Delaware Speedway and C/NASCAR

[Mike Basden]

A little late, but I came across this posting on the Delaware Speedway site:
http://www.delawarespeedway.com/articles.asp?articledate=020806

I know that CASCAR was never the most organized sanctioning body, but things really seem to have come to a head. CASCAR (and NASCAR Canada) was practically born at Delaware. I can't help but wonder now, "Is NASCAR going to destroy our only 'premier' stock car racing series (aka the only series with television coverage outside of community access cable)?"

[Marsh]

Bah, it's stock car. They aren't happy unless they're shooting them selves in the foot and pissing of their fan base.

But it doesn't really matter that much. Delaware is a local track. The fans come to see the locals not the big show. The big CASCAR weekends have been very poorly attended the last few years, but King of Hill has a sell out crowd every month. In fact King of the Hill was moved to the end of the night last year because teams and sponsors were getting upset about over half the fans getting up and leaving before the finals began (I'm not joking, I've seen it a dozen times). It doesn't matter who sanctions Delaware. So long as they provided classes that people want to compete in then the track will survive.

[abrracing]

Wow Marsh, I guess you havent heard of IRL vs CART (or whatever its called now) ALMS vs Grand-Am, talking about pissing on your fan base! If it wasent for Nascar, auto racing wouldnt even be on the map in North America!
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[Steven Scala]

Actually Al, if it wasn't for Ralph DePalma, Henry Ford the fellas they raced against, auto racing wouldn't be on the map in North America.

(By the way Al, that flywheel didn't fit.)

[slucas]

It could be argued that because of NASCAR there is no other racing in North America, but regardless, the other series' do piss on their feet and shoot at their fan base. er sump'n like dat

[Steven Scala]

Now slow down there, cowboys. Saying that racing is about the cars and not about the personalities is no piss on the fan. It's just a warning that those looking for scripted drama can look to soap operas instead of sport.

[Mike Basden]

Marsh
I actually wasn't worried about Delaware's survival, but the survival of a major stock car series in Canada instead. I think it's important that we have a nationally sanctioned travelling series to act as a ladder system for up-and-comers. Look at Pete Sheppard! He just signed with Carl Edwards and Jack Roush, after 2 years (I believe, or was it only 1?) in Cascar. Mind you I'm not a big fan of Cascar as an organization, but the talks of a buy out by Nascar sure did seem inspiring for exposing more Canadian talent.

slucas
Of course, I have to disagree. :D Nascar (and more specifically the France family) have nothing but the best intentions for their racing series'. Their acceptance and national growth is a result of their ability to provide a good 'product' for the fans at all levels of competition (Weekly Series -> Cup) and a vision to build a sanctioning body that represented the concerns of the teams, and not the promoters. Yes, Cup, Busch and even the trucks have begun to take on a more political feel in recent years but when you think about it, what $3 Billion industry wouldn't have some politicking going on? With the weekly series (and arguably the pro series') they have been able to provide a consisent rules package that has enabled talented drivers the ability to compete at other tracks out of their locale on an equal playing field. Anyway, knowing some of the France family personally I feel a need to defend them a bit. Just know that despite the unprecedented growth of their sport, they are still a racing family at heart and all of them are fans first, and business owners second. The business has just gotten so big, so fast, that it's difficult to maintain the grass-roots feel of it's origin while in actuality now being a major corporate enterprise.

[Steven Scala]

Spot-on, Mike.

You're right about Nascar's moves exposing Canadian talent, too. I can name at least ten of our regional guys who could beat Sheppard around a street or road course with a hundred horsepower deficit. Given the chance, they would indeed come to the fore.

[Mike Basden]

Now slow down there, cowboys. Saying that racing is about the cars and not about the personalities is no piss on the fan. It's just a warning that those looking for scripted drama can look to soap operas instead of sport.

You could argue that this soap opera perception has only come about since the TV rights were re-negoitated and given to Fox and NBC. SPEED's (FKA Speedvision) transformation to and overindulgence in creating a 24/7 Nascar channel has helped drive the cost of sponorship and increased corporate exposure but at the cost of the true motorsport-fan-base. Now Nascar events are a carnival with party-goers who could care less about if the race ran or not. The race as become a secondary attraction to the travelling circus. There used to be a time (not so long ago) when the race was the attraction.

[Steven Scala]

Yeah, but Grand Am's filled in nicely, no?

[malcolm]

Marsh
I actually wasn't worried about Delaware's survival, but the survival of a major stock car series in Canada instead. I think it's important that we have a nationally sanctioned travelling series to act as a ladder system for up-and-comers. Look at Pete Sheppard! He just signed with Carl Edwards and Jack Roush, after 2 years (I believe, or was it only 1?) in Cascar. Mind you I'm not a big fan of Cascar as an organization, but the talks of a buy out by Nascar sure did seem inspiring for exposing more Canadian talent.


Something tells me that nascar-backed Cascar won't be suffering much from the loss of Delaware speedway from the schedule. Have you seen the Cascar Superseries schedule? Looks pretty good to me. Beyond that, I've heard rumours floating about that Delaware wasn't the driving force in the seperation, and released that article to save face... It seems more logical to me, but then again, I haven't heard any solid proof/evidence either way.

[Mike Basden]

Yeah, but Grand Am's filled in nicely, no?

I'm biased but I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for Grand Am. That's where I revived my professional racing involvement after taking a hiatus to finish my degree.