The opening weekend of the 2011 NASCAR season is in the books. We saw spectacular finishes, a lot of action, and even some controversy. So from Friday’s wild Truck Series race, all the way through Sunday’s incredible finale, was Daytona what you’d hoped for?
After Thursday’s Duel races, I can’t lie, I was afraid we might be in for a very boring 500. The tandem drafting created a completely new style of superspeedway racing, and there really was no telling what kind of finish we’d see. But if Saturday’s Nationwide Series race was any indication, we were going to be in for a treat on Sunday.
The Truck Series races at superspeedways are always full of drama and action, and the Friday night premiere did not disappoint. We saw our first close finish of the weekend with Michael Waltrip just sneaking by Elliott Sadler for the win, and we also had our first controversy. It was discovered after the race that the spoiler on Waltrip’s truck had laid down, due to a part malfunction. NASCAR is taking the pieces back to the R&D center, and if any penalties are levied, expect them to be announced Tuesday.
Saturday’s NNS race kept the streak of close finishes going, with T0ny Stewart beating Clint Bowyer back to the line by only a few thousandths of a second. And while Cup drivers dominated the show, it’s nice to see that the current top five in NNS points is Landon Cassill, Reed Sorenson, Jason Leffler, Ricky Stenhouse, and Trevor Bayne.
As for the Daytona 500, it was a shame that we had so many wrecked race cars, but the finish was unbelievable. It was fantastic watching the #21, with a retro paint scheme, go to victory lane with young Trevor Bayne at the wheel. The Wood Brothers have so much history in the sport, and it was fun to watch that team celebrate a Daytona 500 win and add another chapter to their story.
Who’s ready for Phoenix?!
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Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Sprint Cup, Hendrick Motorsports, NASCAR
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Filed under: David Reutimann, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin, Michael Waltrip, Sprint Cup, NASCAR
Filed under: Clint Bowyer, Tony Stewart, Daytona Int'l Speedway, Nationwide Series, NASCAR
Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Daytona Int'l Speedway, Nationwide Series, Danica Patrick, NASCAR
There was an interesting piece today from the Daytona Beach News Journal about how hotels in the Daytona area are working harder to get fans to come and stay for the 500. The article mentioned that average hotel prices are down significantly since 2008, and that ticket prices for the 500 have also come down. Obviously the price drops are a symptom of the falling attendance that NASCAR has experienced over the last couple of years, but while it’s good to see the cost of attending a race is falling, we need more and quicker.
A sidebar to the News Journal article shows the average nightly rate for Daytona area hotels in February since 2001. It’s interesting to note that between 2001 and 2008, the average rate rose $47.26. But from that high in 2008, rates are only back down $26.73 on average. I understand that other factors like inflation are in play here, but simple supply-and-demand says prices should be lower.
Tracks have also gotten into the act, with most dropping seat prices and allowing for greater flexibility with payment and package options. Many have also experimented with adding different seating and camping areas, and other entertainment options like pre and post-race concerts. But again, with so many empty seats, it would seem that more could be done to get fans back to the track.
According to the experts, one big area where viewership is down, is with the younger demographic. NASCAR’s main audience has skewed older, and is now the highest of any major sport. I believe one way in which this could be combated is with lower prices. They want younger fans to come to the track and watch on television, so make it more affordable for those younger fans to experience NASCAR.
My whole point here is that NASCAR and the tracks should be working towards a new pricing model. They’ve obviously seen that the sport isn’t strong enough to continue charging high prices in a bad economy. So instead, why not go in a different direction? Why not make NASCAR the best value in sports? Price the tickets for races so low that fans have no other choice but to come out.
Something I’ve never understood about sports, is that when attendance is suffering, why venues don’t do more with ticket prices. Isn’t it better to have the place full with lower prices and maybe more free tickets, than to have an arena 50% full at full price? The more fans in attendance, the more consumers you have to sell food, beverages, and merchandise too. You are also able to build a relationship with that fan that could spawn loyalty and future purchases. This is what NASCAR is missing right now.
It appears that creating a fantastic product on the track hasn’t done much in the way to coax people back to the track. While we have had the same champion for the past five seasons, the racing has never been closer in the history of the sport. So if the product is good, and people still aren’t showing, what’s left to do? Lower those prices. Make it more affordable for those blue collar families to come and enjoy racing, and you’ll get that younger demographic back. Families will bring the kids that will be ticket buyers in the future, and younger people will come out to have a good time because it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.
The sport as a whole is experiencing a correction because of the bad economy. We are seeing it with everything from sponsorships to ticket prices. Everyone wants more value for the dollars they are spending. For the fans, I say leave the product as it is, and add value by bringing down the prices. If you drop them (the prices), they will come.
Leading up to the start of the season, NASCAR officially announced last week who is eligible for the 2011 Budweiser Shootout. In case you didn’t see, the entry list will consist of the 12 Chase drivers, past champions, past Daytona (500 & 400) winners, and the ten most recent rookies of the year. The announcement has caused quite a bit of discussion, especially since some not so big name drivers can compete. It got me wondering, do you actually enjoy and look forward to races like the Bud Shootout and Sprint All Star race?
The Bud Shootout (and previously the Busch Clash) was originally intended for only pole winners from the past season and any past winners of the race. It was always a good event, and was something that rewarded those pole winners. But when Coors took over sponsorship of NASCAR’s pole award, the format of the race leading up to Speedweeks changed. Since then, we’ve had so many different sets of eligibility rules, I couldn’t possibly remember them all, let alone list them here. In essence though, what it has now become is a second All Star race.
Races like this can be fun, because with nothing on the line but a trophy and some money, often times drivers will take chances they wouldn’t normally take. It also gives the eligible teams the chance to knock off a little rust before the season starts. But they do create extra work, as cars must be built and prepared, and there is always a good chance that equipment will get torn up.
I do like the Shootout and the All Star race, for mostly the reasons I listed above. The Shooutout is always fun too, because it means the season has officially arrived. I just wish we could find an actual purpose for the race, similar to how it used to be. Let it be a reward for a specific set of drivers, and not just some mish mash that turns it into another All Star event. The confusion over the eligibility and the fact that it changes every year certainly takes something away from the race.
So, will you be watching? Do you enjoy these races? Do you like the current formats, or do you wish for the old days like me?
Filed under: Daytona Int'l Speedway, Sprint Cup, NASCAR
With Christmas now behind us and New Years coming this week, the 2011 season will quickly be up on us. Only eight weeks stand between us and the 2011 Daytona 500. And teams know the clock is ticking.
This week between Christmas and the New Year is traditionally an off week for the teams. While some will still have employees working, many shut their shops down almost completely. It gives the crews and shop guys the chance to recharge and spend time with family and friends before preparations begin in earnest. This week is literally the calm before the storm.
Starting on Monday, Jan. 3, the race is on. From there, teams will have about six weeks until the haulers are due to pull into the Daytona infield for Speedweeks. Many will be working long hours to prepare everything from race cars and haulers, to pit boxes and tool boxes for the long season ahead. Teams will be running out of time to finish any remaining business deals, hire the last few needed employees, and do things like get firesuits and hero cards made. This time is also used by many sponsors to film commercials and create their NASCAR centric ad campaigns for the season.
These next six weeks will also be the return to a normal training schedule for the pit crews. As I’ve mentioned before, some teams have already begun getting their crews ready for the new style stops, but a regular schedule including practice and plenty of gym time will commence. With many cold days still ahead of us, you can be sure the crews that practice outside will be ready for warmer climates come February.
For myself, I’m going to spend this quiet week relaxing and getting ready to have some fun with friends for New Years. Come Monday however, it’s game on. Daytona will be here before we know it and there is a lot to do.
If there is one thing we’ve heard about this weekend’s race at Talladega, it’s that it will be unpredictable. The COT combined with the restrictor plate and the current rules package means the cars will run around the 2.66 mile superspeedway in tight packs. And tight packs often mean big wrecks. What I don’t really understand, is why all of a sudden it seems as if “Talladega” and “Daytona” have become four letter words.
While I’m certainly not a fan of wrecks of any kind (big or small), I do enjoy the racing at the superspeedways. Having the entire field running right together, lap after lap, has always been exciting to me. The thought that literally everyone has a decent shot to win (see Brad Keselowski), coupled with the 200mph chess game that goes on for 500 miles really makes for great racing in my opinion.
Some have argued that because races at these tracks are so unpredictable, and that the drivers don’t have as much control, maybe Talladega shouldn’t be in the Chase. With crashes being common here, this race could theoretically end a driver’s chances of winning the championship. But, I would contend that the fact that we have no idea what will happen is exactly why this race should be in the Chase. Right now, only Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick sit within 100 points of leader Jimmie Johnson, but bad finishes by all three could put everyone from fourth to tenth right back in the hunt. Now that would be excitement.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t watch sports of any kind because I want to see finishes that are easily predictable. If the favorites won all the time, no sport would be fun, interesting, or entertaining to watch. We want to see good racing, upsets, and crazy finishes. As ESPN’s Chris Berman says, “that’s why they play the game.”
With all that is on the line this weekend, I believe we could be in for a great race. We’ve got a very tight championship battle, along with plenty of non-Chasers who are hungry for a win, and that combined with the madness that is Talladega and we’ve got a recipe for a real wild card weekend.