Empty Seats

[Skid Jackson]

Anybody know whats up with TV ratings and Race attendance so far this year??? I've noticed alot of empty seats on the TV. At first I thought it was just the cool weather scaring off the less than hardcore. Or the fact that the season was just starting and hadn't developed any "legs" yet. But I notice that the seats on the back stretch a Martinsville had plenty of empties this weekend! Are the Tintops starting to lose a little luster?? Has Brian France over exposed Nascar? BTW I understand Nascar just signed a deal w/Scott toilet paper. Evidently ScottTP will be the officail toilet paper of Nascar. I'll bet the 3 and 24 rolls will sell like gang busters???

[Joe Fan]

I haven't heard but I do know that the Daytona 500 ratings were down a bit from last year. As far as empty seats I haven't noticed too many but if it continues then these tracks that have two Cup dates and don't sell out will lose one of their dates. There are just too many tracks popping up everywhere that would love to have a Winston Cup date. Martinsville should worry if they aren't selling completely out. That track holds the fewest spectators of any current Winston Cup track.

[Total Racing]

I have a feeling that Martinsville will lose a date. Darlington will probably lose their Spring date, but that's a shame. The weather there has really sucked for that race. New Hampshire will probably lose a race as well. No big deal.

With new tracks in Chicago, Kansas City and Kentucky, as well as the St. Louis track expanding and Texas, California and Las Vegas begging for second dates, NASCAR will soon have 2 races at very few tracks. That's fine with me. I like to see these guys at a different place every week.

Also, the TV ratings have actually been going up since the early rainouts. TNN and ESPN both had very high ratings for recent races and CBS had fabulous ratings for the Texas race.