Remember when there where Touring Series and there was car count and FAN count?

[ocalasp76]

Another good thing about the Southern Sportsman Series was,if I remember correctly, after your 3rd win, you were torn down. If you cheat and win, you will be found out for sure.
Rules were followed, even for visitors to their race. At Ocala I showed up with my newer Sportsman that was a former Florida Pro car from the mid 90s. Crossover headers,3 link,aftermarket floor pan and firewall. They said add 300 lbs. and I could race. I put it on the trailer and watched a really good race.
It was a good series and don't know what really happened, but it's gone.......
-JIM-

[fred23]

THe common denominator in a lot of the recent failed series is the sanctioning body and its former grand leader........they couldn't compete and didn't want to pay the series at their tracks so they bought, took over or created a new series and ran them into the ground.....

I also think some series kind of just run their course and fizzle out as guys move on to other classes.......

[RSB]

Another good thing about the Southern Sportsman Series was,if I remember correctly, after your 3rd win, you were torn down. If you cheat and win, you will be found out for sure.
Rules were followed, even for visitors to their race. At Ocala I showed up with my newer Sportsman that was a former Florida Pro car from the mid 90s. Crossover headers,3 link,aftermarket floor pan and firewall. They said add 300 lbs. and I could race. I put it on the trailer and watched a really good race.
It was a good series and don't know what really happened, but it's gone.......
-JIM-

Jim, what happened was FASCAR got ahold of it.

[Bobby Diehl]

What if's????

What if there was a joint effort in the name of business that a group of tracks (you don't need all) got together and developed several different State Touring Series. Lets say a Late Model, Sportsman, Open Wheel Modifeds, Pro and Jr Trucks, Mini Stock, and a Mini Cup Series's. Set up a Advisory Group to develop the common rules and things of importance. The Tracks would have the suggestion and they would come up with the guide lines for the Series. There would be a schedule that would rotate so that their back bone division would be able to compete and enhance the car or truck counts. Thus the Series would be allowed to be governed by a group appointed by the tracks to Officiate and develop revenue streams to support the different Series. Florida Association of Racing Tracks and Teams (FART'S) just kidding. They could be jointly sponsored by Walmarts, CVS, Walgreens, McDoalds, Buger King, Dimino's, Hungy Howies, AAron's BUDDY's ACR Rentals, SUN TRUST, BANK of America, SONNY's BBQ, Buffalo Wild Wings, Hooters, SUN BELT, NEFF Rentals, SISCO, Cheney Brothers, SAMs Club, CASCO, Publix, Winn Dixie, U-Save, on and on and on and on. These Co Op Group Sponsors all have outlet's near every Track and would love to get the EXPOSURE of our BUSINESS. Let the Racing Business support retail Business. They would support the Tracks and Series and ever one WIN'S (heck they would fighting to be the Company named)!!!! The Tracks, the Teams, the FANS and the Sponsors. You just need someone to put it together.

OK boy's have at it.

Why wouldn't and idea like thing help save our sport in Florida.

It's your turn to add your 2 CENTS???

[Darren]

Bobby, just wondering why did you get out of owning a track?

[Bobby Diehl]

Look at the stands and car counts.

In 2007 track (Citrus, Desoto, CCMP) had and average of over 110 to 120 cars in the pits. Grand stands were 1/2 to 3/4's full every weekend. We had sponsors that supported the tracks. Citrus always had 130+ cars in the pits. Now they are lucky to get 80 on an average night. They were always the leader in cars in the pits.....The weekends the Big Touring Series (ASA Late Models, United Dirt Late Models, Sprints, Trucks) would pack the stands and pits (140 + in the pits). With the crash at the end of 2007 and 2008 the average blue collar work had to save his home and racing was secondary (most had lost their jobs). The Fans were in the same shape. And the Sponsors as well. Being new to the business I made a lot of mistakes too. But when I look at the car counts and see pictures and video's of the cars counts and the stands I have no idea how the tracks can stay in business. That's why it's is so important that they (the tracks) get their act together before it's to late. Plus in 2009 we had 41 nights of bad weather which was the straw that broke the camels back. I hope this answers your question Darren.

[Darren]

are we the people any better off now? Why take car count from tracks now by starting new series. I think we have been down that road already. By what you said about when you owned a track how could starting new series help you?

[Bobby Diehl]

This is just my thoughts.

Darren. We always had bigger crowds when we had Special Events come to the Track. With a Touring's of different Divisions (Late Models, Sportsman, Open Wheel Modified's, Trucks Pro and Jr's, Mini Stock, and Mini Cup) there would be extra advertising and the Teams support at the local outlets (helping the sponsors get exposure). That would drive the FANS to the Track thus the Track, Fans, and Sponsors all WIN!! Each one of the tracks have a base of ten to twelve car in their support class (back bone). The Touring Series might help draw out some of the same type of cars that are sitting out for what ever reason to Special Touring Events. If you could get a Co Op Group of Sponsors (all the Tracks buy food buy from one wholesalers for starts) that would get exposure when the Series ran the tracks would get new FANS and the Sponsors would get exposure as well. When a neighboring track had that division race give the locals a weekend off. All of this would need to be Tracks driven and a lot of hard work. All I know is that if they keep going as they are now the end is near. Then everyone looses.

[Darren]

Sorry Bobby, but will disagree with your thinking. When the mini stocks series started, it almost destroyed Sunshine Speedway's m/s class. Alot of the drivers that went to that series put new bodies on their cars and set ups and decided they did not want to race reg. Sat. nights races, did not want to tear up the new stuff. If I have a favorite class and most of that class is running a series race some where and if the track drops that class for the night, why sure I go that night. I am not driving hours to another track to watch that series. Maybe a series like the TBARA may draw non-reg. racing fans to a track, not a sportsman, street stocks or mini stocks. If you are getting more people the nights that those series are running, you are pulling them from another track. How does that make the local track a winner.

[Winger]

Sorry Bobby, but will disagree with your thinking. When the mini stocks series started, it almost destroyed Sunshine Speedway's m/s class. Alot of the drivers that went to that series put new bodies on their cars and set ups and decided they did not want to race reg. Sat. nights races, did not want to tear up the new stuff. If I have a favorite class and most of that class is running a series race some where and if the track drops that class for the night, why sure I go that night. I am not driving hours to another track to watch that series. Maybe a series like the TBARA may draw non-reg. racing fans to a track, not a sportsman, street stocks or mini stocks. If you are getting more people the nights that those series are running, you are pulling them from another track. How does that make the local track a winner.

I agree with Darren. I think the series cuts down the regular race night car counts, if the series run on the regular race night. The exception being the sprint cars or classes that don't run at a track regularly. Series races should be special events. I've seen series races in the northeast that did very well with the modified class, their premier division. These series races run extra distance, for larger purses, and a points fund. They also provide guaranteed status in a big end of the year race. What makes these series races work so well was the fact they ran special shows during the week, not on the weekend. Cars from all tracks could travel to the series races and still compete at their home tracks on the weekend for points, if they chose to. Series races usually drew a lot of the weekly cars to race against the series regulars also. So car counts were great and the fans knew they would see a good show. Fan counts were great. That format worked well for many years. I know they tried expanding the series to some of the "support" divisions but that never really took off. The series races that ran a weekday show usually had one support division and a well run efficient show.
BTW, tracks up there run against each other every week. They may be 40 miles apart and run the same classes and they don't worry about the other track scheduling against them. Each track has it's regular drivers. Sure they compete with each other but there isn't much complaining about scheduling against each other, particularly for the special shows because the specials are held during the week.Tracks down here need to worry about what they can do for their drivers and fans, not what they can do to hurt their competitors. If they would concentrate on worrying about themselves and working together, they would all succeed.

[Bobby Diehl]

The idea was.

The idea was for the Tracks to set up and advisory group of racer for the Tracks Touring Series. The Tracks would control the schedule. But the hope is that the Touring Series could bring a larger car counts The Teams in the Series could help the Series along by the Sponsors and the Teams going to prevents live displays giving out samples, discount coupons for products or $2.00 discount or a free drink at the track. Thus the Co-Op Sponsor Group, the Tracks, the Teams, and this might bring more first time FAN or bring back the crowds. The Late Model Series that Wayne and his group started got NATIONAL attention and the TEAMS and FANS showed up. They had the right idea it just did quiet have time for the Sponsorship Co-Op completely come together. Another year and they could of gotten the Late Model program working. You can say what you want but that program would gotten the State back a lot of car count and Fans at the Tracks. Then at different Track the Sportsman or Open Wheel's "Tracks Touring Series" could bring in another large group of cars at another Track the same night. Remember FANs pay to see car count. Something needs to change or maybe it's to late already.

So what's your ideas????? The track can't pay more because the car and FAN count is so low.
Again what's YOUR IDEAS?????
or

[ocalasp76]

I agree with Darren. I think the series cuts down the regular race night car counts, if the series run on the regular race night. The exception being the sprint cars or classes that don't run at a track regularly. Series races should be special events. I've seen series races in the northeast that did very well with the modified class, their premier division. These series races run extra distance, for larger purses, and a points fund. They also provide guaranteed status in a big end of the year race. What makes these series races work so well was the fact they ran special shows during the week, not on the weekend. Cars from all tracks could travel to the series races and still compete at their home tracks on the weekend for points, if they chose to. Series races usually drew a lot of the weekly cars to race against the series regulars also. So car counts were great and the fans knew they would see a good show. Fan counts were great. That format worked well for many years. I know they tried expanding the series to some of the "support" divisions but that never really took off. The series races that ran a weekday show usually had one support division and a well run efficient show.
BTW, tracks up there run against each other every week. They may be 40 miles apart and run the same classes and they don't worry about the other track scheduling against them. Each track has it's regular drivers. Sure they compete with each other but there isn't much complaining about scheduling against each other, particularly for the special shows because the specials are held during the week.Tracks down here need to worry about what they can do for their drivers and fans, not what they can do to hurt their competitors. If they would concentrate on worrying about themselves and working together, they would all succeed.

You are wiser than your years Wingy...........MUCH!!
Hit the nail on the head here in my opinion.
-JIM-

[Bobby Diehl]

If you keep the same....

If your Businees Plan stays the same. And your having a hard time (low FANs and car counts) and it's not getting better. Stick a fork in her shes done. So any ideas???????

[jacko241]

My opinion is, that we are past the time when people will pay $60-80 for a family to watch local racers go around a 1/4 or 1/2 mile track. Certainly there are exceptions for certain people, and certain tracks. People who have a friends and family racing come to mind. Tracks in a certain demographic area will also draw decent crowds. But I think because of the age we live in, the times of local tracks booming is past. There are just too many other distractions, obligations and entertainment choices, compared to how things were in the past. When local tracks were doing well, NASCAR wasn't on television 3 or 4 days a week. You were lucky if half the races were televised, and then lots were taped delayed or condensed broadcasts. Now even people who are ate up with racing (like us) have overdosed on motorsports coverage. You can find stock car, Indy car, sports car, motorcycle, Formula One, as well as local short tack events and much, much more on TV all week. My opinion is the long term future of local racing will depend on if the racers realized we probably aren't going to get paid to play anymore, we will have to pay to play.

[dd38]

We already "Pay to Play" to an extent. Pay to get in, pay for track tires, pay to dismount/mount new track tires (when Clyde was still alive runnung things, he would not let the guy selling the new tires at that time to charge to dismount/mount new tires purchased there. Only used tires), pay for track gas, pay for track "Spec" engines. Some tracks you pay to park and pay for a golf cart, 4 wheeler, etc.