Kenny Bruce: California track should focus on fans, not plates
By Kenny Bruce - Assistant Managing Editor
Thursday, February 28, 2008
LAS VEGAS – Since we’ve still got a day or two before NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series invades Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and SINCE I didn’t bring my golf clubs with me, and SINCE gambling is apparently a no-win proposition:
Officials with the track formerly known as California Speedway say they aren’t against the idea of raising the banking of the 2-mile track and racing with restrictor plates in the future.
They aren’t exactly endorsing the idea, just more or less intrigued by the possibility.
Track President Gillian Zucker says she wants the track to have its own identity. A track hosting Sprint Cup races with restrictor plates out west would certainly give it that.
It likely won’t happen, though. And it shouldn’t.
Restrictor plates aren’t the answer to the track’s attendance concerns. Just as attempts to link the facility to the blindingly bright lights of Hollywood haven’t been the answer, either.
Putting on a good show is part of the answer. Giving fans an enjoyable experience is another. And officials there have been making strides, small as they may seem, in that direction. A fan base has been built. Recognition has been growing.
After Monday’s rain-delayed event was complete, Zucker spoke with pride about the effort to give fans two races (the Nationwide and Craftsman Truck series events) in one day, rising sales numbers at the ticket window, new sponsorships with the Auto Club and Pepsi.
“More market activation than we’ve ever had,” she said. “... So much good stuff that we’ve done. I felt like, ‘Wow, we’ve got some momentum going into this weekend.’”
But just because the weather didn’t cooperate, it would be a mistake to toss all that out the window.
Regardless of whether it’s 110 degrees in the shade as it seemed to be during last year’s Labor Day weekend event, or cold and rainy, folks in surrounding areas either like NASCAR or they don’t. Those who do will continue to turn out regardless of the conditions outside. It’s the ones who aren’t familiar with the sport that the track should be courting – while keeping its current fans happy.
Look, for all the crap that the track has taken in recent years (the track doesn’t need two dates, the dates it has are all wrong, the racing isn’t exciting, the food’s too expensive), there are a lot worse places to watch a Cup race. Sorry, but that’s a fact. I won’t name names, but as far as facilities and fan amenities go, it might not be at the very top of the list, but it’s far from being on the bottom.
Changing the banking of the race track will upset some fans and appeal to others. It won’t make non-fans suddenly sit up and take notice.
Give the race fans an enjoyable experience, and they’ll be back. Make the non-fans feel like they’re missing something, and they’re more likely to pay attention.
I’ve often wondered how many fans go to a particular track only for the racing, and how many go for the experience? If the racing stinks, but you have a great time, would you be just as likely to return? On the other hand, if the racing is great, but you have a miserable experience, would you bother coming back?
The track is headed down the right path. Fix the seepage problems and apologize to the fans. A track might not give refunds, but why not give those who purchased tickets a discount for other events at the speedway? Instead of feeling like they were taken advantage of, fans might appreciate a little act of kindness every now and then.
After all, the folks over in the garage are going to be back. It’s the ones in the stands that tracks should be worried about.
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