I love to watch the big’o cars at RA, one of America’s greatest tracks.:)
Wow, looks like the city is going to allow it to happen. Bicycle Lane Uprising is not happy. I would just start charging license fees for all bikes ASAP in response NASCAR Racing Through Chicago Streets? City Endorses Downtown Street Course, Report Says (blockclubchicago.org)
I'll believe it when I see it, but it seems "official" https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2022/07/19/chicago-to-host-first-ever-nascar-cup-series-street-race-in-2023/ Image Unavailable, Please Login
Also I dont think they have anyone in Chicago that knows how to run an asphalt machine or use a shovel.
IMSA will be running an event there as well. Really hope it is the Miatas. I wonder who would turn a faster lap time..
Very interesting. I wonder wich IMSA event?? YTD murder rates for US cities and how they compare to last year's counts at the same time. All this proves is the US is violent everywhere, not just Chicago. Stay downtown and you will be fine. Atlanta 82 / Rate 16.4 per 100K Up 24% Chicago 323 / Rate 11.5 per 100K Down 11% Dallas 126 / Rate 9.7 per 100K Up 17% Los Angeles 183 / Rate 4.7 per 100K Down 2% Milwaukee 112 / 19.3 per 100K Up 33% Minneapolis 45 / Rate: 10.6 per 100K Down 20% New York City 210 / Rate 2.4 per 100K Down 10% Philadelphia 274 / Rate 17.1 per 100K Down 4% Washington, DC 109 / Rate: 15.6 per 100K Up 14%
Another article. Hope to find out what IMSA race they will run at the 2023 Chicago race next week at the Road America IMSA press conference. To be honest I do not like NASCAR at all but will go for the spectacle. Chicago street event “monumental” for NASCAR – but what will the racing be like? | RACER
Seven different countries will be represented, a record for the Cup Series. That includes former F1 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen, 2010 Le Mans 24 overall winner Mike Rockenfeller, and another ex-F1 driver in Daniil Kvyat.
Cindric is a hothead who I lost ALL respect for with his MANY antics he pulled while racing in the Xfinity underseries. This clown made Keselowski and Logano look like a choirboys. I was a HUGE fan of Penske Racing, but not anymore. They can do anything they want, but they won't sustain it, no matter what 'it' is. The fact they ran the same schedule/venues 'forever' is not the problem, we actually liked it when we could always plan to go to certain venues at certain times of the year. They developed the 'playoffs', they developed spec cars, they had a woman, they have a Mexican, none of that is 'fixing' anything. I know a TON of people that used to go to Bristol, but they have been priced out of it. Just look at all the tracks that are either covering or removing grandstands, people just are not following the series anymore because the crowd was an older crowd that has no idea who the younger, new drivers are, and nascar is not attracting very many new (young) fans. Just look at all the places they used to sell out, and now they can barely give away tickets. Look at Fontana - it is no longer a 2 mile track, it's in the process of being converted to a 1/2 mile track as we speak. Chicagoland, Kansas, Atlanta, lots of places would sell out FAST, now they don't sell out at all. Look at how bad the crowd is at Indy, from 200,000 to what, 25,000? Nascar just cannot seem to understand that racing no longer appeals to the younger (under 30) crowd, and I doubt it ever will. That's not being a doomsayer, but just take a look at all the young'uns when you go out - ALL of them have their noses stuck to their smart phones. That's not a racing demographic. Kids/guys used to work on cars with their dads, and today dads cannot work on their normal cars because it's all computerized, so the kids don't. The trickle-down effect (or lack of) is huge.
Austin is a hothead, total opposite of his dad. however, he's "double entitled"....not only is his dad the President of Team Penske, with connections out the wazoo but his mom is the daughter of Jim Trueman (of Red Roof Inn/Truesports fame), so there's family $$ too. bad combo. spot on, NASCAR can't connect with people under 40 for whatever reason. F1 and to a lesser degree Indy have. even IMSA, which NASCAR owns, has a decent millennial/Gen Z fan base. not sure what NASCAR can't figure out. new car has been reasonably successful, lots of winner this year (14 I think), etc. but it doesn't translate somehow.
I know full-well who his parents are. Nascar can't connect with the cup series because the only cars you see kids working on today are the 4 cyl buzz bombs. I don't see kids cruising the main drag in 68 Mustangs and 70 Chevelles because they cannot afford them, only us 60+ farts have afforded them, and are capable of working on them. You have seen the standard joke of 'give a kid a rotary phone and see if he can figure it out'? Extrapolate that to setting points, using a timing light, set float levels in a carb and see what happens.... Buying an ignition microchip solves everything. I DO realize that is what the current Cup series is - they don't use carbs anymore - my point is most kids don't get that deep into cars anymore, they just buy parts and bolt them on. In my HS class I would bet you we had 50 guys that could rebuild a 302 or 350 ci engine, I doubt you could find 2 today. Nascar is going to have to bite the bullet and realize they need a 4 cyl series and race them on 1/2 mile or 1-mile tracks, they cannot go to Daytona or Talladega with them. Eventually, that series will be their 'premier' series. Funny how 1/8 mile drag racing has been growing leaps and bounds the last few years...
all the tuner kids around here drive 10-15 year old BMW 3 series or Infiniti G35s. maybe that should replace Super Late Models
If nascar is TRULY concerned about getting more young folk (under 25) attracted to attend, let alone watch, they need to go to many different areas of the country and see what those kids are driving today, doing to their cars today - what nascar starts doing today will determine how nascar thrives in 15-20-30 years. If 'most' kids today are driving 15 yr old Bimmers, they need to start skewing to a series that races 4 and 6 cyl foreign cars. The days of 'forcing' people to race 'American V-8's' have to come to an end. (yes, I know Toyota is there) They need to attract Audi, BMW, VW, Kia, Honda, Subarui - you name it - because most people I know are buying those cars, I don't see a lot of under 40 yr olds buying Chevies anymore. BUT (there is always a BUT) - as long as money keeps coming in from TV and series sponsors, nascar is content with the way it is. The next time a race is on TV, take a good look at the grandstands, most of the people in them are 40+. I didn't say ALL, but most. And most everyone in the stands came from a racing family, where Grandpa went to races, Dad went to races, and now the kids are going to races, but that trail is evaporating. FAST. It's a process.
