Quote:
Originally Posted by Dcbrickley
wow!..now just NASCAR left....anyone with a strong opinion/insider info on NASCAR one day at COTA?
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NASCAR would have to give up a race. They already run 39 races a year. Martinsville has 2 races, and I don't like 1/2 mile flat tracks so my hope would be they cough up a race in favor of COTA, but diehard fans crave the short tracks, (I prefer the high banked Bristol), so there would be some pushback before that happens. Dover has two races, but it is a popular venue among the drivers because it is a very fast 1 mile oval. TMS has two, but track manager, Eddie Gossage will fight tooth and nail to prevent Texas, mainly COTA, from getting a race out of fear that a venue here would cut into his two race date attendance, which may not be unfounded. TMS is an amazing facility and a fast track. They won't give up or lose any of their 2 races. But with the vast majority races run on ovals, out of the 39, only 4 races are run on something other than. Sonoma, road course, Watkins Glenn, road course, and I'll include the 2 races at Pocono because its a trioval with 3 distinct corners, love that track. So NASCAR would have to feel the need to eliminate an all left turn race for another road course. With a shrinking fan base partly due to the retirement and aging of its most popular drivers such as Earnhardt, Gordon, and Stewart to name a few, adding COTA could be a topic of discussion among the NASCAR execs as a possible way to curb fan defection. But another issue could be turn 1 at COTA. When Kurt Busch brought his stock car here a few years ago, he commented that half the field could be lost on that first turn alone, and that (joking), there may be only 3 cars racing at the end. Attrition via accidents could claim more than half the field. Over taking would be difficult with the heavy clunky stock cars. They aren't nearly as nimble as CART or F1. The race may or may not be that interesting or competitive to watch, well maybe interesting at least. It would also be expensive for the owners, many of whom will have mangled cars to bring home. For all of the obstacles in the way, the biggest positive would be the need to bring a new venue and road course to their long and sometimes boring season, and perhaps generate some new fans. For that reason, I would give COTA at least a 25% chance of getting a NASCAR race.
I get that number unscientifically by this. Minus 25% - NASCAR already has too many races, they won't add more. Minus 25% - they would have to take a race away from an existing venue and deal with fan and track owner resistance and backlash, they can't afford to lose fans. Minus 25% Eddie Gossage's influence from TMS, can't underestimate his desire NOT to see a race at COTA. Minus 25% - the track layout at COTA. It was not built for competitive Stock Car racing. Plus 25% - the need to stall the decreasing fan base, a shot in the arm COTA could bring to a sport that is losing fans every year by evidence of the ever increasing empty seats during the races and lower tv ratings.
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