Kyle Busch’s NASCAR Triple at Bristol

[TedN]

Gotta agree with the "Dean of Speed" on this one.


And for those media organizations — hello ESPN, hello ABC, hello Sports Illustrated, hello Associated Press — to paint Busch’s three wins as an extraordinarily special sporting moment is simply embarrassing.

Yes, he won a NASCAR Truck race against a bunch of old guys and Nationwide race against a gaggle of not-ready-for-prime-time drivers.

But really, shouldn’t the focus be on why NASCAR allows its top pros to drop down one and two levels of competence just to pad their win stats?

Link (http://www.torontosun.com/sports/autos/2010/08/22/15107761.html)

Ted

[Fio1]

To be honest, I thought he already accomplished this last year or the year before. He wins all the time in trucks and Busch (whatever). It's basically cherry-picking, but who cares?

[BarillaGirl]

But really, shouldn’t the focus be on why NASCAR allows its top pros to drop down one and two levels of competence just to pad their win stats?

This has puzzled me for so long. It's like letting A-Rod play for the Clippers if the Yankees don't have a game that day. You should be in one tier or the other.

[Andrew Longman]

This has puzzled me for so long. It's like letting A-Rod play for the Clippers if the Yankees don't have a game that day. You should be in one tier or the other.

That would be Scranton-Wilkes Barre Yankees (AAA) or Trenton Thunder(AA). Clippers are now Indians affiliates. :gomer:

Point taken though.

The thing is from a promoters POV filling out the weekend schedule to get people to bother showing up for more than Sunday (and buying beer and hotdogs) is challenge enough without adding no name drivers to the bill. I think that has some to do with it and the same logic holds for increasing the value of the Nationwide and Truck TV contracts.

Oval racing, compared to road racing, doesn't have nearly the tradition of going to the track and camping out for three days and watching a host of races. At the Glen NASCAR barely fills a half each day with on track activities and the fans don't seem to care. Compared to CART at RA, TO or Cleveland, for example, stuff was going on practically dawn to dust each day. In the end I think that is better for the sport and builds deeper and greater fan interest for those who actually attend.

[TKGAngel]

The thing is from a promoters POV filling out the weekend schedule to get people to bother showing up for more than Sunday (and buying beer and hotdogs) is challenge enough without adding no name drivers to the bill. I think that has some to do with it and the same logic holds for increasing the value of the Nationwide and Truck TV contracts.

What's really interesting about the whole thing is that NASCAR announced that they are lowering the Nationwide purses for next year by about 20% in order to make things more profitable for the tracks.

On a sort of related note, I remember reading an article recently that stated NASCAR was gobsmacked that a $25 admission fee on a Friday that got fans Cup, Truck & Nationwide on-track action of some sorts got people in the stands and packed the place.

[BarillaGirl]

That would be Scranton-Wilkes Barre Yankees (AAA) or Trenton Thunder(AA). Clippers are now Indians affiliates. :gomer:

Point taken though.

I knew someone would correct me. Thanks! :thumbup:

You know, it never made any sense for them to be a Yankees farm team anyway.... did it? (Braces self to hear Clippers history)

[Andrew Longman]

No, it never made sense. Scranton is a 2+ hr drive to the Stadium. Trenton about 90 min. Traffic willing.;)

The Yanks now even have an A ball team on Staten Island.

Except that Scranton was a Phillies affiliate forever and Trenton is as much a Philly market as NY, the consolidation of minor league teams nearby also helps build/support the fan base. Fans get to see and root for the prospects as they move up and occasionally see the star during rehab starts and such.

Back on topic I saw too that the lowering of purses was to help track owners. It made me pause because teams have to make money too and sponsorship isn't exactly falling out of the trees.

I don't profess to fully know the details of the business model but Indy has long suffered IMO from way too low purses that had they been bigger, way bigger, would have attracted teams, publicity and fans to the spectacle in numbers that would cause TG to never worry about teams holding him hostage. In the food chain, I see track owners down the list a bit in terms of the factors that raise all tides and ships.

[dando]

I knew someone would correct me. Thanks! :thumbup:

You know, it never made any sense for them to be a Yankees farm team anyway.... did it? (Braces self to hear Clippers history)

Steinbrenner was from Cleveburg. He graduated from The OSU after a stint in WWII, and donated a ton of $$$ to The OSU, including the jack for a building for TBDBITL. In the 70s, after the Clippers' parent the Pirates switched affiliations (not sure where), the NYY moved into Cbus in the 80s. NYY moved out a couple of years ago (followed by 2 years of Nats affiliation futility, and now second year of Tribe affiliation). Her endeth the lesson, grasshopper. :D

-Kevin

[cameraman]

It doesn't matter in the end (talking AAA here, **** Kyle Busch) The Salt Lake Bees are the AAA team for the Angels. I'd wager that half the crowd at any given Bees game have no clue. It's the Salt Lake Bees and very few people in Utah care about MLB but the Bees draw healthy crowds.

[BarillaGirl]

Here endeth the lesson, grasshopper. :D

Thank you, sensei! Thank you! (Shall I stain your deck for you?)

[Indy]

Anyone else notice how profoundly uninteresting any NASCAR-based controversy is? Could that be because there is no actual racing to talk about in NASCAR, therefore the only discussions to have about it are based on contrived situations and phony dramas?

Die, NASCAR, die. And please take all of your fans with you. The gene pool is badly in need of an upgrade.

[Don Quixote]

Thank you, sensei! Thank you! (Shall I stain your deck for you?)No, you have to grab a rock out of his hand. Geeesh.

[Methanolandbrats]

Anyone else notice how profoundly uninteresting any NASCAR-based controversy is? Could that be because there is no actual racing to talk about in NASCAR, therefore the only discussions to have about it are based on contrived situations and phony dramas?

Die, NASCAR, die. And please take all of your fans with you. The gene pool is badly in need of an upgrade.

It's on the same level as wraslin', maybe worse.

[oddlycalm]

It's on the same level as wraslin', maybe worse.
Two big steps below roller derby.

oc

http://www.aetv.com/rollergirls/images/rg_sport_2.jpg

[Methanolandbrats]

Two big steps below roller derby.

oc

http://www.aetv.com/rollergirls/images/rg_sport_2.jpg

Grate idea! The next ratings booster for cab races. Have the wives come down off the pit boxes and brawl behind pit lane :thumbup:

[cameraman]

Grate idea! The next ratings booster for cab races. Have the wives come down off the pit boxes and brawl behind pit lane :thumbup:

Won't that be Danica's job?

[BarillaGirl]

Won't that be Danica's job?

Splendid! Now, at the pre-race meeting drivers can draw one of several "short sticks": underdog win, revenge in the pit lane, or catfight in the infield mud wrestling pit.

If the Princess pulls off that trifecta, it should be a ratings and sponsorship bonanza. :eek::eek: