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Please explain to me why Nazareth stays and Gateway gets dropped. There was a far better crowd at Gateway, the racing was better, the track management wanted to keep the event.....so why dump it? And why keep Nazareth? Quite likely the worst crowd of the year, much worse than last year and heading in the wrong direction. I don't get it.
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Mikey..................SENسR MODERATOR......
"Better To Be Judged By Twelve Than Carried By Six"
" Only Those Who Will Risk Going Too Far....Can Possibly Find Out How Far One Can Go "...T.S. Elliot.... -
location, location, locationComment
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A question worth asking. Sponsor location? Budweiser (drink Sam Adams!!!) certainly isn't biting.Comment
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Looks to me like Mikey should have invited a couple more friends.....Originally posted by dog-ring
Mikey..................Comment
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If you want Kansas,Michigan,Chicago,California,Phoenix,Richmon d,
Homestead, you take Nazareth.
Gateway losing it's race had nothing to due with attendance, I was told the Friday of the Gateway race that the IRL was not coming back.
I think that it had to due to the facility itself and the lack of upkeep.
tbComment
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It did look like there were more people there this year, AND NO SNOW!!!!! Alot of folks walking up.Comment
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Maybe a Dover issue as well. Things may change if the rumored buyout of Dover by Bruton Smith goes through.Originally posted by tb
If you want Kansas,Michigan,Chicago,California,Phoenix,Richmon d,
Homestead, you take Nazareth.
Gateway losing it's race had nothing to due with attendance, I was told the Friday of the Gateway race that the IRL was not coming back.
I think that it had to due to the facility itself and the lack of upkeep.
tbComment
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The IRL needs a notheast race.Comment
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Seems to me the Naz/Gateway issues is two independent questions. Gateway was a mistake from the very start. It is not a track conducive to soul stirring racing. CARt found that out and not the IRL has found the same. Add to that its miserably narrow pit lanes, lack of local support, and that it is not an ISC track and it is obvious why it is going away.
Nazareth is a different story. It has a storied history, is in the NE, and actually can produce exciting and interesting racing (though this hasn't happened for about 6 years).
I agree though Jim. Today's 'crowd' was the worst we've seen in the IRL this year. Not good for the future of this race, one of my favorites.Akimbo
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I'll take Gateway as a challenging track with tight groove and a solid passing zone.
plus it's an easy trip"Living well is the best revenge"
George HerbertComment
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I agree.
Seeing the "crowd" at Nazareth today makes you wonder why in the world the IRL would drop Gateway? The track managment at Gateway actually woked their butts off the last sevceral years trying to build up the IRL race. Plus, it isn't like AB is the only major corporation in St. Louis, the IRL could appeal to.
Bad move.Comment
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There was a problem with the crowd? Huh?
Obviously TV didn't show the crowd.....I wouldn't know, I didn't watch it on TV.Comment
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Gateway is not 100% off the calendar yet. There is a date open where the IRL could add another race if it chooses. It is still possible that Gateway gets added next year. This year, the promoter told Tony George that he would get 40,000 in the stands. TG told him "Get 40,000 and we'll come back next year". Well, they only got 30,000...
As is being pointed out by everyone who actually went to the race, there were many thousands of fans at Nazareth today. I'm not good at counting crowds, but the place was half full. From the top to half way down, the stands were full. From halfway to the bottom, they were empty. Might have looked bad on TV, but it was a better crowd than last year.
And I do think that location and tradition have something to do with this track keeping its date.
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Jim, the thing you can't figure is what a race at Gateway does to the other tracks drawing from the same fan base. In these tough economic times, fans can't be expected to go to all the races. Nazareth is far enough from the core to represent a different market, yet close enough for the hard core fan in the Indy area, who go to em all, to make the trip. This was the first warm weather Naz, the first with an Andretti name, in the past, IRL, to those in the area was the enemy. Let's give it a chance.Comment
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