btgoss
05-25-2009, 06:34 PM
I have been thinking, and I have only my memory to go on for this, unless someone can help with actual numbers. But it seems that for the most part, the total number of cars that show up to race at Riverhead (or any of the tracks in Long Islands past) , hasn't really changed that much.
Of course you have to adjust the numbers for economic factors, but having lived through the really lean years at Islip in the 70's (which started the march towards the 5-7 division a night show) I think you may see that it holds true.
During good times you have over 100 cars, in bad times you have some fraction of that number, maybe 50-60 cars. How do those cars line up in the pits, well that is where things get a bit weird.
In the "olden times" you had just two divisions, with 2/3rd's being support division cars, and about 1/3rd being the headliner division.
The more divisions you add, the more the numbers in each support division goes down (there is a much smaller number of cars going backwards, or going down a division, this really never happens here).
The totals never seem to change, just how they are spread out.
So, the "add more racing" idea, while it seems like a good idea, may actually hurt in the long run. (Of course the surprising strength of the returning Legend division, is something that can ruin the curve on this theory.)
Of course, this is just a thought experiment. I don't know if there would be a way to see if this is a valid idea or not.
Update: This idea was sparked by the "add more racing" thread. I know that thread was just about one night that went by quickly, so there would have been time for more racing. My thought was on the overall number of cars that have shown up to race at the various Long Island tracks.
Of course you have to adjust the numbers for economic factors, but having lived through the really lean years at Islip in the 70's (which started the march towards the 5-7 division a night show) I think you may see that it holds true.
During good times you have over 100 cars, in bad times you have some fraction of that number, maybe 50-60 cars. How do those cars line up in the pits, well that is where things get a bit weird.
In the "olden times" you had just two divisions, with 2/3rd's being support division cars, and about 1/3rd being the headliner division.
The more divisions you add, the more the numbers in each support division goes down (there is a much smaller number of cars going backwards, or going down a division, this really never happens here).
The totals never seem to change, just how they are spread out.
So, the "add more racing" idea, while it seems like a good idea, may actually hurt in the long run. (Of course the surprising strength of the returning Legend division, is something that can ruin the curve on this theory.)
Of course, this is just a thought experiment. I don't know if there would be a way to see if this is a valid idea or not.
Update: This idea was sparked by the "add more racing" thread. I know that thread was just about one night that went by quickly, so there would have been time for more racing. My thought was on the overall number of cars that have shown up to race at the various Long Island tracks.