with the local police force and NHIS got together and created more effective means of filling and emptying the track. Friends told me about taking a mere two hours to accomplish a normal 45-minute drive. Things were getting better, or perhaps the way I viewed race weeks had changed. I no longer focused on those eight to ten hours of boredom and nail biting, but instead on the time spent wandering among the NASCAR haulers wasting cash on die-cast I didn't really need and gazing adoringly at the full-sized versions as they stole my breath with their roar and rumble.
Over the years since, I've decided there is a common denominator among track venues — and I've visited many: the traffic sucks. How the individual track handles the nightmare of moving approximately 80k people in a couple hours on roads often developed for small town America is what makes the difference. Rockin' racing is the most positive way to ensure happy bumper-to-bumper drivers; post and pre-race concerts help. Controlling the additional exodus of infield traffic helps the outer lots relieve some pressure, while busses and trams that assist the weary doesn't hurt, either. Yes, we're talking amenities.
There is no doubt Kentucky Speedway didn't do itself any favors by adding seats before it added parking lots or working out a functional traffic pattern plan with the state and local authorities, but I also believe the inaugural running of the Quaker State 400 was not the complete fiasco bad traffic made it out to be. Why? Because you can rest assured that there will be ticked off fans trapped in their cars as they sweat out the jams approaching NHMS (even still), Indy, Pocono, Watkins Glen, Michigan, Bristol and Atlanta…just to finish off the summer.
Sprint Cup races are major sporting events, boasting attendance that beats out many other major league sports. The fact that Kentucky managed to sell as many tickets as it did speaks well for its future…after the management apologizes profusely, offers free tickets for those denied their race and works to improve its struggling infrastructure—which should include vast, well-lit parking lots that welcome wayward travelers from early in the morning until the next dawn.
NASCAR fans do have a wealth of patience, which they are happy to use if only they know it won't be tested before they leave their house. Kentucky Speedway has an entire year to get their stuff together as well as a year for all those fans left in gridlock to reengineer their approach to the track, whether it be by staying at home, trying a little back road or maybe, just maybe, joining some of those happy campers who choose to drive before and after the fray.
I hope to see you around the campfire.
S.D. Grady is an Assistant Editor for Frontstretch.com. She can be reached via e-mail at sonya.grady@frontstretch.com. Follow her on Twitter at @laregna.
~~~~~~~~~~
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Five Points to Ponder: Kyle's Next Step, Monopolies And Cashing In On A Crisis
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Five Points to Ponder: Kyle's Next Step, Monopolies And Cashing In On A Crisis
by Bryan Davis Keith
Fans Speak Out On Kentucky: A First-Person Account Of The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
Fans Speak Out On Kentucky: A First-Person Account Of The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
by Tom Bowles
by Summer Dreyer
Talking NASCAR TV: TNT's Enhanced Inside Trax Does Diddly
by Phil Allaway
Halfway Home: 2011 Sprint Cup Midseason Awards
by Danny Peters
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Get THE ANNUAL, 2011 Racing Preview for your mobile device.
Go to Frontstretch.com and click on "The Annual" link on the right side to order and download this special issue that includes: Track Information, Driver profiles and In-Depth Features.
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: Over the years, New Hampshire Motor Speedway has had plenty of issues with pavement in the turns. In the late 1990's, the Bahre's appeared to have a solution: A special pavement. Where was this asphalt from?
Talking NASCAR TV: TNT's Enhanced Inside Trax Does Diddly
by Phil Allaway
Halfway Home: 2011 Sprint Cup Midseason Awards
by Danny Peters
~~~~~~~~~~~
Get THE ANNUAL, 2011 Racing Preview for your mobile device.
Go to Frontstretch.com and click on "The Annual" link on the right side to order and download this special issue that includes: Track Information, Driver profiles and In-Depth Features.
~~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: Over the years, New Hampshire Motor Speedway has had plenty of issues with pavement in the turns. In the late 1990's, the Bahre's appeared to have a solution: A special pavement. Where was this asphalt from?
Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Monday's Answer:
Q: The Izod IndyCar Series inherited the then-New Hampshire International Speedway venue from CART, holding three points races on the 1.058-mile oval before leaving after 1998. In the first of these events (August, 1996 as the opening race for the 1996-1997 season), Tony Stewart dropped out after 182 laps due to electrical issues. What very unusual thing happened when Stewart retired from the event?
A: Stewart and his Menard V6 engine were so dominant that day that when he dropped out of the race, he had a two lap lead on the field. As a result, the lap counter stopped for about a minute in order for the field to catch up to the stationary Stewart. Pretty rare. Although Stewart and Team Menard were just about the fastest team on track in 1996, they failed to win any of the Indy Racing League events run. It took until the production-based 4.0-liter engine formula was introduced in 1997 before Stewart and Team Menard claimed victory.
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to trivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
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Hey, Frontstretch Readers!
We know you love the roar of raw horsepower under the hood that powers 43 of the best drivers in the world every weekend, but did you ever wonder how the sponsor on top of that hood also contributes to keeping the sport moving? What about the contributions of official NASCAR companies? If you think they are simply writing checks, think again. Check out our newest feature - Sunday Money. This weekly Frontstretch exclusive provides you with a behind the scenes look at how NASCAR, its affiliates and team sponsors approach the daunting task of keeping fans interested and excited about the sport for 38 weeks of the year.
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Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Summer Dreyer
-- Full Throttle by Mike Neff
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Did You Notice? ... by Tom Bowles
This week, Tom takes a look at midseason peaks and valleys, what Greg Biffle's crew chief change tells us about the new Chase system and a realistic look at who's still in playoff contention among his list of small observations within the NASCAR circuit.
Mirror Driving by the Frontstretch Staff
The Mirror crew is at it again with more talking points to debate. Topics include just who is to blame for Kentucky's mess, whether Iowa Speedway deserves a Sprint Cup race, whether Dale Earnhardt, Jr. should re-sign with Hendrick Motorsports, and more.
Frontstretch Top Ten by the Frontstretch Staff
Our weekly list based on the latest NASCAR controversy will start your morning off with a laugh -- guaranteed.
Top 15 Power Rankings by the Frontstretch Staff
Which driver came out of Kentucky on top of our 2011 Power Rankings chart? Jimmie Johnson? Carl Edwards? Kevin Harvick? Someone else? Find out who our select Frontstretch experts have labeled as this week's favorite heading into the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Beyond the Cockpit: Ricky Carmichael as told to Phil Allaway
The driver of the Monster Energy Chevrolet sits down to discuss his 2011 season, his plans for the future, and his continuing involvement with Suzuki.
Foto Funnies: Quaker State 400 Edition by Kurt Smith
Kurt's back to leave you laughing with the best photos you didn't see in the papers from New Hampshire.
Voice Of Vito by Vito Pugliese
Vito back with an interesting commentary. The topic: Lame Duck drivers who can do nothing but simply run out the string. What goes through their minds? We'll find out on Wednesday.
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Talk back to the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Got something to say about an article you've seen in the newsletter? It's as easy as replying directly to this message or sending an email to editors@frontstretch.com. We'll take the best comments and publish them here!
©2011 Frontstretch.com
Talk back to the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Got something to say about an article you've seen in the newsletter? It's as easy as replying directly to this message or sending an email to editors@frontstretch.com. We'll take the best comments and publish them here!
©2011 Frontstretch.com
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