Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2012 October 5

= October 5 =

Latest news on Las Vegas IndyCar race
So apparently IndyCar isn't returning to Las Vegas next year either (at least according to our article), although that isn't really surprising. However, I can't find any confirmation if whether or not they will permanently bow out of Las Vegas. They did state that the track's future will be decided after the report of investigation is released, but that's been out since December of last year, and there hasn't been any updates since. So has here been any confirmation so far whether or not they are returning? Narutolovehinata5 tccsdnew 10:22, 5 October 2012 (UTC)
 * They haven't said anything specific, but I wouldn't rule out a return there. They are still racing at Texas Motor Speedway, which is owned by the same company and is essentially the same track. (I know they're all circles to some people, but even among oval tracks these two are very similar). Recury (talk) 19:08, 10 October 2012 (UTC)

A question about NASCAR
Well I just watched on TV a NASCAR race in Dover. I notice that at the end of every race, after the victory lane celebrations, the winning driver would thank his sponsors (for example, "I would like to thank Sprint, Coca-Cola and Go Daddy for their support for the team"). I'm unaware of any other racing series anywhere in the world that does so (I don't remember Lewis Hamilton ever saying "I want to thank Vodafone and Johnnie Walker for helping us out" during the post-race press conferences or podium interviews). But it's not just that. Apparently, there was a time (not sure if it still is) where even the checkered flag has a sponsor's logo. Again, I don't know any other series in the world that does so. While other series (notably Formula One) also has race name sponsorships, in F1 at least, the sponsors' role in the races is limited to advertising and they aren't that prominent during the actual races. NASCAR also has an All-Star race and playoff, which to my knowledge is unique to them in the world of motorsport. The point is, why does NASCAR seem to be more commercialized than most other racing series? Why do sponsors seem to be quite prominent during the races (or at least are plugged?) And is this a trend within American sport in general? Narutolovehinata5 tccsdnew 10:41, 5 October 2012 (UTC)


 * F1 relies more on product placement I think, as does MotoGP. For example, you'll see the podium placed drivers making sure they have their sponsor's cap on their head on the podium and during the interviews afterwards. In F1, the trophies are sponsored as you will notice if you look at the caption during the presentations. Also in F1, sponsors have their logos on the cars during the race. As I don't watch NASCAR I can't be sure that happens. I'll also observe that, while it is common for teams in F1 to be heavily sponsored, it is less so at the moment for drivers to be sponsored. Up until recently, it seems that the drivers who have attracted major sponsorship are the ones who can't drive (one or two of the Japanese ones come to mind here), but Sergio Peres is sponsored and is actually quite good. --TammyMoet (talk) 11:05, 5 October 2012 (UTC)
 * Tammy, take a look at these. They do manage to put a few ads on the NASCAR cars. CambridgeBayWeather (talk) 03:57, 6 October 2012 (UTC)
 * Thank you. I'm not into NASCAR at all, and I'd like to ask whether NASCAR has teams as well as drivers, or if it is based purely around drivers. This seems to be another consideration: the dominance of teams. In MotoGP it is possible to enter as a privateer racer without a manufacturer team (but is rather expensive), and I'd expect, in the unlikely circumstance a privateer actually wins a race, that racer to be more up front about thanking his sponsors. --TammyMoet (talk) 08:42, 6 October 2012 (UTC)
 * Looking at 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series it would seem they do run teams but as to privateers I couldn't say. Interesting the way that some teams have different sponsors for different cars. I also see that I only recognise one name, Juan Pablo Montoya, in that drivers list. Curious but why are the only people discussing NASCAR know nothing about it? CambridgeBayWeather (talk) 15:26, 6 October 2012 (UTC)
 * NASCAR has teams but...each team may have one or two or three cars, each with a different major sponsor but only one car manufacturer (Ford, Chevy, Dodge, or Toyota) for each team (I don't think it is a rule but can't think of any exceptions - and it makes setup and repair easier.) Each car usually has a single driver all season although the drivers or sponsors are sometimes replaced - it is the car which has to qualify for each race. It is possible for one car from a team to qualify and another not. Or to change drivers between qualifying and racing or even during the race (extremely rare). Unsponsored cars sometimes run with white paint schemes, hoping to pick up a sponsor if they race well. At victory lane, the "hat dance" involves photos of the driver and crew in every sponsor's hat. Rmhermen (talk) 14:40, 8 October 2012 (UTC)
 * "why does NASCAR seem to be more commercialized than most other racing series? Why do sponsors seem to be quite prominent during the races (or at least are plugged?)" - It seems that way because they are more commercialized. Why other racing circuits don't advertise the same way is likely due to the regions they are popular in. --Onorem♠Dil 16:39, 6 October 2012 (UTC)

As other's have mentioned, NASCAR seems more commercialized because it is that way on purpose. Conversely, you have the National Football League, where there are no sponsor logos on player uniforms. Because of their clout, and how they can generate way more audience than NASCAR, the NFL can go to a company like Nike and offer them to be the official supplier of all the teams' uniforms, but with the stipulation that they cannot have the Nike logo in a prominent, obviously noticeable position. Zzyzx11 (talk) 05:05, 7 October 2012 (UTC)

How long have they had public prayers before NASCAR races? (And who sponsors them?) Thank goodness F1 and MotoGP are above that sort of thing. Zoonoses (talk) 05:36, 7 October 2012 (UTC)


 * And other thing… in NASCAR all the turns are in the same way… and now! Other turn to the lef… and another turn to the left… and one houer later: but wait… wait... yes! Yes!!!! The driver has just done another turn to the left! — Preceding unsigned comment added by Iskander HFC (talk • contribs) 00:34, 9 October 2012 (UTC)


 * Sponsorship in NASCAR just doesn't have the negative connotation that it does in other sports. That is probably at least partly due to the way the economics of the sport are. In most ball sports for example, it's easier to get away with not having a ton of sponsorship because you get money from ticket sales and TV rights. In NASCAR, money from ticket sales goes to the race tracks (who aren't affiliated with any of the teams) and money from TV rights goes to either NASCAR or the tracks (I don't remember which, maybe both). Like teams in ball sports, NASCAR teams get some money from merchandise and they even get some from prize money, although this is negligible compared to what they get from sponsorship. Granted this isn't very different from how most race series work though. Most sponsorship is solicited by the teams for money, although if a driver can "bring his own sponsorship" that gives him an advantage in finding a team to race for. Paul Menard, for instance, has always been sponsored by Menards (weird, right?). Regarding privateers, NASCAR doesn't have that works/privateer bright line that some other series do. I think all of the top teams work with their manufacturer to some extent but none of them are owned outright by the manufacturer. Some of the smaller teams will buy up old cars built by a larger team and try to run those, and that is probably the NASCAR equivalent of privateers. Recury (talk) 18:59, 10 October 2012 (UTC)