NASCAR Prices Got You Down Bucko?

With talk of the U.S. economy headed for the Circular Porcelain Receptacle, NASCAR Nation visa holders are getting a bit nervous at reaching for their wallets.

The few seats that were empty at Bristol last week were attributed by some as an indication that gas prices held down the normal high rate of attendees doing the RV thing on race weekends. A few promoters have taken action to mitigate the cost increases with special promos for their events.

Unfortunately the Half-Vast Staff™ of Full Throttle's Magic Wand is on the fritz (we failed to follow the manufacturers maintenance recommendations) so wishing away the high costs is out of the question, but we can put things in perspective.

Next month's V8 Supercar schedule includes the Hamilton (New Zealand) 400 street race. Very much like Bristol, every motel and hotel in the city is fully booked for the event. As a result, the local entrepreneurs, to put a kind spin on it, are offering their own homes to those looking for accommodations for what arguably is New Zealand's largest motorsport event.

Of the more than 150,000 people expected over the three day weekend, the overflow is being asked to shell out from $6,000 to $10,000 (AUS) for the "privilege" of staying in someones private residence.

That converts to approx $9,000 in U.S. greenbacks, my friends. The "lower scale" is a cool $5,381.41 for a residence that is 400 meters from the track entrance and is described as having four-bedrooms and two-bathrooms where one of the bedrooms has a 42-inch plasma television and is close to a supermarket, fast-food outlets and a picturesque walking track along the banks of the Waikato River.

Such a deal for three days, huh?  You get the point. Motorsports at the top levels has always been expensive, whether you're a fan or active participant, in addition to always being at the mercy of the local economy.

There are ways around it, but I do wonder if the local schools in the Bristol area would be agreeable to taking in a few borders, complete with breakfast.