Eastbay needs new owners

[dburtron97]

I for one am done with Eastbay. First of all, this years winternationals for sprint cars was a JOKE! The track was awful (dry) and they ran off almost all of the sprint drivers by not having 410's or non-wings. I doubt they will have any come next year since Ocala, North Florida and Volusia have gotten in the game. It's a shame that a FORMER first class track has turned into what it is today. The Owners/Management show favortism time and time again for a select few and it's becoming a wreck fest. Until someone else takes over the track me and my family will no longer go the the "clay by the bay".

[Offy22]

Dirt Is Dead

Sprint cars on dirt is barely alive in Florida currently and there are no good tracks right now to bring it back. As you state the current regime at EB is no friend of sprints and are ignorant of the game. Volusia is too long for weekly /local racing, too hard on motors and tires. They present a usually hard surface with track preparation done with only a blade and water wagon. I had high hopes for Ocala but the surface that I saw at their first sprint show was a asphalt base surface of limestone. Their oiled dirt surface of years ago was better. There are some limited sprints running here and there but they don't generate a lot of interest to those that are used to full fledged sprints. I remember was the old fairgrounds closed and Golden Gate opened to save racing in Tampa and then Easy Bay was built and sprint car racing arose from the asphalt and ashes to become nationally prominent on dirt. Perhaps another event will occur and we can see a rebirth but it is a real long shot.

[The Ocala Speedway]

" I had high hopes for Ocala but the surface that I saw at their first sprint show was a asphalt base surface of limestone"

Wow, couldn't be more off base. Come get a sample there's no lime rock in the track. There is one truck load at the entrance to the pits. Last Friday the track was tacky and didn't black over until around 10:00-10:30. We should of put more water on the track in preparation for the sprint car race. This is only my third month of maintaining a dirt track so it'll probably change every weekend the rest of the year. Which I'd actually like the track to be different every weekend. During the first month I had two goals that we reached. 1. I wanted the track to turn dry slick. Which it did sprint car night. 2. I wanted to have a smooth track all night. It has been nearly totally smooth all night for weeks now.
Guy Web form the All Stars, one of the WOO sprint car drivers, and a gentleman from Eldora have all walked the track and think it's an awesome surface.

[Old Sunshine Fan]

Sumtin Up ?

I think sumtin up guys..

Question: Am I the only one thinking that dburton97 and Offy22 are one and the same person?

First dburton97 complains about East Bay under another thread with complaints of Gene Laster (said he and family not going back to EB). Next we see post under "Complaints" saying EB is being run by people who don't know what they are doing ? ? ? (again said he is done with EB)

Now we have a brand new poster ie: Offy22 whose one and only post is about EB again (heck they just got on)... this poster agrees with dburton97 about EB...????

I've been around this KARNAC thing-a-my-gig since they invented water (even been called "One of the Chosen Few" by one nice person).. but I have not seen as much negative talk about EB as I have seen in these three post... My money is on the hunch we have someONE trying to get others to jump on their wagon and not doing too well with their efforts.

Might be wrong (I was once - but they finally realized it was a set-up), and if so, I apologize... but I don't think so...

BTW - Ocala has a great dirt surface. I watched one small area in last turn TRY to become something bigger on the first night, but it never happened.. The other nights I have been there it was great surface all around and like Mike says... it keeps changing... Ocala... keep doin what you are doing...

OSF

[Richard Tipton]

Mikes right youll never put the same amount of water on each week its kind of try it one way then another till you get some sort of formula as to what you need, you learn to read the clay, summer months are especially hard to figure out, you may have a windy afternoon it also plays a part in track prep. JMO.
NFS Flagman
Richard Tipton

[dburtron97]

Old Sunshine Fan

dburtron97 is me and me alone I have no Idea who offy22 is so your theory is wrong. I might be a little biased about EB because I think they condone the behavior of Lasker and other wreck less drivers time and time again which brought about this post about Eastbay. I have been going to Eastbay for a very long time and in my opinion it's being run in the ground. Sportsmanship is gone and it's becoming a wreck fest with some expensive cars involved that could end causing personnel harm. Ocala is doing the right thing and I hope that it continues!

[Old Sunshine Fan]

dburtron97

LISTEN TO ME AND LISTEN GOOD MR OR MRS dburton97!








I believe you and with that, I say to you, I Apologize for thinking you were posting under a second name... (well, that makes twice I have been wrong in my life - so spank me good and send me to my room).

Appreciate your response. Perhaps EB is going for seat sales and that is why they "Don't see" what others see.

Again, sorry for letting my mind go in that direction...

OSF

[Boneman]

Thats weird man....I've been thinking that OSF is actually the same person as "1wildfastgirl24".

[OLD STYLE RACER 2]

You are wrong about that one. I have chatted with "1wildfastgirl" til 1-2 o'clock in the morning and I have also met OSF[the chosen one ] in person. It was WELL past his bed time for him to also be her!!! LMAO

[Old Sunshine Fan]

Same as ?

I sure as hell hope she looks better dan me! I be so ugly, I have to run from my truck into my house or else the neighbors dog will git me.
And U be rite there Old Racer.. I bee in da bed reel early (my bed), cause I gots to git me beauty sleep (and it aint workin).


OSF

[Egoracing]

had high hopes for Ocala but the surface that I saw at their first sprint show was a asphalt base surface of limestone. I remember was the old fairgrounds closed and Golden Gate opened to save racing in Tampa and then Easy Bay was built and sprint car racing arose from the asphalt and ashes to become nationally prominent on dirt. Perhaps another event will occur and we can see a rebirth but it is a real long shot.

Ocala is a tacky surface that will work in WELL.
East Bay was around a LONG time before the Fairgrounds was even BUILT!

[Frasson118]

Egoracing.... just a history lesson here. There was an "old" Tampa Fairgrounds track that has deep roots in history. It was closed down in the early 70's, if I remember correctly. East Bay opened in the mid-70's. After that, the "new" Tampa Fairgrounds opened up and had a racetrack there from the early '80's or so, but it too got closed down (neighbors bitching about noise).

So, you are both right AND wrong, depending on which Fairgrounds track you are refering to!

[Egoracing]

Egoracing.... just a history lesson here. There was an "old" Tampa Fairgrounds track that has deep roots in history. It was closed down in the early 70's, if I remember correctly. East Bay opened in the mid-70's. After that, the "new" Tampa Fairgrounds opened up and had a racetrack there from the early '80's or so, but it too got closed down (neighbors bitching about noise).

So, you are both right AND wrong, depending on which Fairgrounds track you are refering to!

Was the Old track at the current fair ground location or are you talking about the old fairgrounds that were in Tampa. If you are talking about the OLD track didn't it go by a different name?

[Frasson118]

I'm not an expert on the details (AncrDave is though), but I think there were 2 different Fairgrounds tracks, plus a 3rd one called Plant Field. One was downtown near the river, the other was up by the airport on Hillsborough Ave., and the most recent was at the corner of I-4 & Hwy. 301... on the same spot as the new Ford Ampitheater.

Hopefully I'm close... if not, maybe we can both learn something from bigger experts than I.

I didn't live in Florida at the time of the earlier tracks, but I did attend the newest one at I-4/301. Saw some pretty good shows there too. Unfortunately, whimpy-ass neighbors had it shut down.

[Boneman]

Plant Field was the one that was downtown, near the Hillsborough river.

Trivia question: what stands on the site today? Be prepared for disapointment.