Posted on 04/26/2002 8:25:04 AM PDT by mhking
Suit alleges NASCAR monopoly High profile attorney Johnnie Cochran is taking on NASCAR, claiming the sanctioning body has a monopoly over stock car racing.
The Orlando Sentinel reports that a federal lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Sherman, Texas, on Feb. 13 on behalf of the shareholders of Speedway Motorsports Inc., the parent company of Texas Motor Speedway. The suit claims that NASCAR is a monopoly entity by owning both the governing body and by having controlling interest in International Speedway Corp., the company that operates 13 major auto tracks.
That (breaking up NASCAR/ISC) is the logical end result, and we have the legal counsel to do it," Cochran told the paper. "In addition, we have the resolve."
In the suit, Texas Motor Speedway is asking for a second racing date. Of the 36 races on the Winston Cup tour, 18 are run on ISC tracks. Of the past four expansion race dates granted by NASCAR, three have gone to ISC facilities. Of the past five granted, another date went to California Speedway, which was later acquired by ISC.
Texas Motor Speedway is not owned by ISC and wants a second date. If one is granted, the suit may be dropped, according to Cochran. TMS owner Bruton Smith has long claimed that NASCAR had promised a second date to Texas, but NASCAR denies that claim.
"The antitrust allegations illustrate how there is no other remedy for Speedway Motorsports," Samuel Cherry, a partner of Cochran, told the Sentinel. "They just can't create a second event, a NASCAR-formatted race, of their own. It's impossible."
NASCAR president Mike Helton told the paper that NASCAR will not comment on pending litigation, while league vice president of communications Jim Hunter described the suit as being "absolutely without foundation."
ESPN.com news services
People have NO idea how loud these races are until they've actually attended a race. And when the pack comes by you at Talladega or Daytona, it's like being enveloped in a tidal wave of sound. The air in your lungs vibrates and your dark glasses shatter.
I will live through casualties to see a race. ;-)
Actually, this comment is right on. I have been a motorsports fan my entire life. (Hey, what can I say, I'm from Indianapolis - Racing capital of the world). I like just about every form of motorsports (except F-1) and have watched races in many States across the country. There are hundreds of small racing ovals across the country (dirt tracks and paved tracks) which have races every friday and saturday night and include stock cars, midget racers, outlaw racers and champ cars. Virtually none of these small stock car races and circuits are affiliated with or sanctioned by NASCAR. I watched Jeff Gordon grow up racing midgets on the dirt track circuit here in Indiana. Although Jeff was an open wheel racer back then, many of the nights I watched him there was also a stock car feature race on the ticket. In fact, I had watched literally hundreds of stock car races before I ever saw my first NASCAR event. There is absolutely no way in the world you can truthfully argue that NASCAR has a monopoly on stock car racing. NASCAR only has a monopoly on NASCAR racing, which is currently the most popular racing series in the Country and possibly the world and therefore gets most, if not all, of the television coverage of stock car races. Maybe in Johnny's world if it isn't on TV it doesn't exist.
Races for Bobby Hamilton now in the truck series
3 HOURS and 6 deaf people later, we realized that the front row is not where you want to sit at a NASCAR race!!!!
LOL! OMG, I completely understand this one now. A month or so back, I was at the race in Las Vegas. That was my first race ever, and I couldn't understand why I got such a "great deal" on tickets in the 2nd row. Let's just say I was very thankful when my hearing was fully restored the next morning! That night, I could hear people talking to me, but I couldn't always distinguish the words.
I had a GREAT view of the cars & the drivers from that seat, and had an unbeleivably great time, but from now on will try to sit in the TOP rows, and bring ear protection!
They should take away the one race Texas does have and give it back to North Wilksboro.
BTW....let me tell you the funniest story..when my husband and I were watching qualifying a couple of years ago for the road course race in Sonoma, I realized that I could hear Ned Jarrett giving out the lap times...and where they were in qualifying. My husband, who has a hard time hearing things like that from working in loud noisy plants, couldn't hear them. So, I started saying, "Wow! He had a great run! .46 seconds, wow! He's gonna be 3rd. On and on it went. My husband just kept staring at me in disbelief. "How can you TELL?" say he, the grand master of all that is racing. "I don't know, I guess I'm just getting better at the lap times." I did this through the entire qualifying event, and I swear he thought I was the PRINCESS OF ALL THINGS THAT IS RACING......
Only after dinner did I tell him what I had done. He laughed so hard that I thought he was gonna fall off his seat. :-) I am a little prankster, that's for sure. ;-)
Thanks for the ping, aomagrat, I'll drink to that!
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