Great re-opening night at Bronson Speedway

[John Berti]

I had a chance to go to the re-opening of Bronson Speedway tonight. A capacity crowd was on hand as the sound of race cars returned to the 3/8 mile oval. Fact is the crowd was so large that the race program was delayed about 10 minutes to alleviate the long lines at the ticket booths and give all fans a chance to see all of the racing action.

Jason Garver won the 25 lap open-wheel modified feature. Brian Hutcheson lead the first lap from his pole starting position but was passed by Garver who executed a neat move in the bottom groove coming off turn four to take the lead on the lap 2. Garver held off the late race charge of Sean Monaghan to take the checkers. Five time track champion Gene Owens was third with Steve Hise and Robbie Cooper rounding out the top five.

Shelton Bowens dominated the action in the Sportsman feature leading all the way from green to the checkered flag. Fred Tuski was runner up with Rick Kase third, Todd Kelly fourth, and Gary Miller, fifth.

In other divisions of competition Larry Welter, Jr took the Pure Stock Feature win while Mike Autenrieth claimed victory in the Hornet class.

[dd38]

Is there going to be a complete run down of each class posted anywhere?

[ocalasp76]

Really enjoyed the racin' at Bronson to a sell out crowd. Strange new rules put in place for the drivers and teams, but maybe things will hopefully work out.
The 10 car Modified race was excellent..
-JIM-

[John Berti]

Is there going to be a complete run down of each class posted anywhere?

I assume that the official press release from Bronson Speedway media will be forthcoming. As soon as I receive it I will be posting it on Karnac.com Florida Stock Car Racing. That should have the complete rundown.

[Jane]

I think Dave Westerman will be writing for them and Dave is good about getting his stories done and out. Hopefully it will have all the results in it since sometimes it does include them and sometimes he doesn't but if he is doing the writing, it will be coming.

[LetsGoRacin]

It was nice to see the stands packed.....actually it was standing room only.
It's been many years since I have seen it like that.

I just hope they reconsider the way they're now running the program.
I don't understand the concept of running features first and heats at the end of the night. Makes no sense at all !!

MANY people missed the features because they were late getting in. A friend of mine got there thinking she was a little late watching the heat races but soon realized she had missed 3 of the feature races. Fans are not going to be happy.

Drivers are not liking the way it's done either. My husband races there and like he said if he wins the feature there's no reason to run the heat race and take the chance of messing up the car for next week. Which means there's less for the fans to see.

By the time the heats were done a lot of people had already left. They ended the night with a drifter car. We all know you run your biggest show as the last race.....which should of been the good racing of the 9 modifieds! Keep people there until the end. A lot of people that was with our group left after the features because then it got kind of boring. Sportsman didn't even run the heats because 2 cars fell out of the feature which only left 3 cars so they were told there weren't enough cars to run so them drivers didn't even get their heats. NOT FAIR!! They paid money to run 20 laps?!?!?

I hope for the town of Bronson and the racers and fans that these people reconsider the way they are doing things and change the program back.

[gator81]

heats at the end? wtf is that I have never heard of that ever in my entire life I love bronson but these people are strange nice but strange .

[dd38]

Heats at the end of the nite????? Must be the way they "Do it up North". Strange. What is the reason behind this??? Any idea's?

[Bigbuck]

Heats at the end of the nite????? Must be the way they "Do it up North". Strange. What is the reason behind this??? Any idea's?

No, they do it right in the north!

[dd38]

What are they gonna do in the case of say a 100 lapper? Run the 100 laps and then qualify? There was at one time a bumper sticker that was around tracks that said "We Don't Care How The Hell They Do It Up North".

[EJC Engines]

yeah the winner of the 100 lap race will pull a pill and the end of the race to see who get the money lol

[Bigbuck]

"up north"

What are they gonna do in the case of say a 100 lapper? Run the 100 laps and then qualify? There was at one time a bumper sticker that was around tracks that said "We Don't Care How The Hell They Do It Up North".

My point dd is that i never heard of heats last "up north". And i'm sure they will get it right here too. i WILL say if a few more people went to the northern tracks and saw twice the car count and twice the fans they might " care how they do it up north". Oh and just where does " up north" start? North of Orlando or where???
Give it up dd, the war was lost a loooooooooong time ago!

[dd38]

Tuna, Up north like NY, PA, NJ, Ohio, etc. You can even start in Ga. We don't have enough dedicated people in Florida (promoters and racers). It's a way of life for them up north. Was like that around here 20-25 years ago. Hell I've got pictures from 1979 where I won a race at Speedworld and the Grandstands are PACKED in the background! Don't know how long you have been around here, but I have been going to the races here since 1966 (Orlando Raceway on Landstreet. Ever heard of it?). And been to just about every track in Central Florida with the exception of Sunbrock (a little before my time). The racing around here has been replaced by the tourist industry, boats and jet skis in just about every driveway, swimming pools, economy, different intrests, cultures, import cars and so on. Use to be 2 things in Florida that mattered back then. Racing and Hunting. Now it's Imports, Drifting and Clubbing (as in nite clubs. not beating up someone). All the young people I work around that's all they talk, care and live for if they are any kind of gearhead. They could care less about Circle Track racing. Most of them don"t even know what it is. I bring my cars into work on occasion and they don't know what it is. "Where's the Turbo? What no NOS??? How fast is it in the 1/4 or1/8 mile? And a Chevy engine!!! My God!!! Just unheard of. If it's not a Honda, Nissan, Toyota, Hyundai and so on, they have absoutely no interest.

I spend the summer in Tennessee (i'm typing from here now) and the dirt track just up the road from my house (Spring City Raceway) just shut down 4 weeks ago after 52 years. 52 YEARS!!! And guess why? No fans and no cars. And it isn't the only track that has shut down around here. But "Up North", it's a way of life, like someone else said. We are a Dying Breed.

[Bigbuck]

dd38

I'm sure youre right about a lot of things. Kids today would rather sit on the couch ( a lot of them) and play video games. But someplace, someone has messed up. I dont know who or why, I know the economy has hurt. No, I havent been to all those tracks, quite frankly I'm not into it my self that much to drive 2-3 hrs to a track, leave there mid-night and drive 2-3 hrs home, heck your entire weekend is ruined.
I enjoy a good show at the track but I do have a life, and yes it does involve a boat, 2 in fact. I do know one thing here thats wrong is differant rules at almost every track, differant tires on and on. Take the trucks, where I am, they were the series to be in, now no 305's, no Fords, no Dodge's only zz4 chevys. I'm not knocking the ZZ4 but LOTS of trucks are parked because of that. Differant tires at almost every track. Now differant trans.
Its almost like track A says "If I have differant rules than anyone else, no-one will go anyplace else". Thats right, they don't, they parked their trucks and now there are so few they say "To heck with them, we'll eliminate them, if they want to race they'll have to go to another class. WRONG!! They get a boat, a jet ski or a video game. This is what I mean about "up north" The tracks in Mass, Conn, Maine are PACKED both with fans and cars. Beach Ridge speedway for example in Maine. They race every Fri and Sat night, or did at least 2-3 yrs ago. Cars from all over the state, Packed stands both nights, 5-6 good races, youre out of there 9-9:30. Very organized, while the winner is in victory circle, the next race is sitting behind the pace car in turn 4, ready to go. But you can go to several tracks with the same car, same tires, same rules etc. This is all I meant by "The way they do it up north" Again, you do have some good thoughts though.

[Benny The Mule]

DD38,

My Dad raced at the old raceway on landstreet, and in 1979 your right OSW was packed because i was there. Well into the 80's it had a good fan and car count. You are right about today's fan.....they are almost no-existent, busy with other things.


Tuna,

After spending 2 weeks in NY some tracks have a little work to do there also, but others seem to be living well with a good show and crowd. The sad part about what you said about trucks and the engine rule TOO many racers nowadays in all classes get mad, cross their arms and pout and leave their car at home to prove something. It accomplishes NOTHING!

I am on the verge of getting back into racing since i took a hiatus back in 2004.

I have found a chassis and will probably buy it. Rules are merely a guideline because when i raced i would RACE SOMEWHERE every weekend without worrying myself to death over who has 5 more HP than i do.

If a racer has a car and it's parked because he doesn't like his track rules he is NOT a racer.

This does not apply to guys who run out of money, because when they get money back in their pocket true racers will dust it off and haul it somewhere to race it.

PS, I am glad to see the little bullring re-open, i always had a good time there and if i still lived down there i would attend regularly.