*Turn 2 Blog is a regular feature on InsideDirtRacing.com. Here, site operators Michael Moats and Richard Allen take turns offering their thoughts on the dirt racing topics of the day from east Tennessee and beyond.
Richard: Ready or not, it’s football time in Tennessee!
Whether you consider yourself a fan of high school football, college football, the NFL or none of the above, there is no doubt that the beginning of that sport’s season has an impact on racing. That seems to be particularly true in the South where football is king.
A look at the racing calendar does indeed show a drop off in the number of big races within our immediate area over the next few weeks and months. Of course, there are some significant shows remaining, but those have to be carefully scheduled around the Vols and the numerous high schools throughout the region. Scheduling a race when Tennessee has a home game then realizing that a TV network has made that contest a night game could definitely hurt race attendance.
While there are race fans who would not allow any other activity to get in the way of their racing attendance, there are not enough of those folks to assure an event’s success. Tracks require attendance by the ‘casual fan’ to make money and those fans will often pick a football rivalry over racing so promoters have little choice but to work around the grid iron.
I’m actually of the opinion that football has a bigger impact on area racing than NASCAR in Bristol or anywhere else ever could. I know you’re a big football fan. What are your thoughts?
Michael: The old saying that football is king is definitely true. This area, really this region, has a big love affair with football on any level. I watched part of the Fulton-Maryville high school game and saw the massive crowd they had for that game. I wondered what it would be like to have that crowd at a race every weekend or even a few weekends. The national tours draw crowds like that, but the regional and weekly races do not. Just part of the times.
As you mentioned, I am a huge football fan. When the weather gets cooler, I mostly prefer to stay at home and watch some games instead of standing in the cold when a program seems to drag on and on. I’m sure other people feel as I do. It’s hard to compete with that.
I agree that football has a bigger impact than Bristol does at this time. The same probably could not have been said 15 years ago.
I wonder how a Lucas or World of Outlaws race would fare on one of these weekends. I remember in 1999 when Volunteer Speedway had a Hav-A-Tampa race the same night as the UT-Florida game. It was an away game. The stands were packed. But that was 16 years ago. It would be interesting to see how one of those events would fare today.
Richard: I think you’re right to bring up the thought of a Lucas or World of Outlaws event at this time of year. I’m no track owner or promoter so it’s easy for me to speculate. But it seems to me that given a choice between a Tennessee game played on the road or a special event, the racing program might be able to garner a good crowd on a Saturday night. But “might” is the critical word in that previous sentence.
Friday nights around places such as Knox/Blount/Sevier Counties as well as the Chattanooga/Cleveland area are tough due to the football traditions among the high schools in those places. And those are places from which race tracks would depend on for heavy fan support.
Again, I’m not talking about the die-hard fans here. They will come to the track no matter what else is going on. Unfortunately, there aren’t as many of those as there used to be.
That said, many tracks are beginning to wind down their weekly racing shows or are doing things to get the attention of fans and drivers alike by emphasizing particular classes or adding to purse money.
Odd as it may seem, area tracks have probably benefited over the past few years by the fact that the University of Tennessee football program has been down. Now that the Vols appear to be on their way back up, it will be interesting to see where that leaves racing in east Tennessee.
I’ve always thought that tracks should begin to wrap up their regular seasons and focus on well planned special events after Labor Day. What are your thoughts?
Michael: When I was working at Atomic Speedway when Carson Branum owned it, his schedule was to start in late March, have a big race on Labor Day weekend, run another points race or two, then have one more decent event to close out the year. I always thought that was the way to run a schedule in this area.
There are some exceptions. It does appear tracks in between the major metro areas tend to do a little better than most during football season. They are located in towns that don’t have much going on.
The one complaint I hear about tracks ending their season in the fall is from die hard fans that say they don’t care about football. They also point out other tracks that are still running. My response has always been, just as you said, tracks don’t make money or lose money because of the die hard fans. Success comes from the average fan walking through the gate. If they don’t come, a track has a hard time making money. Just because another track is still open doesn’t necessarily mean it is are making money.
I will add this. Even in college football season, fans are slowly starting to stay at home more and more because of higher ticket prices and being able to watch every game on high definition TV. Maybe on a night when a promoter wants to race when there is a game, they can offer some televisions set up with the game on in hopes of getting people to watch some racing and the game.
Richard: I said when it first came out several years ago that high definition television would change the landscape of sports viewing and attendance. Granted, it was a pretty easy prediction but it does appear to be happening.
To change the focus away from our area, there are plenty of big races coming up in other parts of the country. The World 100, the Hillbilly Hundred, the Knoxville Nationals, the Dirt Track World Championship and the World of Outlaws World Finals ares still on tap.
From a national standpoint, this is the time to make money and make a move in the standings.
After a season totally dominated by Jonathan Davenport in the sport’s biggest races, it appears now that drivers Scott Bloomquist and Josh Richards are poised to make a move. Each has started to rack up wins of late. Can either of those guys or someone else such as Jimmy Owens, Don O’Neal or Shane Clanton step up and steal some of Davenport’s thunder in these big events?
Michael: I believe most people know what Davenport and team are doing regarding with their setup of the car. Therefore, they have been working on their own cars. I think you are seeing that pay off with Bloomquist’s recent wins where he beat Davenport. Richards seems to be back on his game, but Clanton is still running strong.
I think the events were all these drivers will be at the same race will make for some interesting racing. The next race like that is the World 100. Could be a wild night at Eldora.
