THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
August 17th, 2011
Volume V, Edition CLXIII
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
August 17th, 2011
Volume V, Edition CLXIII
~~~~~~~~~~
Top News
by Tom Bowles
NASCAR Evaluating SAFER Barriers For Watkins Glen
Less than 48 hours after two serious crashes at Watkins Glen, NASCAR is investigating whether to improve safety requirements at the 2.45-mile road course. Scene Daily is reporting the sanctioning body will work with Dr. Dean Sicking, from the University of Nebraska to determine where and what SAFER barriers need to be installed. The sport held its breath during both wrecks, Denny Hamlin's brake failure slam into the Turn 1 tire barrier and a last-lap fracas that flipped David Reutimann and sent him slamming into David Ragan between Turns 1 and 2.
NASCAR Hall Of Fame Has New Preseason Event
Fans will have a new way to get amped up for the 2012 NASCAR season next year. On the weekend following the 2012 Hall of Fame induction ceremony, the sanctioning body announced a new, fan-centric event at the Charlotte Convention Center January 21st. Dubbed NASCAR Preview 2012, driver Q & A and autograph sessions will be included in between the two main NASCAR Hall of Fame events - induction of its five new members January 20th and the unveiling of its five new exhibits January 22nd.
The new schedule, labeled "NASCAR Acceleration Weekend" is seemingly designed to pump up interest after recent Daytona FanFests fell below expectations. Sprint will jump on board, too, signing up to sponsor the January 21st Convention Center event.
"The NASCAR Acceleration Weekend will be an unforgettable start of a special tradition centered on the NASCAR Hall of Fame," said NASCAR President Mike Helton on its creation. "Putting the 2012 Induction Ceremony together with the NASCAR Preview 2012 makes this a must-visit event weekend for racing fans."
News Bites
- ESPN took a hit with Monday's rain-delayed broadcast at the Glen. With most fans stuck at work, their coverage registered just a 1.6 in the Nielsens, far below last year's 3.6 rating an even slightly under 2009's 1.7 for simiilar rain-delayed coverage of a Watkins Glen event. Just 1,896,000 estimated viewers saw Marcos Ambrose charge to the front and win his first career race at the Cup level.
- Brad Keselowski, David Ragan, Bobby Labonte, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and Jeff Burton are testing at Martinsville Speedway as part of a two-day, Goodyear tire test at the short track in rural Virginia. The tire company is looking to improve its compound for the Fall race there on October 30th.
Have news for Tom and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com with a promising lead or tip.
~~~~~~~~~~
Numbers Game: Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen
by Brett Poirier
0
Drivers in the top 30 in the Sprint Cup standings without a top-10 finish. Jeff Burton became the final top 30 driver to score a top 10 with a ninth-place finish on Sunday.
1
Drivers from Australia to win in the Sprint Cup Series. Ambrose became the first driver to pull off the feat on Sunday.
1
Points separating Marcos Ambrose from the top-20 in the Sprint Cup standings after his win. To be eligible for the Chase, Ambrose must be in the top-20.
2.25
Marcos Ambrose's average finishing position in four Sprint Cup starts at Watkins Glen. He has been third twice, second once and first once.
3rd
The starting position of the last two Sprint Cup winners at Watkins Glen. Juan Pablo Montoya (2010) and Marcos Ambrose (2011) each started third.
5
Races extended past the scheduled distance in 2011 in the Sprint Cup Series.
5
Sprint Cup drivers to record their first career victory in 2011. Marcos Ambrose joined David Ragan, Paul Menard, Regan Smith and Trevor Bayne. The last time there were five different first-time winners was 2002.
6
Top-10 finishes for Kyle Busch in seven starts at Watkins Glen.
6
Sprint Cup drivers to finish in the top 10 in both road course races in 2011. Marcos Ambrose, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr. and Joey Logano all completed the feat.
7
Times Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has finished outside the top 10 in his last eight races. He was 15th on Sunday.
9
Top-10 finishers at Sonoma to finish in the top 13 at Watkins Glen. Kurt Busch, who finished 38th, was the only driver to not find success in the second road course event.
9th
A.J. Allmendinger's average finishing position in four career starts at Watkins Glen. After getting bumped through the grass while leading early on Sunday, Allmendinger powered back to finish eighth.
15
Different Sprint Cup drivers to win in the first 22 races of 2011. There were only 13 different winners all of last season and the record for most in a season is 19.
18.0
The average finishing position of Sprint Cup drivers following a win in the previous Sprint Cup race in 2011. After winning at Pocono, Brad Keselowski finished second at Watkins Glen.
105
Races it took Marcos Ambrose to win his first career Sprint Cup race.
752
The point total of Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards after 22 races. They are tied for the lead in the Sprint Cup standings.
875
Laps completed this season by Joe Nemechek through 22 Sprint Cup races. He ran 12 laps at Watkins Glen on his way to a 40th-place finish.
1,136
Laps led this season by Kyle Busch in the Sprint Cup Series, a number that leads all drivers. He paced the field for 49 laps and finished third on Sunday at Watkins Glen, meaning Busch has led in 16 of the first 22 races.
2003
The last time Tony Stewart finished worse than seventh at Watkins Glen. He was 27th on Sunday after wrecking on the last lap.
2005
The last time crew chief Todd Parrott won a race in the Sprint Cup Series before Marcos Ambrose won Sunday. Before that, Parrott last won with Dale Jarrett at Talladega.
Brett Poirier is a Website Contributor for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at brett.poirier@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
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!
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
You Have to Spend Money to Make Money
Full Throttle
by Mike Neff
Running a race track is quite a bit like running a race team. If you want to make a small fortune doing it, you need to start with a big one. The recent closings of Dover Motorsports tracks, North Wilkesboro again, and several short tracks around the country have brought the issue of race promotion to the forefront. There are different methods of driving traffic to a race track, but one thing is a constant--people have to know you're holding races at your track or they won't visit your venue.
In the aftermath of Nashville Superspeedway announcing that they wouldn't seek Nationwide or Truck Series dates for 2012 a couple of weeks ago, there were several articles written in speculation of why the crowds didn't show up in droves like the promoters anticipated. While there were several different theories, one underlying fact continued to surface--people didn't know there were races going on. The track is not exactly IN Nashville, so enticing people to make the trip from the metro area to the facility required some effort to make sure people knew events were going on. Many of the accounts spoke of motel employees and gas station attendants who were within a short drive of the track who had no idea that races were taking place. While NASCAR does some advertising for races the ultimate responsibility for getting the word out lies on the shoulders of the promoter.
The same problem plagued North Wilkesboro during their recent attempt to reopen the facility. Wilkes County is roughly an hour from Charlotte, NC, the hub of NASCAR and home to a couple million people. The promoters never advertised their events in the Charlotte metro area, citing the higher cost of advertising as a factor in their decision. Unfortunately, that meant that the closest major metropolitan area had no idea events were taking place. During the Media Tour this past January, several different well known figures in the sport who would have loved to be part of the resurgence of the track had no idea when races were taking place. People are not going to just magically show up at your track unless they know that something is going on.
A similar issue is affecting the Polar Bear 150 at Rockingham Speedway. Last year they made the decision to change the date of the race to the end of November from January in order to cut back on the cost of winterizing the speedway twice a year. Similar to North Wilkesboro, the Rock is roughly an hour and a half away from Charlotte, an hour and 45 minutes from Winston-Salem and two hours from Raleigh. When speaking to people about possibly participating in the Polar Bear, they thought the race was New Year's Day. If the word doesn't get out to potential participants about the date of the event, there is no way they'll get a car ready in time to race.
Competing against larger venues is certainly an issue for smaller tracks purely from a resources standpoint. Tracks like Charlotte Motor Speedway have much larger advertising budgets than facilities like Rockingham, but the little guys still need to get the word out in the bigger markets. The area around Rockingham has been hit extremely hard by the economic downturn, so pulling from the local area for fans is difficult, and attempting to pull from the Charlotte area can become a battle due to the advertising power of SMI. If Rockingham attempts to run ads in the Charlotte market, Charlotte Motor Speedway can, and will, run three ads for every one that the Rock runs. While the smaller track has a limited budget, it is better to get their name out there in limited amounts than not at all. The key is putting on good races for the people who do attend and making the experience enjoyable. If the product is good, the word of mouth will enhance the future advertising impact.
Race tracks are not like baseball diamonds in a cornfield in Iowa. Just building the facility will not make the fans show up in droves. Getting the word out, no matter what the media, will allow people to become aware of events and, providing the events are well run and competitive, the fans will show up. Race fans are willing to spend money and travel provided the product is good and the value is provided. However, they aren't going to show up for events if they don't know they're going on. Race tracks of every size need to get the word out when they have events coming up to create a buzz and entice the fans to come out and attend, even if some free tickets have to be offered. The bottom line is, an empty seat is revenue lost, even if that revenue wouldn't have come from ticket sales but rather ancillary spending.
Mike Neff is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at mike.neff@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~
Tweet 'N' Greet
by Jay Pennell
Editor's Note: With the NASCAR Twitter community expanding by leaps and bounds, it remains a place for instantaneous news, reactions, and a whole lot of inside jokes. We understand if you don't want to join the Twitter community - but as a fan, it's important to know the news and info you're missing out on! That's why, every week, Jay Pennell will sort through the thousands of messages and give us a little taste of what's going on each Wednesday.
So, without further ado, here's a look at what those in NASCAR were thinking over the past seven days...
@DeLanaHarvick: Love hearing from all the dedicated fans how they plan on keeping up with the race this a.m., especially if they're at work. Creative ppl!
@ochocinco (Chad Ochocinco): On lunch watching NASCAR n that all silver Red Bull car paint job is on point.This track is more of a course rather than a circle? Name?
@ochocinco: Watkins Glenn huh? It seems difficult to pass someone from what I see n the cars r sliding all over the place. Bad tires or slippery surface?
@ochocinco: @BrianLVickers can I please have your Red Bull car you're driving today at Watkins Glenn to put in my living room.
@31n2Spotter (Brett Griffin): Thx 4 safety equipment and JGR building safe racecars @dennyhamlin is ok.
@mw55 (Michael Waltrip): When I see wrecks like Denny's and jimmies makes think of JD McDuffie. They walked away and racers are safer today because of men like JD.
@ochocinco: @dennyhamlin Mr Hamlin I hope you're okay.Speedy recovery kind sir #GodSpeed
@dennyhamlin: @ochocinco: @dennyhamlin Mr Hamlin I hope you're okay. -- thank u. That was like playing with the bull and getting the horns.. In the nuts
@ochocinco: Is Kyle Busch the wild man of NASCAR? Not sure if I'm using the right analogy but you get my point?
@ochocinco: Wow what a finish at Watkins Glenn,Keselwoski bumped Mr. Kyle Busch out of 1st on the restart and with only 3 laps to go Mr. Ambrose wins.
@ochocinco: @KyleBusch From what i'm hearing we are cut from the same cloth just different sports. You are officially Uno Ocho now. Great race 2day
@ochocinco: My Prius has Nascar tires on it i got from @KyleBusch RT @GYSC16: tires are too small for that kind of power.
@2Spotter (Joey Meier): If there are any doubters , plz watch THIS race...#BlueDeuce
@justinmarks66: Glorious day for the "ringers" #smh
@Regan_Smith_: From my view David Ragan should be none too pleased with Boris... That was downright dirty and in a very dangerous place
@RCR31JeffBurton: I'm sure Boris is a nice guy but he has caused 2 many wrecks during his cup races. He needs to stop racing over his head #NASCAR
@matt_kenseth17: Glad everyone is ok, Boris once again showed off his road racing skills and great judgment.
@JimmieJohnson: I'm glad the 00 and the 6 were alright. Blunt angle walls are NFG. I wish tracks would find these things before drivers do.
@maxpapis: And I really liked @borissaid telling as it is he is a real Man and I'm sure he didn't mean to wreck the 6 car
@RTruex00 (Ryan Truex): Boris wanted to fight like a man but he kept his helmet on...hmmm
@keselowski (Brad Keselowski): My own bias aside, today's race @WGI was the best cup eace of the year. Congrats to Ambrose. That was fun!
@David_Ragan: Very hard hit today. Gonna be feeling it tomorrow. The prob with Boris is he has no respect for anyone... We will move on and go win MIS.
@JeffGordonWeb: Congrat to Marcos Ambrose on win today. Also glad to c Ragan & Reutimann ok after that bad wreck. Hope they fix that wall soon. #JG
@Elliott_Sadler: I'm speaking first hand.... Would love to see safer barriers at all NASCAR tracks.... It is 2011
@JimmieJohnson: And no sharp angled walls! "@Elliott_Sadler: I'm speaking first hand.... Would love to see safer barriers at all NASCAR tracks. It is 2011"
@Tjmajors: I agree with safer barriers but we had 2 serious wrecks today and everyone is a-ok
@31n2Spotter: Which cage match would u wanna see? Burton vs Gordon. Biffle vs Boris. Stewart vs Vickers. Or, Harvick vs The Field.
@31n2Spotter: Forgot Johnson vs Busch too
@31n2Spotter: The Carl is such a badass we could probably watch him fight himself, right? #cagematch
@gbiffle (Greg Biffle): 1st of all I want to make sure everyone sees the wreck between David & David, now that's coming from a guy that says I am unprofessional.
@gbiffle: Let me tell u something Boris,"the roadcourse ringer" caused that wreck. He did the same thing to me earlier in the race off the carousel
@gbiffle: The same place Sam H got off & caused the horrific wreck with the 24,31etc. Thank God, they paved that run off.
@gbiffle: Then Mr. Class pulls in behind my truck after the race today?! Shouldn't you go check on David & David? How unprofessional & disrespectful!
@JennaFryer: True Story: A few years ago at Chase media day, hotel security tried to enter Biff's room in middle of night as he was sleeping (cont)
@JennaFryer: Biff told us he instinctively "reached for his pistol" because he was disoriented and thought he was at home (cont)
@JennaFryer: That led many of us to wonder aloud why Biff sleeps with a pistol next to his bed. He explained he had been robbed by some n'hood kids (cont)
@JennaFryer: If I recall, the kids robbed him more than once, and the entire experience spooked him. So, the moral of this story is ...
@JennaFryer: Said better be careful rolling up on The Biff's house, especially if it's nighttime.
Jay Pennell is an Assistant Editor to Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at jaywpennell@yahoo.com, and you can also check out his work at allleftturns.com or jaywpennell.blogspot.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Five Points to Ponder: A "Twistie" Edition
by Danny Peters
Spencer For Hire: Busch And Johnson Feud Honors Greatness
by Vito Pugliese
Beyond the Cockpit: Wes Collier on Lucas Oil Raceway's NASCAR Future and More
by Mike Neff
The Frontstretch Foto Funnies! Watkins Glen, August 2011
by Kurt Smith
Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After Watkins Glen
compiled by Mike Neff
~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Top News
by Tom Bowles
NASCAR Evaluating SAFER Barriers For Watkins Glen
Less than 48 hours after two serious crashes at Watkins Glen, NASCAR is investigating whether to improve safety requirements at the 2.45-mile road course. Scene Daily is reporting the sanctioning body will work with Dr. Dean Sicking, from the University of Nebraska to determine where and what SAFER barriers need to be installed. The sport held its breath during both wrecks, Denny Hamlin's brake failure slam into the Turn 1 tire barrier and a last-lap fracas that flipped David Reutimann and sent him slamming into David Ragan between Turns 1 and 2.
"What may be safe to assume is [that] the configuration of what's there certainly could be different," NASCAR President Mike Helton explained Tuesday, speaking at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. "Is it possible to move some of the angles around a little bit, particularly since that runoff area that started this is now asphalt instead of gravel?"
"All of those things have to be taken into consideration. At the end of the day, it's using all the modern technology and experiences, … investigating and looking at those. We can take all that and make the absolute best move. It may not be a SAFER barrier, it may just be a change in an angle or a wider sport or something until the next time... but it could also include a SAFER barrier."
Both Infineon and Watkins Glen, the two road courses on the Cup level have several areas where SAFER barriers are not installed. That's a stark contrast to many ovals on the circuit, where safety interests have led to those barrier installations in nearly all possible crash locations.NASCAR Hall Of Fame Has New Preseason Event
Fans will have a new way to get amped up for the 2012 NASCAR season next year. On the weekend following the 2012 Hall of Fame induction ceremony, the sanctioning body announced a new, fan-centric event at the Charlotte Convention Center January 21st. Dubbed NASCAR Preview 2012, driver Q & A and autograph sessions will be included in between the two main NASCAR Hall of Fame events - induction of its five new members January 20th and the unveiling of its five new exhibits January 22nd.
The new schedule, labeled "NASCAR Acceleration Weekend" is seemingly designed to pump up interest after recent Daytona FanFests fell below expectations. Sprint will jump on board, too, signing up to sponsor the January 21st Convention Center event.
"The NASCAR Acceleration Weekend will be an unforgettable start of a special tradition centered on the NASCAR Hall of Fame," said NASCAR President Mike Helton on its creation. "Putting the 2012 Induction Ceremony together with the NASCAR Preview 2012 makes this a must-visit event weekend for racing fans."
News Bites
- ESPN took a hit with Monday's rain-delayed broadcast at the Glen. With most fans stuck at work, their coverage registered just a 1.6 in the Nielsens, far below last year's 3.6 rating an even slightly under 2009's 1.7 for simiilar rain-delayed coverage of a Watkins Glen event. Just 1,896,000 estimated viewers saw Marcos Ambrose charge to the front and win his first career race at the Cup level.
- Brad Keselowski, David Ragan, Bobby Labonte, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and Jeff Burton are testing at Martinsville Speedway as part of a two-day, Goodyear tire test at the short track in rural Virginia. The tire company is looking to improve its compound for the Fall race there on October 30th.
Have news for Tom and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com with a promising lead or tip.
~~~~~~~~~~
Numbers Game: Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen
by Brett Poirier
0
Drivers in the top 30 in the Sprint Cup standings without a top-10 finish. Jeff Burton became the final top 30 driver to score a top 10 with a ninth-place finish on Sunday.
1
Drivers from Australia to win in the Sprint Cup Series. Ambrose became the first driver to pull off the feat on Sunday.
1
Points separating Marcos Ambrose from the top-20 in the Sprint Cup standings after his win. To be eligible for the Chase, Ambrose must be in the top-20.
2.25
Marcos Ambrose's average finishing position in four Sprint Cup starts at Watkins Glen. He has been third twice, second once and first once.
3rd
The starting position of the last two Sprint Cup winners at Watkins Glen. Juan Pablo Montoya (2010) and Marcos Ambrose (2011) each started third.
5
Races extended past the scheduled distance in 2011 in the Sprint Cup Series.
5
Sprint Cup drivers to record their first career victory in 2011. Marcos Ambrose joined David Ragan, Paul Menard, Regan Smith and Trevor Bayne. The last time there were five different first-time winners was 2002.
6
Top-10 finishes for Kyle Busch in seven starts at Watkins Glen.
6
Sprint Cup drivers to finish in the top 10 in both road course races in 2011. Marcos Ambrose, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr. and Joey Logano all completed the feat.
7
Times Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has finished outside the top 10 in his last eight races. He was 15th on Sunday.
9
Top-10 finishers at Sonoma to finish in the top 13 at Watkins Glen. Kurt Busch, who finished 38th, was the only driver to not find success in the second road course event.
9th
A.J. Allmendinger's average finishing position in four career starts at Watkins Glen. After getting bumped through the grass while leading early on Sunday, Allmendinger powered back to finish eighth.
15
Different Sprint Cup drivers to win in the first 22 races of 2011. There were only 13 different winners all of last season and the record for most in a season is 19.
18.0
The average finishing position of Sprint Cup drivers following a win in the previous Sprint Cup race in 2011. After winning at Pocono, Brad Keselowski finished second at Watkins Glen.
105
Races it took Marcos Ambrose to win his first career Sprint Cup race.
752
The point total of Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards after 22 races. They are tied for the lead in the Sprint Cup standings.
875
Laps completed this season by Joe Nemechek through 22 Sprint Cup races. He ran 12 laps at Watkins Glen on his way to a 40th-place finish.
1,136
Laps led this season by Kyle Busch in the Sprint Cup Series, a number that leads all drivers. He paced the field for 49 laps and finished third on Sunday at Watkins Glen, meaning Busch has led in 16 of the first 22 races.
2003
The last time Tony Stewart finished worse than seventh at Watkins Glen. He was 27th on Sunday after wrecking on the last lap.
2005
The last time crew chief Todd Parrott won a race in the Sprint Cup Series before Marcos Ambrose won Sunday. Before that, Parrott last won with Dale Jarrett at Talladega.
Brett Poirier is a Website Contributor for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at brett.poirier@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
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!
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
You Have to Spend Money to Make Money
Full Throttle
by Mike Neff
Running a race track is quite a bit like running a race team. If you want to make a small fortune doing it, you need to start with a big one. The recent closings of Dover Motorsports tracks, North Wilkesboro again, and several short tracks around the country have brought the issue of race promotion to the forefront. There are different methods of driving traffic to a race track, but one thing is a constant--people have to know you're holding races at your track or they won't visit your venue.
In the aftermath of Nashville Superspeedway announcing that they wouldn't seek Nationwide or Truck Series dates for 2012 a couple of weeks ago, there were several articles written in speculation of why the crowds didn't show up in droves like the promoters anticipated. While there were several different theories, one underlying fact continued to surface--people didn't know there were races going on. The track is not exactly IN Nashville, so enticing people to make the trip from the metro area to the facility required some effort to make sure people knew events were going on. Many of the accounts spoke of motel employees and gas station attendants who were within a short drive of the track who had no idea that races were taking place. While NASCAR does some advertising for races the ultimate responsibility for getting the word out lies on the shoulders of the promoter.
The same problem plagued North Wilkesboro during their recent attempt to reopen the facility. Wilkes County is roughly an hour from Charlotte, NC, the hub of NASCAR and home to a couple million people. The promoters never advertised their events in the Charlotte metro area, citing the higher cost of advertising as a factor in their decision. Unfortunately, that meant that the closest major metropolitan area had no idea events were taking place. During the Media Tour this past January, several different well known figures in the sport who would have loved to be part of the resurgence of the track had no idea when races were taking place. People are not going to just magically show up at your track unless they know that something is going on.
A similar issue is affecting the Polar Bear 150 at Rockingham Speedway. Last year they made the decision to change the date of the race to the end of November from January in order to cut back on the cost of winterizing the speedway twice a year. Similar to North Wilkesboro, the Rock is roughly an hour and a half away from Charlotte, an hour and 45 minutes from Winston-Salem and two hours from Raleigh. When speaking to people about possibly participating in the Polar Bear, they thought the race was New Year's Day. If the word doesn't get out to potential participants about the date of the event, there is no way they'll get a car ready in time to race.
Competing against larger venues is certainly an issue for smaller tracks purely from a resources standpoint. Tracks like Charlotte Motor Speedway have much larger advertising budgets than facilities like Rockingham, but the little guys still need to get the word out in the bigger markets. The area around Rockingham has been hit extremely hard by the economic downturn, so pulling from the local area for fans is difficult, and attempting to pull from the Charlotte area can become a battle due to the advertising power of SMI. If Rockingham attempts to run ads in the Charlotte market, Charlotte Motor Speedway can, and will, run three ads for every one that the Rock runs. While the smaller track has a limited budget, it is better to get their name out there in limited amounts than not at all. The key is putting on good races for the people who do attend and making the experience enjoyable. If the product is good, the word of mouth will enhance the future advertising impact.
Race tracks are not like baseball diamonds in a cornfield in Iowa. Just building the facility will not make the fans show up in droves. Getting the word out, no matter what the media, will allow people to become aware of events and, providing the events are well run and competitive, the fans will show up. Race fans are willing to spend money and travel provided the product is good and the value is provided. However, they aren't going to show up for events if they don't know they're going on. Race tracks of every size need to get the word out when they have events coming up to create a buzz and entice the fans to come out and attend, even if some free tickets have to be offered. The bottom line is, an empty seat is revenue lost, even if that revenue wouldn't have come from ticket sales but rather ancillary spending.
Mike Neff is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at mike.neff@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~
Tweet 'N' Greet
by Jay Pennell
Editor's Note: With the NASCAR Twitter community expanding by leaps and bounds, it remains a place for instantaneous news, reactions, and a whole lot of inside jokes. We understand if you don't want to join the Twitter community - but as a fan, it's important to know the news and info you're missing out on! That's why, every week, Jay Pennell will sort through the thousands of messages and give us a little taste of what's going on each Wednesday.
So, without further ado, here's a look at what those in NASCAR were thinking over the past seven days...
@DeLanaHarvick: Love hearing from all the dedicated fans how they plan on keeping up with the race this a.m., especially if they're at work. Creative ppl!
@ochocinco (Chad Ochocinco): On lunch watching NASCAR n that all silver Red Bull car paint job is on point.This track is more of a course rather than a circle? Name?
@ochocinco: Watkins Glenn huh? It seems difficult to pass someone from what I see n the cars r sliding all over the place. Bad tires or slippery surface?
@ochocinco: @BrianLVickers can I please have your Red Bull car you're driving today at Watkins Glenn to put in my living room.
@31n2Spotter (Brett Griffin): Thx 4 safety equipment and JGR building safe racecars @dennyhamlin is ok.
@mw55 (Michael Waltrip): When I see wrecks like Denny's and jimmies makes think of JD McDuffie. They walked away and racers are safer today because of men like JD.
@ochocinco: @dennyhamlin Mr Hamlin I hope you're okay.Speedy recovery kind sir #GodSpeed
@dennyhamlin: @ochocinco: @dennyhamlin Mr Hamlin I hope you're okay. -- thank u. That was like playing with the bull and getting the horns.. In the nuts
@ochocinco: Is Kyle Busch the wild man of NASCAR? Not sure if I'm using the right analogy but you get my point?
@ochocinco: Wow what a finish at Watkins Glenn,Keselwoski bumped Mr. Kyle Busch out of 1st on the restart and with only 3 laps to go Mr. Ambrose wins.
@ochocinco: @KyleBusch From what i'm hearing we are cut from the same cloth just different sports. You are officially Uno Ocho now. Great race 2day
@ochocinco: My Prius has Nascar tires on it i got from @KyleBusch RT @GYSC16: tires are too small for that kind of power.
@2Spotter (Joey Meier): If there are any doubters , plz watch THIS race...#BlueDeuce
@justinmarks66: Glorious day for the "ringers" #smh
@Regan_Smith_: From my view David Ragan should be none too pleased with Boris... That was downright dirty and in a very dangerous place
@RCR31JeffBurton: I'm sure Boris is a nice guy but he has caused 2 many wrecks during his cup races. He needs to stop racing over his head #NASCAR
@matt_kenseth17: Glad everyone is ok, Boris once again showed off his road racing skills and great judgment.
@JimmieJohnson: I'm glad the 00 and the 6 were alright. Blunt angle walls are NFG. I wish tracks would find these things before drivers do.
@maxpapis: And I really liked @borissaid telling as it is he is a real Man and I'm sure he didn't mean to wreck the 6 car
@RTruex00 (Ryan Truex): Boris wanted to fight like a man but he kept his helmet on...hmmm
@keselowski (Brad Keselowski): My own bias aside, today's race @WGI was the best cup eace of the year. Congrats to Ambrose. That was fun!
@David_Ragan: Very hard hit today. Gonna be feeling it tomorrow. The prob with Boris is he has no respect for anyone... We will move on and go win MIS.
@JeffGordonWeb: Congrat to Marcos Ambrose on win today. Also glad to c Ragan & Reutimann ok after that bad wreck. Hope they fix that wall soon. #JG
@Elliott_Sadler: I'm speaking first hand.... Would love to see safer barriers at all NASCAR tracks.... It is 2011
@JimmieJohnson: And no sharp angled walls! "@Elliott_Sadler: I'm speaking first hand.... Would love to see safer barriers at all NASCAR tracks. It is 2011"
@Tjmajors: I agree with safer barriers but we had 2 serious wrecks today and everyone is a-ok
@31n2Spotter: Which cage match would u wanna see? Burton vs Gordon. Biffle vs Boris. Stewart vs Vickers. Or, Harvick vs The Field.
@31n2Spotter: Forgot Johnson vs Busch too
@31n2Spotter: The Carl is such a badass we could probably watch him fight himself, right? #cagematch
@gbiffle (Greg Biffle): 1st of all I want to make sure everyone sees the wreck between David & David, now that's coming from a guy that says I am unprofessional.
@gbiffle: Let me tell u something Boris,"the roadcourse ringer" caused that wreck. He did the same thing to me earlier in the race off the carousel
@gbiffle: The same place Sam H got off & caused the horrific wreck with the 24,31etc. Thank God, they paved that run off.
@gbiffle: Then Mr. Class pulls in behind my truck after the race today?! Shouldn't you go check on David & David? How unprofessional & disrespectful!
@JennaFryer: True Story: A few years ago at Chase media day, hotel security tried to enter Biff's room in middle of night as he was sleeping (cont)
@JennaFryer: Biff told us he instinctively "reached for his pistol" because he was disoriented and thought he was at home (cont)
@JennaFryer: That led many of us to wonder aloud why Biff sleeps with a pistol next to his bed. He explained he had been robbed by some n'hood kids (cont)
@JennaFryer: If I recall, the kids robbed him more than once, and the entire experience spooked him. So, the moral of this story is ...
@JennaFryer: Said better be careful rolling up on The Biff's house, especially if it's nighttime.
Jay Pennell is an Assistant Editor to Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at jaywpennell@yahoo.com, and you can also check out his work at allleftturns.com or jaywpennell.blogspot.com.
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Five Points to Ponder: A "Twistie" Edition
by Danny Peters
Spencer For Hire: Busch And Johnson Feud Honors Greatness
by Vito Pugliese
Beyond the Cockpit: Wes Collier on Lucas Oil Raceway's NASCAR Future and More
by Mike Neff
The Frontstretch Foto Funnies! Watkins Glen, August 2011
by Kurt Smith
Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After Watkins Glen
compiled by Mike Neff
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: The then-Busch Grand National Series held their first-ever race at Michigan International Speedway in August, 1992. Todd Bodine won in his No. 34 Pillsbury Hungry Jack Chevrolet. However, the weekend was shrouded in darkness. What happened?
Check back Thursday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Tuesday's Answer:
Tuesday's Answer:
Q: In 1982, the Gabriel 400 at Michigan International Speedway was home to one of the longest race days in Sprint Cup history. Why is this so?
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!
~~~~~~~~~~
Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Phil Allaway
-- Shakedown Session by Brody Jones
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Mirror Driving by the Frontstretch Staff
The weekly writer roundtable has been pushed back a day thanks to rain at Watkins Glen. This week, the crew talks about safety issues at The Glen, Hamlin running a TRD engine, first-time winners this season and more.
Voices From the Heartland by Jeff Meyer
Your favorite midwestern writer is back for another season of making you want to laugh, cry and even pull your hair out. Wanna know what Jeff is writing about this week? So do we! Be sure to tune in tomorrow to find out!
Potts' Shots by John Potts
Fanning the Flames has become Potts' Shots, and John Potts is here to answer your questions in our weekly Fan Q & A. Do you have something you'd like to ask John? Don't sit on the sidelines! Send it to john.potts@frontstretch.com, and you just may see your question in print next week!
Fantasy Insider by Brett Poirier
Did your fantasy racing team take a hit at Watkins Glen? Well, Brett has just what you need to know to turn things around when choosing your teams for the Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway.
5th Column TBA by Mark Powell
Our professor of racing history "has at it" with another column pertinent to the sport at large. This week, Mark takes a look at Marcos Ambrose's victory and what it will do for NASCAR.
Did You Notice? by Tom Bowles... pushed back from Wednesday
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