Rock Crest Raceway 10-16-21
 

just want to give a fresh thread out here. We will be racing this Saturday here at RCR. We know the weather is complicating things but we are ready. Gates open at 3:00. Draw ends at 5:15. Drivers meeting at 5:30. Hot laps at 6. Racing at 6:30. We really hope to see you all here. $1200 to win and $200 to start. If you have any problems finding the Facebook page please call the track phone at 812-216-7544 with any questions, we have somebody 24/7 on standby. Thank you!

Might be wise to post it
on something else to, contrary to popular belief, not everyone does Facebook, just sayin.

Can you please give some ideas? Where are some other places/websites that we could post?

Do you have your own website, www.whatever? Use it, or ride along with the old one, it's your business, but I don't think I would have changed the name, just sayin. Bob

Re: Rock Crest Raceway 10-16-21
 

Bad deal to change the name of the speedway. Bloomington Speedway went through this name changing a few years ago and the track almost went under. Any ads that the people see about Rock Crest Raceway will wander where this track is located. You can't improve the track by changing it's name. Vernon is a good track and all it needs is a good promoter that will fix it up some.

Agree 100%. North Vernon it is!

I believe the Facebook page is under Rock crest Road, I don't think most of us would have searched this to find the speedway. North Vernon Speedway would be preferred.
Also get a Twitter account and a website. Maintain them often, update results, track sponsors, schedules, events on all social media outlets.

Re: Rock Crest Raceway 10-16-21
 

I wish the new owner luck. I'm a bit surprised at some of the comments here though. I think some constructive criticism would be helpful. The owner said someone is manning the track phone 24/7. Some tracks do change names, but does it actually change the racing, I know in my area it hasn't.

Truth be told, this racetrack was bought out to be shut down. We have had nothing but negative comments about the name change and we do understand. However, the track had started to get a bad reputation and the new owner had requested the name be changed and race day moved to Friday. Guys, our family is the last Hope to even keep this racetrack alive. Just for that chance we have been blessed. We know the frustration and we’re trying to figure this all out. Since the previous promoter there have been many, kinks, in the system. All that we ask is for a chance here. Again our Facebook page is called rock crest raceway. Track phone is manned literally 24/7 with any questions. Working on a website currently and will also look into other social media outlets. Thanks.

Re: Rock Crest Raceway 10-16-21
 

Well I went two weeks ago and if I can get a good show and cheeseburger again this saturday, I'll be there again.

Re: Rock Crest Raceway 10-16-21
 

See ya @ "The Rock".

I think the name change can have good potential.
Good luck RCR

Re: Rock Crest Raceway 10-16-21
 

Such vitriol over a name change! I haven't seen one post on this subject that actually refers to the "old" track by the name "Twin Cities Raceway Park", which according to the news article I read was the actual name of the facility.

The track in Meeker, OK has changed names about a dozen time since it opened in the mid 80's. Every new owner or promoter that came in changed the name to put his/her stamp on the track. Those of us who raced there simply said, "Are you going to Meeker Saturday?" We didn't spend a lot of time worrying about whether we called it County Line Speedway, Lincoln County Speedway, Claxton Speedway, Brill's Motor Speedway, or Red Dirt Raceway. Sometimes, a name change IS a good thing because it signals a change in leadership or management. If there was a bad taste from how things were being done at Twin Cities Raceway Park, then changing the name signals a fresh start.

That said, you do need for people to be able to find you and if you're not naming the track specifically after the town it's in, you need to make sure there are ways to find it. You've got a Facebook page. That's a great, quick, cheap start. You control it and you can communicate immediately with followers. You do need to get that website launched and if your relationship with the owner of the old Twin Cities website is good, I'd get that old URL linked straight to your new site. Then, if someone searches for "Twin Cities" and find their URL, they get taken straight to Rock Crest Raceway website and immediately you learn about the name change.

Another thing I'd focus on is setting up an Google account (free and you can set it up yourself) so you can go into Google Maps and change the name pinned on their site. Most people are using digital maps to find places (present company excepted) and having that change made will help you immensely. And the best part is you don't have to wait for the phonebook or road maps to be published. They can change that in a day. I actually just submitted a suggestion to Google that they change the name, but you can take ownership of the location and verify that my suggestion is valid.

Probably the most important thing you can do beyond that is to keep talking about the track, on this message board, other message boards, Facebook, etc. When I Google searched "Rock Crest Raceway", I see the IOW message board, the Rock Crest Raceway Facebook page and the news article about the name/ownership change in the Madison Courier/North Vernon Plain Dealer & Sun. That's great, but don't stop there! Keep pumping your name out there on other boards and pages. If you guys do a benefit night, track sponsorships, Back-to-School night, any kind of specials, get that organization to link their Facebook to yours. That creates more traffic and more links. The more links you establish, the more hits you get.

I like your last sentence on that last entry of Twin Cities Track Facebook page: "Leave your negativity at home and let’s go Racing at the Rock!"

Re: Rock Crest Raceway 10-16-21
 

OMG, I just watched the YouTube video of your track posted by JJ Hughes. What a great surface and configuration! If only you were 300 miles closer!

Get more videos posted! That's how the kids preview everything now. They look for a video or Tik Tok (whatever the 'ell that is...)

Re: Rock Crest Raceway 10-16-21
 

I was there for the last race, The track was in great shape and the racing excellent.
z

BEWARE, A NEGATIVE POINT:
The mens Restroom could use a lightbulb :) But the track lighting illuminated it enough to see.

Just keep making it better, and don't depend on Facebook for butts on the boards, that track has a reputation for producing good racing, so the name really doesn't matter much, in this day and age, that's what people who still remember what good racing is all about, will visit, and if they like it, they will return, and bring more to TCRP, or whatever name they choose to relate to it. Thanks for your efforts, I have enjoyed racing there over the years, despite what others considered concerns. Just remember the old saying, if you build it, they will come.

I hope you guys make a good go of it. We run there some between the TQ and a few others, I hate to see any track go by the wayside like the one 3 miles from my house has!

When did Bloomington Speedway change their name? I don’t remember that.

Bloomington Speedway was named Mitchell Motor Speedway when Dave Mitchell had it,not sure exactly when that was.

It was around 1985, when Mike Miles bought it & changed the name to Bloomington Speedway. 😁👍

*****ATTENTION*****
We are still racing!

Re: Rock Crest Raceway 10-16-21
 

See ya there!

Cancelled

Re: Rock Crest Raceway 10-16-21
 

...

I think they are racing

Re: Rock Crest Raceway 10-16-21
 

Forgot to check before I left the house. Drove over. On the plus side, best parking spot

********!

After driving 3 hours and checking FB the whole way and Rock Crest saying they WILL be racing and as I'm about to pay for the pi passes they call it that was my first time coming and now it will be my last along with several other sprint car guys...they say the track was not safe, however I walked down and looked at it...i went to kokomo after I left and it would have been no problem to work the track in..kokomo did it with a even wetter track...besides that they had only made one or 2 passes around the track with the tractor and had not touched it before AT ALL... Can't cancel at 4pm with sunshine all day and posts saying your dfntly racing.. This hurt their car counts alot for next year..

Re: Rock Crest Raceway 10-16-21
 

Do you recall my post about not depending on FB? When in doubt, always call if you have a long drive to make, or ck with IOW as you progress. Just sayin!

Re: Rock Crest Raceway 10-16-21
 

I'll be honest, I took the dog out at noon, There was a fifteen mph wind and it was chilly. I didn't leave. But I would have been halfway there by the time I seen anything of a cancellation. They said they were running, that was good enough for me, I'd of never checked afterwards. Friend texted me at 430 and said they cancelled. I got no idea what time that decision was made.

Im from the pre internet days, Dozens of times I shown up or seen haulers going the opposite direction to find a show had cancelled. Sometimes for no obvious reason.

I don't know what it means for Rock Crest.

I will say this, Guys need to support the tracks that do everything they can to run, pay what they advertise everytime and support em Slim fields help nobody.

One thing for sure, you can never be sure you'll get to race or watch, unless it's an indoor race, and then it is not a given, my first year with a Midget, we pulled to Danville 3 times before we got to run, I don't remember how many times we were rained out that year, but we didn't quit , not a guarantee on either end, just think what the promoter was out, we usually ate anyway, something we didn't always get to do together, so we had a good time, and we did it again. Bob

Charles, I too am from the pre-internet day’s. But for better or worse those days are gone. And if you want to try to be successful, you should have a decent internet presence. I have no idea what actually happened down there, but a fellow fan who I respect was very disappointed with how it all went down.

Sounds like the new promoters might have pissed some people off which I don't blame them for being mad price of fuel and time getting there I was walking out the door to go when wife told me it was cancelled which I was even surprised they even tried to race with all the rain we got friday afternoon and overnight...

Re: Rock Crest Raceway 10-16-21
 

I was waiting for a progress report on the light bulb in the mens room.

Pretty disappointed we didnt get one...

Re: Rock Crest Raceway 10-16-21
 

Second time out,everybody makes mistakes. A very small percentage of R/Os are well planned. I plan on going over there a few times next year.:deadhorse:

Re: Rock Crest Raceway 10-16-21
 

I was very upset about the way the cancellation went down at the time. 4 pm and I was 10 minutes from the Track. I am willing to give them a Mulligan and I hope they can make something of the place in 2022......So much potential in that place......we will see

I for one, have found it very difficult to be perfect. Bob

Re: Rock Crest Raceway 10-16-21
 

I understand being upset about the late cancelation, but other beloved promoters have done the same thing and no one says a word. Do you think people realize when race tracks go away they generally don't come back, ever? And there isn't a plethora of new ones being built either.

We got cancelled at gas city this year very late, and I don't blame them for it. I was already there along with a few other teams and then the tornado siren went off... They made a call early that didn't work out. It happens. Vernon is pretty often tough to work in after rain, I think the river going around it doesn't help much. Either way, they made a call and it wasn't the right one. Nothing to get upset over, it happened, it'll happen again somewhere else as well. Good luck to Rock Crest in 2022!

Re: Rock Crest Raceway 10-16-21
 

That is the worst possible name for a speedway 30 miles from Mitchell...

Re: Rock Crest Raceway 10-16-21
 

Not even a smidgen.