Washington About To Reject Nascar

[muggle not]

Looks like Washington (State Of) thinks Nascar is just a bunch of rednecks and they are about to reject a Nascar track:

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/6379922p-

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/6379922p-5690592c.html

Chopp was dismissive when asked about Petty, a hugely popular figure known as “the King” in the world of racing.

“You mean the guy who got picked up for DUI?” the House speaker asked. Chopp quickly added that he’d only heard about a drunken driving incident and wasn’t sure if it were true.

Still, the speaker made it clear he wasn’t impressed.

“He’s not a member of the House, last time I checked,” Chopp said.

Chopp has said repeatedly that no House Democrats have pushed him to support the NASCAR track. He says he doesn't hear from anyone about it. At a press availability earlier this month, when asked about NASCAR — as the Longview Daily News reported —

he pulled out a Wall Street Journal article sent to him by a legislator describing the rowdy crowds at the Talledega Speedway in Alabama.
The article reported that "hard-drinking" fans "whoop it up for days."

"These people are not the kind of people you would want living next door to you," Seaquist said. "They'd be the ones with the junky cars in the front yard and would try to slip around the law."

[Jag_Warrior]

Now Chopp is claiming that he didn't mean the NASCAR fans, what he really meant was the people who work at and for ISC... which makes no sense whatsoever. If he's worried that ISC is going to transfer Jessica, the secretary, to Washington State, and she'll bring her single wide trailer and junk cars with her, that's ridiculous. The $30K/year people that ISC would employ would probably be local hires. The ISC executives and managers that would transfer, I somehow don't think these deep six figure guys would bring down property values.

I do not agree with government funding of race tracks or sports complexes, but for a politician (of all things) to rag on the average fan like that, seems very uncalled for. I'd worry more about a politician living near me. I mean, they are known to steal, rob, rape, kill and molest children and animals. Seems like that's the type of person who would make property values go down.

[jslone]

Someone talking about a sport they know nothing about,great.Sooner or later there well be a track in the state of Washington.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Jslone, actually, no I think there wont be a track. It seems the clueless granola crunchers don't get that at least facilitating the building of a NASCAR class oval in that part of the world is an economic generator. Maybe this is what happens when you let libreal politicians loose with their own power for too long, they forget the rest of the world doesn't revolve around them.

[BenRoethig]

Personally,
I'd take a look at bringing Portland up to specs or building a track in BC just above the border east of White rock. There's a nice plot of land there.

[dont_be_jack]

Jslone, actually, no I think there wont be a track. It seems the clueless granola crunchers don't get that at least facilitating the building of a NASCAR class oval in that part of the world is an economic generator. Maybe this is what happens when you let libreal politicians loose with their own power for too long, they forget the rest of the world doesn't revolve around them.

I'll have you know that the same thing happens when conservative politicians stay in power too long.

I think that it's purely people talking out of their asses. We have a track here in Chicago and the atmosphere is totally different from 'Dega. Two different tracks, two different regions, two different fan reactions. I doubt you'll get as much of a party atmosphere in Washington as you get in 'Dega.

[umlaut]

The problem is that currently in Washington / Seattle, there is a very poor political climate surrounding private sports facilities built with public money.
Here is some recent history:
In 1995 the public voted down the Mariners Safeco field. The Mariners threatened to leave. The state pushed a tax package through and built it.[/*:m:j4mkalqf]
Later, they tore down the recently renovated Kingdome...a renovation which is still to this day being paid for.[/*:m:j4mkalqf]
In 1994-95, the public financed the rebuild of the Sonics Keyarena. They now say after 11 years that this (nice, but smaller than optimal) facility is obsolete and the Sonics new owners are threatening to move unless the State pitches 200+ million in for a new arena somewhere in Western WA. (Seattle voters passed an initiative last year banning new public facilities built for private for-profit sports leagues...so there is no way the Sonics will stay in the city.)[/*:m:j4mkalqf]
The Seahawks pushed an unpopular stadium tax deal through a few years ago, leading to the construction of Qwest field, 70% of which is being paid for by the public.[/*:m:j4mkalqf]So, I guess you could say that there is a very unfavorable condition in Western Washington right now for private sports franchises seeking public money to build their facilities.

That said, I favor a track, and this will go up for a public vote in a 3-county area to see if there is a public backing.

(I would actually love to see a Bristol-style .5 to .75 mile track built just over the mountains (1.5 hours from Seattle) in the much drier Ellensburg area of Eastern Washington.)

[ms0362]

I don't know why they're considering a race in the northwest anyway. Doesn't it rain 9 outta 10 days up there?... Sounds like they have some politicians that don't really research something very well before they stick their foots in their mouths as well.

[umlaut]

I don't know why they're considering a race in the northwest anyway. Doesn't it rain 9 outta 10 days up there?...

Actually, Florida gets more annual rainfall than Western Washington. the problem is that ours comes down in a steady drizzle instead of all at once.

Eastern Washington is very dry.

[BenRoethig]

That's because it's what's what's referred to as a rain shadow desert.

[R. Mears]

This may be slightly irrelevant but does nascar really need another event in their 36 race schedule? I know some of the drivers say there's enough/too many now.

[Jonesi]

This may be slightly irrelevant but does nascar really need another event in their 36 race schedule? I know some of the drivers say there's enough/too many now.

Nascar has said the schedule is maxed out. Any new race in Wash, Colo or NY will come at the expense of 2nd dates at older smaller tracks.

[Mark in Oshawa]

The fact NASCAR has 2 dates at half their tracks is killing them now, but I don't see ISC taking dates away from THEIR tracks to give to NASCAR, and you know Bruton Smith isn't going to give up dates.

The two races per track model is starting to bite NASCAR in the @ss really. I think the best way maybe handle this would be to make only your results for a 26 race sched up to the chase count for the points, making it possible for teams to take races off. THAT I think though is a whole other thread....

As for Washington not wanting to fund the building of a race track that is only really used once a year, I wouldn't vote for it either. As much as I love racing, I pay a whack of property taxes, and I hate having them used to line someone else's pockets to provide me with "entertainment".

[Mark in Oshawa]

By the way, I don't live in Washington, but the principle still applies. Property taxes to support the building of race track only works if the rest of the government is run with ethics and efficiency, and we all know THAT doesn't really happen...

[call_me_andrew]

I don't know why they're considering a race in the northwest anyway. Doesn't it rain 9 outta 10 days up there?... Sounds like they have some politicians that don't really research something very well before they stick their foots in their mouths as well.

That's why I've been pulling for Portland. Adding a road course and bringing rain tires back would be killing two birds with one stone.

I don't have a problem with using public funds for year-round sports facilities, but race tracks are different. A 20,000 seat hockey/basketball arena in a city with NHL and NBA teams, will host at least 82 games per year plus concerts and conventions. That can stimulate the local economy.

A 100,000 seat race track used once per year will bring less people to its event anually and consumes more space. That could help the local economy, but it would all come in one surge.

[Jonesi]

snip...A 100,000 seat race track used once per year will bring less people to its event anually and consumes more space. That could help the local economy, but it would all come in one surge.

Isn't intended to be a one race a year track, I think they said three big events. So Cup, probably Busch w/ Truck and then GrandAm, IRL? Most warm weather area tracks are used much more than people realize with Driver schools, filming commercials, SCCA, PCA, Corvette club. When there's a track available small series pop up that didn't exist before.
On the other hand, what Nascar is offering I don't think is a good deal for Wash. If they cut the local funds they want in half, they may have a chance for a deal.
Looking back on the proposed deal Nascar gave to Santa Clara County FG in San Jose CA in the mid 90s. It must be 10x better than the Wash, Colo or NJ deals, and they were turned down!

[call_me_andrew]

Isn't intended to be a one race a year track, I think they said three big events. So Cup, probably Busch w/ Truck and then GrandAm, IRL? Most warm weather area tracks are used much more than people realize with Driver schools, filming commercials, SCCA, PCA, Corvette club. When there's a track available small series pop up that didn't exist before.

How many IRL races bring in 100,000 fans at places where the track's name doesn't rhyme with "Mindy"? You're not going to have that many people show up at club and SCCA events.

[Jonesi]

How many IRL races bring in 100,000 fans at places where the track's name doesn't rhyme with "Mindy"? You're not going to have that many people show up at club and SCCA events.

I don't expect them to, I would think that a Busch race will fill +50%, other pro events about 1/3. The smaller events may not even have any spectators, but they pay the bills on staff, etc and bring $ into the local community. Willows has grown quite a bit since Thunderhill opened, and Buttonwillow has grown from their nearby track.

[Jonesi]

Latest on this has ISC pulling out, after getting a modified offer from WA. No word on what the changes were but it's a safe bet it was less $ from WA.

[BenRoethig]

Oh well, there's always Portland.

[SOD]

Jslone, actually, no I think there wont be a track. It seems the clueless granola crunchers don't get that at least facilitating the building of a NASCAR class oval in that part of the world is an economic generator. Maybe this is what happens when you let libreal politicians loose with their own power for too long, they forget the rest of the world doesn't revolve around them.


you might want to check the deal that the ISC has with the local governemnt regarding kansas spedway.

The local govt built a speedway using tax-payers money. The ISC has a lease that allows the ISC to collect ALL commercial & ticket sales revenue from the track. The loval kansas govt gets nothing for their funding of the track.

The track might be an economic generator of sorts. check whose economy is being generated, the ISCs.

the deal in Kansas is very self-serving for the ISC.