Unfortunately in the world we all live, we create our own supply chain problems through our buying habits. The 'ol chicken and the egg paradigm, which came first?

Case in point, aging consumers want small towns that have all that character and history to thrive yet most of those consumers do their shopping at big box stores such as Wal-mart and Target because they are price sensitive. The selection and prices are certainly more beneficial at those stores and the revenue is used to feed the head of the monster and benefits the local economy, more importantly the workers, little to none. Still yet, we want to see that little mom and pop store down on main stay open. The same place we think they are overpriced and the selection sucks but crucify the owner the day the "going out of business" sign goes up. We almost take it personally that someone dare take our memories and board them up, even tho we did little to nothing to help keep that front door open. We all want to walk main street on the beautiful summer evening but aren't willing to pay for it the rest of the year.

Racing, not just open wheel, is no different. Sectors of racing that in the past have been thriving and viable just don't make fiscal sense to the average consumer (the car owner's and spectators) at this point and they have taken their dollar to the Wal-Mart of open wheel racing which is local dirt tracks. It's quick, cheap, easy, you know there will be cars and the racing should be good. Same as the model above, the folks that won't spend their dollar are the same that call out foul when events and car counts die out and "main street" goes dark. There is nostalgia in silver crown racing, there is nostalgia pavement racing, and certainly there is nostalgia in almost all the crown jewel USAC events that are really struggling right now. Nostalgia is expensive and if it's to be kept, we all must pay and do our part... at least if it's still important to us and want to be shared for the future.

USAC has dipped into their pockets for a while to keep "main streets" lights on and I think that is where KM is coming from. I don't at all agree with the overhead at USAC and the structure of operating a non-for-profit as a profitable entity but having said that, it's allowed the lights to stay on longer than they would otherwise. For the general racing consumer, it's been a savior because it's allowed for those summer walks past the storefronts without actually putting money in those same cash registers. Unfortunately it's starting to look like the end is near unless us racing consumers start dropping some change into the events we love.

Can it change? Of course it can, but only if "main street" becomes part of our shopping routine. Balance is ok, hit the local dirt tracks 3 weeks out of 4, but that 4th week.. make it a special night watching or racing something different and nostalgic.