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Dunh dunh DUNH. The Fire Department threw out an interesting statistic during a community meeting about NASCAR on Staten Island: Somehow, they calculated that an average of six people die during NASCAR weekend. The Staten Island Advance reports, "The deaths are put down to such causes as heart attacks, fires, injuries and auto accidents in and around the tracks." Does this count for deaths in a thirty mile radius of the tracks, because that does sound really high. The calculations did include the race weekend leading up to the race, so who knows how many incidents occur during those (heart attacks, etc). The track manager at International Speedway Corp., which owns the land where the tracks would be built, said, "I think their 'six' needs some more in-depth research, because I wouldn't lay claim to that at all. The last time I heard of a death was the year I left Michigan, so June of 2005 there was a death, and what happened was that guy had a heart attack late at night."
A lingering issue for the Fire Department is how NASCAR traffic would affect the FDNY's ability to respond to fires and emergencies. "It's an aspect of this track that hasn't been discussed, and that is: The demand on essential services," said City Councilman James Oddo (R-Mid-Island/Brooklyn), whose district would house the track. He staunchly opposes the raceway plan. City Councilman James Oddo said, "We already know that we need additional services. When you inject 95,000 more people on Staten Island, there's a drain on those already insufficient police and fire services."
The City Council will decide on the track, which has been the source of some nasty discussions already, next year.
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Whats so exciting about watching a bunch of race cars go around a round track 250 times?
Oh yea, its cool when they crash.
Where did they get that figure from?
I go to 2 races a year, one in spring, one in fall.
And, I've never heard of such a thing.
why would traffic be a problem? Was it a problem when the Jets, Giants, Mets, Yankees, and now the US Open were playing?
Just say you don't want it. I'm a racing fan and I don't want it here. And, the 95,000 figure is probably the attendance for the week. Same as the US Open.
NASCAR does NOT have a place in NYC. It should be in some moron red state. Yes, we can make all the jokes about them not being able to make left turns (which they f-ing can't), but putting one of these dumb tracks this area will DESTROY all traffic.
100,000+ people come to see each these races.
Sure, it's 8 races a year, but NASCAR neglects to mention that these hayseeds actually buy tickets to WATCH THE DRIVERS PRACTICE the week or two before the actual race!
I wouldn't even want them to put this near the Meadowlands in Jersey.
GO TO HELL NASCAR.
6 people die, that has to be wrong. Or maybe once a week, 6 out of 95k people just regularly die and that's how they got it?
I love how mention of NASCAR always brings out the most ignorant, parochial comments on Gothamist.
There are plenty of good reasons to oppose a race track in Staten Island. Elitist bigotry is the least worthwhile of them all. For some people NASCAR is great entertainment and for many huge corporations it is an outstanding marketing tool. There are many car racing fans in the NYC area and, as the track at Indy has shown, building an oval track doesn't restrict races to only NASCAR/IRL. F1 would love to race in the NY area also, and that's even more potential money. On the other hand, traffic/parking is a big problem, environmental issues are a big problem, etc. Use your brains a little bit and come up with a better argument against the project than denigrating a large portion of the U.S. population.
"Use your brains a little bit and come up with a better argument against the project than denigrating a large portion of the U.S. population."
But its so easy when consider the makeup of NASCAR’s main audience, who are mostly gun tottin, NRA member, Republican leaning, country bumpkins. Theres a massive cultural difference here.
Would it really catch in the NYC area? Perhaps its worth a shot. Hell, they're building it in Staten Island anyway correct? Thats far enough away to be in my comfort zone.
The level of hatred in some of you is simply astounding. I guess it's ok because it isn't directed at a protected class like women or blacks.
Funny how the same crowd that touts New York's diversity are the one's least interested in it. They claim 8 million people are of like mind on every issue.
Some of you should go read the NY Times article from yesterday about the feelings of pre- and post-9/11 New Yorkers. Check the part about the changing demographics.
I personally don't give a damn about the NASCAR-watching segment of the population and for that reason do not want them around me. I have little in common with the typical Bush-voting southeast hick who caravans to these kinds of events, and I'm sure I am speaking for the overwhelming percentage of New Yorkers.
People don't travel to Tennessee to enjoy theater and the same can be said of auto racing and the New York metro area. Let's keep it that way.
There are plenty of Middle and Southern Jersey types who would be interested in going.
Anyway, isn't the air quality in Staten Island bad enough without a race track?
NASCAR in NYC???
What's next? Disney & Red Lobster in Times Square?
There are plenty of Middle and Southern Jersey types who would be interested in going.
Anyway, isn't the air quality in Staten Island bad enough without a race track?
You don't think any of the NYC hessians will want to go? U must not live in the city if you don't realize they exist.
how about all that wasted oil ... um, we are fighting a war mainly over oil, a natural resource that is not renewable and quickly diminishing ... so why do we waste it for this crap? go ride a gocart.
nyc does accept all but from a land-use perspective alone this is a bad idea. nascar lovers tend to have cars, so make 'em drive to nj or upstate for that.
It's so easy to pick out people who have never been to a live car racing event: They are always bigoted in their reaction to this sport. Once again comments say more about the commenter than the particular news item. NASCAR will not ruin NYC or anything. What will ruin us is elitist classism. The engineering sophistication in auto racing is so far beyond anything that is found in any other sport that perhaps it's jealousy? The crowd at Mets stadium seems to me to be roughly similar in economic diversity as the one at Indianapolis.
1 more thing. if anything, the ignorant should be complaining about the noise. These races are LOUD!
I can appreciate fine automotive engineering, for example, in the auto show held every year at Javits Center or wherever.
However, please explain to me how a mundane activity undertaken by billions of people each and every day - driving - is a 'sport.' I might even understand the sport in F1 because there are turns involved and speed differentials to deal with, but NASCAR? Are you fucking kidding me?
The entire 'sport' is predicated on, as you said, a finely tuned car and a competent pit crew. Other than strong bladder control, I don't see what incredible talent it takes to drive 250 laps really fast in an oval. Honestly, I have never understood this as anything other than a fascination with fast-moving objects.
I can say that I also dislike basketball and golf, but have the common sense to understand that not just anybody can be a professional in either sport. I'd bet you that anyone with a driver's license could, with maybe a week's training behind a NASCAR machine, have a good chance of beating any one of these so-called 'athletes.'