So I have read volumes of blogs and reader comments here and elsewhere and I’ve been thinking. It’s a scary notion I know, but the following piece is just me thinking out loud about NASCAR, our current economy and season of discontentment I sense among a significant number of fans.
This week we’ve been hit with more news of NASCAR being affected by the rough economy. Unable to find a sponsor, EGR will park the famed #8. Word from the ISC- owners of 12 of the tracks that NASCAR races are run on, a report that admissions revenue is down 15%, and food, beverage and merchandise revenue is projected to be down around 41%.
The fortunes of our economy have shifted quickly from more prosperous times just a few short years ago. “Wall Street Gone Wild” has become a “Nightmare On Elm Street”. Like high tech did not so long ago, the real estate bubble has burst. The “G” in “G.M.” now stands for “Government.”
I submit the same thing has happened to NASCAR. Blind ambition outran cautious optimism as the speeding bandwagon became weighted down with every corporate Tom, Dick and Harry wanting to slap their logos all over every available patch of space, as well as jet setting playboys who thought a having a racing team might make a cool, shiny new toy.
Now, here we are in 2009 and the wheels seem to be coming off. Famous teams are being absorbed, a famous ride is parked there’s open real estate on hoods and the once-patient natives are getting mighty restless. TV ratings are down double digits on most weeks.
There are many ways one may choose to react to this. One is to wring our hands and tremble as we wait for the auto racing sky to fall. Another may fold up ones arms, turn up one’s nose in disapproval and say “I told you this would happen. Greed has finally caught up to NASCAR and the hens are coming to roost.” Yet others may elect to run blindly along with the Alfred E. Newman “What? Me worry?” approach (more than a few have suggested this is the approach Brian France and Company have taken. I reserve judgment, but more one must wonder sometimes with some of the rather “interesting” pronouncements I hear from time to time, not to mention the lousy timing of finding out a $10 million apartment is being purchased by France in New York).
However, let me suggest there may yet be another way to look at this.
Now, before proceeding, let me start by saying the truly tragic by-product of this is that unemployment lines have filled up with people who once had NASCAR-related employment. It’s unfortunate because most of the people out of work had no part in creating this mess, much like those construction workers who now have no homes to build or plumbing to install.
That said, I see an evolutionary process taking shape. Let’s face it- the likes of Petty Enterprises, DEI, Chip Ganassi and Evernham Motorsports were mired in some degree of mediocrity before the fertilizer hit the fan. Surviving has meant pooling resources, maybe running 2 teams instead 3 or 4.
Newly formed and reformed organizations have sprung up and brought forth opportunity. Jeremy Mayfield and Joe Nemechek have revived the driver/ owner concept. Same for Tony Stewart- though his situation is a bit of a unique one but nonetheless he’s branded a once moribound team very neatly into his image. I would also say that Juan Pablo Montoya and A.J. Allmendinger are two examples of drivers whose standing has benefitted from the newly retooled organizations. In fact, Allmendinger’s rise has become a “feel good” story in 2009.
Teams are re-thinking how they’re spending their precious dollars. Stories of flying commercial are coming up, like the rest of the world, workers are multi-tasking and you can bet there’s a lot less spending on stuff that isn’t really needed. Let’s face it folks, we generally don’t change our habits until we HAVE to, and suddenly the need to be a little more “creative” comes into play.
Are you a fan desiring change? Consider this: money talks. You remember Jeremy Sellers’ post a couple of days ago talking about Big Bill France banning the Hemi engine back in the 60’s and how Chrysler boycotted NASCAR- taking with them the sport’s biggest driver at the time? What was the catalyst that restored order? Declining revenue.
Yes- the economy and in some cases, foul weather have played havoc on race attendance this year. But that’s not all- and I’m quite sure the powers that be know it- no matter what message their spin doctors churn out. Fans are voting with their wallets.
On one hand, there are certain realities that I suspect won’t change. The truly “stock” stock car? Not gonna happen. Going back to the previous car? I doubt it. There’s too much invested in the CoT. Now doing something, some way, some how to make the racing better? If it can be done, you better believe NASCAR will find a way to do it. Remember- if the sport loses, they lose. What that will be- I don’t know, but I know one thing, declining cash flow at the track and declining TV ratings, which lead to additional declining revenue will get somebody’s attention.
Let’s go a step further. Even IF the sky should fall, would it be the worst thing? Let your imagine run wild. What if NASCAR went away? Not a pleasant thought- but is that the end of racing? You and I both know the answer to that. As long as people have legs and wheels, there WILL be racing. Maybe a new racing league would come together. Oh yeah, It would be nothing like NASCAR, but I suspect for some of you, there wouldn’t be much shedding of tears.
Benjamin Franklin is (by the way, I wonder who gets credited with more quotes that they really didn’t say- Franklin or Yogi Berra? I digress) credited with saying “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Basically, if you create a problem, some smart person will find a way to fix it. Racing’s no different.
I’m no expert, I’m no Pollyana either. An optimist? Yes. I truly believe NASCAR, like a good many other things out there, will survive this recession and this climate of discontent. Americans are still by and large creative and determined. The truth is…..extended periods of easy living tend make us lazy, crazy or stupid.
During these last several months, I’ve seen a number of organizations (admittedly much smaller than NASCAR) turn things around after getting “scared straight.” I don’t pretend to know how everything will shake out, but I do know this….
The one constant you can count on is change.
That’s just one guy’s opinion. What about you?
{ 12 comments }
Hey Jim, I think you really hit the nail on the head with alot of the points you made here.
Even though the economy is bad… I still can’t believe how the ratings should be down double digits. Perhaps could it be because people are busy working more, to try to keep things afloat?
As far as finances goes for the teams, I would personally be interested to see how much a nascar team spends during a season, and where they spend it, and where their profit comes from. From a top team like Hendricks, to a lower team.
NA$CAR has used every excuse under the sun to explain thier drop in ratings over the last few years, but it ALL started w/ Brian France. From the day he took over, every rating catagory has been going south like a duck in winter. I WAS an avid fan for 45+ years. Never missed a race and even attended up to 10 races a year… every year, but no more. I will not even turn on the TV to see the last 10 laps of the present-day farce it has become. If NA$CAR wants to get this former fan back, then these things must happen:
1. Brian France MUST GO.
2. Sh*tcan the stupid & insulting chase for the chumps points scam.
3. THE Southern 500 Must return to Darlington on Labor Day.
4. Rockingham MUST return to its rightful place on the schedule.
5. Toyota MUST GO. They make a fine car but have no place in NASCAR.
These are non-negotiable as far as I’m concerned. IF these do not happen, then let it fold. I could care less. NASCAR sold its soul a long time ago like a cheap whore. Good riddance to it.
#1 toyota
#2 Earnhardt’s death
#3 4 door “race” cars
#4 the car of tomorrow
these are the reasons I dont watch nascar anymore and I am not alone in this opinion.
Hambone is close to being right on, an old fan here(1st race Daytona 1966 & a few million after that) also who has given up for the most part ,the best sport in the world at one time. B FRANCE must be dealt with before he absolutely kills the sport. 3rd generation thing you know. NASCAR is a product of it’s ENORMUS greed in too many ways to list here,ticket prices,limiting coolers,concessions,etc-etc,and my most favorite of all,terrible racing. The COT could work if they tried a little harder. I’d be glad to tell them how. I’m ok with Toyota,Honda,& our BIG 3,or whoever wants to race as long as they fit the rules. Times change even if I don’t like some of it,but racing doesn’t have to be bad and way tooooo expensive to see.
Hambone made some good points.I would like to add that Brian France is not a racer nor is he his father or his grandfather,he was handed the keys to the family business.If you have ever worked for a family run business then you know that the majority of the time the company tanks after third generation takes over.The COT is a disaster!You put 43 of the best drivers in the world in a car that you are not allowed to tweek because of the ridiculous rules ,this is the racing you are going to get .
I feel a wider tire is a step in the rite direction but lets also take 300lbs. of weight out of the car and let the pit crews adjust the wing angle during the race LIKE THE OLD DAYS.
Oh, Here we go again. The same ol’ chorus, sung in a dirge, about how much better it was in the GOOD OL DAYS. The good old days, when about 4 cars had any chance to win it, when Cale lapped the field at Darlington, when 3 drivers died IN ONE YEAR at the highest level alone. There was a parade back then, too. You just called it racing.
The only thing that has truly changed in NASCAR is that everybody wants to change it. Ya’ll griped about the tracks, so they gave you tracks that you said you liked. Ya’ll griped about the cars not racing side-by-side, so they made a car that couldn’t get away from anybody. Ya’ll said that there was nothing to do between races, so they’re making tracks with entertainment venues. Now you’re sayin’ it’s too Hollywood.
Ya’ll got the NASCAR you asked for. The racing is still racing (ya’ll remember Dale Sr. taking 25 laps to catch Waltrip at Atlanta? You called THAT racing, then). EVERY race is still 43 guys looking to be #1. The points are for the ninnies who want to quantify how good their driver is doing. As it has been for so very long, there is a race going on SOMEWHERE on the track, even today. So shut up, sit down, and let the boys race. If ya’ll have trouble getting excited, check either your meds, or your local track. NASCAR ain’t for you.
Mik they give us tracks we like? I would go back to the 1994 track schedule in a minute. California, Kansas ,Chicago, Texas, Vegas, Homestead a second race at Phoenix and and New Hampshire these 10 races are over 1/3 of the schedule and for the most part they suck.
All the problems started with stopping racing back to line when a caution comes out and all the rules that changed from this rule change I’ve watched a 1000 races and never seen a injury caused by racing back to the line.
Yeah, a it’s a shame they race the COT now days. Nobody has died or been seriously injured since it was introduced. And those danged old Toyotas… winning so many races and making Ford and Chevy look so bad. And that chase point system, sometimes having to wait till the last race of the season to find out who the championship goes to. Yeah, NASCAR has really went to the dogs.
Well, Keith, if you remember, back when Atlanta was the “best race ever” (circa-before you were born). Everyone said there were too many short tracks and why can’t there be more like Atlanta. They said unless NASCAR gets bigger tracks, they’ll never be a big league. Well, NASCAR listened…what did it get you? You want a 1994 schedule? How about going back to the days of Texas World Speedway? There was a smorgasboard of tracks then.
All the problems started when NASCAR listened to the pundits instead of the ticket-buyers. Racing back to the line was the only way to call the race before the technology was available. With loop data, the chance of Dale Jarrett facing a thundering herd has been reduced significantly. It hasn’t hurt the racing, just lowered the anxiety level.
A couple of years ago, NA$CAR’s song was “The Road Goes On Forever, & The Party Never Ends.”
Now it’s ” Going 90 Miles An Hour On A dead End Road”
If Nick is so proud of today’s NA$CAR, he won’t have any trouble finding a seat, should he want to attend a race.
As for me, Matt will be the last real Champion, if they stay with Brian’s made for TV, so-called Chase.
The France family didn’t build NA$CAR the competitors did, but their greed can kill it.
Well Mik if the race in Atlanta your talking about was in the 50’s I was not born and I think Atlanta’s first race at the current track was in 1960 but if the race you were talking about was the 92 race I did not think it was a great race. The reason I picked the 94 schedule was in the last 20 years it had the most variety of tracks on the schedule not a bunch of dual purpose tracks except for the Brickyard and by the way I remember when Texas World Speedway was on the schedule. I’ve attended over 200 cup races and over 175 Busch and Truck races so I’m not some dumb ass new fan.
So what your saying is because of 1 incident you screw up the entire sport. With loop data they can pick and choose the winner and throw the flag when they want when they race back the drivers decide it and it has hurt some finishes. You are right about the fact that they don’t listen ticket paying fans they listen to the TV networks and the sponsors. They should realize without the fans which they seem to be losing in droves the sponsors and the TV networks won’t stick around they are only their to make $$$.
I was at the race in Texas last week and attendance was down but the overall excitment was still in the air. The COT is here to stay, we have many boring tracks to watch cookie cutter races at but like everything else the sport will evolve. Baseball has finally moved out of their multi purpose stadiums of the 70’s and although it was painful to watch at times that is what we had to chew down. It takes thinking out of the box and inovation which I believe some of the teams formed in weeks prior to Daytona are working on. I will be back at Texas Motor Speedway in November, it’s good to see an old friend twice a year !
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