DRIVER ZONE:
Overall Rank: 558
Overall Score: 4 points
URL: /archidude
Member since: 09/04/2007
Number of hits: 1982
Location: Brevard, NC
Quote/Motto: I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve. -Bilbo Baggins
Favorite Driver: Mark Martin
Who Am I:
I am a self-employed architect, and thanks to my daddy I have been a race fan for about 47 years.
Favorite Track:
Richmond International Raceway
Favorite Racing Moment:
Sonoma 1989: Mark Martin rolling his car on its roof, climbing out, running to the pits to wait for his car to get towed back, climbing back in the car and continuing racing.
How I discovered Rowdy, and why I Listen:
I do not remember how I found Rowdy, but somehow found Rowdy about 2 years ago.
Why I'm a race fan:
Became a racing fan as a kid in Indiana in the early 1960s. Roger Ward was my favorite driver after I got a mug with his image on it from a gas station in 1960. Roger Ward proved to be a good favorite driver. I got into NASCAR in 1989 at Richmond. At Richmond, I didn't want to or expect to get hooked, but couldn't help myself.
What car/truck I drive now:
2008 Honda Civic LX
My dream car:
Subaru SVX, manual (non existent)
Favorite Music:
Dire Straits; The Beatles; Sousa marches; Charles Ives; Aaron Copland; Stravinsky; Holst; Taizé music; Percy Grainger - "Lincolnshire Posy"; Mozart - "Requiem in D Minor"; James Gang; Steep Canyon Rangers
Favorite Movies:
Lord of the Rings Trilogy; Bourne (Identity, Supremacy, Ultimatum); Dr. Strangelove; In-Laws (original); Young Einstein; Raising Arizona
Favorite TV Shows:
The Office, American Experience, North Carolina People
Favorite Books:
I do not read much, but nevertheless I purchase many books with excellent pictures in them
Interests:
family, architecture, design, the United Methodist Church, day hiking; Apple (computer) related innovation, beer, wine, these mountains where I get to live
Dislikes:
Phoniness, fakeness, fauxness
Hobbies:
architecture, racing, grilling
Vices:
absolutely none, except lying about vices
Heroes:
my father-in-law (WWII veteran, all-around fine fellow)
NASCAR's feeling effects of slumping economy
On the heels of Racer X's recent gloom-and-doom blogs is this article by Jenna Fryer:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/2008-07-07-2929460367_x.htm
Might things be less gloomy if a spending cap were placed on teams? A spending cap might also satisfy NASCAR's ongoing desire to achieve parity. Obviously, some sort of auditing system would need to be implemented. Open ended spending has made a parody of parity.
...LOL! I'm not ALL that gloom and doom, am I? But yes, Jenna's article is great and has some sobering stats in it.
I don't know if you can get into any sort of salary or spending cap situation in NASCAR without there being franchising, and I don't see NASCAR going in that direction. It's just not in their philosophical make-up.
Cost cutting moves addressing things like transportation costs would be a good first step. I really like Michael Waltrip's idea of getting to the track on Thursday and having an afternoon of testing, with full telemetry, in lieu of independent tests all over the place. Bigger transportation pools, which they do now I understand to some degree with Sunday morning charter flights for race day workers and all. Expand on that concept. If they can reduce the impact of these fuel prices, it may help to counterbalance the dwindling sponsorship totals.
I'll offer this little bit of blue sky: With the economy sucking so bad, people are staying home and watching more races on television. Ratings are up pretty good at home while attendance at the tracks wither. This means teams can still tout NASCAR as the best sponsorship value in motorsports.
X:)
- Racer X
- 11:22:31 07-08-2008
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