Atlanta TV Ratings Down

[Fred Basset]

The doom & gloom NASCAR naysayers think they can tout all the bull they want.
The bottom-line is that NASCAR is prospering & laughing all the way to bank.
Many fans of other series WISH their series had NASCAR's clout.

what about all the empty seats at the tracks Stan??

[RaceFanStan]

Ticket sales are only a small part of NASCAR's income.
A large part of the gate money goes to the track.
Empty seats concern the track owners much more that it does NASCAR.
When the economy stabilizes there will be fewer empty seats.

[Sparky1329]

Here's an interesting perspective from a former NASCAR engine builder.

http://www.scenedaily.com/news/artic...er_exists.html

“I don’t like the people in racing any more,” LaRosa says. “You can print that, I don’t care. I don’t think much of the racing. I wouldn’t call it racing. All the cars are the same. When you can get a template that can fit a Toyota, a Dodge, a Chevrolet and a Ford ... [and] I know the engines are all about the same.”

LaRosa’s not alone in his beliefs. Although NASCAR has gained unimagined attention during the past two decades, there are those who denounce the direction the sport has taken. Popularity has come with a price, and some – LaRosa included – believe that price was too steep.

“You need an attorney to figure out how to drive a car today,” he says. “You can’t pass under the [yellow] line, you can’t speed down pit road, you can’t pass if the sun is out on the East Coast. It’s all just stupid rules.

“We used to have three people in the engine room and maybe eight total. Now you’ve got teams with 400-500 people. That’s not a team, that’s a factory. And it’s all about money.

“You’ve got people, and I’m not going to mention names, but they couldn’t build a model car. The people that were in [the sport] were wonderful. Bud Moore, Junior Johnson, the Pettys in their heyday, the Wood brothers. They were innovative people, and I’m not talking about cheating. I’m talking about innovative people that knew how to build a motor and get the most out of it. Build a car and get the most out of it. Now you’ve got engineers, and it’s become like Formula One. It’s an engineering exercise.”

[muggle not]

Here's an interesting perspective from a former NASCAR engine builder.

http://www.scenedaily.com/news/artic...er_exists.html

“I don’t like the people in racing any more,” LaRosa says. “You can print that, I don’t care. I don’t think much of the racing. I wouldn’t call it racing. All the cars are the same. When you can get a template that can fit a Toyota, a Dodge, a Chevrolet and a Ford ... [and] I know the engines are all about the same.”

LaRosa’s not alone in his beliefs. Although NASCAR has gained unimagined attention during the past two decades, there are those who denounce the direction the sport has taken. Popularity has come with a price, and some – LaRosa included – believe that price was too steep.

“You need an attorney to figure out how to drive a car today,” he says. “You can’t pass under the [yellow] line, you can’t speed down pit road, you can’t pass if the sun is out on the East Coast. It’s all just stupid rules.

“We used to have three people in the engine room and maybe eight total. Now you’ve got teams with 400-500 people. That’s not a team, that’s a factory. And it’s all about money.

“You’ve got people, and I’m not going to mention names, but they couldn’t build a model car. The people that were in [the sport] were wonderful. Bud Moore, Junior Johnson, the Pettys in their heyday, the Wood brothers. They were innovative people, and I’m not talking about cheating. I’m talking about innovative people that knew how to build a motor and get the most out of it. Build a car and get the most out of it. Now you’ve got engineers, and it’s become like Formula One. It’s an engineering exercise.”

Yep, he pretty much got that right.

btw, Gary Bechtel is back in Cup as part owner of Tommy Baldwin Racing. I was friends with the guy that ran Gary's operation when he was in Cup back in the early 90's. Gary is a maverick from the rest of the Bechtel Clan.

[Sparky1329]

Yep, he pretty much got that right.

btw, Gary Bechtel is back in Cup as part owner of Tommy Baldwin Racing. I was friends with the guy that ran Gary's operation when he was in Cup back in the early 90's. Gary is a maverick from the rest of the Bechtel Clan.

Unfortunately I didn't find anything that Lou said that I could argue about. He just said it more succinctly than I could've.

[Lee Roy]

Ticket sales are only a small part of NASCAR's income.
A large part of the gate money goes to the track.
Empty seats concern the track owners much more that it does NASCAR.
When the economy stabilizes there will be fewer empty seats.

The sky is falling Stan, the sky is falling.

[SportscarBruce]

The sky is falling Stan, the sky is falling.

No it ain't, but the gravy train has slowed down a notch. Luckily the cost of collectibles has fallen over the past few years, so that's a plus. From mall outlets to Target, to Walmart, now they're readily available at Dollar General.

[SportscarBruce]

Here's an interesting perspective from a former NASCAR engine builder.

http://www.scenedaily.com/news/artic...er_exists.html

“I don’t like the people in racing any more,” LaRosa says. “You can print that, I don’t care. I don’t think much of the racing. I wouldn’t call it racing. All the cars are the same. When you can get a template that can fit a Toyota, a Dodge, a Chevrolet and a Ford ... [and] I know the engines are all about the same.”

LaRosa’s not alone in his beliefs. Although NASCAR has gained unimagined attention during the past two decades, there are those who denounce the direction the sport has taken. Popularity has come with a price, and some – LaRosa included – believe that price was too steep.

“You need an attorney to figure out how to drive a car today,” he says. “You can’t pass under the [yellow] line, you can’t speed down pit road, you can’t pass if the sun is out on the East Coast. It’s all just stupid rules.

“We used to have three people in the engine room and maybe eight total. Now you’ve got teams with 400-500 people. That’s not a team, that’s a factory. And it’s all about money.

“You’ve got people, and I’m not going to mention names, but they couldn’t build a model car. The people that were in [the sport] were wonderful. Bud Moore, Junior Johnson, the Pettys in their heyday, the Wood brothers. They were innovative people, and I’m not talking about cheating. I’m talking about innovative people that knew how to build a motor and get the most out of it. Build a car and get the most out of it. Now you’ve got engineers, and it’s become like Formula One. It’s an engineering exercise.”

Preach it brother.

Look, I'm not some wine sipping sports car elitist snob (tequila is my drink of choice) or anti-France family fanatic. It's not the people that tick me off, it's what they've done with this sport I intensely followed from the 70's through the mid-90's. First and foremost I'm a car guy. Always have been since the time I could climb into the little foot propelled race car. Yep, the sameness in equipment, hotheated driving, and commercial onslaught has brought NASCAR tremendous commercial success, and I guess for some that's all that matters. In this day and age that format has run its course, I'm willing to bet the fans and OEMs are ready to ditch the cloned cars, hype, material excess, and the whole 'rich hotheads wrecking each other in a 190 mph traffic jam' spectacle. That was appropriate for the 1990's, but not now.

But I know, they're laughing all the way to the bank, etc, etc. I just can't understand how the regular Joe is supposed to get off on that, much less continue funding this thing.

[Lee Roy]

or anti-France family fanatic.

Yes you are.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Lee Roy...tell us how you really feel....

Bruce...I have seen enough of your posts lately to find you entertaining, but kinda thin on proof with your accusations at times.