East Bay Raceway

[Rick Williamson]

My ONE point has been in my posts that you are wrong about the economy 2006 us 2010. The stoke market fell 60% from it's highs AND STILL isn't anywhere near where it was before this thing started. Unenployment was 4% in 2006. It's been 9.6% ALL this year! What I was saying with the 20% down turn or what every it was. Your figure of 0.2% is ONLY up from that figure. Like I said I'm sorry you don't understand economics 1.0. Or havn't read a newspaper or seen a tv report since about the first of Oct. 2008 when this all begain to fall apart.

[Darren]

when different series run the winternationals they the series run the show. If the racer has a problem with a call its not East Bay personal that made it.

[oldyeller]

Heven't been to East Bay in a while but went tonight. If that's a failing track, then I wish more were failing -- good car count, big crowd, good food, one of the best announcers in the south, clean bathrooms, decent racing surface all night with no dust, just a little grit; anyone who thinks that track is in bad shape doesn't get out to very many tracks.

[Winger]

Heven't been to East Bay in a while but went tonight. If that's a failing track, then I wish more were failing -- good car count, big crowd, good food, one of the best announcers in the south, clean bathrooms, decent racing surface all night with no dust, just a little grit; anyone who thinks that track is in bad shape doesn't get out to very many tracks.

Same for me Oldyeller. I'll also add the staff is very friendly and the track has one of the best safety crews in the business. I wish I could get there more often.

[teamzero]

I should post about East Bay more often. I think Al must have read these post. Its amazing when you dont flood the track with water at 5 in the evening then you can actually race on it. Thought track was 500% better then its been the last 4 weeks. Last week i was sitting going into turm 1 and left because sprints were throwing so much mud you couldnt even watch the race. last night just dust but thats always the case with winged sprints. if 4c didnt spin out might have had something for martin.

[Darren]

now you will be known as the person that saved short track racing in Tampa Bay.

[MW68SS]

So from what you are saying now is everyone of your gripes, every one of your complaints was actually about one night you went you thought the track was to wet and Sprint Cars were throwing to much mud into the stands.
I guess that makes sense.

[teamzero]

Im looking at my post and I never said once Im here to save short track racing. I believe I was talking about 1 racetrack out of thousands? Dont believe short track racing revovles around east bay or else we'd all be in trouble. Very nice thought though. To MW apparently your "openmindedness" has left you because you have repeatedly rubbulted my points that the business techniques are what I view that place as faulty. I never said the racin surface was bad. It is awesome when then track is worked in right, not when there standing water on the track to start the heat races. Im sorry that I have offended you and your lunch buddies at the track. My facts cannot be rebbuttled because they are FACTS. I wasnt the only one to get up and leave. The track has been that way for over a month now. Enough is enough. Thats the whole point but you try to have the last word on everything. If I go Sat I will get on here before I leave the house and tell you what I'm wearing and you can meet me at the beer shed and we can talk in person. Ive stated my first amendment right, If you dont like it then dont read it. and if youre going to comment then comment on what ive actually said not making your own assumptions because Ive stated clear facts that I FEEL , that I FEEL, that I FEEL is the reason for the decline in cars and fans.

[Rick Williamson]

Im looking at my post and I never said once Im here to save short track racing. I believe I was talking about 1 racetrack out of thousands? Dont believe short track racing revovles around east bay or else we'd all be in trouble. Very nice thought though. To MW apparently your "openmindedness" has left you because you have repeatedly rubbulted my points that the business techniques are what I view that place as faulty. I never said the racin surface was bad. It is awesome when then track is worked in right, not when there standing water on the track to start the heat races. Im sorry that I have offended you and your lunch buddies at the track. My facts cannot be rebbuttled because they are FACTS. I wasnt the only one to get up and leave. The track has been that way for over a month now. Enough is enough. Thats the whole point but you try to have the last word on everything. If I go Sat I will get on here before I leave the house and tell you what I'm wearing and you can meet me at the beer shed and we can talk in person. Ive stated my first amendment right, If you dont like it then dont read it. and if youre going to comment then comment on what ive actually said not making your own assumptions because Ive stated clear facts that I FEEL , that I FEEL, that I FEEL is the reason for the decline in cars and fans.

What you call facts aren't facts. And that's what I have tried to explain to you. This year's economy just isn't better then 06.

[teamzero]

first off that post wansnt for you. but since you brought it up. the unemployment website clearly states that in central florida (hillsborough, pasco, hernando, polk, sumter counties) in 2006 unemployment was 7.9% for those counties per capita. Im not counting florida as a whole because miami gardens has the highest unemplyment rate in the nation, and they dont race in tampa. In Oct 2010 unemployment is now 7.7%. I'm not sure were you got your facts from but they arent correct for the counties that deal with east bay the most. However I do see that you are from Polk county and back in 2008 they passed amend 4 on the primary election that added a 1.3% increase in property tax and leaned a 4% tax on social security basically meaning cutting 4% of all social security for residents of polk county, trying to take initiative in paying off the national debt. The cunning legislators worded it clevorly on the ballot and uninformed voters actually passed it. So maybe thats where youre seeing the jobless rate go up. Obviously the unemployment office only reports the figures that are reported to them but that was the case back in 2006 as well. So theres your Econ 101 lesson for the day. Hope to see you at the races. and hope rick scott can come through on his promise of creating 700.000 more jobs.

Calvin

[Winger]

Figures can be manipulated by anyone who cares to. i.e. taking the rate for a seasonal dependent county in the off season and comparing it to the rate for the peak season. I'd bet the unemployment rate in Gibsonton goes up when all the traveling carnival people are off in the winter. Maybe not but just speculating. Below I've pasted an apples to apples comparison of the rate for 4 states from 2006 to 2010. From Internet128.com The table is hard to read in this format but the Florida rate in 2006 was 3.4% and 2010 is 11.4%.


Unemployment rate in New York, Florida, Texas and California 2006-2010

The combined population of California, Texas, New York and Florida is about 100 million, or one-third of the population of the United States, so the unemployment rate in those states have a substantial impact on the national unemployment rate (currently 9.5%).

The table below shows the unemployment rate for those four states over the past few years (for June of each year, seasonally adjusted).

Unemployment rate in California, Texas, New York and Florida 2006-2010
-----Year-----------California-----Texas-----Florida-----New York
June 2006-----------4.9% ---------5.0% ------3.4% ------4.7%
June 2007-----------5.3% ---------4.3% ------4.0% ------4.5%
June 2008-----------7.0% ---------4.8% ------6.1% ------5.1%
June 2009----------11.6% ---------7.8% -----10.5% ------8.6%
June 2010----------12.3% ---------8.2% -----11.4% ------8.2%

Texas’ performance is probably the most impressive given that it has had the fastest population and labor force growth of the four states over the past decade, while New York has had the by far slowest.

[MW68SS]

Thanks Winger for the stats. The proven stats in black and white. Each year it has gotten worse and worse meaning less disposable income to spend on "fun" things.
Let me know on about this Saturday Calvin. I would love a chance to talk to you in person about all these problems East Bay seems to be having.

[towman]

mike can i come to the meeting too

Thanks Winger for the stats. The proven stats in black and white. Each year it has gotten worse and worse meaning less disposable income to spend on "fun" things.
Let me know on about this Saturday Calvin. I would love a chance to talk to you in person about all these problems East Bay seems to be having.

mike can i come too i am tired of hearing calvins b/s about eastbay and his openion ron jr

[teamzero]

Winger Im not arguning your stats there they are correct. But that is for the entire state of florida. Places like miami gardens and pahokee which are approaching 20% unemployment rate bring that figure way out of wack. My figures are from the counties that I stated earlier, which neighbor east bay. Who are the people who would come to a local saturday night show. Those counties have not had the effect as much as south florida. Believe or not the Haiti earthquake refugees factor in to the unemployment rate. and then in the panhandle the bp oil spill effects residents there. the unemployment added up for i believe it was 5 counties was 7.9% in 2006 and now is 7.7%. But I keep getting flooded with post saying that the place is packed and cars are up so that just supports my point that economy doenst have a great effect on the track as everyone thinks it does.

Al told me that himself the econmoy does effect him as much as rainouts do. Stated from the guys mouth.

MW my boss moved our company christmas party to saturday so I cant be there. Hope to be there for the crate LM show. Buy you a beer and we can chat then.

[Winger]

I think our argument was that East Bay is doing pretty well considering the economy, particularly compared to other tracks. The alleged problems you mentioned earlier are more likely the result of a poor economy rather than the other issues you mention. Unfortunately, I can't get to a lot of other track any more. However, I thought that East Bay had a pretty decent car count and fan count this past Saturday, particularly compared to the tracks that I regularly attend. You stated the track surface was much better than it has been for several weeks and I'll grant you that. I thought the track was darn good with maybe a few rough areas in turn one. I thought the dust was non-existent. I see more dust at Citrus than I saw at East Bay Saturday. Your issues with tire prices, payouts, etc. may be legitimate issues, I can't address that. I can tell you the car and fan count, at the tracks I regularly work at, has decreased. I'm sure they would be pleased to have a fan count, on a regular basis, like East Bay had last week. As for cars/drivers leaving the track to race elsewhere: I can say that happens at every track in the country for one reason or another. I did notice a few cars racing Saturday that use to come to Ocala earlier this year but haven't been coming lately. So apparently East Bay has done something to keep those cars, the economy has forced them to race one night a week, traveling costs are too high, Ocala has done something to lose them, or a combination of issues may be at fault. I can tell you the economy is an issue to some extent. My business has dropped substantially. I believe all tracks are suffering and the owners are trying to address issues. The good ones are doing it pro-actively by offering more for less, trying to attract and keep their present customers, and trying to ride this economy out. Others are trying to charge more for less, cutting staff, raising prices, charging for more things, restricting carry in items to increase concession sales, etc. I thought East Bay was doing pretty well. BTW, all tracks try to get sponsors to help with expenses. Payouts are an expense. Oh yeah, on rainouts there is no income and still expense to pay so obviously rain outs affect the track more than the economy.