NASCARs decline by Watkins Glen

In reply to sachilles:

I used to race with the APRSuperleague boat races, they were the same way. Really cool, understood it was about the fans.

Open hot pits, autographs and pictures galore. Always close racing.

I have a theory that as racing cars share less in common with their street counterparts fan interest declines. F1 and NHRA Dragtser and Funny Cars may be exceptions because they are so damn fast and extreme. Indy racing is dying (the actual Indy 500 excepted because of what it is) because it is a Honda Spec series and Americans can no longer relate to open wheel.

Win on Sunday, sell on Monday would still work. If Nascar ran Mustang, Camaro and Challenger bodies with engines, suspensions, etc. based on their street counterparts fan interest and auto sales would increase. I say run Rolex 24 GT Mustangs and Camaros in NASCAR.

My Wife's D-Bag boss was camping at the Glen this weekend, but a suprise inspection had him work today and miss the race

I hear that Chevrolet and Lotus are coming to Indy next year.

Well I purchased my ticket for the petit le mans and at 84 dollars I think it represents a decent value especially compared to 80 bucks minimum for just one day at most nascar events. I actually felt like the victim of a bait and switch after attending the nascar race in atlanta. Of course costs at road atlanta have gotten higher over the years and it definitly is not cheap by any standards not like going to the mitty or something I think you do get quite alot for your money and you can't cut costs by parking your vehicle in the free oarking area and using one vehicle inside and splitting those costs. I do think that prices for fun stuff are inflated for most things but it seems that every american company these days is trying to squeeze every last penny out of their customers, employees, service, and product quality much to their own future detriment.

byron12 wrote: much to their own future detriment.

QFT

byron12 wrote: Well I purchased my ticket for the petit le mans and at 84 dollars I think it represents a decent value especially compared to 80 bucks minimum for just one day at most nascar events. I actually felt like the victim of a bait and switch after attending the nascar race in atlanta. Of course costs at road atlanta have gotten higher over the years and it definitly is not cheap by any standards not like going to the mitty or something I think you do get quite alot for your money and you can't cut costs by parking your vehicle in the free oarking area and using one vehicle inside and splitting those costs. I do think that prices for fun stuff are inflated for most things but it seems that every american company these days is trying to squeeze every last penny out of their customers, employees, service, and product quality much to their own future detriment.

Interesting points, Byron.

I used to attend events at Rd Atlanta regularly (8-10 per year) until Panoz bought the track. A couple of friends and I were camping in T6/T7 at the last event before the "big renovation". In the middle of an ARRC enduro (at night), we had a visitor pull-up to our campsite and introduce himself, thank us for our patronage and tell us that next year our campsite wouldn't exist - enjoy while it you can.

We did, but the next year we had a run-in with track security (at an SCCA event) who wanted a camping fee. Since no one at the gate mentioned or tried to collect one, we told the guys - "NO"; for all we knew, they were extortionists looking for pizza and beer money.

I haven't attended an event on my dime since then; the place looks great on TV, too.

/rant.............

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

Twin_Cam wrote: I thought it was in decline because they only turn left for 90% of their races.

Well, that, and because they cancel road races when it rains.

Wha huh? You mean they don't race in the rain, snow, mud, sleet, hail, with animals crossing the track? The drivers don't get out and bend sheet-metal back into shape when they hit one of the trees that actually defines the track? They don't drive cars that resemble cars you and I can own NOW?
Oh wait, that's real racing, this is NASCAR.

oldsaw wrote:

byron12 wrote: Well I purchased my ticket for the petit le mans and at 84 dollars I think it represents a decent value especially compared to 80 bucks minimum for just one day at most nascar events. I actually felt like the victim of a bait and switch after attending the nascar race in atlanta. Of course costs at road atlanta have gotten higher over the years and it definitly is not cheap by any standards not like going to the mitty or something I think you do get quite alot for your money and you can't cut costs by parking your vehicle in the free oarking area and using one vehicle inside and splitting those costs. I do think that prices for fun stuff are inflated for most things but it seems that every american company these days is trying to squeeze every last penny out of their customers, employees, service, and product quality much to their own future detriment.

Interesting points, Byron. I used to attend events at Rd Atlanta regularly (8-10 per year) until Panoz bought the track. A couple of friends and I were camping in T6/T7 at the last event before the "big renovation". In the middle of an ARRC enduro (at night), we had a visitor pull-up to our campsite and introduce himself, thank us for our patronage and tell us that next year our campsite wouldn't exist - enjoy while it you can. We did, but the next year we had a run-in with track security (at an SCCA event) who wanted a camping fee. Since no one at the gate mentioned or tried to collect one, we told the guys - "NO"; for all we knew, they were extortionists looking for pizza and beer money. I haven't attended an event on my dime since then; the place looks great on TV, too. /rant.............

That's funny because Panoz's other track, Sebring, is one of the worst tracks I've ever camped at as far as track facilities go. I love going to the 12 hour race because it's tradition for my friends and I and I grew up right down the street from the track. I think the only thing Panoz has upgraded at Sebring are the pits and the addition of an autox pad and a skid pad. Oh we can't forget the Chateau LePoo for all the high rollers. Prices for General Admission, Four Day Superticket, etc keep on going up, but nothing new is ever added to the track, at least the racing is decent sometimes. I'm still peeing on a slab of concrete in a restroom or using a shower curtain for a stall. I really wouldn't care about all of that but when it's $55 for a student ticket ($100 for a non-discounted ticket) plus $75 to drive your car into the North Paddock, then $450 for a trackside spot, it's a bit ridiculous that I have to share two shower stalls with 40,000 other people near the flag pole. The best thing is that if you go pick your tickets up before the race for the "early bird" special of like 75 cents off, they charge you an $8 processing and handling fee for the employee to reach under their desk and hand you a ticket.

Grand-Am has it right for the Rolex 24. I took my girlfriend to her first race this year, $100 (student discount) for both of us, that includes infield parking, a place to camp, and four days of activity. She got to meet Patrick Dempsey, I got to watch a great race, and she also got an experience of a lifetime. I think all expenses included I maybe spent $350 for a four day weekend at the Rolex for two people. Compare that for one person in a car to get in a Sebring and it's a better bargain, plus they have a world class infield!

"and she also got an experience of a lifetime"

Was P Dempsey involved or just you? Sorry, had to ask.

There was a NASCAR race this weekend??

In reply to vwcorvette:

I'm glad I just finished that drink!!

YES! More political commentary on an automotive forum, this is exactly what I came here for! A+ would read again.

Run, run away! And let us know how that works out.

Also i dont know why i bothered to click into this thread. The only funny part was where someone thought they could escape reality by going on the forums.

$55 isn't bad compared to the one day price of the Indy tickets for the Baltimore grand Prix that I just bought. And don't get me started on what a 3 day pass would have been in order to watch the ALMS race, too.

I've seen a couple NASCAR races in person over the last two years and they've always been worth the money I spent on them. Sorry, not a closed minded NASCAR hater here.

Chris_V wrote: Sorry, not a closed minded NASCAR hater here.

I saw the last couple of laps on the road course... looked intense with so many cars on track. Lots of sideways action too.

Derick Freese wrote: If they spend less on admission, they're going to spend more on concessions. If you have a ton more people there due to a lower ticket price, you're going to sell more $8 sodas. I dunno, sounds like it might work out better to have reasonable ticket prices and fill all of the seats than have 3/4 of the seats empty.

Ahh, but then the WRONG people will be making money... You can't have vendors making their living at these events, can you?

Spent the weekend there as well. The Rolex race was good, Grand Nats was OK, the fans really sucked.

garbage

55 bucks isn't that bad for a race weekend. I don't think I have spent less than that in at least 5 years. Though I think the USGP tickets I bought in 2007 were 60 bucks for a three day pass...

My wife and I wanted to go to Watkins Glen just to catch Sprint Cup practice and the ALMS race. But $55 per ticket kept us away. That's ridiculous. They need to have an option for Fri/Sat only. We went up there a few years ago for a Friday only and paid for the tickets. There were tons of people standing by the roadside as we left trying to sell their tickets. They obviously did the same thing...bought tickets and were leaving, but didn't want to lose all their money.

Pocono Raceway lets you in on Friday for $10, or on Saturday for $20. Plus, kids 12 and under are FREE. Took my whole family there on a Friday and spent $20. That's a bargain.

NASCAR / INDYCAR / NHRA / ET-AL aren't directly responsible for ticket pricing. Top sanctioning bodies charge the tracks a sanctioning fee to put on a race @ their track. The track in turn makes their money from selling tickets and concessions. Now one could say that if the sanctioning bodies lowered their sanctioning fees, the tracks would lower ticket prices. Maybe, maybe not. That's still up to the track.

BTW: ticket prices at most tracks have stayed pretty stable, I was paying $50+ for reserved seat tickets for NASCAR and NHRA races 15 years ago. The big expense for most and what I think is killing attendance is the cost of travel, lodging, and food. That adds up quick and it seems that just about anywhere you go if you want to stay in a hotel, they gouge on race weekends.