Full Throttle

When a discussion starts over the future of NASCAR as it relates to tracks capable of holding events on the scale required, it’s getting to a point where that discussion may best be sung, vice spoken.

The Twelve Days of Christmas comes to mind. Twelve drummers drumming can’t be heard as yet, but that day may not be far away.

Lets take a moment to reflect:

First we have the Staten Island Adventure™ (SIA) perpetrated by ISC on behalf of its Siamese twin NASCAR and its titular head HWSBO. As all of NASCAR’s stars, luminaries and lesser lights descend on New York City for the awards banquet there’s a bit of political intrigue out on Staten Island.

To cut a long and miserable story short, SIA may have new life after the elections earlier this month that installed Gov.-elect Eliot Spitzer, a devout NASCAR fan. The rumors are rife with possible plans to do a double reverse, flea-flicker, end around the local opposition. Stay tuned.

Out on the Left Coast opinion still seems to be split fairly evenly, dependent on which poll you decide to believe. The one good note is Washington State’s Governor still has a wait and see attitude. So that’s exactly what we’ll do.

Now, on to Track Tale number 10,038. The New Jersey State Senate has a bill before it “to help bring a NASCAR auto racing track to Cumberland County.”

“This motor park would be an economic benefit to South Jersey in particular and to the state as a whole and would be paid for entirely by levies on the users of the facilities inside the motor park,” said sponsor Sen. Nicholas Asselta, R-Cumberland.

According to the story officials hope to start building the track early next year.

A couple commenters around these parts, notably George of Fast Machines, has offered New Jersey as an alternative to New York. (NOTE: George… you think like a New Jersey politician.)

No word on the size of the development other than the cost, $100 million dollars. I’d say that is a bit on the high side of the true cost of the Twelve Days of Christmas which totals $18,920 this year. But who’s counting, except the State’s Senators.

You may recall Track Tale number 10,037 of a few days ago. That tale featured a couple of two turtle doves cooing about a new NASCAR facility in Tulare California. Tulare of all places! As far as I’m concerned this one gets tossed into the Skeptic Tank®.

Added to the two dreams above are the “Signature Series” race tracks. The Alabama Motorsports Park has Dale Jr.’s signature on it and exists on blueprint form only while Rusty Wallace has his name and design talents pinned on Iowa Speedway that is very much alive and well, albeit without a date for any of NASCAR’s top three series’.

That’s six new and expensive race tracks either existent or on someone’s Christmas wish list all without much hope, at least in the foreseeable future, of gaining a date for NASCAR’s top Series.

Six tracks for six days of Christmas. I’d add a seventh track, that would only leave 5 more days and slots for more Christmas wishing but War Eagle Speedway is just about dead on non-arrival from all appearances.

I don’t have a clue what is on Brain France’s Christmas wish list but it might include the ability to clone a few drivers and teams? Two Dale Jr.’s, two Jeff Gordons, two Kahanes, two of everything including double race dates for all the new race tracks and a schedule that has 72 race dates.

The only sticking point would be the need to clone 75 million people that are alleged to be NASCAR fans to fill all the seats.

UPDATE: Dale Jr., call your office, your signature isn’t worth the paper (or the race track) it’s scribbled on. The NIMBY’s have shown up:

SUMMERDALE — A proposed NASCAR track placed in south Baldwin County would ruin the community and overburden the environment and infrastructure, opponents of the plan said Monday night.

Summerdale is one of at least four sites being considered for the $624 million Alabama Motorsports Park, according to reports.

About 100 residents gathered in Summerdale on Monday night to discuss how to keep the development out of south Baldwin.