Daytona Fever: Did Ya Catch It?
Chad Lewis writes:
With all this discussion regarding speedway funding, financial impact, legislative procedures, facility bonds, etc., it’s easy to forget that we’re talking about a sport here. And a popular sport at that.
The Daytona 500, a sporting event second only the Super Bowl as far as TV ratings, was raced Sunday. Judging by comments on this blog site and from interviews I’ve had with locals, I imagine whether or not you watched the race depends on whether or not you support the proposed speedway in Kitsap.
It’s hard to tell if Daytona fever really caught on here. Judging by media coverage in the Seattle area, it wasn’t that big of a deal. Our sports department here at Kitsap Sun played the race results prominently in Monday’s edition, but The Seattle Times and Seattle Post-Intelligencer played the race second to the the Winter Olympics.
Neither of the Seattle newspapers sent a staff writer to Daytona Beach, Fla., for the festivities. It apparently wasn’t a lack of travel funds — The Times sent its SuperSonics beat writer to Houston for the NBA All-Star game, a non-event if there ever was one.
I’m not judging those calls — I trust sportswriters to know their markets better than I do. Our sports editor, Chuck Stark, knows better than anyone what kind of appetite sports fans in Kitsap have. As far as Seattle, if there was an outpouring of interest in NASCAR here in Western Washington, I imagine their coverage would look much different.
But the first Daytona 500 race since ISC announced its intention to come here does raise a few questions: If a speedway is approved in Kitsap, would it increase interest in the biggest NASCAR race of them all? Would Kitsap residents start watching major NASCAR races and envision what it would be like here? Are Seattle newspapers oblivious to a groundswell of NASCAR support, or were they right by downplaying its coverage?
If anyone has any answers, I’d love to read ‘em.
February 21st, 2006 at 6:51 pm
The Kitsap Sun didn’t need to travel to Daytona to cover the race. All they had to do was attend one of the many race watching parties heald in Kitsap County. I guess even our local papers can miss the fact that there is a large racing community here.
February 22nd, 2006 at 7:47 am
I guess yor writer did not try to contact anyone to see if there was anything going on last Sunday during the race. I attended a race watch party at Our Place eatery in Silverdale with 40 members of the local fantasy racing league, talk about hipe and excitment. you should have been there
February 22nd, 2006 at 8:26 am
The most unbelievable event that I’ve ever attended. I experienced both sides from sponsoring Larry Gunselman’s car #52 and being down in the pits to spending time in ISC’s corporate suites. There were literally $300 million in RVs. All with out of state licenses. It would be easy to say that the bonds and amoratization schedules there are to the finance package would be easily paid off early. A once in a lifetime experience with over 250,000 people in attendance. I also spent time with Admiral Fowler and Senior Chief Priest who head-up the Navy’s Motorsports Program.
February 22nd, 2006 at 10:45 am
I also attended the races as a sponsor of the #52 driver. I also saw dozens of race fans from Washington State (either met them at the track or saw them returning through SeaTac).
There is now no doubt in my mind a NASCAR event would raise money. One small vendor at the Daytona Beach Flea Market told me he sold 30,000 hats and 4,000 lamps. There was rental equipment everywhere (tents, sani-cans, fencing, lighting, television monitors, rental cars, tractors, golf carts, etc.) There was barely an empty hotel room in a 40 mile radius, and some were getting 4 times the usual rate.
I queried residents in three cities (Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach, and Port Orange Florida). Not one of the dozens of people thought the track or NASCAR should leave town. They spoke of inconvenience, but were unanimous in their opinion that benefits exceed costs. (I also encouraged them to tell me if they have friends or family who oppose the track.) Not one nay in the group. If you don’t believe me, please go to a NASCAR race.
I did speak to Chuck Stark (sports editor) while in Daytona Beach. He had phone numbers for me and Larry Gunselman. I’m sure we’ll see more coverage in the future. Had Gunselman qualified for the 500, I’m sure we’d have seen more coverage.
I’m surprised the regional papers did not pick up on the fact that two other racers in the 500 were from Washington State (Cope and Kahne) or that Bush Series driver Biffle is from Vancouver, Wa.
The security at the track was second to none, the hospitality was fantastic, the crowds were very friendly and orderly, and most were in attendance as families. This sport is a family affair. Also, traffic really wasn’t that terrible, except for a few hours on Sunday. Fans plan accordingly and come early or take a bus. And two hours after the 500, traffic was back to normal.
This event is not like a concert with a bunch of rowdy teen age kids creating havoc. ISC and NASCAR are experts at planning and crowd management (and it is very evident on race day).
I could write a full page article on this experience, but have not yet been invited to do so. If the Kitsap Sun doesn’t pick it up, perhaps another local publication will.
February 22nd, 2006 at 2:26 pm
Actually, Mr. Nelson, Greg Biffle also drives the #16 National Guard Ford in the Nextel Cup Series.
February 22nd, 2006 at 2:37 pm
I think I should put together a proposal package to use $ +170 Mil of the state taxpayers money to bring the Rat City Rollergirl roller derby league ( http://ratcityrollergirls.com/ ) to Kitsap County. I mean if people can believe that wasting large amounts of public money on Nascar is an actual non insane proposal than my idea to have the state pay me $ +170 Mil of the state taxpayers money for a Rollergirl proposal should be feasible. Hell there is a roller rink in Bremerton so it would just be a simple rezoning expansion. Rollergirls is the fasting growing sport in reality TV today.
Or are the pro-pork for Nascar crown to “elite” for rollergirls?
February 22nd, 2006 at 5:21 pm
Okay, Mr. Metcalf — we get the hint…..you’re not into NASCAR. But with each entry you make you sound more immature. There comes a point where making a bold, forceful statement over and over again turns into whining and shouting at the wind.
I’m not into golf, but there are golf courses all over the place, and they look lovely. Not only that, some of them are publicly owned. If you put together a credible business plan, bring together sufficient corporate backing and sponsorship, get the legislature to shell out the dough and you make money for the state with rollergirl, then have at it. It’s a free country. Or haven’t you got that far in social studies yet?
February 23rd, 2006 at 12:08 am
So where does all this “money” go and what does it do?
February 23rd, 2006 at 9:31 am
Most Golf courses don’t ask the state to pay for half of it with a plan on forclosing and sticking the state with the bill.
I believe in the free market and if NASCAR wants to build a track in Kitsap they should pay 100% of the costs and leave my public tax money ALONE. Not one damn dime should go into their pockets for a corporate welfare handout.
I swear the modern Democratic party sound like the Repubican party from 1975.
February 23rd, 2006 at 11:30 am
I can tell you there were 6 community race watching parties in the region (4 in Kitsap/Mason Counties) one in Everett and one in Seattle. These were all put on by fans including the Checkered Flag Club in Kitsap/Mason and Fans United For Nascar in Everett, as well as the Northwest Race Safety Team in Seattle. Attendance was almost 400 for all of the events. although we provided a few door prizes, and posted the events on our website these were not ISC events.
Also, TV ratings in the Seattle market was an 8.9, or about 139,000 households watching.
Nationally, it was a record year and the most watched NASCAR event in history. The 2006 Daytona 500 on attracted 37 million total, unduplicated viewers and drew a record 11.3 rating, the highest NASCAR rating in history and the most viewed Daytona 500 ever. *(according to Nielsen Media Research.)
February 23rd, 2006 at 11:32 am
You know, Mr. Metcalf, I have severely misjudged you. Up till now, I thought you were just an overexuberant, but misled, student in high school, maybe junior college. But according to what I’ve read, at 28 you should have a broader view of the world by now. Also, as a government contractor, you should be all about the “pork” unless you got some bad pork, which would account for the apparent bad taste in your mouth.
February 23rd, 2006 at 12:46 pm
Yes I am 28 and my generation is going to have to face the crippling debt and deficit of the failed Republican fiscal policy on the national level. Luckily the State Government knows how to balance a checkbook and is in much better financial state than the failed federal fiscal policy that has created the largest deficits ever and has made us dependant on the banks of China and Saudi Arabia. It is my generation that is going to have to pick up the pieces and have to live with the debt.
February 23rd, 2006 at 4:34 pm
Has anyone run across an easily understandable explanation of the funding package?
I’m convinced the projections of increased revenue are reasonable. I also have confidence in the funding package. However, I think it would be useful for all of us to see something written regarding the specific impact of the bond issue on our State. Also, maybe a position from a State official (maybe attorney general if appropriate)regarding the impact of funding. This would give us something to really bite into instead of just debating based on our opinions.
If faced with such a decision in my business, I’d want the whole facts. If we have something available, we should all read it. If we don’t have it, maybe this would be an interesting item for the Kitsap Sun to review and publish.
February 23rd, 2006 at 5:46 pm
“Has anyone run across an easily understandable explanation of the funding package?”
Sure “hokey.” That is what State Treasurer Mike Murphy calls it.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/motorsports/2002656321_nascarweb30.html
the State Treasurer Mike Murphy. Murphy has earlier said numbers ISC is using to calculate the track’s economic benefits are “hokey.”
February 24th, 2006 at 7:35 am
I believe the Sun does have most of the financial information on the web. Or visit our website at http://www.race2wa.com, look for “Berk Report.” That is the financial impact to the region, also, contact our office and I can send you any you would like.
As far as state officials, call the Lt. Gov’s office, as he is a huge fan of the project and was integral in inviting ISC here. the Governor has also said these numbers are real in a recent interview with Robert Mak on King 5 TV, and Mayor Bozeman of Bremerton co-wrote an op-ed piece for the Seattle Times on January 19. http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=nascar19&date=20060119&query=nascar
Mike Murphy’s comments were a very long time ago. At the time (before the bill was written)thought the bonds being sold would affect the States bonding capacity, therefore affect schools, roads etc, but they do not. It does not affect the States capacity, because they are not state issued bonds, they are issued by a new bonding authority. He did not realize that, YES, people do spend $1,000 in a race weekend. His “hokey” comment was before any of this information was issued.
February 24th, 2006 at 8:58 am
Thank you Rich, that is what I was looking for. Murhpy’s “hokey” comment was prior to the bill and it was also referring to the projections, not the source of funding. I believe the projections are reasonable (if not conservative). I also witnessed people in Daytona spending very much more than $1,000 for the race weekend. (First hand experience is pretty powerful evidence for me.) It is a clearer understanding of the bonds being issued that I am after.
February 24th, 2006 at 9:30 am
I believe State Treasurer Mike Murphy over the paid spin agents of Nascar and ISC Corp.
February 24th, 2006 at 10:12 am
On Election day 1,575,499 Washingtonian voters trusted Mike Murphy to be our State Treasurer. That is way more than any candidate in the gubernatorial race. He is accountable to the voters and not the financial backings of the ISC Corporation of Florida. His “Hokey” statement about the questionable accounting estimates of the Nascar pork proposal was made in November of 2005. That is hardly a long time ago. I trust him because he has the financial future of the voters of Washington in mind over the profit potential of ISC Corp.
February 24th, 2006 at 10:28 am
Jacob,
I’m curious. You’re right about Rich Johnson being paid by ISC. What about the Lt. Governor Brad Owen? He’s a Democrat. What are your thoughts about him? He got 1,443,505 votes from Washingtonians, giving him a third term in the office. He supports the speedway and the funding package.
I’m not stating a position for or against the speedway here, but I am wondering why you compare Murphy to Johnson and leave Owen out of the conversation.
February 24th, 2006 at 11:38 am
John Nelson: I worked with a guy in Elma who takes his wife on a week-long NASCAR vacation every year. They stash away about $2000 for their annual pilgrimage, about half of which goes for transportation to the race and the other half at and around the track. And he’s a mill worker making around $12/hr. So this bears out your observation. Let’s see….$1000 times 85,000 times 2 race events. My calculator just smoked.
February 27th, 2006 at 12:49 pm
With all due respects for Lt Governor Owens I don’t see how he gets to have a vote on the matter unless there is a tie in the senate or Governor Gregoire leaves office before the Nascar bill is defeated.
My Senator Sheldon of the 35th District used to support the idea of Nascar in Kitsap and even wore a Nascar jacket to a Democratic function but since the details of the package came out and are so one sided against the state he switched. He is also going to be facing a tough primary this year.
My question is where do the Republicans on the issue. It seams like the Democratic party, agents of Nascar and the business lobbying groups are the only one talking about this. We have heard nothing from the Kitsap and Mason county Republicans on the package.
February 27th, 2006 at 12:57 pm
Jacob,
My question was in response to your comments about Mike Murphy. You compared Rich Johnson to him, but left out Owens.
February 27th, 2006 at 2:14 pm
To address your question I plan on doing what ever I can politically to keep the Democratic caucus together in the 2006 campaign and the 2007 session on the issue and if there is any representatives or candidates that are publicly considering backing the “Pork for Nascar” plan I whole heartedly plan on lobbying them to do the right thing and encourage them to vote with the state party caucus for the future of Kitsap county.
February 28th, 2006 at 12:34 pm
I’m a race fan and look forward to watching a CUP race at Kitsap Speedway, but I also look forward to watching my boys play soccer there and using the road coarse for my motorcylce and race car on open track days. This will be more of a Motorsports/Sports complex than a ‘NASCAR’ track. NASCAR will use the track maybe three weekend a year, after that, it is at the comnities descretion to make good use of it, and there are plentty of oportunities, which could bring millions of revenue to the state that it will never otherwise see. And all that with no new taxes nor having to pay for it if you don’t use or attend the facility.
February 28th, 2006 at 3:16 pm
Bryan –
I agree with you wholeheartedly. From what I’ve read so far, most of the community-based use of the track facility will be low-to-no cost. I’m guessing you have to pay through the nose to use Safeco, Qwest or Key Arena. Such a deal!!
February 28th, 2006 at 4:02 pm
Well Bryan then you should incourage NASCAR to pay for the track 100%. Would you rather have your kids school funding cut for the Nascar track?
February 28th, 2006 at 7:23 pm
School funding wouldn’t be affected by the building and operation of the race track. The track gets paid for by NASCAR leasing the facility and by new sales tax revenue brought into the state by race fans……revenue that wouldn’t exist without the track. AND excess revenue beyond that needed for bond retirement goes to local and state general funds. Plus the increased economic activity in Kitsap County from the track would induce people to buy and build and raise property values which would increase property tax revenues (where most of school funding comes from). So it is possible that schools could benefit from the race track.
PS: If the track were to fail, the people that bought the bonds would get stiffed…..not the taxpayers.
March 1st, 2006 at 12:03 pm
This ‘loan’ to ISC will have absolutely no effect on paying for schools! This facility will only benifit the surrounding comunity and we need to strongly support getting it in Kitsap!
March 6th, 2006 at 8:04 pm
The finacial cost of the pork for Nascar can put our state budget surplus in jeopardy and that puts our schools in risk.
March 6th, 2006 at 11:18 pm
JACOB –
There would be NO financial cost to jeopardize anything. The bonds would be paid for by NEW tax revenues brought to us by out-of-state race fans who come for the weekend to watch racing and empty their wallets.
And you STILL haven’t figured out the definition of PORK.
March 9th, 2006 at 4:06 pm
Great. Daytona is the Superbowl of Nascar and you guys want to compare it to here? Daytona is one of the crown jewels and attendance and ratings are always great. Why not look into the recent race in California? It didn’t even sell out. John, James, Bryan, if you guys want the track, great, but the idea that it won’t cost taxpayers a dime is absurd. Seriously.
March 9th, 2006 at 4:49 pm
Again….Where woudl you pick in a six week window, Las Vegas, Phoenix or Fontana? I go with the first two…I would imagine there will be a restructure in the schedule with the February Cali date. And when you say “it didnt eve sell out…” you are saying an estimated 80,000 plus people were in the grandstands out of 92,000, plus the infield. This still sounds like a goos day at the races.