Too Many Races
By M.L. Morgan
Well, race fans, we have just learned Nascar will add two additional race dates to the 2001 Schedule, in order to accommodate the new tracks at Kansas City and Chicago, making it a total of 36 points races. Far too many.
We have just completed a stretch of 9 consecutive weeks of racing and everyone involved is worn out. Perhaps the fans aren't, but they don't have to traverse the country to make each race. Most fans can only attend a few, selected races each season. The race teams don't have that option.
We have said several times that 34 races was stretching the limits of everyone involved. The team members are on the road for 2 and 3 straight months, and that is absurd. You and I might have jobs which require us to work 52 weeks a year, but at least we get some time off, most weeks. The race teams don't.
Most of the higher echelon teams must have 2 sets of transporters in order to get their cars to the next track before the current race is even completed. This is very expensive, as well as exhausting. All the team members we have met are just human beings. They have to give up their family lives to maintain this ridiculous schedule. This is not right.
Now Nascar is adding 2 more races to the schedule. This is a bunch of crap fueled only by the "bottom line" mentality which is so pervasive in Nascar. It's time to take another look.
It appears to me that Nascar's tunnel-vision recognizes only how many butts were in the bleachers at the end of the season as their measuring stick. This is preposterous. I think it would be much more valid if Nascar counted the repeat visitors. How many fans are regular customers - not butt counts.
In my opinion, that's the fallacy of Nascar's "bottom-line" strategy. They can open a new track every year and the novelty of the new attraction in a new venue might bring a few new fans for the first race. More butts for the year-end statistics. Big damn deal ! Very deceptive stat's. Might impress the bookkeepers.
It's time to pare down the race schedule. A lot of us groaned when it got to 30 races. We will surely hear more than groaning from the teams about this 36-race deal for 2001.
And rightfully so.
As we stand right now, there are 21 tracks and 34 race dates. Next year there will be 23 tracks and 36 race dates. We are not big on math, but we think one race per track is quite enough. You can visit our Track Owners page to see just who benefits from these multiple race dates. Not the fans, trust me.
Race Views is based in North Carolina, in the heart of racing, so it's sometimes difficult to be the professional, unbiased reporter we try to be. But sometimes we have to say, enough is enough. This is one of those times. 36 races is just too many. It will kill the sport.
Mike Morgan
Have comments or questions ? E:mail:M.L. Morgan
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