Florida's best kept secret

[Boneman]

I am surprised at the lack of buzz surrounding the United Promoter's LM series. Answer quick: where and when is the next race? I am betting you don't know, and I guarantee that I don't know either. For a group of promoters, why does there seem to be so little promotion?

Yes, the series details are on the FASCAR track websites. Maybe they are on other track sites too. But besides that, where is the interest, the discussion and the normal BS that goes along with racing in this state? The idea of the series has merit, and I hope it becomes a big deal.

So here is a chance for one of you would-be promoters to do something. Why not put together a resume, or better yet an effective plan of attack to generate some interest and ticket sales for this series, and send it to the UP group? What is the chance you would be hired? There is a zero percent chance, but I am more of a do something, do anything kind of person, and hope that something changes.

Will Bubba's team be this complacent? No, they will not. It doesn't matter that Bubba's show is on dirt and that the UP runs on pavement. Race fans just want to see a good show.

[Tim]

I thought about it Rex................but the truth was............as I heard them explain what they wanted to do..............I heard Waynes name mentioned 10 times more than I heard what was best for them......at that point I realized they were doing it for the wrong reasons.......

EVERYONE knows that me and Wayne don't see eye to eye on ONE subject, but we agree on 100 others. And I refused to throw him to the wolves when he worked sooo hard to create was IS the FUP series.

The FUP series will die.....if it wasn't for Rusty Crews it would have never happened. And sooner or later Ruster will tell all these egomaniacs to F@CK themselves....just who he is and what he believes.....he is after all an old school racer and has a true love for the sport....

[Tim]

So in answer to your question Rex,.....it wasn't about creating a successful series....Wayne, Alan and Dick had already done that and created the blueprint......It was about proving they could have a series without them being involved.....they don't have to promote it.....they call each other on the phone and tell each other how great it is without the FAST Series.......

As F&cked up as that sounds everyone.....that IS how they think....

If you call me a liar...your the unknowing one.....GO Bubba!!!!!!

[83earnhardt]

Florida's Best Kept Secret, Ding Ding we have a winner!!!!

Haven't heard anything about the race, no articles on Speed51, Karnac, etc. Who was planning on being there, how many pre-entries did they have? How come NSS has not promoted the event other than on the NSS website which I looked at today and no pre-entries were posted. This was heavily promoted the last two years and had a good car count, how come no notice this year? It seems that Late Model Racing this year is not being promoted. I have seen comments regarding the United Promoters events not getting the results out until midway thru the following week. Who is taking the lead in the state of Florida when it comes to Late Model Racing? Who is actually in charge of promoting the United Promoters Tour? We do not need to return to how Late Model Racing was 3 years ago. By the way, I did see on the Billie Harvey Memorial website that they did have a fair amount of contingency sponsors however I can not find any contingency sponsors for the United Promoters Tour.

Thats what I posted last week. You get my point about the state of racing in the State of Florida!!!! We all know that when Wayne, Dick and Alan started the FAST series they did it because Late Model Racing had no sense of direction. When the tour was organized the purpose was to reduce costs to RACERS, 4 tires were given away at every race along with a trophy unlike any other to the Fast qualifier, race winner and top finishing rookie. Entry fees were the lowest EVER and promoters had to charge a regular, not special event pit pass cost, and also could not charge slab fees. Practice was a very big event on Friday nights along with barbecue and live musical entertainment. This was all part of the agreement that the promoter had to sign.

I asked who is in charge, it appears that Hitler and Himmler are the two who are the reason for the downfall of FAST, funny enough they could not even work together in 2009. Hitler talked a good line to the other promoters about how they could do this on there own and what you now see are the results.
No leader
No Promoter.
No Spokesperson
No PR person assigned to the tour.
No Website devoted strictly to the series. (Don't believe me? Google it and see what you get)
As I mentioned in my previous post which way is Late Model Racing heading in Florida, up or down?
By the way I found this information on the FAST website when it was being announced and the Series was getting started.
By the way, as they mentioned at the Champions banquet (which FAST did not charge for I know because I was there) Wayne, Dick and Alan lost money on the series and had to pull money out of there pocket and were committed to 2011 until they got there legs cut out from underneath them.

[Boneman]

Tim, I gotta admit that I don't follow very much of your first post. You are making vague and impcomplete references to insider info that I don't have anyway. It is safe to say that we agree on the big picture: it takes more than a website.

83E, it wasn't really my point to discuss Mr. Bruns and the Andersons. Yes, they formed the idea, they got it off the drawing board and turned it into something, and then got their knees broken, mob style. It was some unpleasant business, but it is also in the past. My main concern is seeing a series succeed, any series would be fine, but UP is the only one on the table right now.

The UDLMCS is in the same situation. At least their first season was very successful, but what has happened since?

[Rick Williamson]

Boneman

is this the series that would to go around from track to track. Like Aburndale and others that was annouced last year by Carol Andrews? If not what has happened to that series of races?

[ancrdave]

Hey Boney... Got an idea! You are very computer savvy, so... Set up a web site for the series, go to each of the races and report and take photos, update the site with results, points etc., send out press releases............. all for FREE! It's fun and rewarding!
All kidding aside, doing this kind of work is time consuming... Yes it's fun to do, but at times it can be a pain in the butt (Just ask Mark Keeler)... The biggest reward though is when a driver, fan etc. says they appreciate your work... that does make it all worthwhile....
As for Bubba... I'll give it a year and he'll be done...

[Marty Little]

Hate to say this, but unified promoters groups have been around Florida short tracks since the 1960s and they have never worked. Dick Joslin started the old SEPAC (South Eastern Promoters Auto Club, I think) back in the '60s for the betterment of the sport, common rules etc. and while the idea was bold and made sense it didn't last. This latest effort won't make it either due to greed, ego, lack of common sense and now lack of promotion. Imagine that, the old theory that "if we offer a race they will come." No they won't and no they don't. Too bad none of these guys ever spent time with the late Bob Harmon and watched what he did to get cars, people and build excitement in tracks all over the place that he didn't own or operate when he had the All Pro Series. Simply said, he was a PROMOTER and these Florida guys are track operators. Good luck.

[Beach Bum]

Bob Harmon,RIP

"Too bad none of these guys ever spent time with the late Bob Harmon and watched what he did to get cars, people and build excitement in tracks all over the place that he didn't own or operate when he had the All Pro Series. Simply said, he was a PROMOTER and these Florida guys are track operators. Good luck."

Truer words were never spoken...

[ancrdave]

I had a chance to work with Bob Harmon a couple of times and he was incredible... one of the best PROMOTERS ever!
Marty, you are so correct... we have track operators, not real promoters nowadays... Gordon Solie was another guy who could promote anything... He could set up goldfish races at the zoo and people would flock to see what was going on!

[Boneman]

Dave and Marty, opinion please. Do you think someone like Bob Harmon could still be effective in racing? He was at his peak how long ago? 25 years? It is a different world now, but do you think a motivated person like he was could still drive interest in our sport?

My opinion is yes. A motivated person who knows the sport, who also knows media and has people skills could build something from nothing and still sell race tickets.

Waddya think?

[Bigbuck]

So in answer to your question Rex,.....it wasn't about creating a successful series....Wayne, Alan and Dick had already done that and created the blueprint......It was about proving they could have a series without them being involved.....they don't have to promote it.....they call each other on the phone and tell each other how great it is without the FAST Series.......

As F&cked up as that sounds everyone.....that IS how they think....

If you call me a liar...your the unknowing one.....GO Bubba!!!!!!

Some of the above named are not my favorite people BUT I did enjoy the fast series. They seemed to have a good car turnout which always makes for more interesting racing. I hope the UP series (whatever it is) works out.

[Osmosis Jones]

Just because Bob's gone...

...doesn't mean that there isn't someone still here that other promoters could open their ears, eyes and minds and learn a TON from.

The biggest name that comes to mind is Tom Curley. This man is a walking, talking, encyclopedia of "HOW TO GIT ER DONE" in racing. The promoters here need to actually listen to a man like this. They need to take his ideas and theories and infuse them into their own programs. Everyone fears change but, really, with the state of racing today ANY change would have to be an improvement because I just don't think there's much room for it to get any worse. We're getting pretty close to that rocky bottom, aren't we? And even to some point, they should also listen to the concerns and criticisms of the posters on Internet message boards like this one....to a point. There are always going to be some people who just want to bitch and moan and never offer any solutions to any of the problems they feel the need to post about. In other words you've got to weed out the sandwich fish from the oak grilled salmon if you want a good meal.

Do something Florida owners and/or promoters.
You no longer just need to. It's past that.
You have to.
The hole is that deep. Really.

And now you're behind an even bigger 8-ball as Bubba has a huge advantage over all of you in being that he represents (thru his radio show) a downturn in societal pride and through the efforts he puts forth to champion a kind of "redneck ignorance" as a way of life among his followers. Instead of the old-style, hard-core, short track, race fans/competitors that we all have considered ourselves to be....Bubba will be pandering this fun and highly entertaining racing deal to a whole new and decidedly different demographic of our communities:

The belly button lint of our fine society.....or in other words...his listeners.

[83earnhardt]

Floridas best kept secret



Boneman, your right, however, the FAST Series was succeeding until the promoters stepped in. My message detailed what was not being done and made it obvious what needed to be done. As I mentioned before, my concern is also the same as yours, what is going to happen with late model racing and also to Sprint Car racing in Florida in the state of Florida. If you have a touring series that is not "owned" by the promoters it sounds like you are out of luck getting dates.

I agree with Marty, Bob Harmon was the best in the south regarding promoting a late model race or series. We could also add to the list Rex Robbins of ASA, Glenn Donnelly of DIRT and Ted Johnson of the World of Outlaws, in addition to Tom Curley.

When Rex and Bob got together on the All American 400 they made a winner. It's almost better in general for a traveling series to be owned by a promoter who does not own any race tracks. Look at the past history.

[Frasson118]

"When Rex and Bob got together on the All American 400 they made a winner."

You are so right.... BUT..., remember when those 2 added in Tom Curley to create the "Stock Car Connection", it flopped before the first season was in the books.

Too many fingers in the pie perhaps???

I think that's exactly whats gonna happen here. Too many of the principals in this are used to being the big dog in their own small pond. Which of these, if ANY, are willing to step back and play a supporting role to the others that have been their competitors for several years? Same thing was the demise of "Speedfest"....