Comments on TRADING PAINT!: Despite Busch Win, Paltry Turnout Could Seal Atlan...

Let me tell you something about atlanta motor spee...

2009-03-12T09:17:29.366-05:00

Let me tell you something about atlanta motor speedway..I walked up to the ticket booth sunday morning and asked for a ticket in winners section,lower lever and away from the crowd since half of the seats were gonna be unsold..The ticket lady said no problem and I paid my 95.oo bucks and went to my seat..It seemed like there was nobody in the grandstands till the driver introductions started and the only section I saw filling up was the one I was in..What happened was the speedway was trying to fill up that section because it was the last section before going into turns 1 and 2 and it would look real good on tv by being full..I wound up moving 2 sections down where there was not a single person sitting in a seat from row 1 to row 18..What gets me is I asked for a ticket in a isolated area but I get sold one to fill up a certain section..I will never buy another ticket from atlanta motor speedway again..Tickets can be bought in the parking lot and at the highway for 20 bucks..AMS..The next time a hardcore NASCAR fan walks up to the ticket booth to buy a ticket just to help the track out because of the race not even being half-sold out I suggest you try to accomodate that fan.

AMS is as great as it ever was. Why do so many per...

2009-03-11T23:41:57.324-05:00

AMS is as great as it ever was. Why do so many personalities in NASCAR seem to think that NASCAR can be successful if boring drivers, driving identical cars, manage to finish close to each other?

Their cars are boring now. I’m happy the drivers have safer cars to drive. Keep the safety. But, NASCAR used COT as an excuse to micromanage out all of the interesting differences between cars. Car performance this year seem to be more about who can micro-tune their set up best throughout the race. Bill Elliot stirred us fans because his thunderbird was a dominant car. No one could touch it. Absolutely zero chance of a car dominating like that amongst today’s heavily template cars.

Their drivers are boring now. There may be 3 mildly interesting personalities in the top 12 drivers this year. Matt Kennseth and Kurt Bush do not give interesting interviews. Ever. Off track antics that get my attention – zero. They are meek and mild. No hot tempers. No cocky bravado. No dominating gravitas. Nice guys and fine drivers, but boring. Jeff Gordon used to be entertaining to follow. But that was mostly because he was a young, brash protagonist to Earnhardt’s bullying dominance. Now that Earnhardt is gone, there isn’t much to make Gordon interesting. Jimmy Johnson is almost interesting because he runs errorless races and wins fairly often. But, I need an extra beer just to make it through any of his media. None of these guys are like us. They are all as bunch of church mice. NASCARS heavy handed driver comportment rules make them an even grayer bunch.

NASCAR rocked when it was a 3 day red neck party capped off with guys racing who were liable to do anything if someone pissed them off. We need to get back to our roots. Brash, colorful characters driving cars that look like I could just possibly have wrenched it in my buddies garage. Then, teach our new western NASCAR fan brothers how to party without your shirt on. Rebuild the personal relationship we fans had with our favorite drivers.

Until then, NASCAR is going to continue to go the way of Indy. The economy will come back, but NASCAR won’t,

Jimmy in Atlanta

1. Mikey and MWR is coming along nicely.2. Somebod...

2009-03-10T13:58:54.980-05:00

1. Mikey and MWR is coming along nicely.
2. Somebody needs to run over Digger.
3. It doenn't matter where the race is held just as long as the France family gets their $$$

I was there and I think the race was a good one, w...

2009-03-09T23:36:20.358-05:00

I was there and I think the race was a good one, whether it's a cot car or not, it all comes down to who is prepared the best, all 43 drivers are some of the best in the world and yes money does have a lot to do with the result. But that doesn't detract from all the drivers trying their best every race. Boring, not in my eyes, with only a few cautions the cream comes to the top! As far as the size of the crowd, the economy has a lot to do with that, BUT the biggest deterent is the price you have to pay to attend any NASCAR race is just too steep. I spent approximately $400 for, seat, motor home spot, plus having to pay to get into the infield, this is rediculous. Well anyway my driver Reutimann didn't do so well anyway, so I got sour grapes anyway. lol. The bottom line is too expensive for the owners and attendies. It's just grown too big and too expensive for the average person.

It's Obama's FAULT!!!

2009-03-09T23:07:09.590-05:00

It's Obama's FAULT!!!

Atlanta SpeedwayCheeseburger $5, Fries $4, Drink $...

2009-03-09T23:06:11.042-05:00

Atlanta Speedway

Cheeseburger $5, Fries $4, Drink $4 = $13.00, the last time I went in 2006.

That's ROBBERY!!!

I'll NEVER go back!

Have you ever tried to get out of the Atlanta trac...

2009-03-09T23:03:45.945-05:00

Have you ever tried to get out of the Atlanta track after a Cup race?

It takes 2-3 hours just to get out of the parking lot next to the track!

The track said 94,000 was there.

2009-03-09T22:38:22.562-05:00

The track said 94,000 was there.

Good post. Good to have you back in circulation. I...

2009-03-09T21:49:07.690-05:00

Good post. Good to have you back in circulation. I've always tried to be an optimist, but yesterday's race was a real disappointment. I've seen more excitement on the Home Shopping Network.
At least we had SOME excitement at the end, and it's nice to see someone other than the same three guys in victory lane, but man....thank God Bristol is up next.

I have to agree with anonymous, very boring race, ...

2009-03-09T17:40:42.410-05:00

I have to agree with anonymous, very boring race, and yes, with the COT's, seems those up front are easily to stay up front. A long time nascar fan friend of mine said, AMS races are always boring. I did not notice it until this week. Between all the rules now, and the COT's do you think that contributes to empty seats in Atlanta? TG I found Jerry and his online live chat!!!

Its sad to see such a small crowd at AMS. But I t...

2009-03-09T15:47:09.796-05:00

Its sad to see such a small crowd at AMS. But I think the two dates will stay on the schedule. With so many corporate HQs located in the Atlanta area, these races provide NASCAR and the teams one of their best B2B venues.

I watched the race on my 52" TV and apparently saw...

2009-03-09T11:44:57.289-05:00

I watched the race on my 52" TV and apparently saw a different race than you did. The wayward tire caution jumbled up the field and a couple of Jr. cautions made the race less than exciting. NA$CAR has apparently determined that exciting races mean a green/white/checkered finish is necessary for "exciting" finishes. The talking heads keep telling us how exciting everything is regardless of the actual race. DW commented that Kyle Busch wasns't out of it with 103 laps to go and him 3 laps down. What planet is he on?

The COT has made it so that whoever is in front can stay there and get far ahead of the other cars.

We will be very tired of the 1.5 mile cookie cutter tracks before November.

Another great weekend filled with Bonkowski storie...

2009-03-09T00:31:56.404-05:00

Another great weekend filled with Bonkowski stories. Glad we have this spot to still read one of the greatest NASCAR writer's out there.

John
Michigan