The Stupidity of SMI & Kentucky
Curt Cavin just reported on TrackSide on 1070 the Fan (and will report in The Indianapolis Star tomorrow) that the Kentucky race will move to Labor Day Weekend.
This is the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard, and SMI needs to get their heads out of Charlotte.
Sparta, KY is about halfway between Lousiville and Cincinnati (leaning towards Cincinnati). The race *has* to be a Saturday night race.
Labor Day Weekend is the biggest weekend in Cincinnati, or at the very least, the Sunday of Labor Day Weekend is the biggest day of the year in Cincinnati and draws 500,000+ people a year to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky river front for some of the Rozzi Family’s Famous Fireworks at Riverfest. Seriously, it’s what people in Cincinnati do on Labor Day. I probably did it every year through my childhood. If they can hustle the people there on Saturday, that’s great, but I don’t think they will when Sunday is an all-day event on the riverfront.
This is bad. This is real bad.
July 9th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
I like the idea. I live just North of Dayton and could come down for both. People would come for the race and stay for the fireworks.
July 10th, 2009 at 7:15 am
I agree, Kohl. I live just South of Dayton, and would love to see that race move to Labor Day. The KY race pulls from a much larger area than just Cincinnati, and if done properly they could turn that into a very fun weekend for fans. It gives people a reason to spend the weekend in the Cincinnati area rather than just going to the race or just going to the Riverfest.
July 10th, 2009 at 9:48 am
Labor day is a bad weekend for the Indianapolis area also – the U.S. Nationals draws every gearhead in Indy. Why would they drive the 90+ miles to Sparta when the hot rods are in their own back yard. Yes it’s different racing – but there are many fans of both in the Indy area. Besides, almost every major city has some festival this weekend due to it being the “unofficial end of summer”. Thumbs down from me.
July 10th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
It could possibly be a 4 day bender for me, if I still lived in cincinnati. You have to contend with hotel space, though. I know a lot of people come in for the ‘works but I’m sure there is an empty la quinta or a bullfrog park you could crash at. Excellent estate “island lake” about 5 miles south of oxford, oh on rt. 27. Sister city to bullfrog park
July 10th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
They’re best hopes are that WEBN helps sponsor the race in conjunction with the best fireworks show in the country
July 11th, 2009 at 8:39 am
Cousin Joe,
if the organiser’s have their head’s screwed on right, that’s not beyond the realms of possibility
July 12th, 2009 at 1:09 am
Well let’s be honest here. I am a resident of Cincinnati and have attended Riverfest several times over the past decade. To claim there are 500,000 in attendance is a media created exaggeration of epic proportions. Somewhere around 70,000 would be more accurate. To be honest Riverfest is a colossal bore.
July 12th, 2009 at 1:15 am
“It could possibly be a 4 day bender for me, if I still lived in cincinnati.”
Yeah except they haven’t allowed alcohol at Riverfest for the last decade. Riverfest is nothing but a bunch of hillbillies sitting in lawn chairs all day waiting for the exact same fireworks show they saw the previous five years. I live within walking distance a don’t bother.
July 12th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
i’ve only watched riverfest from 16th floor of one lytle or mansions in hyde park. you’re a hillbilly.
July 26th, 2009 at 8:02 am
[...] is it May yet? » Blog Archive » The Stupidity of SMI & KentuckyLabor Day Weekend is the biggest weekend in Cincinnati, or at the very least, the Sunday of Labor Day Weekend is the biggest day of the year in Cincinnati and draws 500000+ people a year to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky river front for … I know a lot of people come in for the ‘works but I’m sure there is an empty la quinta or a bullfrog park you could crash at. Excellent estate “island lake” about 5 miles south of oxford, oh on rt. 27. Sister city to bullfrog park … read more… [...]