that we will be hosting in March. I will not at all be surprised to see two races back here in the future”.
Come on now Gilligan, let’s get real here. If you honestly think that there will be two races at Otto Klubb Speedway in the future, then you really need to be drug tested. You tried marketing the track to the LaLaLand Lonny Tunes instead of the race fans and tried to do it on the weekend of the Oscars. Big mistake there. Then tried hyping the most boring track on the circuit into something it wasn’t. Another big mistake. Then tried gouging the fans on season ticket prices. Another big mistake. Do I need to continue to list the mistakes? Be grateful you’ve got Princess Lesa as your protector otherwise you’d have been gone a long time ago.
"We remain committed to providing unforgettable experiences to our loyal fans and we will continue to look at ways to diversify our schedule, working diligently to add exciting events for 2011 and beyond"
You should be committed. Unforgettable experiences like not being able to stroll in and check out the vendors unless you’ve got a race ticket? Rolfgag Puke’s unforgettable stewed prune and guacamole filled burritos that no blue collar race fan can afford? Appearances by LaLaLand’s B List Celebrities and performances by musically challenged singers that make a root canal seem pleasant? If you really want to diversify your schedule, first try putting in some banking so something other than IRL cars can race there. Maybe then, you could actually have a real Cup and Cup Lite show there. And maybe you might get some real racing series in there like the ALMS, ARCA, ASA, and some others. Forget trying to lure in the beautiful People and the LaLaLand Loonies. Price the tickets so the average blue collar working stiff can afford to go and take his family along. Get rid of Rolfgag Puke and the other garbage that is served up as a stimulant of food and get back to basics like burgers, hot dogs, fries, chips, and fried chicken at an affordable price instead of the usury prices that are normally charged. Maybe then you could get some folks in to see what’s going on.
"It's always bothered me that there's so much conversation about the attendance at the speedway. There was never anything wrong with the attendance here. There's nothing wrong with race fans here. They are tremendous. There are only four [ISC] tracks that outdraw us. Daytona, Talladega, Michigan and Richmond. We draw more fans per race than any other ISC racetrack. This was not an attendance decision. Ultimately this had a lot to do with economic conditions in Southern California. The fact is that the economy here seems to be recovering a lot more slowly than it is across the country."
Maybe Daytona and Talladega outdraw you because of the crapshoot, can’t wait to see the Big One plate races? Maybe Michigan outdraws you because it’s in the heart of the auto manufacturers region? Maybe Richmond outdraws you because there’s something akin to racing going on there? Maybe you tried to market the track to the wrong crowd? Maybe you laid way too much hype on the track activities that are passed off as racing? But not to worry. Once His Highness gets done botching up the 2011 schedule, you’ll have as many empty seats as the rest of the I$C tracks so you’ll be able to hold your head high about that. And don’t delude yourself thinking the economy is the only reason you can’t fill the seats. If you had something that resembled a race instead of a single file, high speed, parade lap, you might get some folks in the stands that will actually pay for the tickets instead of having to give away thousands to make it look half full.
"The biggest race of the year is not a Chase race. The Daytona 500 is not part of the Chase. In fact neither race at Daytona is part of the Chase. The Brickyard is not a Chase race. I don't think the most exciting, best races in NASCAR are determined as to whether they're Chase races or not. Not to take anything away from the Chase, but the race before the Chase in Richmond, that's, I think, one of the most exciting races of the year."
Wow, a real Master of the obvious statement about the Daytona 500 being the biggest race of the year and not being in the Chase for the Chumps. The most exciting race of the year? Darlington. Period. It’s challenged drivers for generations and continues to do so. It’s had some of the closest finishes on record. And they gave a Darlington date to Fontana for what? A snooze fest of unprecedented proportions? Martinsville’s races come in 2nd and the road races 3rd. The Richmond race before the play-offs could be exciting if your masters in Daytona would allow it to be exciting. Instead, drivers who aren’t play-off contenders are told not to race the contenders. So that takes away a lot of the excitement. The Car of Travesty just adds to the on-track malaise. The Brickyard has history. Not the race but the track itself. You can’t say the same thing for Fontana. The Brickyard has a fantastic museum which spans the history of racing there. Fontana has Rolfgag Puke’s. Not quite the same.
"There are fans who are very, very passionate about all 43 of the guys who are out there in that field. On March 27, when they will be racing at Auto Club Speedway, every driver still has a chance at the championship."
Yeah, there are fans who are passionate about all 43 cars. There are also fans who are passionate about only one car. There are fans who are passionate about only one make of car. There are fans who are passionate about only one driver no matter what car that driver is in. On March 27, we’ll see just how passionate the fans are and if they even bother to show up at the track. We know the Focks broadcast will only show us about 12 cars, cheerlead for a couple, and shill for one make of car and a bunch of products. But not every driver has a chance at the championship. It’s whoever Faux King Brian decrees in his storylines at the Charlotte Media Tour before the season begins that will have a chance. Travis Kvapil, Bobby Labonte,
Bill Elliott, Robby Gordon, David Gilliland, and a
host of others won’t have a chance at the
championship because they’re not in the
storylines. You can bet that if your name is in
the storylines, just like in the WWE, you’ve got
a shot at the championship. How many Ms Terry
DeBris cautions you get, how many multiple
GWC finishes are used to manipulate the finish,
and how many things are ignored during both
pre-race and post-race inspection will determine
your odds of winning races and winning the
championship.
And please don’t even think the weather is an
excuse. Fans have sat through freezing rain
and snow at The Rock and Bristol and blazing heat at Darlington, Atlanta, Daytona, Texas, and Charlotte. I’ve worked in that blazing heat in Texas and sat in the stands there too and it’s no picnic. So sorry Gilligan but a lot of fans throughout the country are not going to be giving you a pity party any time soon. You and your masters in Daytona made your beds so now you can sleep in them.
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