The 2009 season is for all racing series not easy. NASCAR is no exception, but the show is still running at such a high level that you feel must make little worried.
Of course the NASCAR noted that the situation has deteriorated. Several teams have trouble getting enough sponsors together, and many races will not be sold out by far. The massive collapse of the U.S. economy hits the NASCAR fans particularly hard, because the employees are mostly medium to small and are of the layoffs in recent weeks very concerned. The audience decline is likely to take even further this year. But that's the smallest problem.
Makes the biggest concerns is the NASCAR of the U.S. manufacturer. GM has sold 49% less in January, new cars, Chrysler, there were disastrous 55%. At Ford there were 40% and Toyota had to cope with a decline of 34%. For the latter two have to look a little less worried at first. At Chrysler, Fiat has bought at least to some extent, but with GM it looks really bleak. In the coming weeks, the three U.S. manufacturers to submit a plan for how they want to rehabilitate themselves and, of course, is also the full commitment to motor sport on the test stand. Now comes the NASCAR TV viewers is still the number two in the U.S. and a "national sport". So there is a commitment worth already, its just the question of how much money the manufacturer over the next two years to spare.
GM / Chevy:
The brand is like no other with NASCAR woven. At the Daytona 500 pace car that is almost exclusively a Corvette. It sponsors a variety of races, has with Hendrick and RCR two of the most successful teams and with Junior, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, three of the most popular driver in the stable. Hard to imagine that you sit back from the NASCAR pulls.
Ford:
As mentioned, Ford is still reasonably good shape. The losses are limited. Added to this is that with Roush, a team that this year is to seriously compete for the title. A Ford driver as champion would be the best advertisement for the manufacturer in the United States.
Chrysler / Dodge:
The brand has the biggest problems they see and not a few at the end of the year from falling out of NASCAR. Not just because Chrysler the money trickles through your fingers faster than you can print it, but because you have a partner with Fiat, will produce the small cars sold in the United States and. As the NASCAR makes little sense. Positive should be noted, however, that this year, Dodge will use a brand new engine, which suggests that Moeche know it again. Last year they drove behind so often.
Toyota:
That there should be no problems. After a good 2008 season, it naturally expects a lot, but I'm not sure if this can be done again. Most of the burden lies with the Gibbs team, but I see how the first part already indicated, this year a little weaker. It will be interesting, however, suggest how the Red Bull.
The less this year, viewers will come to the track is already clear. The first character set in the winter of Bristol, who actually still tickets left. This happened not long ago. Normally, you can sit on a waiting list, and then get after three years even a few cards. The coming race at Daytona will not be sold. One would assume that with the day tickets around 90% of the seats to fill. What one should know that the tickets for a NASCAR race compared with the Formula One cost virtually nothing. For $ 100 you can get at most races have a card that some races are more favorable. Even if you can crack it - more than $ 300 a week cost so rare.
Despite this, the less fans, has a number of reasons. Firstly, because the economic situation, on the other hand there are the access routes. The U.S. is large, then put the fans back many hundreds of kilometers of a race to see. Also, it costs money, even if the Spirtpreise are not as high. As a third point must be mentioned, however, that many longtime fans have lost interest in recent years. Instead of many smaller teams are only just now "big business" teams on the road, and the virtual closure of Richard Petty was one of the last examples of this. That does not please many fans. Nor that the NASCAR sprawling across the country. Instead Pocono and Fontana would much rather see Rockingham back on the calendar. The last season was also the rather mixed. It is helpful, however, whenever an audience favorite wins on many weekends. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart were two names that could get the fans back to the TV and on the track.
NASCAR has already responded so far, as that it has placed no further rule changes. Stability is the magic word, and as no further experiments.
In terms of TV ratings could be stabilized in the last year, finally. The chase went badly, but overall the year was ok. Apparently you get to the bottom and this year could even the odds to rise again slightly. For every fan who does not come to the track, the race will probably see on television.
2009 will not be easy, but NASCAR is not as bad. There are teams (MWR, Yates, EGR), which have massive problems, but, interestingly, also during the winter new teams have emerged (Prism, Baldwin, Mayfield). The field is not, as some fear, to shrink to less than 35 cars together, but probably about the same level as last year. What is more, NASCAR is not exactly poor. This is the race itself more or less organized and are the most NASCAR tracks, because it is better than Formula One and its organizer. NASCAR can absorb the losses due to the lack of ticket revenue good. The situation is different in the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series. Since many sponsors involved several times in the series, we concentrated on the Sprint Cup this fall and let the other series. In the NW one considers whether the CoT not simply move north, so the teams are relieved. In the CWTS it does this year after one year, winning everything in the Toyota, Ford and Dodge is there practically no longer exist. In general many expect that the truck will see their 2009 series last season.
Summed up: I expect a solid season without major problems. There will be teams in the course of the year in trouble, some sponsors will also cause worry. But the marketing budgets for 2009 are lashed firmly and most companies are so big that you have enough air to be a crisis. In 2010, however, the situation looks completely different. But that's another matter.
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Thank you for the 2nd part, Don.
My problem is I do not know if others share it, is the question of a proper transfer.
The pixelated streams (including STV), in which one part may not even recognize the color of the car, glitches, several minutes of jerking and technical hurdles, such as wireless communication systems in the house I have spoiled the fun powerful.
I for one would pay a high price for live racing and I would therefore be an opportunity to view legal (acceptable quality), the NASCAR look, I know, unfortunately, no.
ABMoteurs was my contact person in the shop completely unknown to me, however, the satellite and the requested frequency.
That would be an issue :)
Greetings and keep it up!