NASCAR Trucks - what's up with that?

Not a subject I'd normally talk about, but they had a roundandround race right before the Chinese GP, so I caught some of it on tape.

Without trying to bash it too hard, can somebody please explain to me what the point of that is? That oval was so short, it looked like somebody's slot car in a living room. Scott Speed was in it too, but that didn't help the fans because there weren't any! The seats were all empty! I have seen low attendance at ALMS races, but this was even worse. There was nobody. F1 test sessions have more fans than this "race".

 

Well, given the low attendance numbers, you're far from the only one to ask.

 

I actually think the truck series is the best racing of the three major NASCAR divisions. but it is poorly marketed and is seen as the junior series so it gets no love.

Between NSC, NNS, and the trucks there are around 120 NASCAR touring series races each year, that's waaaaayyyy to many. NASCAR needs to eliminate either trucks or Nationwide series, reset the supply/demand equation, and actually sell out those races.

 

120 races? That's nuts. No wonder they have no audience.

The race I saw should be the first to be eliminated: That oval was a joke of race track, way too short. Not that I am a NASCAR fan, but I can understand the allure of the Daytona 500. Seeing a pack of 30 cars thunder by inches apart is an amazing experience. But this kiddie track was a joke: The trucks were lined up like cars of a train going round in round, no straight. Had there been more trucks, the last car would have been in front of the first.

Years ago I went to a CART race at the Milwaukee Mile and thought that was already pathetic. 1 mile is way too short.

 

Martinsville is what they call a short track (Also known as Bull Rings). And it was short tracks that popped up all over the U.S. and made Nascar what it is today. There were literally hundreds of short tracks all over the country and that was how every fledging driver got their start in Nascar in the old days. Every town had there Saturday night short track, but most have sucumbed to land developers over the years. I use to go to a place called Saugus Speedway, a little 1/4 mile oval when I was a kid all the time and that track is gone today. We have become more hi-tech and civilized to where most Nascar drivers don't come from those humble beginnings anymore. The Nascar Schedule was filled with short tracks just 15 years ago, but sadly Nascar has slowly weaned them off of their schedule as more promoters are building super speedways, ie. Penske built Fontana etc. It may look archaic and there are very few left, but short tracks have provided top notch action for the spectator. over the years.

 

good points, I miss Rockingham, N. Wilkesboro, etc. However I agree w/ Andreas on Martinsville...if it was a bowl like Bristol it might provide a good show, but as it is, it is just an anachronism. I'm surprised ISC hasn't moved the dates elsewhere.

 

The biggest issue I have with the truck series and the NNS is that the cup driver's are allowed to race with their huge budget's. Those two series are supposed to be the stepping stone into the NCS for up and coming drivers not a playground for the Cup drivers.

 

'No audience' ?

Most 'undercard' races don't sell out, but if it's a Touring Series event - and the only one in town, they do OK.

 

Penske helped build Fontana, but also we have lost a lot of GOOD tracks, and we could all name a huge list, starting with Ontario, Riverside, Ascot, and don't forget all the drag strips.... thems' were the days...

 

I was referring to the NASCAR truck race I saw on TV: The stands were empty. Zero people in attendance. Nobody. Nada.

 

I saw the last few laps and I was thinking the same thing, where are all the fans? The trucks on short tracks equal some darn good racing most of the time.

 

You and I agree on something? Quick, let's ring the church bells at Maranello!


The part that stunned me was also this race was in bright daylight. So it's not like it was some ungodly time at night. Probably was held on a Tuesday morning at 6:30am.