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On the Loose Side

A NASCAR BLOG BY Kenny Bruce

NASCAR doesn’t need two trips to K.C.

Sep 30
I can understand why officials with tracks that host NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races say they need two events each season to survive.

Having not worked on that side, I can’t say that it’s the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. But I understand why they make such statements.

Maybe those tracks could get by with one Cup race and other types of racing events to fill out the annual schedule. But the money from two such races eventually allows funding for improvements and upgrades.

Still, I don’t believe moving a race from one of International Speedway Corp.’s current tracks to Kansas for a second date is a good idea. Kansas is a great facility, and the area is one of my favorites to visit. But going there twice a year?

Of the 12 tracks currently owned by ISC, five (Chicago, Darlington, Homestead, Kansas and Watkins Glen) host only one Cup event each year. So it would seem that four of those tracks, excluding Kansas, won’t have to worry about such a change.

Forget about Daytona and Talladega as well. Since they’re the only two tracks where restrictor plates are required, it’s unlikely NASCAR would allow one of those tracks to lose a date. Teams have too much invested in engine research and development for plate races to drop one of those races.

Likewise, Martinsville and Richmond are two of the series’ three short-track venues. At a mile in length, Phoenix isn’t a short track, but it races like one. And the series needs balance and variety in its tracks more than anything.

Which leaves a pair of 2-mile tracks – Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., and Michigan International Speedway. No, the Fontana track isn’t selling out its races. But that’s the case at several tracks. It may not be in Los Angeles, but it’s in the LA market, and for NASCAR and its sponsors, that’s important.

Michigan has history on its side. And just as you need short tracks, you need larger ones as well.

NASCAR, and fans of the sport, would be best served if it was able to race in other areas of the country currently not served by the sport. Instead of returning to some of the places where it already visits.
 

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Comments

15 responses to "NASCAR doesn’t need two trips to K.C."
  1. 1
    ace racer said:
    Sep 30, 2008 at 4:34 PM

    YES THEY DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  2. 2
    del brown said:
    Sep 30, 2008 at 7:22 PM

    While the L.A. market may be important to NASCAR apparently NASCAR isn't important to the L.A. market. Moving the fall race to the Chase should help that race it's likely to hurt the spring race. The NASCAR fans I know from the area currently may attend or skip the spring race but never the summer race. Most have said they'll skip the spring race and probably attend the Cup race - but depends a lot on the drivers in the Chase. With gas prices likely to stay high - and possible sporadic shortages - most out-of-towners will likely opt for the Chase race over spring. Frankly I'd rather watch two races at K.C. and none at Fontana.

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  3. 3
    chris welch said:
    Sep 30, 2008 at 9:09 PM

    i say scratch all of the cookie cutter tracks. this schedule needs more short tracks. i dont know who the "GENIUS" is who decides to build all of these boring tracks but its a bad decision. these cars are too heavy and fast for these tracks. it turns it into who has the best CAR and that is not what fans want. most fans i know would go to these races more but there is no action on the 1.5 mile tracks. its better to watch on TV. at least then it LOOKS more competitive.

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  4. 4
    R Philip Rogers said:
    Oct 1, 2008 at 5:39 AM

    Kansas can sell out every year by drawing fans from several hundred miles from the track. Those who attend the Kansas race are true fans and a second race give them another chance to enjoy the sport they are passionate about. Fontana on the other hand can't sell out their races with a metropolitan population 6 times greater than Kansas City. NASCAR should place the races where the fans really are, not where they want more marketing. Kansas should get another race and Fontana should lose one of theirs. LA doesn't even have a NFL team, what makes you believe they care about their races. Thanks

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  5. 5
    John Lockhart said:
    Oct 1, 2008 at 5:45 AM

    I'm with you Dell! I have never liked road races in NASCAR, In open wheel racing yes,but it just dosen't fit with any of the NASCAR series.

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  6. 6
    Chazzo Ozzahc said:
    Oct 1, 2008 at 7:20 AM

    I enjoy the road racing. A race car driver should be able to drive at different types of tracks. I am not a big fan of the 1.5 mile tracks, there are too many. I still cant figure out why there is only one race at Darlington, oh , so we can have two races at boring a@$ Fontana. Has Fontana ever sold out, ever? Darlington is a guarantee sell out and an awesome venue for a race. NASCAR is starting to make things more beneficial to the race track owners and forgetting about the fans.

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  7. 7
    Monty Stout said:
    Oct 1, 2008 at 10:56 AM

    Next to Bristol, Kansas sells out the fastest of any track on the schedule. Its probably the most fan friendly track on the circuit and with the addition of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino to the already booming development around the track it only makes since to give Kansas a second date. Its pretty much a done deal anyway, the only question is what track is going to lose its second date so Kansas can get it.

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  8. 8
    chris welch said:
    Oct 1, 2008 at 11:41 AM

    i personally think there should be two races in kansas if there is that much demand for it, but they should build a short track instead. no one wants to watch two boring races at the same track per year.

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  9. 9
    Steve C said:
    Oct 2, 2008 at 6:40 AM

    NASCAR needs to re-think how they schedule races. I feel each track should have one race during the 26 week season, then the last 10 chase races should be sold to the highest bidding track each year. This would allow for a change up every year and allow additional tracks to be added to the regular season. Just my thoughts,

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  10. 10
    Ryan C. said:
    Oct 2, 2008 at 12:13 PM

    Kansas definetly deserves a second date I've been a season ticket holder there for 6 years now and it is a sellout everytime. The racing there was great last weekend and everytime I've been there.

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  11. 11
    JAMES BRUNO said:
    Oct 4, 2008 at 6:46 AM

    Fontana does not make for exciting races. I think Kansas City is great venue for racing. I live up around Omaha Nebraska area, and travel to Kansas when I can get tickets. I dont like the idea of having to buy four different series to get season tickets there. I gave up my season tickets because they were too pricey having to buy them this way. If you can buy just national and sprint series as a set, I would consider trying to get on season ticket list.

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  12. 12
    Julie Seybert said:
    Oct 5, 2008 at 4:47 PM

    Kansas Speedway rocks ! It is soooo fan friendly and just a fun exciting place ! Go Kansas ! Julie

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  13. 13
    Georgia Ross said:
    Oct 6, 2008 at 4:10 PM

    I wish I could personally give Kansas Speedway a second race. They can have Phoenix International Raceway"s April race. It is hotter than hell out here in April which makes a weekend sitting in the stands with the Arizona sun glaring at you quite miserable. Then maybe PIR would give back some of the other races they have so conveniently managed to take away from us. Julie, you are right. The Kansas track rocks and I have thought that since I saw the first televised Kansas race. Hope they get their second race!

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  14. 14
    CAROL LANDERS said:
    Oct 7, 2008 at 10:19 AM

    i have 2 farms in ohio, all we would have to do is ,, build a beidge across the road, and let nascar build us a track !!!! how about it nascar ????

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  15. 15
    Dale Sakurai said:
    Oct 8, 2008 at 10:04 PM

    I think Kansas will support two races more than Fontana will. Having lived in LA most of my life, almost every NASCAR race here whether it be Riverside, Ontario, or Fontana almost never does well attendence wise and giving Fontana the second race on Labor Day was a BIG MISTAKE and NASCAR should wise up and return it to Darlington. There's two races in Phoenix & Fontana and one in Las Vegas, so I think most fans are only going to attend a couple and not all these races so if they are going to choose, I doubt that most of them are going to go to go to both races in Fontana. NASCAR contends that they need two races in the LA market, but they don't have any in NY (and may never get one there) and the popularity is just as big. Dale Sakurai Los Angeles, CA

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