Who Benefits from the Decline in NASCAR Attendance?

 

Every time we look around on social media someone is telling us how bad things have gotten in the sport we love, NASCAR racing.  While this may be very true, with failing attendance numbers, who is benefiting from this? How can anyone benefit from the demise of the greatest sport in the world you ask? Well let me tell you, it's happening, all across the nation. The benefactors are short tracks.

For years, the core group of racers who created the sport were just local drivers who took advantage of the God-given talents they possessed and made those talents earn them a few bucks.

But as the sport progressed and grew, the drivers never forgot where they came from, mainly because they never left where they came from. They were always just good ol’ boys.

Now today we see the stars of the sport have distanced themselves from the common fan, the same core group that created the sport and they sit in amazement that the sport is dying a slow painful death.  So to put it simply, “They have forgotten where they come from! “

Yes, there are a couple drivers who still understand, but those drivers’ hands are tied by the powers that be on what they can or can't do. When we look back at the days of old, the glory days as I like to refer to them, we had drivers who would spend time with the fans, drivers who would stop and talk with the fans, even if it meant them having to sacrifice in other areas. These drivers understood. They understood why they had to spend that time keeping the fans happy!

Sadly, those days are gone. The higher-ups in NASCAR don't care what the fans want anymore, nor do they even care about racing. To them, it's a payday, a gravy train, nothing more, and that is what has fueled the fire on a more local level. Short tracks!

Your weekend racer is once again becoming a hero; the fans who have for years flocked blindly to watch the stars of NASCAR race, are now saving money and keeping it local. The attendance at the local level has seen a huge increase over the past few years, and it's this spike in interest that promoters and race fans need to heed.

Look at what the huge success done for NASCAR over the years, and look at the drawbacks that came with that success. It's time that promoters and racers on a local level take notice and step in… now… to prevent the same mistakes NASCAR made. Mistakes that affected the success, and how the very success that built the sport is now falling away.

One of the main mistakes made was NASCAR forgot where they started; they got too big for their britches as my grandmother used to say. The success rushed to their head and before they knew it, boom, it was gone…

But today in the real world we find that the short tracks are making a comeback; whether it's on dirt or asphalt, the crowds are growing, and the big thing is, the promoters are paying attention and going above and beyond to bring in more and keep them entertained.

That is what it takes to keep the fans happy… a lesson NASCAR should study up on. QUICK!