NASCAR who dat?

I wouldn't be surprised if NASCAR replaces IMSA at Long Beach

a race through central park would be awesome but I see that even less popular with the NYC powers that be, than it was w/ Chicago's (this event was negotiated with the prior mayor, the current one and a few councilmen weren't too happy)

another factor: this race was in Grant Park, right outside Solider Field.

Da Bears are leaving Solider Field for the 'burbs.

Chicago needs to show that area can still host big events, which I think is how this got done in the first place

 

They are saying it was the most watched NASCAR race in 6 years.

I never thought I would be glad about something the previous mayor did, but she did a good thing.... One good thing and thousands of bad things

 

It was a nice race and great venue. I was impressed with the width of the track and how open the course was for a temporary venue. Well laid out. I was hoping Chris Bell ( I rate him on the top step of NASCAR drivers) would have stayed up top and raced SVG all the way to the end, but not much to complain about, Some silly driving by the hopeless but nothing insane. Wish this was Nascar every second week.

 

interesting.

he's good but I wouldn't put him int he top 5 of current Cup drivers, enlighten me.

 

I'd give the odds of a return to Chicago less than 50%

https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/chicago-nascar-race-success/

https://www.nbcchicago.com/top-videos-home/will-nascar-street-race-return-to-chicago-next-year-mayor-johnson-says-he-will-assess-its-future/3179431/

 

80% of ticket buyers were NASCAR first timers....? How many will be 2nd timers?

Were many tickets given away, I wonder?

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They have Lollapalooza and the air and water show every year that make as much noise as this NASCAR race. Maybe if they switch to EV they will embrace it just like NYC did a few years ago with their E formula race .

 

I would be willing to bet McDonalds gave a way a lot of tickets to employees, franchisees, and locals.

 

NASCAR ran mufflers for this race too

 

Aha! I thought the cars sounded different.

 

Ha. I’ll preface this by saying I don’t watch NASCAR on a regular basis and Bell did choke in Chicago, but whenever I do catch a few laps of races here and there, then check in later, he manages to always be in the fray, generally increasing his position throughout each race. Not surprised he came from dirt track, has excellent car control, races clean and stays out of trouble. I have no idea where he is in the points, or how JGR is doing this year but I’m sure he’ll make it into the final 10 or 12 or whatever it is now. The guy is a Mark Martin clone, seems to know how hard to push, stays aware of his tires and drives a smart, balanced race on a weekly basis, without catching any notice from the announcers.

 

Follow F1 and race the same track in Vegas down the Strip, at night?

I'd be curious as to what the economic impact for Chicago was. 4.6 million people watched the race.

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I don't know what Chicago put towards the race but that's a lot of eyeballs and marketing for the city.

 

Didn't watch the racertainment....was there a lot of 'come to Chicago' talk/commercials?

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not really, more of it was on the novelty of a street course and what a great sports town Chicago is, which is true. I didn't pick up on too much "Chicago is awesome, come here you definitely won't get shot" talk.

everyone forgets the oval in Cicero that Ganassi built that almost immediately went bankrupt. that was an oval in the heart of the urban core, will likely never happen again, NASCAR missed on that one.

 

People may not remember that the first motor race ever held in the U.S. was held in Chicago:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Times-Herald_race

 

they actually mentioned that on the broadcast

they failed to mention that the first NASCAR sanctioned race was a temporary street/beach circuit....

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And to think that all that green space in Daytona Beach is now fully developed!

 

How much was the decrease? Where? Price or tickets sold?

 

Miami didn't sell out until race weekend this year (basically, race weekend ticket sales saved them)

not sure how Vegas and COTA are doing sales wise.

 

I did not hear of any NASCAR fans getting caught up in the July 4th weekend crime wave, wich was good. Now down in the "hood" they were busy shooting at each other. Just stay clear of those areas and you will be fine. Downtown is pretty safe most of the time and even better during big events due to massive security.

 

They are storing all the seating and equipment for next years Chicago race at the 78 site just west of the loop next to the Chicago River. The 78 is a construction area that will take a few years to complete so this area should be good for 3 years.

I think it will happen next year as Chicago needs the event.

 

Alex Bowman - dad bought him his ride, while pushing Kenny Wallace out of the seat he was all-but guaranteed.

Money talks, everything else walks, if anyone thinks otherwise they are folling themselves.

This Cindric clown - total unclassy hothead who also had his rides paid-for, made me sick to see him win the 500.

 

The Coliseum event had little competition on TV, wasn't it on broadcast TV? Not cable? That makes a difference.

I'm glad they are trying some new things, but you cannot escape the fact that they have been and continue to
price themselves out of existence - and it's not just ticket prices, fans like to buy hats and T-Shirts, and when a
decent hat is $30-40, and a T-shirt is $25-40, you're pricing yourself out.
I know literally hundreds of long-time NASCAR fans that simply no longer travel to races anymore, and I am
sure I am not alone.
They cite the same two reasons: the cost, and boring drivers. The guys that don't attend anymore have all
the time in the world, they just don't go.
The number of drivers that grab your attention, the ones that SEEM LIKE the types that made NASCAR into
what it was - are almost totally gone.
Most drivers (look like they) would be comfortable sitting in an office working 9-5 it seems, we don't see many getting down and dirty,
or being aggressive.
Harvick (this is his last season), Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Larson, Truex, who's left? Keselowski, Logano, Hamlin?

Sorry, but Elliott, Briscoe, Cindric, etc. may be good DRIVERS, but they are not good CHARACTERS, guys you stop to
read their stories (unless you break a leg snowboarding.... SNOWBOARDING???)

The above is based on what people tell me, and my own opinions. I used to follow/photograph a series, and was a track
photographer, so I know literally thousands of racers, crew, family, fans.