Support Your Local Short Track
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03/06/2015 J. L. Steele |
I have no idea how many stock car races I've seen in person over the years. From small, nondescript tracks to superspeedways, for as long as I can remember, a trip to the track has always been my favorite way to spend a weekend. I'm not saying that to brag. I'm saying it because I've recently been shocked and disappointed to hear from so many people who have never visited a small, local track in their lives.
I know and appreciate the fact that the top three NASCAR series have picked up a lot of new fans in the past several years. There are any number of theories as to why and how that happened. Some say it's a result of the FOX television coverage since 2001. Others think it's because of a lot of the newer names and faces. Perhaps it's a combination of those reasons plus any number of others. Although it's great so many have joined the "family," to a lot of long time race fans, they might just be distant cousins. For whatever reason, they've never become part of the inner circle and enjoyed a Friday or Saturday night at their nearest local track.
I know there are a lot of demands for our entertainment dollars. After visiting various tracks in multiple states since I was a kid in the mid-70's, I will put the value received for a night spent at the races against anything else you can experience. I say this especially to those who consider themselves race fans but have never had this experience.
I currently live in a market that has a minor league baseball team 13 miles from my house. I also have one dirt track 6 miles in the opposite direction with another dirt track about 20 miles past that one. I enjoy baseball and typically attend several of their games each season but on a typical Saturday night, you won't find me at the stadium. I'm racing!
Tickets cost about the same for each event. On nights the tracks are holding special events like a touring series race, prices might be higher but usually not much. I have to pay to park at the baseball stadium but it's free at the track. I'd venture to say that's the case at most tracks. At the stadium, I see one game although there is an occasional double-header. At the track, you'll usually see a minimum of 3 three different levels of racing. At my "home" track, they typcially race 6 or 7 seven different series. Of course there's the added bonus of heat races, qualifying and occasionally practice. Besides the usual concessions, a lot of local tracks allow customers to bring in food and/or drinks. Try pulling that off at a professional baseball game!
A huge bonus you'll find when you visit a small track, is the access. A lot of places allow customers to purchase a pit pass for an additional fee. Good luck getting that kind of access in baseball or any other sport! Spend that money and see and hear the passion, effort and energy those drivers and their families and friends put into what they're doing. I promise you, you'll be hooked on local racing. Those are also the guys (and girls!) who live and work in your area.
Years ago as Walmart expanded into almost every small town in America, the cry went up that they were destroying those towns. Local merchants couldn't compete. Stores were boarded up and downtown businesses almost evaporated as everyone followed Walmart out to the suburbs. In a way, NASCAR has done the same thing to racing. Since the new TV deals went into effect in 2001, more and more Cup, Xfinity and truck series races are being run on Friday and Saturday nights. I don't believe the small tracks lost too many of the long-time, hardcore fans but it certainly had a negative impact regarding the casual and new fans to the sport. That makes it tougher for these facilities to lure in those folks. Sadly, so many have never experienced the sights, sounds and smells of that exciting, local racing.
I'm at a point in life where I'd rather watch the racing at one of those tracks than I would to make the effort to attend a NASCAR race in person. I'm not talking about the quality of racing either. It's less expensive, has easier access, I can see the entire track and I don't have as large of a crowd to deal with. I know from experience though that the action is at least as enjoyable if not more enjoyable than what I can see at a NASCAR race.
I've convinced friends to attend with me who never before would have considered spending a hot, muggy Saturday night getting layered in that fine dust that settles on you from dirt racing, as fun. They come away as fans. I always enjoy hearing their reactions when it's over, how they never thought it could be that much fun, how exciting it was. On the way home and often for days to come, they talk about how driver so and so is a no-good you know what for a move they made on the track that night. They say it as if they were veteran race fans. I have NEVER taken a rookie fan to a track and not have them fall in love.
You might not be seeing the "stars of tomorrow" as we once did since the route to NASCAR fame has taken a different turn in the last few years. I can just about guarantee though, you're not only going to become a bigger fan of racing, you might just find a new way to spend your Saturday nights. Tracks are going to start their seasons soon, all over North America. If you've not experienced local racing first hand, make the commitment to doing so this Spring. If it's been a while since you've enjoyed that fun, give it another shot. Otherwise, don't act sad when you hear of another small-time facility closing their gates.
I know and appreciate the fact that the top three NASCAR series have picked up a lot of new fans in the past several years. There are any number of theories as to why and how that happened. Some say it's a result of the FOX television coverage since 2001. Others think it's because of a lot of the newer names and faces. Perhaps it's a combination of those reasons plus any number of others. Although it's great so many have joined the "family," to a lot of long time race fans, they might just be distant cousins. For whatever reason, they've never become part of the inner circle and enjoyed a Friday or Saturday night at their nearest local track.
I know there are a lot of demands for our entertainment dollars. After visiting various tracks in multiple states since I was a kid in the mid-70's, I will put the value received for a night spent at the races against anything else you can experience. I say this especially to those who consider themselves race fans but have never had this experience.
I currently live in a market that has a minor league baseball team 13 miles from my house. I also have one dirt track 6 miles in the opposite direction with another dirt track about 20 miles past that one. I enjoy baseball and typically attend several of their games each season but on a typical Saturday night, you won't find me at the stadium. I'm racing!
Tickets cost about the same for each event. On nights the tracks are holding special events like a touring series race, prices might be higher but usually not much. I have to pay to park at the baseball stadium but it's free at the track. I'd venture to say that's the case at most tracks. At the stadium, I see one game although there is an occasional double-header. At the track, you'll usually see a minimum of 3 three different levels of racing. At my "home" track, they typcially race 6 or 7 seven different series. Of course there's the added bonus of heat races, qualifying and occasionally practice. Besides the usual concessions, a lot of local tracks allow customers to bring in food and/or drinks. Try pulling that off at a professional baseball game!
A huge bonus you'll find when you visit a small track, is the access. A lot of places allow customers to purchase a pit pass for an additional fee. Good luck getting that kind of access in baseball or any other sport! Spend that money and see and hear the passion, effort and energy those drivers and their families and friends put into what they're doing. I promise you, you'll be hooked on local racing. Those are also the guys (and girls!) who live and work in your area.
Years ago as Walmart expanded into almost every small town in America, the cry went up that they were destroying those towns. Local merchants couldn't compete. Stores were boarded up and downtown businesses almost evaporated as everyone followed Walmart out to the suburbs. In a way, NASCAR has done the same thing to racing. Since the new TV deals went into effect in 2001, more and more Cup, Xfinity and truck series races are being run on Friday and Saturday nights. I don't believe the small tracks lost too many of the long-time, hardcore fans but it certainly had a negative impact regarding the casual and new fans to the sport. That makes it tougher for these facilities to lure in those folks. Sadly, so many have never experienced the sights, sounds and smells of that exciting, local racing.
I'm at a point in life where I'd rather watch the racing at one of those tracks than I would to make the effort to attend a NASCAR race in person. I'm not talking about the quality of racing either. It's less expensive, has easier access, I can see the entire track and I don't have as large of a crowd to deal with. I know from experience though that the action is at least as enjoyable if not more enjoyable than what I can see at a NASCAR race.
I've convinced friends to attend with me who never before would have considered spending a hot, muggy Saturday night getting layered in that fine dust that settles on you from dirt racing, as fun. They come away as fans. I always enjoy hearing their reactions when it's over, how they never thought it could be that much fun, how exciting it was. On the way home and often for days to come, they talk about how driver so and so is a no-good you know what for a move they made on the track that night. They say it as if they were veteran race fans. I have NEVER taken a rookie fan to a track and not have them fall in love.
You might not be seeing the "stars of tomorrow" as we once did since the route to NASCAR fame has taken a different turn in the last few years. I can just about guarantee though, you're not only going to become a bigger fan of racing, you might just find a new way to spend your Saturday nights. Tracks are going to start their seasons soon, all over North America. If you've not experienced local racing first hand, make the commitment to doing so this Spring. If it's been a while since you've enjoyed that fun, give it another shot. Otherwise, don't act sad when you hear of another small-time facility closing their gates.