Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

Please know that the "silent majority" really do appreciate your efforts to provide us with a track to race on.

This weekends forecast doesn't look very good, so I'm sure it will be another weekend of difficult decisions for all of you.... I just wanted to point out that the majority of us will show up and won't complain.

A friend of mine once told me "my worst day at a race track is better than my best day at work". We love racing, no matter how long it takes or the track conditions.

Now, to the rest of you.... How bout we try to fix that silent majority issue by sending our positive comments via an email or maybe even a post here. Of course that is if you have time. ;)

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

Originally Posted by Bill Gardner:
Please know that the "silent majority" really do appreciate your efforts to provide us with a track to race on.

This weekends forecast doesn't look very good, so I'm sure it will be another weekend of difficult decisions for all of you.... I just wanted to point out that the majority of us will show up and won't complain.

A friend of mine once told me "my worst day at a race track is better than my best day at work". We love racing, no matter how long it takes or the track conditions.

Now, to the rest of you.... How bout we try to fix that silent majority issue by sending our positive comments via an email or maybe even a post here. Of course that is if you have time. ;)

Your 100% correct Bill, however if we post something positive most times it just generates negative posts from those with nothing better to do. I wonder how many of the bashers and whinners sent a comment to Eldora directly about last weekend. My guess would be very few if any. Mr. racefan per Areo Dave Garrison :31:

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

Amen Bill, we need more positive than negative criticism especially with economic times we are going through. Let us hope there will never be a time we can't enjoy the sport we love because of the lack of "GOOD" promoters and track crews.

REH

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

Originally Posted by Bill Gardner:
Please know that the "silent majority" really do appreciate your efforts to provide us with a track to race on.

This weekends forecast doesn't look very good, so I'm sure it will be another weekend of difficult decisions for all of you.... I just wanted to point out that the majority of us will show up and won't complain.

A friend of mine once told me "my worst day at a race track is better than my best day at work". We love racing, no matter how long it takes or the track conditions.

Now, to the rest of you.... How bout we try to fix that silent majority issue by sending our positive comments via an email or maybe even a post here. Of course that is if you have time. ;)

Bill is right! If not for all the track promoters and track workers we would have no racing!! They may not always get it right, but the effort is there! :9::32:

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

Bill,
I can't agree with you more. I would have loved to be at Putnamville "enduring" the racing, however I spent the day and well into the night hanging, mudding, and sanding drywall in our bathroom.:15: I don't care how cold, hot, wet, dry, slick, rut covered, delayed, dusty or anything else bad you can descibe the racing Saturday evening. It surely would have beat the heck out of what I was doing!!

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

Very well said Bill. Last Saturday night we went to the IOW/DO Fest at Lincoln Park. RacinBabe and I were just happy to be able to go to a race after a lot of moisture fell in a very short time. It wasn't a typical "Saturday night at the races" We saw some old friends, met some new ones and saw some racing.

We also were entertained with the numerous "adventures" with the ambulance getting stuck, the wrecker dying on track, the lights going out, a very challenging racing surface, etc.... and all of this caused a very early exit on Sunday morning. Driving home we laughed about the evenings entertainment and even though the racing wasn't as good as we would have liked, we still were entertained. A great fireworks show kept us from being bored while the lights came back up. And all of this for only $15.

Promoters are wonderful people who work long hours in hopes of making a few bucks along the way. All of their hard work can go south in very short order by things out of their control; weather, power failure, etc and yet they continue to do this without much fanfare but a ton of complaints and better ways of running their business by the fans who won't come to the track if their favorite driver isn't there.

For all of the keyboard jockeys who "know it all", please do us all a favor and go out and buy a racetrack and show us all how it needs to be done. I want to go to your best run track that offers quality racing with no dust, on time shows, no more than two classes of racing, $10 ticket prices, clean restrooms with hot water, soap and soft towels, take in food and beverage, free valet parking and make sure that the food and drinks in the concession stand are hot/cold and extremely inexpensive. Otherwise I will never come back to your track again.

The expectations of the fanbase is great these days and the promoter will hear about one slip up if he deserves it or not. We need to be careful what we wish for, as it might come true. Fans of Manzanita, USA Speedway, Wayne County and a number of others don't have to worry about that anymore. THEY ARE CLOSED!

Enjoy the races while we can. Tomorrow may not be so racing friendly.

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

I'll share a personal story about last Saturday night...

I was having a hard time walking around... my legs were swelling and they hurt. My muscles were cramping up all night. It was hard to move around in the mud. Simply walking to the pit stands left me short of breath. Physically, I was miserable. But for some reason, I was still happy. I had waited all winter... survived another surgery... I was happy for very simple reasons.... I finally was able to smell... hear... and see some racing again. What I didn't know was the best part was still ahead.

It was the IOW / Racin with DO racin fest, It was in some ways an important race to me, mainly because it partially bared the IOW name. I wanted the race to be a success. The rain that fell on Saturday morning did not help. The track conditions were wet and became very rough. I began to feel genuinely concerned about the safety of everyone involved. I didn't blame the track... becasue they made the effort. I didn't blame the teams who loaded without racing... because they tried. It was just a tough night of mix emotions.

After watching the sprint car feature I told Brian Hayden (for those you that don't know, he has been my driver and friend for several years now, we might as well be brothers.)... it's not worth it, if you want to load up that it would be fine with me. He knew how bad I wanted him to win this race. He told me that he would give it a try. Here he is with a broken wrist... no cast... a wet and rough race track and he's going to give it a try... needless to say I was a bit concerned.

He started 6th, took the high line and went on to win a caution free modified race while almost lapping the entire field in the process. As I drove the 4 wheeler on the race track I realized that all the earlier mixed emotions were gone... they were replaced with a WIN!

On that rough and long night, If it weren't for the efforts by the entire LPS staff, none of that would have been possible. I cannot express enough thanks to them.

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

As a racetrack employee I appreciate this thread. As a racefan I understand it. My favorite person to go to the track with can't go. I'm certain with as many keystone cops issues that went on, my father would still have enjoyed it.

I know you don't have to be book smart to run a business and be involved in racing, and not all of us have had a great education. But if you are going to hold racetracks to the highest degree of perfection in April (the rainy end of winter), you don't hold much validity when your communication skills match that of a spoiled brat. I really do believe in respecting your elders, but when they are the name calling, ignorant know it alls give me a break.

Also my favorite post is the "it's three hours after a race has been cancelled and three hours before it was supposed to start and it's sunny and 105 degrees here." That doesn't mean the track can be raced on. Thanks Captain Obvious, many of us travel several hours to a race, we aren't afraid of venturing out of the county we were born in. I'm glad you live so close to a racetrack, why don't you takeover and do a perfect job of promoting said track?

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

I have to agree with all you guys on this point even if I did go off bout Eldora. My point about Eldora was and still is it don"t seem like they try to fix problems are even care. I guess I was so ticked off that I had to vent. I wasn"t at Lincoln Park which for what I have heard and read bout must have been quite entertaining I wouldn"t have said a thing cuz lest they tried puting on a show . I know they useally have a good show weekly. I f If my comments offended anyone on here but eldora promoters and crew I am sorry .

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

I very much appreciate all the efforts put forth by the promoters, track owners and sanctioning bodies. Also the drivers, owners and their crews. I have to travel a fair amount to attend what I consider "real" sprint car racing and a "bad day at the track" is much better than no day at all. As far as the races being "an event" (as stated on other threads), I believe it is what you try to make it. If you want to show up at the last minute and get out as soon as you can I have no problem with that. But you can make a race an event by sharing the day with good friends, enjoying some good tailgate food and spending time getting to know new people – every race is an “event” for me!

Thanks for starting this thread Bill and I look forward to many “events” this year. See you all at the races soon!

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

Dear Lawrenceburg Speedway, Thank you for taking the steps necessary to have a good track on Saturday night, Providing a entertaining program and a generally good time. This can be said for all the employees. Teams and other fans who showed up.


Dear Eldora, Thank you to the teams who worked their arses off to try to put on a show. Several employees as well did the right things and worked very hard. I'll be back when you get it together. Amen

Dear LPS. I didn't attend so I can't comment except for thanks for completing a show for all those who choose to stay and participate. I can say that Before and Since, D.A I have had a very good time there on my visits.

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

I had a great time last Saturday at Putnamville, there were a few bumps when I was there, but it was fun. Between the power outage and the ambulance being stuck down to the frame on the track (while those are bad things, it sorta adds a funny thing to the night), it was great to see racing and have a good laugh. Spiker and company controlled everythign really good.

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

I've put a lot of miles on my car chasing racing over the last several years, as both a fan and as an official. So my heart went out to everyone involved at LPS Saturday night; it's never fun when things go wrong, and you're wearing an officials shirt. I'll give them a pat on the back for trying to make the best of a really bad set of circumstances. Sometimes you just run into the proverbial "perfect storm."

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

Well said Mr. Gardner, well said. Thank you to all who work so hard and risk so much for the sport.

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

Very well said Bill, with all the rain we had saturday we made the choice to leave our sprint cars at home. We still went racing at lps.didnt complaine knew before we went what it was going to be but went anyway. so did alot of others.from the looks of the stands and pits guess some people realy believe the saying it never rains in downtown putnamville , but we now know better LOL, thanks Joe and crew for getting the show in saturday:6:

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

Thanks to Dave Rudisell and Joe Spiker and all of their employees for getting the show in,and though I wanted to be at both tracks Saturday it was not possible,but I just wanted to say thanks for the effort. Complaining can only hurt racing,so if you are not happy,stay home and keep quiet,if you love racing.

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

I went to Brownstown for the Icebreaker. They got an 1.5 inches of rain. They worked their butts off down there and had some incredible racing. Tin tops it may have been, but with racing like this;
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5026/...c698a972_o.jpg
IMG_2685 copy by uncloose1, on Flickr

I can't complain. They also had a full house, and were done with 4 divisions by 12;30. Not bad at all.

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

An excellent post, Bill, and very appropriate. Thank you.

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

Bill, thank you for starting this positive thread. An Congratulations to you and Brian on your win last Saturday!

Mudpacker knowns how much this Manzanita race fan misses her home track and how fast the rug was pulled out from under the valley race fans when Manzy went away. On a positive note I have heard great things about ET Motorsports new facility east of Phoenix, the valley race fans are lucky a new venue is on the horizon to run sprint cars at.

To all of the negative posters I second Mudpackers thoughts be careful what you wish for when a racing venue like Manzy is lost it is very rare that a new racing venue is built in the same area. It is also rare when a race track comes up for sale that there is a buyer standing in line that wants to continue to operate it as a race track. I have refrained lately about talking about my other home track Oswego Speedway Home of the Supermodifieds, for those of you that don't know Oswego is going thru a sale right now. It has been an on going process since last September, just recently they have had to postpone the May 7th ISMA race because the sale still is not finalized. Since Christmas time I have heard at least six times the paper work was finalized only to have one snag after another prevent the paper work from being finalized.

So to all those bashing Eldora and Tony Stewart ask yourself where Eldora would be today if Tony didn't step up to buy it? Would you prefer a shopping mall or new housing development sit where Eldora sits today? I for one don't want to see anymore of these famed race tracks lost.

Most of the mid-west race tracks try to open at least a month to month and a half earlier than what I was accustom to growing up in central N. Y., you should consider yourselfs lucky you can get an extra four to six weeks of racing if the weather co-operates than we would on a pavement track.

K. O. & D. O. described my thoughts exactly on this weeks show "mid-west racing in the springtime is a crap shoot at best".

This weekend sounds like mother nature may prevail again, all I can say is support those that try and don't condemn those that pull the plug they are all dealing with what mother nature sends their way.

Patti

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

Guys, defend whatever you want, or whoever you want.

Eldora's bashing is well deserved. True, the track crew can't control the weather. HOWEVER, the track prep has sucked there for years!!!

Larry Kemp calls the shots. The rest of the guys are not allowed to water the track, run in the cushion, or anything else, unless the OK comes from Larry Kemp, so the buck stops with him.

As we all know, racing is a performance business. If a certian brand of engine, chassis, tire, etc don't 'work', it get's junked/not used anymore. If a hired driver crashes every time out, or if a hired driver has the best equipment but runs last, he gets fired from the ride. You don't perform, you're out of here.

Eldora's head honcho has repeatedly screwed up the racing surface, not once, or every once in a while-consistantly.

It's either incompetance, or indifferance....maybe both. It sure as hell can't be an accident, not this many times.

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

Fans of Manzanita, USA Speedway, Wayne County and a number of others don't have to worry about that anymore. THEY ARE CLOSED! USA speedway? do you mean the USA Speedway in Tucson AZ, because if so that is news to me???

Indybound, Oswego Speedway:8: Home of the Supermodifieds.:22: I recieved 2 head injuies there and still loved racing a midget there w/ARDC & NEMA. The steel palace is one fast track! My crew after those events, always held their breath. The steel palace. I could never believe or understand how my wife was able to fall asleep on the grass while the supermods were running! :5:

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

I understand your thought, but there will NEVER be a shopping mall or housing development near Eldora, even if it closes.

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

Originally Posted by Fontana180:
Fans of Manzanita, USA Speedway, Wayne County and a number of others don't have to worry about that anymore. THEY ARE CLOSED! USA speedway? do you mean the USA Speedway in Tucson AZ, because if so that is news to me???

Indybound, Oswego Speedway:8: Home of the Supermodifieds.:22: I recieved 2 head injuies there and still loved racing a midget there w/ARDC & NEMA. The steel palace is one fast track! My crew after those events, always held their breath. The steel palace. I could never believe or understand how my wife was able to fall asleep on the grass while the supermods were running! :5:

Fontana180, I can't shed any light on USA Raceway in Tucson, there website shows a press release wrote by Lonnie Wheatley dated 4/11 stating the sprints are back there this Saturday. Kevin Montgomery posted that press release here on IOW, so I am confused and have also heard nothing about USA closing.

The steel palace walls are unforgiving, I can understand why your crew would hold their breath. But your wife falling asleep how could that happend when the supers were running? Love seeing the midgets run every chance I get. Headed to the steel palace next month!

Patti

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

Originally Posted by Fontana180:
do you mean the USA Speedway in Tucson AZ, because if so that is news to me???

Mudpacker was referring to USA Speedway, a 3/4 mile paved track in Lakeland, FL that closed out of nowhere sometime in 2008. USA Raceway is the 3/8 mile dirt track near Tucson, AZ that still operates.

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

[QUOTE=Fontana180;221675]Fans of Manzanita, USA Speedway, Wayne County and a number of others don't have to worry about that anymore. THEY ARE CLOSED! USA speedway? do you mean the USA Speedway in Tucson AZ, because if so that is news to me???

Thanks for helping me out James. The track that I was referring to was indeed USA Speedway in Lakeland, FL. It was also called USA International Speedway as I remember it. A great 3/4 mile facility that closed due to the property being worth more as a trucking hub than a race track.

It was out off of Interstate 4 and I certainly wouldn't have expected that it was worth that type of money for re-development. Just goes to show what I know.:15::3:

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

[quote=Mud Packer;221694]

Originally Posted by Fontana180:
Fans of Manzanita, USA Speedway, Wayne County and a number of others don't have to worry about that anymore. THEY ARE CLOSED! USA speedway? do you mean the USA Speedway in Tucson AZ, because if so that is news to me???

Thanks for helping me out James. The track that I was referring to was indeed USA Speedway in Lakeland, FL. It was also called USA International Speedway as I remember it. A great 3/4 mile facility that closed due to the property being worth more as a trucking hub than a race track.

It was out off of Interstate 4 and I certainly wouldn't have expected that it was worth that type of money for re-development. Just goes to show what I know.:15::3:

Do I remember that the PRA had a Big Car race that was scheduled at Lakeland but was never run?

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

[quote=Seadog;221698]

Originally Posted by Mud Packer:
Do I remember that the PRA had a Big Car race that was scheduled at Lakeland but was never run?

You are correct Gregg. I don't know the particulars but it was about the time the USAR and PRA were going through some challenging times. It would have been a great track to host a "big car" show. We will never know now however.:13:

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

This was my first published photo, taken during Speedfest in January of 2006
http://www.apexonephoto.com/CRA-Spee..._bFnfn-M-6.jpg
Nobody was hurt, I believe someone tried to run some aluminum parts, that were illegal and crushed causing a fire, in the first turn on the first lap.

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

Originally Posted by apexonephoto:
This was my first published photo, taken during Speedfest in January of 2006
http://www.apexonephoto.com/CRA-Spee..._bFnfn-M-6.jpg

Great shot.:6: I was there for that race and wow what a wreck. Thankfully no one was seriously hurt. I was really sad to hear the news that USA International Speedway was closing up shop. A great facility and I enjoyed going down to watch the Speedfest shows. Thanks for the look back.

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

I would have to say that the Lawrenceburg crew must have busted their butts because the track and the racing was good all night...WoW them sprints were flyin around that place.Hat's off to Dave and crew.

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

I know this isn't a sprint car track, but Cedar County Raceway in Tipton, Iowa, overcame some serious challenges last Friday night. After my doctor's appointment, I was probably the first to arrive at the track, certain after seeing water standing in the ditches about a mile away that i would be going home.
The crew worked the track in, with many from pit crews watching in disbelief, many saying they were wasting their time. The show started an hour late, but it started and entertained the crowd that braved the cold temperatures. The others were probably home watching NASCAR.

BTW, the Sprint Invaders run at the track during the fair. It used to be a spot for IMCA sprint races. I believe Mr. Jim Hurtubise has won a few races there, among others.

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

Originally Posted by Brad:
I understand your thought, but there will NEVER be a shopping mall or housing development near Eldora, even if it closes.

Brad, for years we heard rumors of Manzy being sold for a Home Depot or some other similiar type establishment and everytime the rumors circulated the rumors were countered with too many chemicals in the ground for Manzy to ever be anything but a race track, An then the day came when the announcement was made, Manzy was sold and a month later we were attending the last races held there. An now USAC no longer comes to the valley of the sun and all the talk of the Copper Classic returning to PIR is just that talk at this time.

I am a strong supporter of saving all of the old famed race tracks out there, whether I have had the opportunity to attend a race there or not I don't want to see any more of these tracks go away. An quite often I think we as race fans take for granted what we have and don't realize how fast the face of our beloved sport can change. The race fans of the valley were dealt the reality of loosing there famed race track and I don't want to see that happend in any other part of the country.

When Pat Furlong and Steve Gioia bought Oswego from the Cauroso's the rumor was Furlong would turn it into one of his housing developments when he was done operating it as a race track. Maybe that is why I used shopping mall or housing developement, many closed race tracks have all ready met that fate.

Let all going racing, have fun and keep the competitors safe!

Patti

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

:35:Thanks Bill,:8:
A big thanks to Joe Spiker and all employees.
I attended the Fest at Putnamville and was happy that they persevered & pulled it off. I was my sons first visit to any track since moving to Chicago and we brought along his 2nd cousins(age 5 & 6) and they had a blast fireworks and all. It was a lovely night for being outdoors for racing.
Although I truly understand the many teams declined to race and that loaded up their cars & equipment for another day, my hat is off to each and every one of those who did run and put on the show for the almost packed house. It was as full as I had seen it there in a long time. That was good to see. I know of 4 very happy and satisfied fans, 2 of them already buggin me to make the 2 hour trip again whenever I'm ready.:2:

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

Thanks for the post Bill... and for all you do for racing.

Our crew was at LPS last Saturday and the heavy rains definately made for less than ideal conditions for us, the racers and the rest of the track staff.

The push lane had a twenty foot wide stream of water trickling across it by nights end. The track's new clay was extremely soft and impossible to keep from rutting up as was evident when the ambulance sank to its frame when it tried to respond to the multi car flip in the first sprint heat. The infield was a muddy mess that was nearly impossible to navigate in four wheel drive or by foot. There were haulers that were stuck in the pits and had to be pulled out. I could go on and on about the unusual things that the staff and racers had to deal with on opening night but I won't.

We have been doing this for a very long time and have had our share of good nights and bad nights at the races. We do between 35 to 55 shows every year. That's just part of the game. You learn to take the good with the bad.

My hat is off to the racers who stayed and endured the rough track conditions to put on a show for all of us who were sick of the long, cold winter weather and were way overdue for our racing fix.

That last lap... last turn... hole shot Dave Darland made to the checkers was pretty impressive... made me forget about all the snow and ice I've endured this winter... and it made sloshing around in the mud and water all night worth the misery.

Thanks again for the positive post Bill. And thanks again to all of the people who manage and staff the race tracks that give us all something to look forward to each week. See you at the races.

Joe Chambers
Official Push Trucks

Re: Attn: All track promoters and employees
 

Thanks Bill for starting a thread that maybe needs to be repeated on a more regular basis. Thank you for this forum and all you do to keep it going so that we can communicate about the sport we all love.
I sit on the sideline and read the complaints posted here and on a few occasions have replied to them. But after awhile it just sounds like I'm whining about no racing in Colorado. I grew up in NW Ohio and went to my first race in 1951 at the old Ft. Miami fairgrounds. My first USAC sprint race was in New Bremen in 1962, the day Don Davis was killed. I've seen good tracks,bad tracks and everything in between but I've never lost that rush that comes from getting out of the car in the parking lot and wanting to get to my seat for hot laps. The opportunity for that rush doesn't come very often for me anymore,so pardon me if I don't sympathize with the complainers.
Keep up the good work Bill.

Vern Plotts