From taking lessons on fermentation to swirling sips, Oenologists are avid studiers of wine and wine-making.

Back from my auto racing week long vacation… and devastated.

I think I can hear the death-knell of auto racing as an on-site spectators sport. And that is a sad commentary on current times.

At the race this weekend at the Laguna Seca race track, just outside of Monterey, CA, there were fewer than 8500 spectators at a major (well, major in the fact that it is a series of note… the same series as the 24 hours of Le Mans) race… This at a race track venue that should hold well over 200 thousand.

There are two things that drive a race car.

1. Spectators or paying patrons who visit the venue, buy groceries, goo-gahs and team clothing

2. Sponsors.

Let’s look at these “race car drivers” starting with the last one first.

Sponsors are major companies or organizations that pour developmental and operational funding into the car and basically support the teams with money… large volumes of money. The number of companies that are more and more willing to do that is getting very very small. Blame if on harsh times, cost of doing business… whatever… there are fewer and fewer of these big supporters capable of helping a racing team. A typical team in race mode on a race weekend for a Daytona Prototype “24-hour” car will need approx. $725,000 bucks. If there are 12 races during a race year??? You do the math.

Spectators basically support the venue, i.e. the track. The track provides race support, maintenance, amenities (i.e. porta-potties) vendors kiosks and paper goods (i.e. ticket sales, parking passes, etc.). They are also responsible for the “purse” for WIN, PLACE and SHOW.

Now let’s look at the dichotomy of the race weekend.

If a track is putting on a race, all bills relating to the race must be paid. Race teams expect a “purse” that compliments the type of race and car entered into the race. If the “purse” is not too large, then the race teams won’t race there. If the race teams won’t race there, then there is no reason for a race.

If there is a race, the track needs to make an income from ticket sales, vendors fees etc. in order to pay the bills and fund the “purse”… I could really get into this in depth, but I need to keep this short. If the track cannot make a profit then the race the following year may or may not happen. If the race does not happen, the teams go somewhere else. If the teams cannot find a venue to race at… well, let’s just say that things are not looking good.

As a spectator of a race weekend, the cost is growing exponentially. Using my weekend experience, on average, a race spectator will spend on average $2800.00. This covers pretty much everything (gas to get there, race weekend tickets, lodging, food drink, etc.) For a family of four, that would amount to… well… a lot of hard earned dollars. Fifteen years ago, that cost was about $800.00.

There are not too many people who can afford that type of vacation cost. Thus the loss of race fans at any particular race event. NASCAR is not exempt from this phenomena. Fan base at the NASCAR races is down from last year and the year before. Sponsors for NASCAR race teams use to number in the hundreds. Now there are less than a hundred.

Sponsors expect exposure. Racers expect fans and a venue worth racing at. A race fan expects to be entertained at a reasonable price. The price is no longer reasonable. Fans are not going to the tracks. The tracks cannot afford to be doing business in the red. If the track cannot hold a race or provide a large enough purse, then the race teams won’t show. If the teams don’t show, sponsors suffer from lack of exposure. If the sponsors stop providing the need funds, then there are no race teams. It’s a vicious, spiraling, downward circle.

Auto racing as a spectator sport is dying in the United States. You heard it here first ladies and gentlemen. Don’t believe me? Watch the Indy 500 this Memorial Day weekend. Note the number of fans in the stands. Fifteen years ago, that venue would be sold out. Now???

One good thing did come out of my vacation weekend. I found my next motorcycle. It is one gorgeous bit ‘o’ machinery, let me tell you. Great ground clearance, imposing stature, subtle amenities… It’s not something I could split traffic with, but when people see you coming, they will move outta your way.

She is a bit of a gas guzzler however…

Until next week…