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Now with all that out of the way.....Let's make some laps!
It's a new month, and time for a new "Just My Thoughts". As the 2009 season quickly approaches, I have a few thoughts to cover.. so here goes:
1. DONNY LIA RETURNS - While I hate to see Chuck Hossfeld on the sidelines, I can not blame Mr. Garbarino for having Donny back in the Mystic Missle #4 for 2009. What Car Owner would pass up the chance to have their ONLY Championship winning driver back in the drivers seat ?
2. MATT HIRSCHMAN WITH NO RIDE - Ok, someone needs to help me out here. I know that a few teams were/are in need of a driver, so why are NONE looking in Matt's direction. Unfortunately I see the lack of a checkbook taking the place of talent in this situation. Or at least that is MY OPINION.
3. TICKET PRICES - I am hoping that some Track Owners will follow the trend that the Cup Series tracks are taking and LOWER THEIR PRICES. If you have empty seats at $30 dollars I bet they would be filled at $15 to $20. ONCE AGAIN THIS IS JUST MY OPINION. And while I am on the subject of prices NASCAR needs to seriously look at the license costs for crew members. These are the guys who really make the shows happen. Whether they or the car owners cover the costs, THEY ARE WAY TOO HIGH. And for some UNKNOWN reason the Northern licenses are more than the South. I don't get that one at all.
4. COMBINE THE TOURS!!!!!! - To me this is KEY to the survival of the Tour. The trend has allready begun, it just needs fine tuning. I PERSONALLY do not see the sense in either Tour visiting a track more than twice. In MY OPINION it is overkill, and takes away from the " I can't miss that show" attitude. If the number of races at certain tracks were lowered, I feel they could then raise the purses for the races they do host to attract more cars and perhaps even Television coverage. The three tracks that mainly would make the changes would be Caraway (NC) Speedway, Stafford (CT) Motor Speedway, and Thompson (CT) International Speedway. Again THIS IS JUST MY OPINION, but with a few tweaks I beleieve that this years Tour could have looked like this. Remember the two Tours would now be ONE.
The downtime in May and June would be used for RAIN DATES, although I would like to see Richmond, Dover, and Watkins Glenn on the schedule somewhere. The downtime is also a good time for tracks to host OPEN COMPETITION TYPE Events, and would also give teams a chance to regroup for a run at the seasons second half.
A question that came to mind is, why can't the Tour run at NON-NASCAR sanctioned tracks. Correct me if I am wrong, but Adirondack International Speedway is ASA sanctioned yet the NASCAR Camping World East Series runs there.
Well these are JUST MY THOUGHTS, you can agree or disagree I'd love to see what you think.
Thank you for reading and all your continuing support of the site,
-WMT-
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NASCAR MODIFIEDS...WHERE IT ALL BEGAN. LET'S REMIND NASCAR OF THEIR ROOTS.
I like the idea but without the purse money going up there is no way the teams will travel that much. I would like to see nascar step up and add purse money by taking a % out of the cup series to help out to build up the mods. For adding tracks like dover, I can't see the mods ever racing there because it is way to fast. I do see this to be in the future though. If they could ever get A TV deal its possible that it could become huge.
What will come of the Bristol race? What does everyone think the long term impact will be of what could be one of the greatest showcases of these cars in many years. There is no question that NASCAR controls it all. If a series is under their banner and it is not one of the big three, they experiment as they wish. Is there ever going to be a day where there is a national (east coast really) modified tour without the NASCAR sanction? With the reported newfound love for the modifieds with track owners like Bruton Smith, might a modified tour on this level run with more success?
Imagine if this tour traveled through the modified states, namely NH, CT, NY, NC & VA. Have a state series as well to honor long time modified tracks like Thompson, Caraway, Monadnock, & Stafford whom have had more than 2 modified races each year for a long time. For example the CT/MA Series would include Thompson, Stafford, Seekonk & Waterford each with 5 modified races. The National tour and state tour would be combined for the national tour dates at any of these tracks. In NY there are some tracks that run weekly or near weekly. Leave them to weekly races, more modified races is a good thing. With a few coordinated weekends, Shangri-La and DTRP could really but on a great non-conflicting schedule with the R.o.C. tour to crown a state champ as well as weekly ones. Throw in a handful of national events to go along with those R.o.C. (state) races and you understand what I am getting at. In NH All-Star, Lee, Monadnock, Twin State ect. would make a great state champ. Similar schedules in VA and NC could be put out.
If a TV deal was put together, even if tape delayed, all modified drivers would get there face on the tube at one point or another. A great way to develop and step up to the higher ranks from weekly to state to national. A lot of what ifs I know, but if I won a million for life, I would have fun with these thoughts.
if the cars can run bristol they can run any where. my thought, at bristol they will take off the plate and take gear out of the car this way you will have to lift
I have to agree that after the Tour sucessfully tested at Bristol Motor Speedway, the gates swung open for them to run nearly anywhere. I had previously mentioned Dover International Speedway. Dover had been a prospective track in the past, but teams were worried of wheel hub problems. I think after the test at Bristol, things may be reconsidered.
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NASCAR MODIFIEDS...WHERE IT ALL BEGAN. LET'S REMIND NASCAR OF THEIR ROOTS.
