see more Bristol Photos at http://www.speedwaymediaphoto.com/photos/azcms/gallery.php

I think I might have recovered from my four full days of living in Bristol, TN. I have made this trip for over a decade with my buddy Scott Seeley. Others come and go but Scott and I have been staples for this trip. Thanks for being there buddy… even though you keep telling me the “old” Bristol was better!

I covered, and thoroughly enjoyed, all of the racing that went on there last week. The worst part of my trip is the drive down and then the drive back. Anyone who looks forward to driving (or riding) a motor home through the mountains, is a bit on the crazy side. To make the drive even worse, we had transmission issues of some sort only allowing us to reach uphill speeds of 25-35 mph!!

The modified races improved vastly over last year due to Hoosier Tires stepping up their game and testing there a few times this year. There were several races for the lead with Ryan Newman taking the win.

The rest of the week belonged to Kyle Busch as he won all of the races run after the modified race! He started in the back of the truck race due to a penalty and dominated portions of the Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup races Friday and Saturday. It truly was the Kyle Busch show!

Regular readers of my column in the print editions of Gater will read about my take on the changes made at the track in the infield area (HINT: Awesome!).

From my perspective, which is track side, literally, the racing was great at Bristol this year. The Nationwide race saw some controversy which spilled over to the Cup driver’s introductions (if you are not aware that Busch-Keselowski had a run in, send me an email to fill you in). There was three-wide racing and daring moves every night there. There were wrecks other than Keselwoski’s but I did not consider the races plagued by them.

That’s my point folks, the old Bristol was PLAGUED by the caution flag. Do you really want to see 220 laps of caution?? REALLY? That’s not racing, that’s wrecking and there’s a difference. There’s three-wide racing, I saw it first hand, in fact, there’s a photo of it… right above you. That was not the only time I saw it, I saw it every night there by Kyle Busch making passes. Frankly Ii am sick of the complaints about the racing at Bristol when compared to the old days. These are the same people who complain about the “parades” of cars in single file yet they want the same parade at Bristol so they can watch someone get knocked out of the way? Did anyone notice that the last few races prior to this big change in the surface had less caution periods because wrecking did not provide points!

I did speak to people who said it was boring on the television. I’m sure it was, race telecasts can not capture what its like to be there.

Now, can we talk about attendance? I’m certain (enough that Ii am not checking the official stats) that the highest attended Camping World Truck and Nationwide Series races were at Bristol Wednesday and Friday evening. The cup race was almost a sell out, short by maybe 5,000 according to reports of 155,000 attending.

Do you want to complain about that too? Have you ever been to Bristol? Do you know where to stay? Bristol, in a motor home, tent, someone’s house, truck or car, that’s where. That’s because there are few hotels in the area because it’s in the MIDDLE OF NOWHERE!! I know of people who drove from Minnesota, flew from Europe, or hitched a ride with someone to watch these races. I saw people sleeping in their pick up truck beds. I know photographers, desperate to shoot there but unable to afford high hotel costs sleeping in their cars! Doesn’t that tell you it might be worth the trip?

Don’t take my word for it, that’s fine with me. But Bristol isn’t back, it never went anywhere and that’s how I like it! I will be back to Bristol next season, if I were you; I’d start planning on it now. It shouldn’t be long before its the toughest ticket in motorsports.

The big news at Watkins Glen was the announcement that Atlanta was losing a race. Most drivers reaction depended how well they had performed in the past. Carl Edwards said, “This is a tough one. I think Atlanta is one of, if not the greatest oval that we go to. I think that track has all of the things that make racing fun. It has history and a surface that is really fun to race on. The fans there are very knowledgeable about racing and it is a grueling race. It is fast and exciting, so to lose a race there to me is a little sad. I love that place and every time I come through the gates reminds me of my weekend that I won my first two races in this series. To go to Kentucky though, those fans there really love NASCAR racing, so that will be great if that is what happens. I think all of us will enjoy going to Kentucky. In the end, it would be pretty neat to go to all the tracks one time. I don’t know how the politics work, but it would be fun to go to all the tracks one time.”

Clint Bowyer said about the potential for Kentucky getting the race Atlanta lost, “I don’t mind a schedule change. I think it is probably time. Some the races make sense, some of them don’t in my opinion. Losing Atlanta is a disappointment to me. I think there are a couple of other tracks that have two races that I would have my rathers of, if it was my pick, of going once. That is frustrating. I think every time we go to Kentucky, Kyle (Busch) and all of us who have run Nationwide races there, it is always a packed house for a Nationwide race. Can’t imagine what it would be like for a Cup race.”

But there’s more news than that coming from the Glen. After last years hard crash coming to turn 10 here the track reacted by making significant safety improvements and Gregg Biffle, who has been pretty outspoken about safety issues and tracks making changes said he was quite impressed with the rapid pace that Watkins Glen International made the changes in many areas around the track in the interest of safety. More areas have been paved which will keep the race going and prevent cars from flipping when they hit the grass.

Quote of the day, Kurt Busch when talking about his recent issues with Jimmie Johnson who ironically was in the media center just prior to Busch.

Busch said he asked Johnson, “Do I need a dust pan and a broom to clean up your mess?” While we laughed in the media center Busch is still angry saying, “We have a high car count of wrecked cars at Penske racing. It’s definitely been one way streets…The boys at Hendrick are pretty boys who get on magazine covers.”

Needless to say, it should be an interesting race this weekend. Look for more from me in my weekly column in Gater Racing Photo News.

It’s become official, via a press release from the Atlanta Motor Speedway, they say they’re losing a race for the 2011 season. The release simply said, “Atlanta Motor Speedway officials today announced the facility’s 2011 event schedule will include one NASCAR racing weekend on September 2-4.”

There was no mention of the lost second date or where it would go. But a press release was sent out by the Texas Motor Speedway shortly afterwards announcing that they were having a announcement in a couple of weeks calling the event: “2011 Schedule Announcement Party to Reveal Dramatic Changes For Texas Motor Speedway.”

Now Texas’s track president is Eddie Gossage, who went to the school of Humpy Wheeler’s Track promotions so initially ignored the release until I saw was going to be there. NASCAR CEO Brian France, IRL CEO Randy Bernard, Tony Stewart, Helio Castroneves and Burton Smith are all scheduled to be in attendance. Could this be the big announcement where Mr. Smith will offer a huge bonus to anyone who runs and wins the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca Cola 600 run at his track in Charlotte? I think it could be this because Texas already has two races and one is in the chase.

Now, as I head to Watkins Glen this weekend I’m pretty sure that the facility still needs a garage upgrade but I don’t think that will keep NASCAR away. It still draws incredible crowds that stay all weekend! They have done a great job keeping people in interested in going to the track with great ticket deals, family zones, a contest where you win merchandise and VIP packages, free concerts, and a host of other fan friendly events that will keep even the waning fan interested in hanging out.

So, now I will speculate. Atlanta’s race may not go to Kentucky. It may go to Las Vegas where NASCAR can determine their champion (the season finale which has been held at Homestead since in moved from, ironically, Atlanta). Kentucky might get a race from New Hampshire which has many around these parts all up in arms because of promises made that races would not be moved (not really promises, it was the type of statement that there would be no changes).

Brian France said there may be changes to the races included in the final 10 races. Now again, I have no sources its pure speculation. I think California loses a date and it goes to the Casino, er, Kansas Speedway. Does France make drastic changes to chase and include a road course in the mix? Probably not. I think I see Vegas being added to the chase at New Hampshire’s expense. Which I hate the idea of another damn cookie cutter being in the chase. Does Charlotte lose a race from the chase? No way… If Homestead does which ISC track gets one added? Does the July Daytona race get moved to the Chase? What about Talladega?

Oh the humanity… I guess we’ll have to wait until it’s announced within the next couple of weeks. You can bet that there’s going to be some aggravated people…

Regular readers of my column know that I have been on the case of NASCAR and its participants (drivers) this year for a few things but namely disparaging remarks, mostly about when a caution flag flies and the constant tinkering with the championship.

According to the Associated Press’s Jenn Fryer, NASCAR has fined some drivers for remarks made. NASCAR’s spokesman, Ramsey Poston, according to reports, said, “It is the sanctioning body’s obligation on behalf of the industry and our fans to protect the sport’s brand. Any action taken by NASCAR has nothing to do with the drivers expressing an opinion…it’s focused on actions or comments that materially damage the sport. We have specifically discussed this in meetings with teams, drivers and stakeholders.”
According to the reports, NASCAR discussed this with the teams, possibly during the “town hall” meetings held earlier this year. Those meetings, also held in private, were meant to pull everyone together for a common cause, the good of NASCAR.
It’s no secret that NASCAR has suffered a lot with the downturn in the economy. Maybe more than any other sport out there. Mergers of established teams took place in order to survive (DEI and Richard Petty come to mind). Tracks that enjoyed sold out races are now advertising availability during race broadcasts (Richmond and Bristol come to mind).

Look, other sports regularly fine big mouths so why shouldn’t NASCAR? They should. However, because this was done in secrecy, and the fact that NASCAR reporters will not let this go, NASCAR will end up with egg on their face. Why, you ask? Because the apparent lack of transparency, that not only the media is demanding but the fans are, makes people distrust the people running the sport.

NASCAR wants it both ways, they want personalities, controversy and what ever else is necessary to bring attention to the sport but not at NASCAR’s expense. They’re sending mixed messages. “Boys, have at it,” means you can wreck a guy coming to the checkered flag (driver’s thinking), but when everyone is saying that it’s wrong, we’ll fine them and dock points.

In today’s day and age you can’t just ‘wing it’ anymore. We remember, and if we don’t some member of the media is going to pull up the video/ audio to help us recall what we’ve forgotten. Sometimes I think that is what NASCAR does, they “wing it” and then figure it out. That’s what happening now.

My thoughts? There’s no need to have a big investigation as to who was fined. Let’s see, Deny Hamlin for his caution comments after Michigan and perhaps Joey Logano for his caution comments at the end of a recent Nationwide Series race. Does it matter who it is? I don’t think it does but, in the interest of transparency NASCAR needs to address how it will handled in the future and let all interested parties (drivers, teams, owners, fans and media) know how it will work. This was not a call to the hauler after an on-track incident, this was for making remarks that were negative, there’s a difference.

TICKETS- How does this play into attendance? Well, were you the only ones that noticed that Indy was half full on Sunday? Did you notice that Bristol sill cup night race tickets available? Did you see that Atlanta just announced that kids get into Nationwide race for free with a paid adult GA ticket?

Things are tough out there and tracks are struggling to sell tickets. Public relations staff are challenged week in and week out to come up with new ideas to draw people in. I mean Charlotte Motor speedway used the Keselowski- Edwards feud to invite them to their weekly series races to run school buses! Did they go? No, but the PR generated got everyone to pay attention.

All of this discussion about bad and boring races, constantly changing rules and rules packages, fines in private and being gagged from telling people how they really feel doesn’t bring people to the race track and to their television sets.

In the next couple of weeks I hope to discuss ticket sales and what the tracks are doing to draw people in compared to past efforts. I have placed calls to several tracks media relations people looking for information and I hope to provide an update in my column. In the mean time, let me now what you all think about what’s going on with the sport. Just a word of warning, if you start out about “Missing the old days and the great racing” please back it up with specifics. Back in the day, many races ended with only 6 cars on the lead lap.

At Pocono a few weeks ago Geoff Bodine started and parked Tommy Baldwin’s Sprint Cup entry. His official finish was 41st out of 43 cars. However, anyone that knew Bodine was certain that he wanted more out of the entry than a 41st position. But he did what he was asked by Baldwin, qualifying for the race and then parking it in order to take back the prize money for the team.

Bodine doesn’t plan on parking shortly after the start of the Legends $1 Million race that he is scheduled to run at the Charlotte Motor Speedway July 15 – 17. He is planning to race in the event and plans on donating the money to his favorite charity, the Alzheimer’s Association of Brevard County in central Florida. I spoke to him earlier today and Bodine said, “I’m glad to be part of the race and hopefully will raise some money.”

Earlier Bodine said that his first experience in one of the cars was in 1997 at a celebrity race. He said, “That race was fun, the cars were fun.” He reminded me that his son Barry won the national championship that year and that the car he drove that night his son had previously won with. He mentioned he really looks forward to competing with everyone of the current Legends drivers.

Bodine said that he has borrowed a car from Legends driver Carlos Moore and has “been working really hard on it back in the shop.” He also said,” we’ve rebuilt the chassis and the frame and it’s come out really good.”

Why did Bodine get involved? “I have some friends in Florida that talked me into it,” he said. “ They kept bugging me so I said, ‘ok’; but I wanted to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease while doing it.”

As far as the race is concerned Bodine is not all that familiar with the competition although guys like Joey Logano, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and David Regan have wheeled the Legend cars around many different tracks and found success after driving in the series. “I plan on finding out real quick who’s good out there. Hopefully I’ll have everyone chasing me for the win, but we’ll see.”

When asked what he thought about the offering of such a large purse Bodine said, “It’s just another example of how Burton Smith and his son Marcus are creative when promoting auto racing. “ Bodine mentioned, “They have always been a leader in creativity and its really nice for the Legends Series. Those drivers work really hard and they deserve this opportunity.”

With that Bodine mentioned he was loading up his truck. Look for a bit more information on a driver that many people have forgotten about in my next weekly column in Gater Photo Racing News that will be published next week. He is a legend in the modified racing ranks where he was in the top 10 best modified drivers ever according to NASCAR a few years ago.

In the mean time, if you’re planning on being in the Charlotte area in the middle of July, stop by the speedway and check out what is sure to be an exciting race.