2016 NASCAR Week 22 Preview: Watkins Glen

Cheez-It 355 at the Glen

Watkins Glen International

By Richard Tix

NASCAR Opinion: 

Hot Take: Sporting events cost money.

Any sport has it's cost and we should all know that. However, year after year the complaint that going to the track is too expensive gets brought up and the incorrect fact that tickets are too expensive gets throw out there.

Sure, maybe for you it's too expensive. We all come from different backgrounds and all make different incomes. But, sports are a luxury, not a given. Going to sporting event's all comes down to priorities. Would your rather save some money, watch it on TV, and use that money on something else you need (not want)?

It is 100% understandable if you do not have the means to go to a race, not everyone can do every event. Life isn't fair and most of us have to work to make a living let alone go to a race.

I make one race a season so I know the struggles first hand. Being in Minnesota makes it a tough task to go anywhere at the Cup level for cheap. However, costs can be cut in places as long as we realize ticket prices aren't the issue.

Many tracks have inexpensive ticket options just for people who complain about prices, yet they continue to complain... Heck, most of these seats are even pretty good views at each track. Ive heard MIS, LVMS, Auto Club, and more all make deals to get fans to the track.

Complaining about money is the easy way out. If you just enjoy it better on TV, fine. Can't afford it this year because funds got tight, fine. Just lost the love of the sport, fine. All of that happen's, but don't use ticket prices as an excuse.

Compared to other sports NASCAR ticket prices are pretty inexpensive (think NFL, NHL, NBA, Soccer. The MLB might be an exception in some cities). Upper level tickets for the Vikings are normally around $50 for the highest seats (NFL), same with the Wild (NHL). Once we hit the new football stadium those prices may jump more for the Vikings. 

Add in the fact that a beer or even pop (soda) is around $7-7.50 at these stadiums and things add up fast. Parking in a downtown area is normally $10-15 (Vikings games used to get hiked up to $20 for a lot 3/4 miles away).

Point being, sports are expensive.

In NASCAR most tracks let you bring in coolers full of beer or pop (soda) and any kind of food you would like. Seriously, tell that to a sports fan who attends NBA/MLB/NHL/NFL games who doesn't follow NASCAR and hasn't been to a track. I bet the flip out with how awesome it is you can bring in a 12 pack, pop (soda), chips, sandwiches, ANYTHING YOU WANT. Tracks miss out on a ton of revenue on concessions just to get you there, but you want to complain.

"Hotel's in the area jack up prices." Sure they do. If one of your busiest weekends is a NASCAR weekend and you have an area with high demand and small quantities to give up you would capitalize. Nothing NASCAR or the tracks can do about supply and demand of hotel accommodations. Maybe they could create their own line of hotel chains (not likely folks), but even then the market wouldn't change much during these weekends.

NASCAR may not be able to do anything, but you can! Maybe you have friends or relatives in the area (we have friends about 45-55 min away from MIS). That's a small option for many people, but I have more. Stay farther away from the track. Many times you can make an easy 1 hour, 2 hour drive into the track and save a ton of money on hotels. Like camping? Maybe rough it for a few nights at a campground. It saves a ton of money and even gives you an extra experience that might bring some fun memories.

In the end everything still cost's money and you as a fan have to deal with it. Tracks have tried making cheap ticket packages, but the fan looks past this and moves onto the next thing to complain about. If you want to go bad enough you will make away or understand maybe it's not meant to be for that event. But, just realize in life nothing is free and life is not fair. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy things, you just have to start looking at it in another perspective. Make it happen or move along and enjoy it another way, folks!

Race Preview:

That was a long rant with a lot of opinion tied in, remember we all have opinions and most of them are not wrong. Just remember if you want to make it happen their are ways to get there. But, its race 22 and we have some actual takes on racing action this week to talk about.

Last week Chris Buescher won and put everyone on blast. Now, if he makes it to the top 30 he will steal a Chase spot. Good for him and good for Front Row. Other drivers/teams not already locked into the Chase have a five race warning call which starts this weekend.

Every driver has had 21 races to race their way in, so I don't want to hear Buescher doesn't deserve a spot, he does if he passes all the required rules (top 30). No, we do not need to change the format because of this. Every sport has an underdog story even in the playoffs. The NBA lets in 16 teams and normally only four of those have a legit shot to win. But, it creates some great opening round drama. Similarly, the NCAA Basketball tournament is filled with Cinderella lore. In the end "natural selection" takes over and the strong teams almost always prevail, but sports are sports because unpredictability is key.

NASCAR now has that and it adds some great feel good stories for teams that never get noticed. Do you think FRM and other small teams don't work there butts off with a smaller budget then the "big boys?" Night in and night out those guys work there tails off and deserve some pay off. Let there hard work pay off for once and enjoy the first three races in the Chase.

WG now gets even more focus because another underdog win will put more pressure on guys relying on the points bubble. If A.J. Allmendinger comes out strong early guys in the field like Larson, Elliott, Newman, and McMurray (among others) will start pressing. It will bring out the best or worst in each driver as they need to perform there best under pressure.

In the end, every driver has 26 races to race there way in. Plain and simple you need to win to have a chance in the Championship anyways. Strategy, good luck, bad luck, fast cars, crap cars, and even weather will make 16 teams a Chase team or not. Every driver/team with a win will have deserved it because racing is sport, and sport is unpredictable. Enjoy the moments and just remember that it's not like these teams didn't realize that any week something like Chris Buescher winning couldn't throw a wrench in there plan.

**This section is just a quick look at some of Cup drivers latest finishes. This is not a tool for fantasy purposes and NBTW only is looking at end results. No deep statistic's are involved, but rather it is just a quick way to get ready for the race and get caught up on who has finished well at each track**

The Good

• Kyle Busch- In 11 starts at WG Rowdy only has two non top 10's. One was his first Cup start here and the other his car was beat up (2014). The other nine races he has two wins, five top 5's, and nine top 10's. Yeah, he can wheel it at WG.
• Brad Keselowski- Some of the classic racing footage from recent races involves BK. BK v Kyle Busch and BK v Ambrose were two very fun races. Yet, BK hasn't won here while coming in second three times.
• Kyle Larson- Larson's first Cup start at WG actually resulted in a better finish then his second, but last year was arguably the better run. Last year he had an average running position of 11th and spent 80% of the race in the top 15, while finishing 12th. He could be an underdog worth watching on Sunday.
• Extra Credit- A.J. Allmendinger

The Middle

• Tony Stewart- In the three races from 2011-2015 (missed 2013 and 2014) Smoke has one top 20 (19th). It hasn't been good, but what has during that time? Before that he was one of the best drivers at WG. What will we get Sunday? I lean towards the old Smoke with the way he has been driving lately.

The Bad

• Paul Menard- I will give Menard this, he has two top 15's and three top 20's in his last four starts at WG, but the rest hasn't been pretty. 12 career starts and no top 10's. 
• Greg Biffle- Up and down is how to describe the Biff's performance at WG. He has four top 10's in 13 starts here, but also five finishes of 30th or higher.
• Kasey Kahne- Not a single top 10 finish in 12 tries for Kahne at WG. He also only has four top 15's and seven top 20's in that same time.

About the Track: Watkins Glen International 

Track Stats

• Three straight years the race was won from the Pole (1993-95) and all three years Mark Martin was the winner.
• Mark Martin has the most top 5's (12) and most top 10's (16) by any driver.
• Tony Stewart has the most career wins (5).
• Tim Richmond won the first race after NASCAR came back to the Glen (ran races in '57, '64, and '65) in 1986 beating out Darrell Waltrip. Part of his 7 win 1986 season.
• Steve Park won in 2000 after starting 18th, which is the farthest back a winner has started. Steve Parks only other Cup win was at Rockingham. Watkins Glen was his first.
• Geoffrey Bodine's last career win was at Watkins Glen in 1996 (18 career wins).
• Robby Gordon's final career win was also at the Glen in 2003. Where he first won Sonoma first and then finished the Road Course sweep in 2003 at Watkins Glen. 
• The race has been won from the front row 11 times (Pole 9 times) in 32 NASCAR races.
• A race has been won only 12 times out of 33 races after starting outside of the top 5 (Most recently 2014-AJ Allmendinger 6th and 2015-Joey Logano 16th) and 9 times after starting outside the top 10. 

Track Info

• Surface 
• Asphalt and concrete
• Length: 3.40 miles
• Turns 11