Full Fields

Only 38 Entires for the Rock? After getting only 38 entry forms
for next
week's race at Rockingham, N.C., NASCAR and speedway officials
worked the
telephones this week trying to get part-time teams to show up. A
lack of
sponsorship has reduced the number of full-time teams to 36,
meaning a lot
of fields in the future might include teams that show up just to
collect
last-place money.(Auguast Chronicle)(2-12-2004)

So - which tracks this year WILL draw full fields:

Daytona - already done - maybe not the 400 tho
Indy for sure - purse is big enough
the short tracks usually pull 45-50 entries
the road courses always pull enough with all the one off drivers

But where else...where do the little teams draw the line at last
place money versus economic sense. How long before NBS teams are
asked to be field fillers on weekends they are at the same track.

"Shock" <who@nowaydude.com> wrote in message
news:102njmtj1oma3a8@corp.supernews.com...
>
> "SimRacer" <nospam@simracer68@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:eYNWb.4377$jx3.332248@twister.southeast.rr.co m...
> > "Sanitarium" <me@home.com> wrote in message
> > news:UuMWb.296975$na.450291@attbi_s04...
> > <SNIP>
> > > So - which tracks this year WILL draw full fields:
> > >
> > > Daytona - already done - maybe not the 400 tho
> > > Indy for sure - purse is big enough
> > > the short tracks usually pull 45-50 entries
> > > the road courses always pull enough with all the one off drivers
> > >
> > > But where else...where do the little teams draw the line at last
> > > place money versus economic sense. How long before NBS teams are
> > > asked to be field fillers on weekends they are at the same track.
> > >
> >
> > Frankly, I'd think people skipping the Rock would be a telling sign. You
> > mention economic sense, and yet Rockingham is only an hour or so from
> > Charlotte. Why wouldn't even the smallest team based anywhere near
> > Moorseville/Charlotte not want to drive an hour, hour and a half to get
in
> > the show and make at least last place money? I could see it if the
second
> > race was Fontana, Phoenix, Michigan *maybe*, but right down the road
from
> > prolly 90% of the shops in the sport? Telling sign, but of how big a
> > problem?
> >
> >
>
> Rockingham is a lousy track.
>
> Shock
>

Don't believe what you read. Rockingham is a great track, one of the best on
the circuit as far as exciting races IMO.

Have you ever been there in person?

"SimRacer" <nospam@simracer68@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:xfQWb.4406$jx3.354052@twister.southeast.rr.co m...
> "Shock" <who@nowaydude.com> wrote in message
> news:102njmtj1oma3a8@corp.supernews.com...
> >
> > "SimRacer" <nospam@simracer68@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> > news:eYNWb.4377$jx3.332248@twister.southeast.rr.co m...
> > > "Sanitarium" <me@home.com> wrote in message
> > > news:UuMWb.296975$na.450291@attbi_s04...
> > > <SNIP>
> > > > So - which tracks this year WILL draw full fields:
> > > >
> > > > Daytona - already done - maybe not the 400 tho
> > > > Indy for sure - purse is big enough
> > > > the short tracks usually pull 45-50 entries
> > > > the road courses always pull enough with all the one off drivers
> > > >
> > > > But where else...where do the little teams draw the line at last
> > > > place money versus economic sense. How long before NBS teams are
> > > > asked to be field fillers on weekends they are at the same track.
> > > >
> > >
> > > Frankly, I'd think people skipping the Rock would be a telling sign.
You
> > > mention economic sense, and yet Rockingham is only an hour or so from
> > > Charlotte. Why wouldn't even the smallest team based anywhere near
> > > Moorseville/Charlotte not want to drive an hour, hour and a half to
get
> in
> > > the show and make at least last place money? I could see it if the
> second
> > > race was Fontana, Phoenix, Michigan *maybe*, but right down the road
> from
> > > prolly 90% of the shops in the sport? Telling sign, but of how big a
> > > problem?
> > >
> > >
> >
> > Rockingham is a lousy track.
> >
> > Shock
> >
>
> Don't believe what you read. Rockingham is a great track, one of the best
on
> the circuit as far as exciting races IMO.
>
> Have you ever been there in person?
>
>

Yes, several times. I just don't care much for it, but I know a lot of
people do like it. Just MHO.

Shock

Greg Eglinton wrote:

> Isn't that kind of a farce? Show up just to increase the starting grid?

IMO, yes.

> Why would NASCAR care how many cars are starting? From what you have stated in
> the past there are no minimum requirements for a starting grid.

I don't think they should care. The whole notion of having a full field
every week is relatively new (only going back to 1998). However, so many
people are preaching doom and gloom about NASCAR, and I don't think the
boys in Daytona want to give the detractors a leg to stand on.

The fact is, as every form or racing has become more high-profile and
more expensive, the field has shrunk. It's a more exclusive club than it
used to be, but that isn't a necessarily a bad thing. I'd rather have 30
out 36 cars having a good shot at winning than having 10 out of 43.

> Free money? If they are field fillers does NASCAR cover all their expenses?
> Like entry fees, tire costs, crew expenses, wear and tear on the
> components, repair costs if they are involved in an accident? You say that
> they could enter a backup car but do they also have a full over the wall
> team, extra spotters, crew chiefs and such? It doesn't appear that it is
> really "free" money. What are the costs to go through an engine and tranny
> after a race?

That depends on the team, I guess. Guys like Shepherd and Shelmerdine
can probably make an engine last 5 or 6 races. OTOH, I'm guessing that
Jack Roush would change out an engine even if it only ran 20 laps, which
ups the marginal cost of running a backup car somewhat.

How much does a Cup motor cost? I'm not sure. The IRL has a ceiling
price of $75,000 or $80,000 per motor, but I don't know how much more
expensive their motors are than Cup motors (not much, I would guess).

bp

"SimRacer" <nospam@simracer68@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:eYNWb.4377$jx3.332248@twister.southeast.rr.co m:

> Frankly, I'd think people skipping the Rock would be a telling sign.
> You mention economic sense, and yet Rockingham is only an hour or so
> from Charlotte. Why wouldn't even the smallest team based anywhere
> near Moorseville/Charlotte not want to drive an hour, hour and a half
> to get in the show and make at least last place money? I could see it
> if the second race was Fontana, Phoenix, Michigan *maybe*, but right
> down the road from prolly 90% of the shops in the sport? Telling sign,
> but of how big a problem?

I was thinking the exact same thing, especially since Rockingham is
a very popular track with the drivers. The only factor I can think
of that might explain it, is the Rock is hard on tires, which means
a big tire bill if a team intends on running the whole race (and
more credit to the small teams if they don't want to show up for
just 10 laps).

Las Vegas usually gets a bunch of one-off sponsorships for some
reason (probably marketing dweebs figuring they can justify an
expenses paid trip), so there should be a good field there. But
this doesn't bode all that well for the races following.

John

Barry Posner <bup100@psu.edu> wrote in news:402C055F.1661985C@psu.edu:

> How much does a Cup motor cost? I'm not sure. The IRL has a ceiling
> price of $75,000 or $80,000 per motor, but I don't know how much more
> expensive their motors are than Cup motors (not much, I would guess).

Somewhere around $25k or so, at the field filler end of the spectrum
(2 to 3 times that, at the sharp end). Freshening a motor costs
much less, and a engine can probably go a couple of thousand laps
before the block is worn out.

John

maybe nascar should make a deal. tell the two teams that did not make the 500
this week that they can run if they agree to run at rockingham.