Curt Cavin Gets It

[skypigeon]

http://blogs.indystar.com/racingexpert/

From his 1/11 entry:

Question: I have been reading some of your past columns and must say there are alot of IRL fans out there that have a pure hatred of NASCAR. I have to ask why this is? (A.J., Indianapolis)
Answer: I certainly can't speak for all race fans, but here's the sense I've felt and part of what irks me: NASCAR has become the 24/7 of the sport, and it's often difficult to hear any other motor sports noise over the clutter of stock car racing. While that's good for NASCAR, it's not good for open wheel racing, drag racing, short track racing, motorcycles and the rest. I promise you, local dirt tracks across the country have suffered as a result of NASCAR if for no other reason than a father or husband who spends four or five hours with NASCAR on Sundays (plus three or four hours through the week, plus Internet time) isn't as likely to spend his Saturday night at a dirt track, too. Bottom line: We're at a saturation point with all the NASCAR airtime, which I believe is why ratings and attendence are suffering there, too. On top of that, I believe fans of motor sports are tired of drivers using their favorite series as a stopover on the way to NASCAR. That's part of the reason I root for guys like Dave Darland (world's nicest man anyway), who understands and is satisfied with having a great career in USAC. Truthfully, I always thought Hornish and Franchitti felt that way, too, although I was proven wrong. The bottom line is, this sport is called "motor sports" or "auto racing" ... not "NASCAR." As long as the rest of the world would accept that, there wouldn't be as much disdain for NASCAR.

[Kid_Charlemange]

Could not have said it better myself.

[lou reed]

read it this morning. could not have agreed more.

[Andrew Longman]

Pretty spot on.

I promise you, local dirt tracks across the country have suffered as a result of NASCAR if for no other reason than a father or husband who spends four or five hours with NASCAR on Sundays (plus three or four hours through the week, plus Internet time) isn't as likely to spend his Saturday night at a dirt track, too.

10 years ago, the owner of the Flemington Speedway (oldest continually operated track until it closed in 2000 to become a Walmart and Lowes) said almost exactly the same thing.

[Z28]

Cavin can state the obvious and it sounds great, see if he expresses anywhere near the same sentiment in July.

I really can't summon up much interest in what the guy comes up with like this from the previous day answering a question about the untimely death of the head of ABC Supply.

In instances where there are leadership changes at companies, sometimes there are sponsor changes and sometimes there are not.

Boy there's insight you just can't find everywhere, could be yes could be no but certainly no middle ground.

[Jacoby]

I promise you, local dirt tracks across the country have suffered as a result of NASCAR if for no other reason than a father or husband who spends four or five hours with NASCAR on Sundays (plus three or four hours through the week, plus Internet time) isn't as likely to spend his Saturday night at a dirt track, too.

And I've noticed several short tracks that won't even schedule races on Saturdays if NASCAR is on TV that same night. I never thought I would see that, and still can't believe it.

[Grinder-Tank]

It was clever and intense and enough to throw a blanket over what used to be a country of different diciplines of racing all thriving at a healthy level. Now, due to marketing and lucky timing, NASCAR is all that is left.

Most NASCAR fans today are housewives or divorced women who have "their driver". But they are also the most sought after IMO by the media, TV.

For the-long time race fan, NASCAR fans included, the sceme no longer applies. But wallstreet has gravitated to the hottest new thing and has left everyone else empty. NASCAR is bigger than racing, and now is the sport.

I can only imagine a college wrestler's frustration when he see's what lies beyond his world in the professional aspect. A de-evolving society I guess demands de-evolving entertainment.

[Tara]

In instances where there are leadership changes at companies, sometimes there are sponsor changes and sometimes there are not.

Z28 I disagree with you. I see nothing wrong with what Cavin said. The original post asked a question in the tone that they were worried Foyt's team would loose their sponsorship. Cavin was simply saying the loss of life was sad, but did not automatically mean Foyt would loose sponsorship. Sometimes the change of leadership can mean a change in sponsorship, but not always.

[430]

Most NASCAR fans today are housewives or divorced women who have "their driver". But they are also the most sought after IMO by the media, TV.


Have you ever been to a NASCAR race?

[Grinder-Tank]

Yes, but only the Brickyard and Gateway. "most" is a bit much on my part. I perhaps was being a little too kind.

[Gomer Simpson]

Boy there's insight you just can't find everywhere, could be yes could be no but certainly no middle ground.

I agree with Tara. Curt can't be expected to answer a question that nobody knows the answer to. He took the time to address the person asking the question and his answer was basically, 'I don't know.' Nothing wrong with that.

[lkchris]

And I've noticed several short tracks that won't even schedule races on Saturdays if NASCAR is on TV that same night. I never thought I would see that, and still can't believe it.

And I do as much shopping as I can online, too.

Ain't technology grand?

[hdolan]

"Most NASCAR fans today are housewives or divorced women who have "their driver".

Please provide a link to that 'statistic'...you can do that can't you...

[AdamM]

Strange comments from Curt if he's supposed to be a beat writer for a newspaper.

[skypigeon]

NASCAR is not Curt's beat, and the comments are from a Q&A blog.

[Turn13]

"Most NASCAR fans today are housewives or divorced women who have "their driver".

Please provide a link to that 'statistic'...you can do that can't you...

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=476206

[Gomer Simpson]

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=476206

From that link:

ETHNIC
24.5% of NASCAR fans are African American

Only 12.1% of the nation is African American. That would mean that a higher percentage of black people are NASCAR fans than white people. If you were to believe the number NASCAR puts out there, that they have 75 million fans, that would mean that 18 million of them are black, over half of the population of African Americans in the US.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that research is not particularly credible.

[owfan19]

From that link:
Only 12.1% of the nation is African American. That would mean that a higher percentage of black people are NASCAR fans than white people. If you were to believe the number NASCAR puts out there, that they have 75 million fans, that would mean that 18 million of them are black, over half of the population of African Americans in the US.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that research is not particularly credible.

I have to agree with you. No way could a series that is so rooted in the South, were not to long ago still a very bad documentary on MTV showed the continued racism in NASCAR, a series with no black drivers, or anything remotly close to marketing to the black market, no way do they have that many black fans.

[Turn13]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that research is not particularly credible.

There were sevral sources on that link. Check the citations - they may not be from NASCAR.

That one was from "racing limos"

Another lists minorities as:

Ethnic diversity
% of NASCAR fan base (18+):
1999 2002 Trend
Hispanic 3.6% 8.6% +139%
African-American 4.9% 9.1% +86%
Source: NASCAR

[Grinder-Tank]

"Most NASCAR fans today are housewives or divorced women who have "their driver".

Please provide a link to that 'statistic'...you can do that can't you...

http://www.amazon.com/Nascar-Essenti.../dp/1572439556

I believe that is the book I read about a growing fan base in that catigory mentioned above. It's that a bad thing? "Most" is an incorrect term because they're not there yet.

I will prepare a thesis on the subject and graph the trends from race to race taking into account the weather , political offices held in Washington focusing on the FCC, sponsors incoming or leaving at the time, drivers who are currently on top and how it relates to attracting female viewers, and breakdown the numbers between those attending the races and those watching from the television, which will include differenciating those at home vs those in public establishments.

[Roadster Fan]

From that link:

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that research is not particularly credible.

Simmons Market Research is used, and highly respected, by probably every radio and television station and advertising agency in the world, and has been for at least the past 25 years. I have sold with it and sold against for that long.

I am NOT a Nascar fan but I can't, or wouldn't refute something from Simmons.

There are several other companies that do the same thing but Simmons has been around for as long as I've sold radio & TV time. ALL research can be questioned to a degree, but companies like Simmons that use proven methodology can be trusted to be pretty accurate.

[Gomer Simpson]

Simmons Market Research is used, and highly respected, by probably every radio and television station and advertising agency in the world, and has been for at least the past 25 years. I have sold with it and sold against for that long.

I am NOT a Nascar fan but I can't, or wouldn't refute something from Simmons.

There are several other companies that do the same thing but Simmons has been around for as long as I've sold radio & TV time. ALL research can be questioned to a degree, but companies like Simmons that use proven methodology can be trusted to be pretty accurate.

I don't care if the Queen of England tells me 25% of NASCAR fans are black. Maybe it was supposed to say 25% of NASCAR fans have met an African American.

[Roadster Fan]

I don't care if the Queen of England tells me 25% of NASCAR fans are black. Maybe it was supposed to say 25% of NASCAR fans have met an African American.

....And if the Queen did tell ya that, she probably knows she's lying.
Okay, I didn't read everything closely and missed the fact that the stuff quoted from Simmons does not have anything on ethnic diversity.

The stat you're talking about from RacingLimos - whoever they are - has no credibility. The link is a webisite without a recognized, legitamate research firm noted.

I'll bet someone typed it incorrectly. It probably should have read:

"25% OF African Americans are NASCAR fans",

instead of

"25% of NASCAR fans are African American."

Who knows. But, of my African American friends, I would say 25% of them being NASCAR fans is not far off.

[Ann Dretti]

....And if the Queen did tell ya that, she probably knows she's lying.
Okay, I didn't read everything closely and missed the fact that the stuff quoted from Simmons does not have anything on ethnic diversity.

The stat you're talking about from RacingLimos - whoever they are - has no credibility. The link is a webisite without a recognized, legitamate research firm noted.

I'll bet someone typed it incorrectly. It probably should have read:

"25% OF African Americans are NASCAR fans",

instead of

"25% of NASCAR fans are African American."

Who knows. But, of my African American friends, I would say 25% of them being NASCAR fans is not far off.

Are you kidding me? Maybe they missed a decimal point. 2.5% would be a more accurate number either way.

[kikigirl]

"Most NASCAR fans today are housewives or divorced women who have "their driver".

Please provide a link to that 'statistic'...you can do that can't you...

I'd like to see that one, too, since I've never been married but have followed NASCAR for several years.
ps....I'm also a Democrat...go figure
(but I do have "my driver")

But, what's so bad about having women support the sport...single, married, divorced, etc...?

[Roadster Fan]

Are you kidding me? Maybe they missed a decimal point. 2.5% would be a more accurate number either way.

No I'm not kidding you.

Here's where the whole methedology of the survey comes in. What quantifiies anyone being a "FAN"? It can't really be done to ANY exact measure. For one argument, you have to know how was the question phrased? (And I'm not even going to go into how the survey can be affected based on how it is taken - a live poll?, mail,? phone survey?,.... all have differing ways of swaying answers whether you believe it or not.)

Let's say it was asked in this vague manner:
Do you like NASCAR car racing and call yourself a fan?
Some might answer yes even if they only read the headlines in the morning paper. Hell, I call myself a fan of golf but I have never attended a tournament and I rarely watch on tv.

OR, was the question asked this way...

How many NASCAR races do you attend in a year or watch on television?

Anyway, I hope you understand what I'm getting at. With that, I find it very easy for 1 in 4 African Americans to possibly say they are "Fans."

[Gomer Simpson]

Anyway, I hope you understand what I'm getting at. With that, I find it very easy for 1 in 4 African Americans to possibly say they are "Fans."

Actually I think Ann Dretti's explanation might actually make the most sense.

[owfan19]

1 in 4 black people are fans of NASCAR, I just cant believe that number.

http://www.nba.com/spurs/contact/demographics.html

Here is the Demo for the Spurs, in the NBA, and they only pull 8%. The NBA far more dominates black fans than does NASCAR.

[skylane]

No I'm not kidding you.

Here's where the whole methedology of the survey comes in. What quantifiies anyone being a "FAN"? It can't really be done to ANY exact measure. For one argument, you have to know how was the question phrased? (And I'm not even going to go into how the survey can be affected based on how it is taken - a live poll?, mail,? phone survey?,.... all have differing ways of swaying answers whether you believe it or not.)

Let's say it was asked in this vague manner:
Do you like NASCAR car racing and call yourself a fan?
Some might answer yes even if they only read the headlines in the morning paper. Hell, I call myself a fan of golf but I have never attended a tournament and I rarely watch on tv.

OR, was the question asked this way...

How many NASCAR races do you attend in a year or watch on television?

Anyway, I hope you understand what I'm getting at. With that, I find it very easy for 1 in 4 African Americans to possibly say they are "Fans."

From the questionnaires/surveys I’ve seen:

1. very interested
2. somewhat interested
3. a little bit interested
4. not at all interested

A NASCAR "fan" would be anyone who answered 1,2 or 3.