NASCAR--and Fans--Affected by Gas Prices

Many of the die-hard NASCAR racing fans find RVing to view their favorite sport is just the way to do it. But high gas prices have been chiseling into racing event attendance figures.

Jim Hunter, longtime NASCAR vice-president says, "Some of our hard-core old-line fans used to go to 6-8 races a year, but back then hotels didn't charge seven-day minimums, track prices were half of what they are now, and gas was a lot cheaper. Now I hear those same people say, 'I'll just go to my favorite few races, and I'll watch the rest on television.' "

But not just the spectators are feeling the fuel price pinch, so are the racers. While at Daytona race teams get free fuel to run their racers in a fuel-company sponsorship deal, they still have to drag their racers and gear from track to track. That amount can certainly add up.

But some RVers at Dayton say fuel prices aren't the concern their looking at: It's the new pet policy. Referring to a "no pets" rule going into place on the speedway's 'second turn' camping area, "The price of gas won't keep us from coming to the races, but we're not coming back next year if we can't bring our dog," says George, Kamansky who is here for the 15th consecutive year. "That's serious. Sure, everyone talks about the price of fuel, but that's not what will keep us away."

Kamansky should know. His dog has his own chrome plated Dale Earnhardt, Jr. doggy dish. Don't diss the fans, Daytona.

For more information, check out the Orlando Sentinel.

Photo pocketwiley on flickr.com

Park Service Visits Beat Major Sports Attendance

The National Park Service says last year's visitation to the nation's parks and other recreational properties beat out, "Major League Baseball, the National Football League, professional basketball, soccer and NASCAR combined," in terms of attendance. More than 275 millions folks came through the gates of NPS managed properties in 2007. Service officials are holding their collective breath, hoping the numbers hold up, as with the exception of 2004, visitation has been sliding since 1999.

The National Park Service is looking to a major influx of visitors when its centennial celebration rolls around--but that's still several years off--the big anniversary isn't until 2016. Nevertheless, park officials say they've been trying hard to drum up more interest among the masses, luring them away from video games and computers and out into the fresh air.

The biggest "winners" in terms of visitation? The Blue Ridge Parkway, followed by the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. While it may be 'the world's largest ditch,' the Grand Canyon National Park turned up Number Nine on the list of the most visited park "units" last year. That figure could be somewhat deceptive, as the park system includes more than just parks: The service manages a vast array of real estate aside from officially designated parks. There are seashores, battlefields, monuments, and scenic rivers to name just a few. So if you're interested in "National Parks" proper, then last year the Great Smokey Mountains and the Grand Canyon were the top two, respectively.

Photo: Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah copyright R & T DeMaris

Indiana RVers May Get Tax Relief

Indiana ranks among the top producing states of recreational vehicles, but don't think residents are getting a break from what the RV industry brings to the economy. In a quirky twist of the law, knowing how much it'll cost to license your RV in the Hoosier state is just about unpredictable. Why so? Because RV license rates are based on a "personal property tax" system, rather than through an excise tax system, as autos and trucks are.

As a result, county officials are charged with determining the "assessed value" of an RV, then the local tax rate is applied to that value. As a result there isn't a great deal of consistency across the state. Under a proposed law, RVs would be taken off the personal property tax rolls and onto the state's excise tax system.

If the law passes it will go into effect in 2010. Check out more information in the South Bend Tribune.

Household Word Celebrates 50 Years of RV Building

They've been building motorhomes for so long, some non-RV folks call every motorhome, "a Winnebago." It's hard to believe the Iowa RV builder has been around for 50 years. For some of us, that may be the age of a spring chicken, but in this volatile industry, 50 is a pretty ripe age.

Those early Winnebago motorhomes certainly don't have the aerodynamic "feel" of what we've come to expect today. In fact, the accompanying photo shows the 1967 D-22 model. Winnebago refers to them as their "Eyebrow" units, but hey, somehow they remind one of a character out of a Star Wars episode.

Here's some interesting Winnebago factoids:

While Winnebago is well known for its motorhome line, the company actually started building a different kind of RV: Travel trailers.

The first Winnebago motorhome came off the production line in 1966.

About 10,000 'whinnies' are built every year. That's over 27 per day, or more than one an hour. Production line folks must not be horsing around to make that quota.

Photo courtesy Winnebago Industries

FEMA Swears Off RVs

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is finally calling it quits with recreational vehicles. In the continuing saga of formaldehyde in emergency housing, FEMA has made the decision that apparently the troubles are more than they're worth.

After the Centers for Disease Control revealed they found toxic fume levels in FEMA provided trailers at rates five times the level normally found in stick-built homes, the health agency recommended hurricane survivors move out of their reeking residences.

Swamped in controversy, FEMA says it will never use trailers again as emergency housing shelters. Just where masses of homeless folks will go in another "Katrina"-like disaster is unclear. For more information, visit news station KATC's website.

Unc' Says Diesel Prices Will Sink--Gas, Too

If you can believe the predictions, Uncle Sam says diesel prices won't float nearly has high as expected, and will actually sink before the year winds up.

The DOE (Department of Energy) says we should expect a peak of diesel fuel prices in April or May, somewhere near $3.30 per gallon. By year's end, 128 ounces of the precious fluid will have dropped to near $3.00. Last month the DOE projected that prices would be considerably higher, but production has increased, while demand has fallen.

What about an annual prediction? DOE says the average annual diesel price for 2008 will be around $3.21, while 2009 shows a whopping drop, with projected petrol prices at just (just?) $3.08.

You gasoline burners should see some relief too: The expected peak of gas is in May near $3.38, dropping to $3.00 in September, and bottoming out the year in December at $2.75. Can you believe it?

Arizona Motorhome Sublease Companies Hit Scammers List

Three Arizona firms who purport to help out motorhome owners in distress are being sued by the state's attorney general (AG) for fraud. The AG alleges the scheme worked this way: Motorhome owners were enticed by Internet advertisements that promised if they were having problems making payments to allow the firm to "sublease" their units to others. The latter would make the payments, thus (as one of the firm's web sites states) "help you eliminate those monthly payments and maintain your good credit."

The trouble is, says the AG, such a scheme is typically in violation of the original owner's contract with the lender, and in addition, those who picked up the sublease were actually told they were purchasing (not leasing) the RV. The firms in hot water with the state include Kennedy Motorhome Services, Kennedy's Financial Services, and Banker's First, the latter doing business as Green Valley RV Services. All three firms are based in Tucson. On Wednesday morning, Kennedy's Financial Services website proclaimed, "WE ARE NO LONGER IN BUSINESS." We couldn't get anyone to take our calls at Green Valley.

For more information, see a news article in the Arizona Daily Star.

Photo: ToastyKen on Flickr.com

Luxury Coach Builder Takes Dim View of Industry Pricing Tricks

Foretravel, Inc., builders of Nimbus and Phenix high-end motorhomes says it will make its dealers leave leave, "confusing and misleading" inflated price stickers off its rigs.

In a news release, Foretravel's president, Lyle Reed, says, "The RV industry's pricing structure is commonly known for inflated MSRPs." Dealers commonly blow the price way up, then give a buyer a seeming "bargain" by quickly reducing the price during negotiations. Foretravel says starting with 2009 models, they are changing their approach from a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price to a Manufacturer's Straight Forward Pricing(MSFP) beginning with their 2009 Models. "We want our suggested retail prices to reasonably reflect their actual selling prices," the company release says. It should be noted that the Phenix model starts at a MSFP of $449,000.

If such an approach were true on an industry-wide basis, perhaps buying an RV would be a bit less like shopping for trinkets on the Mexican frontier.

Mexican street scene: retro traveler on flickr.com

Mexico or Canada Bound? Passport Cards Less Expensive Alternative

The US government announces they've finally made less expensive "Passport Cards" available to the American public. Check out the full story on our sister blog, RVing Mexico.

Winter Texans Not Recession-Phobes

They say in Texas the RVers come in waves. The first one before Christmas, the second just after. Texas RV park owners say they're happy with the waves, and they don't think that RVers in this sunbelt state are consumed with recession jitters.
In Brownsville, the Four Seasons Mobile Home and RV Resort has also had increased interest this year. The park’s 213 spaces are already occupied and park manager Paul MacPherson said he is still taking calls from interested RVer’s. “This year I’ve actually been turning more people away because we simply don’t have the room,” MacPherson said. Prices at the Four Seasons ranges from $385 for RV spaces to $225 for smaller vehicles.

Other parks report similar "no room at the inn" situations. While some say that RVers are proving to be a bit more mobile this year--moving from point to point without sitting tight the full season--they are staying until the usual migration turnaround time.

What about well-touted fears of economic recession? While fuel prices are certainly up, and stocks may be down, at least for a great number of Winter Texans who hale from Canada, the favorable dollar exchange has them flapping down in flocks. Check out the full story on the Brownsville Herald.

If you're looking for "the" Texas RV park that meets your needs, check out Texas Parks and Campgrounds, the definitive 290 page guidebook for RVers. Check out the details or order online the RV Bookstore.

Texas for breakfast, courtesy qthrul on flickr.com

RV Lifestyle Promoted on Super Bowl Commerical

If you'll be like millions of other Americans and glued to the set on Super Bowl Sunday, you'll likely witness a "first of its kind" commercial advertising the RV lifestyle. RVIA (Recreational Vehicle Industry Association) says it's dropping a wad of money to put RVing before the American public in a 30-second spot.

The advert, titled, "Imaginary Friends" has run before, but never to such a potentially large audience. Last year 94 million sets were tuned to the Super Bowl and thousands more are anticipated this year. While the exact amount RVIA will spend on the pricey spot hasn't been declared, it is part of a $16 million media package for promoting the industry in 2008.

The spot features the adventures of a young boy traveling via motorhome through America's adventureland. It will air sometime during the final half-hour of the Fox Super Bowl pregame show. If you're not into sitting in front of the tube waiting for gladiators to duke it out on the field, relax. Turn your web browser over to the RVIA media section and click on Watch "Imaginary Friends 30 Seconds" to see the commercial without the added interruptions!