While I myself am not a Nascar fan, I found it real interesting as a local resident to see the track stands half empty for last race. I personally don't think this or the track modifications will help bring back the crowds they used to have. I guess we'll see this fall for sure.
I was there for the Spring race....been making the trip up from Florida for about 7 years now. Our campground area was less than half full this year....depressing site to see. I think it has less to do with the track changes though and more to do withe general economy. Many of the folks we have gotten to know over the years have just had to lower the number of races they camp at each year....and make a choice in regards to Bristol.
Great place to camp and still an enjoyable race weekend every season at Bristol though!
JupiterRT wrote: I was there for the Spring race....been making the trip up from Florida for about 7 years now. Our campground area was less than half full this year....depressing site to see. I think it has less to do with the track changes though and more to do withe general economy. Many of the folks we have gotten to know over the years have just had to lower the number of races they camp at each year....and make a choice in regards to Bristol.
Great place to camp and still an enjoyable race weekend every season at Bristol though!
I believe its lees the economy, and more the poor product NASCAR has been providing. Getting away from what made them. Generic cars, and PC rules.
Remember. Generic cars didn't work for IROC, and is not working for NASCAR. Next year could be better, as the manufacturers are getting more involved with what the cars will look like.
We were at the August night race last year and we camped in The Landing area; it was full. I really don't like the generic cars either but I do think the track mods will mix things up again.
The stands were pretty full for the August race, attendance was somewhere around 155,000 but the race was a yawner.
Eric
2009 Holiday Rambler Admiral 33SFS (34' 3")
2008 Jeep Liberty - North Edition (4x4 auto)
FQCC/Camping Quebec, KOA, Good Sam, Coach-Net
Local too...like Pirate, I'm not a race fan, but hate to see the stands empty.
'98 Suburban
'97 Flagstaff Cobra Classic 623
"You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children."
~~Madeleine L’Engle
One of the problems at Bristol is that they increased the seating to somewhere around 160,000 (should have kept it around 90,000 or so). They thought race fan demands called for increasing the seating, but they over-thought the whole thing. They also wanted to make more money and thought they could. Unfortunately the economy dropped and the average race fans realized they couldn't afford the travel, over-priced motels & campsites, high ticket prices, expensive food, drinks, & souvenirs, traffic jams, etc.
By the way, IROC intended to have generic cars. The idea behind that was to put champion race drivers from various types of racing into similar cars so they could compete on the same level. It worked for a while, but it really didn't draw a lot of fan interest.
I am a race fan, having attended races for about 20 years (only Michigan, the Brickyard, and Bristol). We camp in the infield at Michigan twice a summer. Fan numbers are down big everywhere. Michigan over-built, but not to the extent that Bristol did. Michigan actually took down a big section of grandstands within the last two years. They also haven't increase ticket prices. That has helped, but there are other reasons that fans aren't coming back. I'm not sure whether it's the sport itself, the similar cars, or the economy. Maybe all of that. Besides, it can be boring to watch (and I call myself a race fan).
This is our last year of two races a year at Michigan. We'll drop the June race in 2013 and keep the August race. We dropped the Brickyard tickets three years ago because it was a long haul with the camper, camping prices were high, they charged more for entering the track for practice & time trials, and it was always hotter than heck down there. We only did Bristol once and that was in a tent for a March race about 5-6 years ago and it was cold and snowy.
Watching a race at home costs less. The bathrooms are closer and the beer is cheaper. If you want to enjoy some racing attend a local track. You can't beat the prices, you can sometimes take in your own coolers, and the racing can be lots of fun. Nascar races last for hours where as local tracks have shorter races with several different classes of race cars/trucks.
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