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Ozzy, Wes and the new staff opened the doors at Speedworld last Friday night. This was their first night with new ownership, new management, NASCAR sanctioning, with new paint and polish, and a revamped staff that saw very few held over from the old days. Overall, I really liked it, and am very confident that this team will turn the track around.
The best part? I'll admit that my opinion is subjective, but to me it was the attitude of the racers, fans and staff. Everyone there (as far as I could tell) was very happy to see the track get another chance. They were positive about this rebuilding process, and they were ready to climb through the window and get with it, after so many months away.
Positive signs? There was a surprising number of new cars and drivers. That is always a good indicator for growth. It was also encouraging to see a bunch of veterans loitering around and taking a look. I suspect that many of them were deciding if they should blow the cobwebs off their old cars, or get going on a new one.
Unfortunatly, opening night was unusually cold, damp and windy. I had my two youngest with me and they wore out after only two features, so I didn't get to see the best races. I am sure they had some good ones because above it all, Speedworld is the nicest racing surface in Florida, IMHO.
A perfect night? Of course not. They had their glitches, but its nothing they cannot fix. I'm sure that Ozzy and Wes learned some things and will refine the process. I had to chuckle at the PA system. Announcer Dave would have been better off to open the tower door and yell at the fans. The system they had would have made a great paging system for a silent library, or perhaps a very small office! But no worries, it should be an easy fix.
I was with my kids and talking all night, so I don't have the car count data. On the surface, I'm sure they did much better than when the track ran the last time, and I bet they will only grow from here.
Oh, I almost forgot: there is an excellent concession stand in the pits now. Its the best one I've ever seen there. Unlike the past, this new stand had 5 people hard at work, a varied menu and fast service. Then there is my new bad habit: pizza empanadas with hot wing sauce!
See y'all next week!
The best part? I'll admit that my opinion is subjective, but to me it was the attitude of the racers, fans and staff. Everyone there (as far as I could tell) was very happy to see the track get another chance. They were positive about this rebuilding process, and they were ready to climb through the window and get with it, after so many months away.
Positive signs? There was a surprising number of new cars and drivers. That is always a good indicator for growth. It was also encouraging to see a bunch of veterans loitering around and taking a look. I suspect that many of them were deciding if they should blow the cobwebs off their old cars, or get going on a new one.
Unfortunatly, opening night was unusually cold, damp and windy. I had my two youngest with me and they wore out after only two features, so I didn't get to see the best races. I am sure they had some good ones because above it all, Speedworld is the nicest racing surface in Florida, IMHO.
A perfect night? Of course not. They had their glitches, but its nothing they cannot fix. I'm sure that Ozzy and Wes learned some things and will refine the process. I had to chuckle at the PA system. Announcer Dave would have been better off to open the tower door and yell at the fans. The system they had would have made a great paging system for a silent library, or perhaps a very small office! But no worries, it should be an easy fix.
I was with my kids and talking all night, so I don't have the car count data. On the surface, I'm sure they did much better than when the track ran the last time, and I bet they will only grow from here.
Oh, I almost forgot: there is an excellent concession stand in the pits now. Its the best one I've ever seen there. Unlike the past, this new stand had 5 people hard at work, a varied menu and fast service. Then there is my new bad habit: pizza empanadas with hot wing sauce!
See y'all next week!
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