2015 NASCAR Season Thread

[LAWeaver]

Well this isn't surprising. From what I've read, Sprint is in bad shape. This could help because now that's Sprint is gone, the mobile companies can sponsor cars again. Plus its kind of interesting that this will take place in 2017, when the Gen 7 cars are supposed to debut. Now the million dollar question, who will replace Sprint?

I really think Goodyear's in the catbirds' seat. NASCAR Goodyear Cup series. I think with the partnership Goodyear has with NASCAR, I think Goodyear getting the sponsorship title makes perfect sense IMO.

"The NASCAR Goodyear Cup Series: Where going fast will cost you a right front tire."

Obviously I disagree with Goodyear being a good replacement, what with all of their issues over the past few years and all. Sunoco would be a good choice. The NASCAR Sunoco Cup Series. Get to keep the NSCS acronym as well.

[DCarp1231]

If NASCAR sticks with a mobile carrier as the sponsor, I wouldn't rule out Verizon as a candidate.

Kind if a shot to the face of Sprint, but hey why not?

NASCAR Verizon Cup Series (NVCS)

Other options:

NASCAR Sunoco Cup Series (NSCS) (as said above)

NASCAR Nike Cup Series (NNCS)

NASCAR Under Armour Cup Series (NUACS)

(Yes I'm aware both (Nike, UA) are farfetched, but both are viable options. And just think of the firesuits)

[LAWeaver]

It's official: Bubba Wallace will drive for Roush in the #6 Ford Mustang, taking the place of Trevor Bayne. Boy I sure hope he's one of those guys who makes everyone around him better

[Dalcowboyfan92]

(Yes I'm aware both (Nike, UA) are farfetched, but both are viable options. And just think of the firesuits)

Nike/UA firesuits for every driver! Problem with guys like Denny Hamlin, who has a firesuit with the Jordan logo on it.

[DCarp1231]

(Yes I'm aware both (Nike, UA) are farfetched, but both are viable options. And just think of the firesuits)

Nike/UA firesuits for every driver! Problem with guys like Denny Hamlin, who has a firesuit with the Jordan logo on it.

I always thought Jordan was a partner brand of Nike?

[dfwabel]

Brian France weighs in on Kurt Busch.

Autoweek has detailed coverage of the testimony.

[dfwabel]

Yes, you will notice the stands will look dramatically different this year.

At its peak in 2007, International Speedway Corp.'s 12 major tracks had 1.1 million grandstand seats (not including suites). After the Daytona renovation, ISC will be down 30 percent to approximately 761,000 seats.

In 2013 alone, the following ISC tracks cut seats: Talladega (from 108,000 to 78,000), Richmond (91,000 to 71,000), Chicagoland (69,000 to 55,500), Michigan (84,000 to 71,000), California (81,000 to 68,000), Darlington (60,000 to 58,000) and Homestead (56,000 to 46,000). Any additional cuts likely will be revealed when its annual report comes out in January.

With the current Charlotte and Atlanta reductions, Speedway Motorsports has cut 101,000 seats (12 percent) across seven of its tracks since 2009, although it added 38,000 at Kentucky when it moved a Cup race to that track. SMI, which includes suites in its capacity estimates, cut capacity in 2013 at Atlanta (from 98,000 to 92,000), Bristol (158,000 to 153,000) and New Hampshire (96,000 to 95,000).

Empty seats are not just a NASCAR problem; other sports teams have experienced declines. But empty seats damage NASCAR more than most sports.

Because NASCAR's economic model relies on sponsorships, empty seats aren't just lost ticket revenue. They show a lack of interest beyond those seats, and that means lost sponsorship for teams, tracks and NASCAR. Even if 75,000 or 80,000 people attend an event, a CEO sees 30,000 empty seats and has to wonder, "Why am I sponsoring a car?" or "Why are we advertising on this telecast?"

[LAWeaver]

Went ahead and changed the title. No need to make a second thread, I suppose. Guess an Offseason thread wasn't really necessary considering how quiet its been.

Hopefully, as this new Chase sinks in, more interest will come back, bringing more sponsorship as well.. I hopefully.

[Dalcowboyfan92]

I'm wondering if anyone here on CCSLC would be interested in participating in a Fantasy NASCAR league on ESPN.com, if they run one for this upcoming NASCAR Sprint Cup season.

[dfwabel]

Went ahead and changed the title. No need to make a second thread, I suppose. Guess an Offseason thread wasn't really necessary considering how quiet its been.

Hopefully, as this new Chase sinks in, more interest will come back, bringing more sponsorship as well.. I hopefully.

The main offseason news involves Kurt Busch. It was quiet because nobody wanted to be on record regarding the case.

And on Monday, we found out why.

"I know that she could take me down at any moment, because she's a bad-ass," said Busch, who said that when the couple first met, Driscoll told him she was a trained assassin.

Busch said Driscoll, who runs a small defense contracting firm, told him in 2010 that she was a "mercenary" who killed people for a living.

"I thought that was exciting," said Busch, adding that Driscoll showed him pictures of bodies with gunshot wounds after he said he didn't believe her.

A behind-the-scenes tour of Fort Bragg, and Driscoll's claim that a long belly scar was from a stab wound suffered during a mission, seemed to bolster Busch's belief that she was a hired killer, according to his testimony.

http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/kurt-buschs-ex-was-terrible-at-keeping-her-assassin-gig-1679384840

[See Red]

I'm wondering if anyone here on CCSLC would be interested in participating in a Fantasy NASCAR league on ESPN.com, if they run one for this upcoming NASCAR Sprint Cup season.

I've never done one but I'd be willing to give it a shot.

[LAWeaver]

If Driscoll is a so-called trained assassin, why would SHE be needing the restraining order? The whole case has turned Topsy turvy and this is only for the restraining order. The assault case won't begin until after this is over roughly a week into February.

[Unocal]

https://amp.twimg.com/v/8b9b47a5-ef34-49cc-9a8d-9d7281db5592

Jeff Gordon can now add 'Tricycle race at NBA game' to his resume of epic wins, right up there with those 3 Daytona 500's, 5 Brickyard 400's, and the Winston Million.

[Needschat]

https://amp.twimg.com/v/8b9b47a5-ef34-49cc-9a8d-9d7281db5592

Jeff Gordon can now add 'Tricycle race at NBA game' to his resume of epic wins, right up there with those 3 Daytona 500's, 5 Brickyard 400's, and the Winston Million.

If he lost, imagine what his kids would have done to him LOL

[rvrdgsfn]

Hmmm, interesitng...

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2015/01/20/nascar-sprint-cup-schedule-track-contracts/22053571/

There have been multiple meetings after the 2014 season to discuss the concept of multiyear sanctioning agreements that effectively would set much of the Sprint Cup schedule beyond the current season for the first time.

NASCAR traditionally has signed annual deals with every track, pushing the yearly release of the schedule to late summer or early fall.

A multiyear deal would offer tracks the ability to sell season ticket packages and sponsorships with more flexibility and security.

It also would allow a better savings opportunity for fans who travel long distances for races and sometimes face intractable situations in adapting to major changes.

[dfwabel]

Say goodbye to the driver's souvenir hauler.

http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2015/1/21/nascar-sprint-cup-series-fanatics-souvenir-sales-merchandise-partnership.html

[DCarp1231]

Jeff Gordon announces that 2015 will be his last full-time season.

First name that comes to mind to replace him: Chase Elliott

[LAWeaver]

As I said on Twitter a few moments ago, I knew this day would come at some point, but I didn't expect it to be today. I will enjoy this season as much as I can. The sport won't be the same with Jeff. Such a class act... Well, at least 90% of the time he was the first driver I began to follow when I became a fan of NASCAR late in 2005.

Whoever replaces Jeff (cough Chase Elliott cough), I hope they don't have the same luck as Logano did when he replaced Stewart. Hopefully it's a smooth transition for them.

I did notice that Gordon said that this is his last FULL season? Maybe he plans on running a couple more next year? Haha, I'm looking into this way too much.

[sc49erfan15]

Gordon retiring is huge. I can't say I expected it this early whatsoever. He'll be 43 when he retires - very young for a NASCAR driver of his caliber. To put that in perspective, Richard Petty was 55, David Pearson 52, Cable Yarbrough 49, Darrell Waltrip 53, Rusty Wallace 49, Bill Elliott 57, and Bobby Allison 51. Earnhardt was 49, and probably would've gone on for a few to 5 years.

I can't say I ever was a Jeff Gordon fan, but his contributions to NASCAR are immense. He was a huge part of NASCAR's modernization period and brought in tons of fans. It won't be the same without #24 on the track - to cheer either for or against.

[See Red]

I'm a big time Gordon fan and it's going to be weird watching the sport without him. My first NASCAR die-cast car was a Jeff Gordon car and he's been racing as long as I've watched the sport, which I think lines up with around the time he started racing. I am happy he seems to be going out on his own terms. I kind of figured he'd stick around until the end of his new 3M contract, though.