NASCAR HotPass on HR10-250

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Huh I didn't know anyone attended those road rallys. When NASCAR restricts the Hired drivers maybe those races will mean more to me. But the top is a must at almost all the tracks, well except Bristol unless you like climbing 300 flights of stairs? Thank god for the elevators they put in.

But for the most part theres really still only a handful of tracks that viewing the entire track isn't possible.

 

Actually, as I originally said I'm a fan or racing, not just one driver. Honestly, there are only a handful of drivers I don't like. Besides, do you really think Hotpass is ever going show anyone but the top 5 "fan favorites?"

As to attending races, I don't anymore. My husband and I decided to "vote with our dollars" after the 2005 season and gave up all our NASCAR tickets (with zero regrets). The competition is so poor lately, it wasn't worth putting up with the crowds in the grandstands, campground, and the constant increase of prices by the tracks. We still love racing and still go to a lot of races live (just not NASCAR anymore).

Honestly, the money is the least of our concerns; we just got tired of the extortion by NA$CAR for a product that is a shell of what it was in the late 80s and early 90s, so that's why I'd never pay for Hot Pass either. Haven't given in and traded my XM for Sirius either. Too many good music channels on XM to give it up just because NA$CAR decided to prop up a company that claimed it was filing for bankcruptcy a few years ago (and could not longer sponsor a race team). Yet, they could afford to paying millions to be the "excusive satellite service of NA$CAR..."

Cheryl

 

Do you think Juan Montoya is a fan favorite? He's on 797 this week.

 

Pocono a road race? Are you sure you know your tracks?

 

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NA$CAR and the media are doing everything they can to make him one...

Cheryl

 

NA$CAR is just following the lead of all the other professional sports. I still enjoy the competition. The high tech aspect of the sport is what really keeps me interested in it.

 

Uh yeah I know my tracks but the first 2 you mention were Road Tracks.

And Cheryl, My father and I are doing exactly the same. Were down to just 2 races this year for NA$CAR. The last few years of NA$CAR trying to out due the NFL. I just hasn't like you stated been worth the hassle. NA$CAR is more worried about attracting new fans that will grow tired of the fad and probably never attend another race. While at the same time alienating the true fans that allowed NA$CAR to get where it is today. California is the perfect example Hollywood doesn't care for the race is just another appearence opportunity for them, as shown by the number of empty seats I noticed last year. Though we were in and out of Fontana in no time unlike other tracks.

 

anyone notice that Stewart's channel last week did not have RPM's or Spedometer? and the lack of radio chatter?
I also figure if I am going to pay $100 and have to put up with commercials..

 

Track Pass didn't have it either at least at the beginning of the race.

 

My husband and I actually went to 12 Cup races in 2001. Then, ISC used 9/11 as an excuse to limit what fans could bring into the track (hard-sided coolers). I don't drink that much and never did at the Cup races on Sunday (because of the horrible bathroom lines). But it was the principle that they were charging folks so much for even a simple bottle of water. And the fact, this caused "fans" to be up and down the aisles all race long, blocking MY view. In addition, the first race we went to in 2001 after ISC required those silly non waterproof "bags" was at Rockingham in November. The bags began leaking immediately and we were forced to sit in an inch of ice cold water all day long in freezing temps. Not my idea of fun. The next year at Talladega, the same thing only it was very hot. Ice melted from folks coolers in the upper deck hours before the race even started, so we had water dripping on us the entire race. Plus the fact, the racing there had gotten SO boring. We just looked at each other and said "it's absurd to drive over 700 miles each way to be miserable during a boring race." So, then the Talladega tix went the way of Rockingham the previous year.

We pretty much started limiting ourselves to tracks not owned by ISC and who didn't make the claim that the cooler limitations were for my "safety" not because ISC wanted to make more money on concessions. Funny the tracks not owned by ISC could ensure my safety while still allowing folks to bring in hard-sided coolers. So that only left Charlotte, Martinsville and Dover. Charlotte is one of our favorite tracks and we had primo seats there - halfway up the grandstands, but right up from entrance and right at the start/finish line. Unfortuantely the seats were slapped on concrete in the 60s and there was NO leg room. I'm only 5' tall and I felt claustrophic in them with 200,000 of [not] my closest friends. Not to mention the campground was so crowded, two RV's couldn't open their awnings at the same time. We both loved the Coca-Cola 600, but all the hassle just got to be too much for us.

In 2004, we were down to only Dover and Martinsville and then ISC purchased ALL of the Martinville stock from Clay Campbell. After we had already paid for our tix for the 2005 spring race, it was announced that the track "miraculously" got a liquor license (after 50 years of not being able to obtain one). So, now the ISC cooler restrictions were in place there as well so they could sell the fans beer. Funny, Martinsville was safe for us from 2001-2005, but all of a sudden it wasn't? Let me tell you, the last race I went to there was horrible! We had awesome aisle seats coming out of turn 4 to the straightaway. Unfortunetly, I couldn't see any of the turn 4 action because there was a constant stream of people in the aisle all day going up and down to buy concessions. That was it for me for my 2nd favorite track. Why be there live if you can't see any of the action?

Dover didn't have any cooler restrictions (yeah!), but they little by little starting raising the ticket prices and instead of having general admission on Saturday, they starting reserving many of the good seats for the Busch race as well. Over the years, we loved Dover because you could go up there and stay all day Friday and Saturday in general admission, spread out, relax and enjoy all the practice, qualifying and BGN races. Have a few beers and not have to hassle with restroom lines. Then on Sunday, you'd be sandwiched in like sardines and if you tried to go the bathroom, you'd miss 50 laps of the race waiting in line. It just got to be too much hassle for both us for so little return (good racing).

One last thing. Camping at Dover when we first camped there in 1997 was $25 for the entire weekend and the campground was first-come, first serve. We live close enough we could drive over to Dover after work on Thursday and get a great camping spot. The last year we were there (2005), the camping had been steadily climbing in price and you had to be on the super-secret reserve list (which were fortunate to luck into). The price was now $150 (which, isn't really bad compared to the $119 a night I paid for a motel before I camped). But it was just the principle that the same small mud hole of ground had gone up that much. Yes, I understand "supply and demand" but again, it was just extortion IMHO. We'd already decided to give up our tickets and camping spot before that last weekend in June. As we checked into the campground, we were given a flyer stating that if you wanted a camping spot the next year, you had to purchase Cup and Busch tickets for both weekends to qualify for the camping spot. Everyone in the campground was complainign about it, but by the end of the weekend, they all said "but we'll pay it..." We just smiled and said "we'd already decided we aren't coming back before we saw this." They just couldn't believe it.

That's the problem with NA$CAR, so many folks plan weeks of vacation around races and enjoy the time with friends (which is part of the charm). They'll ***** about the prices, restrictions, and lack of competition, but they keep renewing their tickets. As much as I still love good racing, I just decided I wasn't going to let NA$CAR continue to sucker me in with a shell of what it once was. This is why I'd never pay for Hot Pass either. I've listened to a real scanner at the track and had control of how many or how few drivers I listened to and I just find it a poor excuse for any amount of money.

Sorry for the rant...

Cheryl

 

^^Well said.

 

ASSCAR/ISC has totally screwed up the cup series.

Tune out the cars and tune in to truck series. That's where the real racing is.