[The Champ]

Originally Posted by Mark74ta

They have priced the tickets out of site...

Have you been to a professional sports game lately? Ticket prices are more expensive for NHL, NBA and NFL. I haven't been to a MLB game in over a decade - but for good seats at a ball game can be just as/if not more expensive than NASCAR tickets.

When you compare the amount of action you see at a racetrack vs. a stick and ball sport - the race tickets are cheap!

FWIW - I have been an NFL season ticket holder for about a decade and just purchased a partial NHL season ticket for next season. My "cheap" seat ticket for the NHL playoff game in St. Paul tomorrow night is a $60.00 ticket. If I wanted seats "on the glass" - they would have been $380.00 per game.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by Mark74ta

no but got know him through some people in Daytona. He was a very out spoken person and did alot of development for the auto industries. Brian France in my opion has screwed the sport up. They have priced the tickets out of site and the sponsorship money is crazy. Noted on the news the other day that the government may quit sponsoring do to expense and return?

From 2011 the momentum is continuing to build to remove USA Military sponsorship of Racing. Agree, I too viewed a renewed focus on the topic last week, again, news highlighted $100 million spent on NASCAR sponsorship with no decernable return. Focus seems to continue on Jr and National Guard:

Congresswoman wants to end military's NASCAR sponsorships

"A member of Congress wants to end the military's sponsorship of NASCAR race teams, saying it's a waste of taxpayers' money.

Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minnesota, (Oh the irony, eh Champ? ) is offering an amendment to the 2011 House budget bill to ban the sponsorships, which her office said has cost the military $100 million over the past 10 years, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

The National Guard sponsors Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s team, the Army sponsors Ryan Newman, and the Air Force sponsors AJ Allmendinger, according to HamptonRoads.com.

"I would challenge the Pentagon to give me one example of someone today in Iraq or Afghanistan who saw the Go Army car going around the racetrack and that's why they joined the Army," Bill Harper, McCollum's chief of staff, told HamptonRoads.com. "It may be the reason why they go to Home Depot but not necessarily Afghanistan."

McCollum is in her sixth term and serves on the House Appropriations and Budget committees.

"NASCAR fans are the kind of people who fight America's wars, which would put into question the wisdom of banning the military's ability to reach out to them," NASCAR spokesman Randy Poston said in the HamptonRoads report.

More than 400 amendments to the budget bill have been offered. To become part of the law, they must survive subcommittee and committee votes as well as passage by the full House and Senate, followed by the president's signature. http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/16...-sponsorships/"
___________________________

To be fair, I've wondered how much longer it will be before ARMY removes NHRA Schumacher sponsorship as it did with Stewart-Haas in 2012.
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-med...ship-ends.html

[hada76]

Originally Posted by Alvin

From 2011 the momentum is continuing to build to remove USA Military sponsorship of Racing. news highlighted $100 million spent on NASCAR sponsorship with no decernable return.

"I would challenge the Pentagon to give me one example of someone today in Iraq or Afghanistan who saw the Go Army car going around the racetrack and that's why they joined the Army,"

after the recent news of how the VA is treating our returning vets, I might agree the money could be spent on better things.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by hada76

after the recent news of how the VA is treating our returning vets, I might agree the money could be spent on better things.

x 2

[Alvin]

This in today's email. Not surprised some are "all lathered up" about the touring "DCaCa!" Predictable...she might as well run for POTUS!

Race News - Is Danica Patrick's run a Kansas a sign she is turning corner in NASCAR Cup Series?

Patrick had all the speed she needed and the moxie to match, and the driver of the No. 10 Chevrolet scored a career-best seventh-place finish in Saturday night’s 5-Hour Energy 400. This was no fluke, no serendipitous fuel-mileage play. All night long, Patrick mixed it up with the superstars of stock-car racing, and, more often than not, held the upper hand..


http://www.autoweek.com/article/2014...AR01/140519969

[The Champ]

BTT

Danica did have a good run Saturday night. As already noted - blind squirrel finds nut...

With her best finish of the season - she is now in 27th place. She's 2 points ahead of some guy named Kurt Busch.

Which is one of the reasons I don't like this new (again) Chase system. Because Kurt has won a race - he's most likely going to make the Chase. Including his win - he's got 2 top 5 finishes - but he's behind Danica in the points.

At this point - he hasn't earned a spot in the Chase - anymore than Danica has.

[63Banshee]

Who's got money to put down on Panica in Charlotte?

[MikeNoun]

Sad that so many stories on mainstream news sites are focused on Danica. You'd think she won the race, instead of just getting a top 10. That car would have probably won the race easily if it was driven by Mark Martin.

I'm not a fan of The Chase system either, but the fans wanted a stick-and-ball type of playoff system, and they got it.

I think it's better this year by eliminating the bottom 4 drivers every 3 weeks, just like a true playoff system. That sounds logical, but I'm not a fan of what they will be doing for the final race, where the top 4 drivers will be having a free-for-all in one final race at Homestead.

Unlike stick-and-ball sports where the final series (or game) is between two competitors only, in NASCAR you have multiple teams still on the playing surface, and that's where the problem lies. There could all sorts of accusations when a backmarker car innocently drifts high and takes out (or damages) a Chase contender.

"Yeah, I just got a little loose, I feel bad about hitting Jeff Gordon" is something I could hear Greg Biffle saying, as Carl Edwards takes the title.

[The Champ]

Originally Posted by MikeNoun

Sad that so many stories on mainstream news sites are focused on Danica. You'd think she won the race, instead of just getting a top 10. That car would have probably won the race easily if it was driven by Mark Martin.

I think several of the members of the 2014 rookie class would have had a better finish on Saturday night than the touring princess in that car...

I'm not a fan of The Chase system either, but the fans wanted a stick-and-ball type of playoff system, and they got it.

Some of the fans wanted that. I'm sorry they listened to "those" fans.

Unlike stick-and-ball sports where the final series (or game) is between two competitors only, in NASCAR you have multiple teams still on the playing surface, and that's where the problem lies. There could all sorts of accusations when a backmarker car innocently drifts high and takes out (or damages) a Chase contender.

Which is why there should not be a "playoff" situation in NASCAR.

A season long campaign to have the highest point total - where consistency is rewarded over a few good races.

Kurt Busch is the poster child for my position right now. He's in the Chase (most likely), but is sucking hind tit (almost literally as he is behind Danica in the points).

Only the following 7 drivers are behind Kurt (211 points) and Danica (213 points) that have made all 11 races:


29 Justin Allgaier 198

30 Michael Annett 163

31 David Gilliland 159

32 Cole Whitt 147

33 Reed Sorenson 143

34 Alex Bowman 141

35 David Ragan 137

[Held for Ransom]

Originally Posted by MikeNoun

"Yeah, I just got a little loose, I feel bad about hitting Jeff Gordon" is something I could hear Greg Biffle saying, as Carl Edwards takes the title.

No, it would be Bowyer doing the cheating.

[MikeNoun]

Champ, do you have a list of who would have won the championship if it hadn't been for The Chase format? I think I recall you had that list before.

Well, I agree about Kurt Busch, but the season isn't over yet. He's had 2 top 5's and 2 top 10's, and a win, but 4 DNF's. Those DNF's are a killer. I think Busch will have a few more top 5's before the season is over.

It will be good for Stewart-Haas if they have 3 cars in the Chase (assuming Tony Stewart can finally turn his season around). Harvick is dominant right now, the way Kenseth was last year. He's going to be hard to beat.

I'm still waiting for them to announce a new rule to The Chase, that being a "fan vote" (you know that one is coming). Then they would get their dream, Danica in The Chase.

[The Champ]

Originally Posted by MikeNoun

Champ, do you have a list of who would have won the championship if it hadn't been for The Chase format? I think I recall you had that list before.

Well, I agree about Kurt Busch, but the season isn't over yet. He's had 2 top 5's and 2 top 10's, and a win, but 4 DNF's. Those DNF's are a killer. I think Busch will have a few more top 5's before the season is over.

It will be good for Stewart-Haas if they have 3 cars in the Chase (assuming Tony Stewart can finally turn his season around). Harvick is dominant right now, the way Kenseth was last year. He's going to be hard to beat.

I'm still waiting for them to announce a new rule to The Chase, that being a "fan vote" (you know that one is coming). Then they would get their dream, Danica in The Chase.

The last three years are convoluted because of the dramatic change in how points are awarded vs. the "classic" point system. But here are the top 5 for those years.

◦2013 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings without Chase:
[after Homestead, race 36 of 36]
1) #48-Jimmie Johnson(X) [6 wins], 1248
2) #29-Kevin Harvick(X) [4 wins], 1207, -41
3) #20-Matt Kenseth(X) [7 wins], 1192, -56
4) #18-Kyle Busch(X) [4 wins], 1163, -85
5) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.(X), 1144, -104

◦2012 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings without Chase:
(classic system using current points system but NOT the chase system - unoffical)
[after Homestead, race 36 of 36]
1) #2-Brad Keselowski(X) [5 wins], 1259
2) #16-Greg Biffle(X) [2 wins], 1240, -19
3) #48-Jimmie Johnson(X) [5 wins], 1231, -28
4) #17-Matt Kenseth(X) [3 wins], 1218, -41
5) #15-Clint Bowyer(X) [3 wins], 1213, -46

◦2011 Sprint Cup Driver Points Standings [not the Chase]:
[after Homestead, race 36 of 36]:
using the CURRENT points system, but NOT the Chase system, just points.
rank, car#, driver, points, behind
1) #99-Carl Edwards (x) [1 win], 1278
2) #29-Kevin Harvick (x)[4 wins], 1200, -78
3) #14-Tony Stewart (x)[5 wins], 1191, -87
4) #48-Jimmie Johnson (x)[2 wins], 1187, -91
5) #17-Matt Kenseth (x)[3 wins], 1183, -95

2004 - 2010 - who should have won vs who did:

Year Classic Points Champ
2004 Jeff Gordon (5) - Kurt Busch (2)
2005 Tony Stewart (2) - Tony Stewart
2006 Jimmie Johnson - Jimmie Johnson (2)
2007 Jeff Gordon (6) - Jimmie Johnson (3)
2008 Carl Edwards - Jimmie Johnson (4)
2009 Jimmie Johnson (2) - Jimmie Johnson (5)
2010 Kevin Harvick - Jimmie Johnson(6)

http://www.jayski.com/teams/chase-history.htm

As to Kurt - the season is not over yet - Busch... I agree - it isn't over. Kurt has the talent to finish ahead of Danica - I'm not worried about him overtaking her. But I don't think he'd be able to have a chance at winning the Championship under the classic system with the hole he's dug himself into.

And just in case you didn't realize - his 2 top 5's are the same as his 2 top 10's and include his win. If you eliminate those 2 races - his best finish is 21st. His average finish with a win and a 3rd place finish is 25.5. And there were only 3 DNF's in point races. The DNF in the Sprint Unlimited was meaningless.

Don't even think about a fan vote for the Chase...

[The Champ]

"I would challenge the Pentagon to give me one example of someone today in Iraq or Afghanistan who saw the Go Army car going around the racetrack and that's why they joined the Army," Bill Harper, McCollum's chief of staff, told HamptonRoads.com. "It may be the reason why they go to Home Depot but not necessarily Afghanistan."

McCollum, and her chief of staff, don't understand anything about marketing.

Neither one has ever been to a NASCAR race and witnessed the thousands of people going through the military displays at a race. It's not just the logo on the side of the race car - it's the access to tens of thousands of people for the entire race weekend.

I have. And my grandson has. My grandson graduates in a few weeks and is planning to enlist in the Air Force.

These display areas are for NASCAR sponsors only. That is what part of that $100 mil over 10 years has purchased. How much do TV commercials cost the military? Does anyone get to see/touch/feel anything while watching a commercial?

At the Coke 600 coming up in a few weeks over the Memorial Day weekend - there will be a huge military show for the fans.

I was there several years ago and watched the Golden Knights parachute team jump onto the infield grass, an artillery unit "blow up" a building, the Marine Band perform and a special forces unit rappel out of choppers onto the infield grass...



These are very unique things to see in person and up close. These things will influence young people more than a TV commercial for a sitcom.

[63Banshee]

One reason I like Kurt is because he's 1 of 2 drivers I've seen the last 20 years make moves like you see in Days of Thunder, which shouldn't be possible. The other is Dale Sr.

[arbys]

Kenin Grubb was another RIP.

[67_Krewzer]

#7. Danica Patrick
Yearly Income: $12.9 million
Basic Salary/winnings: $6.4 million
Sponsorship Money: $6.5 million

If you take Danica's salary and divide it by her winnings and she STILL makes 6.4 million. Wow she really sucks.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by 67_Krewzer

If you take Danica's salary and divide it by her winnings and she STILL makes 6.4 million.
Wow she really sucks.

[1969GTO]

she was in Syracuse NY yesturday promoting 1 of her sponcers. [Aspen Dental]
Geee that was exciting.........NOT
no one knew she was in town till the 6pm news.

[David Holmberg]

Those salaries are why there is complacency in sports today, IMHO.

Why would anyone push the limits, and endanger themselves, when they can play it safe and make that kind of money?

Who watches the NBA during the regular season? We all know its the playoffs when they actually start playing real basketball.

Hungry people always put more in, because they depend on the outcome.

Lee Trevino was asked how much pressure there was on making a putt to win in the 18th hole. Lee laughed and said "That's not pressure, pressure is standing over a 10 foot putt on the last hole to win a $500 bet when you only have $10 in your pocket"...

[PonchoV8]

How do you spot a marketing Prima donna? Look at their endorsement money. If it exceeds their winnings, you've found one....err two.