[Therealether]

Nascar has Volusia County by the balls. Its literally the only thing here to draw anything more than flies, so the government rolls out the red Carpet for them. The started this whole Daytona Rising before Toyota was even a huge player in Nascar, then out it on hold when the economy crapped out.

[ISF]

Originally Posted by Therealether Nascar has Volusia County by the balls. Its literally the only thing here to draw anything more than flies, so the government rolls out the red Carpet for them. The started this whole Daytona Rising before Toyota was even a huge player in Nascar, then out it on hold when the economy crapped out.

Since much of our immediate family lives in Daytona Beach (actually Port Orange) we've spent more time there by far than anywhere except home in the Midwest.

That being the case we've spent a lot of time in DB and Florida as a whole and have a pretty good understanding of what it has to offer. Overall, there is as much of a tourist draw to DB as anywhere on the east side of the state, and that would include Miami and the Space Coast. Much of the tourist draw has no real connection to DIS when the motorcycle events and the beach is factored in.

Naturally Orlando is the epicenter of the Florida tourist attractions and there is a fair amount of spill over to DB. As a matter of fact, when you factor in Biketoberfest and Bike Week and Turkey Trot the tourist draw is somewhat more diversified than even Orlando and several of those events do not include DIS as their hub. The huge difference, obviously, is Orlando's tourist draw is 365 days a year as opposed to just 3 or 4 weeks a year as is the case with DB.

One thing is for sure, DB is much more of a tourist destination than Indianapolis.

[chathamracefan]

The problem with the reliance on tv ratings is that the ratings have been going in the tank for a few years. When the next tv deal comes around the real squeeze will happen. Somewhere in mid 2000’s the focus of Nascar management shifted to turning into more of a tv show entertainment event vs a sport and in the process ran off a big chunk of their core audience.

[Therealether]

Nobody really comes here for the beaches anymore. They're not that nice. Most go to Flagler. Bike week is huge, but the city is doing everything it can to squash it because it's not deemed "family friendly" Main St is a ghost town outside of Bike Week and the Friday and Saturday off Biketoberfest The turkey run is a shell of what it was. The boardwalk is dying.

[ISF]

Originally Posted by Therealether Nobody really comes here for the beaches anymore. They're not that nice. Most go to Flagler. Bike week is huge, but the city is doing everything it can to squash it because it's not deemed "family friendly" Main St is a ghost town outside of Bike Week and the Friday and Saturday off Biketoberfest The turkey run is a shell of what it was. The boardwalk is dying.

Are you sure you're not one of the developers that loves to tell the town what a dump it is and that they need a half dozen overpriced hotels and beach driving should be eliminated altogether so the hotels can lay claim to their own private piece of the beach? LOL! I would agree that the crooked Volusia County and DB politicians that have an ax to grind have not done the area justice but it's not all bad.

The Main Street Pier has been dead for a decade or more. Nothing new there. South of Dunlawton and Sun Glo is where the family area is and it's actually very nice down there. The lighthouse area is quite nice and the nearby southern part of the riverfront is also a very nice area. It's been a been a while since we've ventured up to Flagler but the last time we were there we didn't see anything to leave the DB area for, that's for sure.

[jdull99]

Originally Posted by miledirt It's all about the drivers. Have to keep the path to Indy and Daytona open for young local short track talent. This is first year in a long time (to my memory) that there isn't a USAC type guy getting his shot in the truck series It's certainly not all gloom and doom, but only 40 cars for the 500 would be a concern

Agree with what your saying, but (I think I saw same convo somewhere else - maybe on this thread??? lol) Stewart friesen won a WoO race...I know thats not usac tho...

[sp6967]

nascar started worrying about political correctness.

[Crankin]

This is nice:
http://autoweek.com/article/nascar/n...-11-bankruptcy

[revjimk]

Originally Posted by chathamracefan The problem with the reliance on tv ratings is that the ratings have been going in the tank for a few years. When the next tv deal comes around the real squeeze will happen. Somewhere in mid 2000’s the focus of Nascar management shifted to turning into more of a tv show entertainment event vs a sport and in the process ran off a big chunk of their core audience.

I think you're right

[revjimk]

Originally Posted by sp6967 nascar started worrying about political correctness.

NASCAR "politically correct"??? In what way?