Should NASCAR follow NFL to the UK?

[jimmy2x4]

an interesting article showed up in the u.k (bbc.co.uk) regarding the n.f.l and the regular season trips to wembley an extract reads '

"The league estimates it now has 11 million fans in Britain, including more than two million "avid" fans, a 32% increase in the past two years.
Since the London series began, the league says, Sunday TV viewership of NFL games has increased by 91% and the audience for the Super Bowl has grown by 74%."

Now with the recent reduction in attendance at some u.s tracks with the recesion should they now look at outside the u.s,

start small time to guage reaction start with say the truck series or the nationwide , as i do admit that the cup schedule would mean that some tracks would have to be dropped, a race at rockingham or germany with the right administration in place in my opinion, be well attended ,

Nascar would be very surprised in just how popular there sport is outside the U.S just as the N.f.l have found and the n.b.a as they now visit the u.k and to a full house n.b.a visit the o2 arena, as they only visit once to keep fans keen and make each event special. THOUGHTs !

[thebear]

Originally Posted by jimmy2x4

Now with the recent reduction in attendance at some u.s tracks with the recesion should they now look at outside the u.s,

start small time to guage reaction start with say the truck series or the nationwide , as i do admit that the cup schedule would mean that some tracks would have to be dropped, a race at rockingham or germany with the right administration in place in my opinion, be well attended ,

Nascar would be very surprised in just how popular there sport is outside the U.S just as the N.f.l have found and the n.b.a as they now visit the u.k and to a full house n.b.a visit the o2 arena, as they only visit once to keep fans keen and make each event special. THOUGHTs !

It is an excellent idea however the logistics can get complicated due to scheduling. There are really no `open weekends' and there are `toes to be stepped upon' as the various tracks are under contract for specific dates. Each time NA$CAR moves a race there is much "sturm und drang". It would mean at least two successive weekends to properly establish a UK operation no matter which series runs. Similar problems have existed with races in Mexico and Canada that were logistically easier and enthusiastically attended but deemed not feasible for one reason or another.

Several 10th'ers have travelled to Daytona at various times to attend for the "500" and obviously were happy with the experience.

Thanks for thinking about the US.

[fieldodreams79]

jimmy2x4; welcome.

Like thebear said, logistics is the major issue. Also, I am not sure how many sponsors would like spend to coin to send teams across the pond to "expose" their products to people can't or won't buy them.

Find the money, find the time and find a way to ensure NASCAR makes money, then it could happen. Right now, you'll only get one out of the above three, IMO.

[FIRE]

Answer is no. A bit more to the east at Raceway Venray is a better option.

[Thaw Daggerslash]

No. As I see it, there are no real suitable tracks in the UK that would be suitable to accommodate NASCAR, other than Rockingham which isn't that great a venue. Certainly not up to hosting as big an event as NASCAR would be.

[thebear]

Originally Posted by Thaw Daggerslash

No. As I see it, there are no real suitable tracks in the UK that would be suitable to accommodate NASCAR, other than Rockingham which isn't that great a venue. Certainly not up to hosting as big an event as NASCAR would be.

I am not familiar with Rockingham's layout but the following needs to be considered:

If all 43 of the competitors show up there will be at least three transporters for each car. Spare cars would be included in one of the transporters. That is a lot of paddock space.

Pit road/pit `boxes' for 43 cars would require a lot of straightaway length unless Bristol Motor Speedway's layout is copied. There are two pit roads, one on each `straightaway' with appropriate pit boxes. Even so, it can get very `busy'.

Many drivers would want to bring their private motorcoaches which are ~40 feet long and are usually parked in close proximity to their pit areas.

What would the `support series' be? There should be some additional `entertainment'.

[Adam43]

While I don't think that Rockingham is suitable, I think you have to consider that the teams would have to reduce what they take for a fly away race. Just like the F1 lot do. The monster motor homes aren't there in Korea this weekend.

Anyway, I'd love it, but it ain't going to happen
I'm off to NFL though...

[ujoint]

Why not? OZ bringing Supercars here. Let's bring the rebels to Jolly Olde... eh watt.

[Down F0rce]

Flying the whole circus across the Atlantic would be a nightmare, and getting 43 cars on your average UK circuit would be a massive squeeze. However, that's assuming they run a UK race as a full championship round. They could always make it an exhibition race with the same format of the All Star Race. With only 20 or so cars in the race, this would ease the strain logistics-wise as well as make circuit choice more flexible.

Support could come from the European Late Model series, or the RACECAR Euro Series. Or even something like the BTCC. They would be fun to watch around the Rockingham oval.

[andy robinson]

@ rockingham they change from being an oval to an infield circuit in a matter of minutes, they currently do this when the pick up trucks race on the oval, the rest of other races use the infield

[PabloTeK]

Originally Posted by andy robinson

@ rockingham they change from being an oval to an infield circuit in a matter of minutes, they currently do this when the pick up trucks race on the oval, the rest of other races use the infield

Indeed, it's something like 10 minutes from the chequered flag on an infield race to the oval!

[Speedworx]

Some teams would need to pit share IF they raced at Rockingham, cos theres only something like 38 pit boxes

[duke_toaster]

What about going down the previous NFL tack ... NASCAR <Insert Sponsor Here> Europe Series?

[Adam43]

Trouble is, that didn't really work. NFL or ASCAR.

[Hubble]

Originally Posted by ujoint

Why not? OZ bringing Supercars here. Let's bring the rebels to Jolly Olde... eh watt.

Yeah, but not to race on crappy ovals I bet...

[Al Weyman]

Your biggest problem is the unpredictable weather overhere, it would be odds on to rain.

[Hubble]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

Your biggest problem is the unpredictable weather overhere, it would be odds on to rain.

A very good and valid point Al...what do they do in the US currently...? Don't they usually try to run the events in the days following...? Can really see that working over here...

[fieldodreams79]

Exhibition races have been done overseas, and there hasn't been much to come out of them. Never did think about the weather factor either.

There is just too much against it happening than there is for....

[JHamilton]

I want to see a Bovril sponsored Impala.





In seriousness, I think it would be cool. That's a lot of teams to bring over, so you would have to cut that down. Nascar isn't set up for fly away races. But like Field said, they have raced in Oz and Japan... "Warry Darrenbach"

[Wild Dog]

I can't see why Nascar shouldn't come to UK. It's good because it gets more worldwide. So as long it doesn't become a business in (understand me right) "strange" countries like F1, then it's okay.

[Paradise City]

Have Nationwide at Knockhill.

[Carsandmotorracing]

I belive the races in Japan and Australia didn't surviuve for a reason...nobody cares about NASCAR outside of the US. Bring the Uk a Indycar race. Brands Hatch GP this time as well.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

Have Nationwide at Knockhill.

Now THAT would be entertaining!

[Paradise City]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

Now THAT would be entertaining!

As along as you give John Cleland a guest car.

[expaddockrunner]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

Have Nationwide at Knockhill.

and the trucks at Mallory Park oval!