Plymouth Speedway 2013 Saturday Track

RaceChick27 · 8/24/12, 9:25 AM

It has been officially announced that Plymouth Speedway will be a Saturday night track for the 2013 season.
In 2 weeks there will be another official announcement as Ed Kennedy will at this time announcing the decision on the track staying dirt/asphalt or going all dirt.

Shawn Harper · 8/24/12, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RaceChick27

It has been officially announced that Plymouth Speedway will be a Saturday night track for the 2013 season.
In 2 weeks there will be another official announcement as Ed Kennedy will at this time announcing the decision on the track staying dirt/asphalt or going all dirt.

Cover the asphalt and keep the bull ring for the 600 cars. Just my opinion!

Mud Packer · 8/24/12, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RaceChick27

It has been officially announced that Plymouth Speedway will be a Saturday night track for the 2013 season.
In 2 weeks there will be another official announcement as Ed Kennedy will at this time announcing the decision on the track staying dirt/asphalt or going all dirt.

I personally think that this will be a tough sell. Saturday nights have quite a few places running weekly shows. You currently have dirt tracks running weekly at Lawrenceburg, Twin Cities, Brownstown, Paragon, Lincoln Park, Waynesfield, Clay County, Montpelier, Shady Hill, US 24 Raceway, Butler and others that I am probably missing.

Add in the asphalt tracks of Anderson, South Bend, Baer Field, Angola that currently run weekly on Saturday nights.

With that you also have special event tracks like Eldora, Winchester, Salem, Terre Haute, Tri State, etc.... I can't imagine where you would be pulling a car or fan count from. Hopefully Illinois and Michigan racers will travel to Plymouth as other tracks currently have lower car counts and fan counts that we don't need to water down any more. If sprint cars are on the agenda, an even more difficult proposition.

Either Friday or Sunday night would have a lot less competition that could be possibly be better options. Whatever you decide, good luck on this venture.

Shawn Harper · 8/24/12, 10:53 AM

It may be tough, but i think it can be done. The northern part of the state has alot of sprint car fans and withy the right prize money I think they can pull in the cars.

Mud Packer · 8/24/12, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shawn Harper

It may be tough, but i think it can be done. The northern part of the state has alot of sprint car fans and withy the right prize money I think they can pull in the cars.

Shawn,

Not trying to be negative at all, but you mention " the northern part of the state has alot of sprint car fans". I agree that Indiana as a whole has alot of sprint car fans however dividing the pie isn't the answer. We need to ADD to the numbers as traditional sprint car fans are a nitch group. In looking around the bleachers last night at Kokomo, the vast majority of fans there were at least 50 years old or older. We need more of the 20 or 30 something crowd to embellish this sport.

I would much rather see Plymouth try a different night rather than Saturday. As it stands right now, you will be fighting at least 15 other tracks for a portion of the cars and crowd. Not great odds and then throw in the other venues that offer special events on Saturday night and the odds are even greater.

Has there been any thought on maybe trying to run late models? Only Brownstown currently runs late models on Saturday night so that also could be a better drawing card as well. Again, not trying to be negative but I personally don't see this being successful in the long run. JMO.

Shawn Harper · 8/24/12, 11:42 AM

Mike, I see your point. The more tracks running on the samr night would equal less car count. It may be a better choice to run another class like the late models and mabe throw in a couple special shows a year with the sprint cars. As far as the age of people going, it is vital us older ones take our kids and grand kids to these races to get them involved. That is how I became a fan. Nice discussing this with you.

Mud Packer · 8/24/12, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shawn Harper

Mike, I see your point. The more tracks running on the samr night would equal less car count. It may be a better choice to run another class like the late models and mabe throw in a couple special shows a year with the sprint cars. As far as the age of people going, it is vital us older ones take our kids and grand kids to these races to get them involved. That is how I became a fan. Nice discussing this with you.

Shawn,

I agree we all need to bring a younger crowd to the races. We all became fans with the help of our elders. I hope nothing but the best for Plymouth and we maybe will make a show or two next year.

767 · 8/24/12, 4:39 PM

I just want to know where all of these racers are going to come from? most guys up there are setting on Asphault stuff. Its not like the old days when everything converts. I imagine we will see more of what we seen this year. Both tracks. The track draws a pretty decent car count right now. Everytime I have been there, the fan count was pretty decent. Looking at the results from this season car counts look good. What am I missing here? Is the Dirt crowd huge? Is the asphault track in bad shape? If the track switches to all dirt, many of the racers will go race somewhere else or just sell out. You may get a few that convert over to dirt. You will get many more that sell there stuff. With the current economy, if the track switches and the weekly drivers do not, where are all of the new racers going to come from? It sure sounds like the begining of the end for another track.

Avon Open Wheel fan · 8/24/12, 4:48 PM

Not to mention if they stay asphalt Illiana speedway also runs Saturday nights. Right now I do not see all of the Saturday night tracks surviving unless the economy picks up. Sprint car counts have been down at all tracks. Even the support classes have been hit and miss this season. Then as a fan I can only afford so much and this season I have had to pick and choose what races to watch. Plymouth is also not a very close drive for drivers or fans unless you live around North Central Indiana.

Think you will see more tracks going special events only the promoters can only lose so much money.

thebus79h · 8/24/12, 4:54 PM

Leave the dirt track as it is right now, then just send the dirt all the way to the wall.

If Plymouth makes the track the 1/5 mile around the bottom, then fills dirt all the way to the top (to make a REAL wide racetrack), that is the answer.

If they want to run weekly 600's, modifieds, and sprint cars, that's your best shot at it I think. The 600's would put on a great show every week, and would pull cars from Logan and Peru if their track is racier than those two, which this year shouldn't be to hard.

8/24/12, 11:42 AM	#6 Re: Plymouth Speedway 2013 Saturday Track
Shawn Harper Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 404	Mike, I see your point. The more tracks running on the samr night would equal less car count. It may be a better choice to run another class like the late models and mabe throw in a couple special shows a year with the sprint cars. As far as the age of people going, it is vital us older ones take our kids and grand kids to these races to get them involved. That is how I became a fan. Nice discussing this with you.

8/24/12, 4:39 PM	#8 Re: Plymouth Speedway 2013 Saturday Track
767 Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 1,106	I just want to know where all of these racers are going to come from? most guys up there are setting on Asphault stuff. Its not like the old days when everything converts. I imagine we will see more of what we seen this year. Both tracks. The track draws a pretty decent car count right now. Everytime I have been there, the fan count was pretty decent. Looking at the results from this season car counts look good. What am I missing here? Is the Dirt crowd huge? Is the asphault track in bad shape? If the track switches to all dirt, many of the racers will go race somewhere else or just sell out. You may get a few that convert over to dirt. You will get many more that sell there stuff. With the current economy, if the track switches and the weekly drivers do not, where are all of the new racers going to come from? It sure sounds like the begining of the end for another track.

8/24/12, 4:48 PM	#9 Re: Plymouth Speedway 2013 Saturday Track
Avon Open Wheel fan Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 1,272	Not to mention if they stay asphalt Illiana speedway also runs Saturday nights. Right now I do not see all of the Saturday night tracks surviving unless the economy picks up. Sprint car counts have been down at all tracks. Even the support classes have been hit and miss this season. Then as a fan I can only afford so much and this season I have had to pick and choose what races to watch. Plymouth is also not a very close drive for drivers or fans unless you live around North Central Indiana. Think you will see more tracks going special events only the promoters can only lose so much money.

8/24/12, 4:54 PM	#10 Re: Plymouth Speedway 2013 Saturday Track
thebus79h Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 446	Leave the dirt track as it is right now, then just send the dirt all the way to the wall. If Plymouth makes the track the 1/5 mile around the bottom, then fills dirt all the way to the top (to make a REAL wide racetrack), that is the answer. If they want to run weekly 600's, modifieds, and sprint cars, that's your best shot at it I think. The 600's would put on a great show every week, and would pull cars from Logan and Peru if their track is racier than those two, which this year shouldn't be to hard.