FanNation - The Republic of Sport

Frank Pentangelli said 04/22, 12:33 PM
The second Darlington Race

Historically Darlington "The Lady in Black", or titled "The Track to Tough to Tame" is some of Nascars best racing. It is short, flat, and odd shaped making it a trial for crews and especially drivers. Not to mention it was the first Speedway built Entirely with Nascar in mind.

Why did it lose a race? It lost a race because the Market wasnt as big as California, or Vegas, or Chicago, or any of the other boring cookie cutter 1.5 mile tri-ovals.

If anyevent should be added back to a sporting schedule its the second Darlington Race.

Frank Pentangelli said 04/22, 02:24 PM
Almost all the Tracks have 2 races except for Darlington. Attendance isnt low due to lack of interest, its low due to lack of seating. There are no empy seats at the track ever. There are just fewer. The simple fact is that Darlington is the 2nd best track on the circuit for action and it deserves two dates more than California or Chicago which are good times for a Sunday Nap. The corporate monster is slowly destroying Nascar in search of larger markets. Darlington is the posterboy for the destroyed.

This is about Theatre. If you have never watched a Darlington Race you should watch. You have the Darlington Stripe where you skid down the wall out of the corner. At the end of 500 miles there is rarely a strait car on the track. Pure Beatin and Bangin. If you tune in for your first race and its California its probably going to be your last. If you tune in to Darlington youll tune back in the following week.

There are like 10 versions of college all star games that noone watches now. Senior bowl, East West, blah blah blah. Noone cares. The only person I have ever know to watch the combine is Goodell. More power to him.

Frank Pentangelli said 04/22, 02:57 PM
They could do 5 races at Darlington per year and there would be a capacity crowd of 65,000 at all 5.

How large a crowd do football games that count for nothing draw? Yea I know, not much of one. The pro bowl struggles to break 50,000 and I am certain that count is inflated.

Here is the main reason we dont need to add this game. Injury risk. As athletes have evolved the impact has increased. Injury is always a risk. If I am Glen Dorsey do I want to take that chance? What about Eli? Strahan? McFadden? Thats what I thought.

If you added this game back you get a poor show with minimal effort. Why bother? You wouldnt watch it anyway.

If you take a race away from California and give it to Darlington you get a great show. There is no additional risk.