NPR’s Mr. Frank Deford theorizes that NASCAR’s overall decline in fascination is due, in part, to the “diminishing returns” on speed and how speed is “out of fashion.” I analyze those concepts and determine their validity. My research isn’t absolute; but it’s intended to spark more discussion on the original …
[NOTE: The purse size -- a factor which I incorporate into the attendance model to gauge the "prestige" of an event -- is excluded from this particular analysis on the economy. Although it relates well to the marketing budget for many tracks, I choose to focus on the economic realities …
I’ve received several inquiries pondering attendance and how it’s changed over time. In my last entry, “Understanding Attendance,” I pointed out two major issues with attendance figures provided by event facilities and NASCAR. The problems and solutions are described below: Inflated estimates. Many post-race attendance numbers disconnect with the actual …
[NOTE: The attendance model will be released next week. I'm putting the final touches on it right now. Does the economy control most of the flow of in-race fans? What about gas prices? Does track configuration play much of a role? I'm really excited to unveil this censored regression model. …
[NOTE: I've received many inquiries about attendance figures and how they've changed in NASCAR over time. Some of my focus this fall will be on the factors that influence potential attendees' trips to types of NASCAR races. I'll quantify the effect of Cup drivers' participation in the Grand National Series. …
[NOTE: There are a lot of fun and interesting research pieces that will be posted in the coming weeks. Cup Series attendance. Grand National Series attendance. The Dale, Jr., Effect. Scheduling changes. Please be patient. Good research takes time. As always, you can forward to me your questions, critiques, and …
[NOTE: This entry is a bit long, but it's straightforward with plenty of graphics to create intriguing perspectives. As I always emphasize, my research intends to supplement -- not reject -- anecdotal evidence provided by those in industry. Mr. Gossage, the inspiration to this article, has a much different job …
[NOTE: I've recently neglected my weekly summary of the previous race's rating. Time has been a bit scarce, so I chose to emphasize the research aspect of the website. I've stumbled upon some free moments this week -- let's recap the first handful of races that ESPN has hosted in …
[NOTE: It's race-week at Bristol Motor Speedway. Last year was my first experience at Thunder Valley and I loved every lap of it. I'll be there again for the main event on Saturday night. This entry provides a nice preview of what's to come -- I write about "cautions' breeding …
Mr. David Newton posted an enlightening piece to ESPN.com about the age of drivers in NASCAR. The author cites that the average age of the current top ten in the season-long standings is four years older than in 2008. Newton opines that this upward trend of age in the Cup Series’ …