OSW packed????

[dd38]

And where are you going to pull the dirt cars from? No one from the Ocals/Volusia is going to fight the traffic out in the Speedworld area on a Friday. And get there on time.

[Frasson118]

Obviously, none of the Asphalt cars are going there either... so what's there to lose?

As for getting there "on time", with the nature of dirt tracks, there is no real reason to show up early. With an 8:00 starting time, there isn't much use in getting there much before 6:30 or 7:00. Plenty of racers can get there by then.

[Boneman]

I like OSW paved, but I also like dirt racing and live close to the track. I would be there regardless if it is dirt or paved.

[UREZ2PASS]

There is plenty of land in east orange county. If you guys are so sure a Friday night dirt track could make it, just build yourself a dirt racetrack and get rich like all the other dirttrack owners. Let me know how much it cost to get clay brought to Florida, dirt ain't free.

As the bad spellers say, Keeboard kowboys wit brite ideals.

Orlando is a paved track, support it or please sit quietly behind your keyboard.

[Frasson118]

So, we're all supposed to be a big cheering section for OSW? Support it just because "it's there"...?

"Let me know how much it cost to get clay brought to Florida, dirt ain't free".

Last I knew, there are already several dirt tracks in Florida... and none of them had to go out-of-state to find dirt/clay. You didn't think that statement through...

It's obvious that you are not a dirt track fan... not everyone is. BUT, it's also obvious that not ENOUGH people are pavement track fans (or drivers for that matter), or this discussion wouldn't be needed in the first place. The cars counts are horrible, the excitement level in the stands compares to a funeral, the admission prices are FAR out of line for the show you receive, and yet, we should just put blinders on, fork over the cash, and just shut up for the sake of "supporting" my local track.

Go ahead and spend your money that way if you like... but not me.

I've said for years, that I have no problem with the people there (I really like a LOT of the people involved there), the track is nice... on paper, it could be very good. But I DO have a problem with car counts in the 30's or so, a grandstand "crowd" of a couple hundred people (maybe), and paying $15 to get in to see 5 Mini-Stocks, 5 Modifieds, 2 Legends, 2 Bandoleros, and another 20-odd beat up Monte Carlo's in several different classes.

Give me a decent show, for a fair price, and I would show up a LOT more often. I would LOVE to see some great racing programs at my hometown track... it's just that there aren't any.

Car counts HAVE to go up... yet nobody knows how to do it.
Grandstand crowd HAS to go up... nobody has figured out that one either.
Entertainment value HAS to go up... yet it takes money to bring in additional entertainment.

So, go on telling me that WE, the "vocal" people (you might refer to it as whiners or complainers) are the problem. Meanwhile, I will be at Volusia, Ocala, East Bay, Citrus Cty., or any of a dozen other tracks that DO give me my moneys worth.

And by the way... I could tell how much support YOU are willing to give, with your "If it was mine, I would just push it into the pond" comment.

At least us "computer ass-clowns" would LIKE to see it succeed, while you are warming up the bullozer to level the place. Tell me again WHO is the one that's killing local short-track racing...???

[Mike C]

Over the years i've noticed something interesting . Right next to OSW is the drag strip . So it's easy to make a back to back comparison of car counts , spectator counts , etc .
And it's hard to ignore the fact that there are a hundred or more race cars ( sometimes double that ) at the dragstrip for an average weekly show . And i'm not sure about this but i believe the back gate entry is more expensive at the dragstrip than OSW . Now the paid spectator count is lower . Well actually that might not be true either anymore . Over the last few years the crowd looks about the same .
What is it that draws drag racers all the way out there in spite of Friday traffic , high entry fees , high gas prices , and very little chance of winning any meaningful amounts of money ?

[Frasson118]

On top of that MIke, I believe Friday nights at the Drag Strip are "practice" nights, with NO payout at all. The Saturday shows at the strip do have a purse from what I understand...

[MiniRacer26]

The only bad thing about going to OSW on a Friday night is the traffic. I4 traffic sucks.

[jnyg23]

dragstrips have a younger crowd,kinda like circletracks had back in th e late 80s early 90s.and that is the real problem with stock car racing its just not popular with younger kids

[UREZ2PASS]

Frasson, you missed the point, the push it in the pond was sarcasm because people like you that don't even go to the track continue to complain. The car counts you mention are not exactly accurate. They are not a whole bunch better but growing at a slow pace. The continued work and support will make things better. The current managers are doing a great job with they inherited. If the drivers would get off thier asses and develop a fan base, the stands might have a few more butts in them. The track can only do so much, if the fans don't know anything about the drivers, they only see cars going around the track. Bowman Gray has it going on, because the fans come to see their favorite drivers race, and they follow the drama all week.

Another thing you are wrong about, I enjoy dirt track racing as much as you. Go ahead and build your dirt track, dilute the car counts like has happened in asphalt. The economy has hurt the statewide car counts in dirt and asphalt. If Florida only had a handful of tracks, the stands would be full and we would see decent car counts.

I've said enough, just do what you do, we will do what we do, and hopefully the economy will recover and we will one day hopefully see some packed stands and big car counts. Until then, I suggest we all quit complaining and support whatever track we call home.

[Frasson118]

Since when is it up tp the DRIVERS to create fans that will buy grandstand tickets? Isn't that, by definition, the job of a PROMOTER?

You also mention "diluting" of the fields, like "has happened with the asphalt tracks". There are LESS asphalt tracks now than there ever has been in Florida. Your thinking should have put more cars at each track... which is NOT what happened. If you really look at the deepest root of problems with the asphalt tracks, it is cost, cost, cost. Mandatory tire & fuel purchases, pit slab fees, entry fees (whose bright idea was that in the first place.... racers paying their own purse through entry fees), practice days (over a dozen a year for the Super Lates)... all of this comes out of the racers pocket. Almost none of these fees applies to dirt.

In a conversation with one local LM racer, who is switching to dirt this year, he commented that his entire tire budget for the 2011 season, will be LESS than the tire bill for 1 weekend at the Snowball Derby. Anybody else see a problem with that scenario?

Dollars go a lot further on dirt, at least on the hobby-level racer.

Try an experiment sometime: Find a 10 or 15 year old copy of Speed Sport News or something similar. Also pick up a current copy. Compare the results from several tracks that were running then, and still open today. You will find the many of the same names from 1995 & 2010 at the dirt tracks, You will find almost NOONE who will be on both result sheets on the asphalt tracks. The cost of asphalt racing chews 'em up, & spits 'em out. Nature of the beast, and absolutely not a problem confined to Florida... it's everywhere.

As long as these tracks continue to suck every dollar they can out of the pockets of the competitors, they will continue to suffer.... those pockets were empty a long time ago, and no new deep pockets are lining up.

Another thing... if you really believe that the economy is a big part of the blame here, than try explaining a field of 31 Sprint cars at Volusia 2 weeks ago. One of the most expensive classes to run, yet a very nice field. Legends cars, somewhat of a budget division, brought 2 to OSW the same week.

The status quo is NOT working at OSW. Call it whining, complaining, whatever you want to... I just believe it's time to try a whole new recipe. The old recipe has worn off from most people, racers and fans alike.

[SeminoleWind]

I always hold Jerry's opinions in the highest regard and i also agree with him on some points.
My question is:
Wasn't there a dirt track (Orange County Speedway) on the same property or at least nearby OSW? What happened to that?

Dirt or Asphalt, I would run on Saturday nights.

[Bigbuck]

If it was mine, I would just push it into the pond. I'm tired of all the Internet keyboard experts that don't do anything to support the track but bitch and complain about everything. Get a life assclowns.

Good man EZ, say it like you see it, my kind of guy!!!!!!

[Bigbuck]

on a serious note

I know I've bitched and complained a lot on here, and for that I do not apologize, its how I feel. Like a friend of mine tried to explain to someone, when Tuna walks away you know how he feels. I listen to some of you bitch one min then praise and suck up the next, thats ok, its your right. Guess you're afraid you'll be penalized in tech or something, you're probably right, you may be. I personally can and will never put my name on another car again, for that very reason. I may help someone but my name will never be on the car. I've been told to remove my truck from the pits at NSS because they were not allowed in and then took pics of 23 other personal vehicles in the pits. That very night I called the promoter at NSS at the time to rip up the contract for me to sponsor a truck race that yr, $3000. So yes I'm still bitter and always will be. Do I still love and miss racing, yes and no. yes to I love racing and no to do i miss watching fields of 4-5 cars? No. I commend all of you for trying to be positive, I hope it works out for you. But it is NOT the job of the drivers to bring in more drivers or the fans to bring more fans, it the promotors job. Sorry, until the show improves I will attend very rarely. I used to attend every Fri and Sat night without fail, now 2-3 times a yr.

[UREZ2PASS]

You guys are wrong, Drivers need to promote themselves, and racetracks need to promote the races and their drivers.

Look at Bowman Gray, the drivers promote themselves on radio, Facebook, car shows, and every opportunity the get. Why, for sponsorship dollars and building their fan base. It's BASIC marketing and you guys don't get it at all.

Florida racecar drivers as a whole want everything handed to them because they are too lazy to go out and promote themselves. The fact of the matter is, EVERYONE has to promote racing to make it work.

LAZY-LAZY-LAZY