Bob Pockrass: Two races at Martinsville? Let the debate begin

By Bob Pockrass - Associate Editor

Monday, March 24, 2008

Article Rating: 3.8
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COMMENTARY

This weekend, the Sprint Cup Series heads to Martinsville, the shortest track on the circuit.

Of the tracks that have two races, Martinsville has the fewest seats (62,000) and is part of the Greensboro television market, which ranks 46th in the country. So when there’s talk of which tracks should be cut to one race, Martinsville will almost always have a spot in that discussion.

Martinsville is part of the history of NASCAR, and NASCAR already has abandoned many of the places that helped to put it on the map.

This is the traditional fan’s kind of place. The fans get a close look at the action with the seating configuration there and really get to see the beating and banging on the paper-clip configuration.

The fans also enjoy seeing the drivers manhandle their cars and pray that their brakes survive.

But that brings us to a key item in deciding whether Martinsville should keep both of its dates: Martinsville needs to sell out its races. As of Sunday, there were still good seats available for this weekend.

The race last October was nearly a sellout but not a complete one. Part of the blame has to go to the economy, with gas prices and everything. But with Martinsville’s unique configuration, the seats should be filled Sunday.

Then again, it is limited by location. Martinsville isn’t exactly a vacation destination. Hotels nearby are few. The traffic is about average for a Cup event.

Teams aren’t going to bring as many sponsors to Martinsville when they can bring them to races in bigger markets such as Texas and Phoenix coming up or in Charlotte, Atlanta or Texas in October.

Despite those challenges, of any track on the circuit, it would make sense that the one with the fewest seats must sell out to keep both of its events. It’s ridiculous to say that a race should be moved from Atlanta when it still draws more than Martinsville. Just because one track has thousands of empty seats, it shouldn’t be penalized for having more seats than a smaller track.

Another question about Martinsville is whether it should play host to a Chase race.

All tracks in the Chase should have lights, and Martinsville should bring in at least portable lighting for the October race in case there’s rain.

It would also make sense for Chase races to be run at the tracks with the greatest seating capacity, as long as there is a good mix of types of tracks in the final 10. With Martinsville as the only Chase short-track event, it would be hard to pull it – unless Bristol gets a spot in the Chase. That is a column for another day.

The track, like some others in the Chase, also needs to upgrade its facilities to handle the media crunch of a playoff event.

If Martinsville Speedway is so important for the sport, then International Speedway Corp., which owns it, needs to pour more money into it. It’s doing improvements right now to Chicagoland, Darlington and Watkins Glen – much needed improvements for tracks with just one race. Martinsville needs to be next to get some money.

And first on that list should be a way to fix the Turn 3 entrance to pit road, a potentially unsafe situation much like the backstretch opening at Las Vegas where Jeff Gordon crashed hard a few weeks ago.

The bottom line is that Martinsville’s spot in the sport with two Cup races will always be in jeopardy, especially if new tracks get built
in Denver or the Pacific Northwest.

The best the track can do is to consistently make improvements and hope for the best. And make sure there are no tickets left when the race goes green on Sunday.

Average Rating: 3.8

Comments

13 responses to "Bob Pockrass: Two races at Martinsville? Let the debate begin"
  1. 1
    david larison said:
    Mar 24, 2008 at 12:26 PM

    So much for keeping the core fans happy. Get rid of one of the best tracks on the circuit. Makes a lot of sense. What a crock.

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  2. 2
    Jennifer Bryant said:
    Mar 24, 2008 at 1:02 PM

    Please have mercy. Martinsville is the best track I have ever been to as far as "beating and banging" racing. The TV does not do this track justice. I went last fall for the first time and every lap in every corner, they were sliding and bumping! It's beautiful country and it's really what racing is all about. I used to go to every race at the Rock and they took that track away. PLEASE people, voice an opinion before they have all the races at boring 1 1/2 mile ovals!

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  3. 3
    Sharon Bundy said:
    Mar 24, 2008 at 1:06 PM

    Because Fontana, KC, and Pocono provide such great races........please. We need Martinsville for its uniquness and the fact the history of the sport is tied to it. It provides great racing each and every time the series goes there. To lose a date would be detrimental to the sport of auto racing.

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  4. 4
    Rob Kelly said:
    Mar 24, 2008 at 1:09 PM

    We're gonna talk about Martinsville when we have return trips to Fontana and Pocono? Give me a break! Pocono having to races that are 7 apart is by far the biggest joke of the schedule. I have not ever, and won't even, understand Nascar's thinking here. 1 Pocono has gotta go!

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  5. 5
    Teresa Creech said:
    Mar 24, 2008 at 4:18 PM

    Martinsville is a GREAT track! We have attended the fall race the last three of four years. Didn't go last year because of the economy. We live in Michigan and travel to Martinsville, VA to a race. Can't stand MIS. Too large...All the seats around ours are full. Fans are great. Love the community. Local restaurants, bowling tournament, and sightseeing are cool. Drivers and crews are always out on the town. The epitomy of racing history. Keep both races for the love of the sport!

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  6. 6
    Jimmy Graves said:
    Mar 24, 2008 at 4:54 PM

    I agree, Pocono needs to lose a date before Martinsville. I have never attended a race at Pocono. But, many of my friends have and they have told me to not even bother. Short track racing is where it's at. Let's see the drivers have to manhandle the cars around the track as around other drivers. Remember Rubbin's Racin'. Cookier cutter follow the leader is for the best cheater.(Carl this means you)lol

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  7. 7
    said:
    Mar 24, 2008 at 6:57 PM

    The schedule needs to keep all of the current short track races, just as with any track where the racing is good. Bring back Rockingham!

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  8. 8
    Jackie Jones said:
    Mar 24, 2008 at 7:42 PM

    Taking a date from Martinsville would make long time fans angry maybe they should lose a date from one of the numerous 1.5 mile tracks that make up the majority of the cup schedule say that crappy Cali race actually they should take both cali dates and give one to Kentucky and then let the 2nd Cali date be a rotating date among tracks that either dont have a cup date and those who want a 2nd date.

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  9. 9
    RONALD DOHERT said:
    Mar 25, 2008 at 4:02 AM

    So what if Martinsville is the 46th TV market! Do you think having a race in New York is going to make NY locals watch it on TV. Fans watch racing on TV not people who live near a track. Weather is a big factor in sales at this track. Early Spring and mid Fall are subject to rain so walk-ups are a big factor here.

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  10. 10
    Debi Decot said:
    Mar 25, 2008 at 5:18 AM

    Martinsville is some awesome short track racing. They should NOT take a race from Martinsville.. take one from a cookie cutter track..If they take a race from Martinsville, they are going to offend even more of the true race fans and it might be another nail in NASCAR's coffin.

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  11. 11
    Debi Decot said:
    Mar 25, 2008 at 5:41 AM

    Every track has seats down close to the track that are not worth buying because you cannot see a bit of racing.. these are the seats that are seen on TV.. either make those seats cheap or cover them with ads like Richmond has done on sections that were not worth purchasing by race fans. Any one who buys a race ticket, goes to see the race and not all seats provide a proper view.

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  12. 12
    Jim Branham said:
    Mar 25, 2008 at 7:07 AM

    There is a lot more involved than just the number of seats sold...I'm sure the TV ratings of a high profile venue like Martinsville far outway a few thousand seats to sell. You have millions of televisions to fill with an exciting event on a Sunday. I think NASCAR understands this reality (or SHOULD anyway). Put some money into improvements and I'm sure the pre-race buzz among the media outlets broadcasting it or the print media outlets writing on it will keep the TV ratings high. Besides, NASCAR is on their "core fan" push right now and I'm sure they dont want to pull a historically relevant track. They have done such trivial things as change the bands playing the Daytona 500 to take a small step in the right direction, lets hope they don't take a huge step in the opposite direction by pulling a race out of a track like Martinsville.

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  13. 13
    Scott Baker said:
    Mar 25, 2008 at 6:55 PM

    Sure, let's eliminate another distinctive track. Let's make'um all 1.5 ovals with 100,000 seats and only in the largest cities in the nation. This article must have been written by a NBA fan, definitely not by a NASCAR fan. RIDICULOUS.

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