Race Reporting - Showtime Results

[Matt Albee]

As for Newspapers printing stuff, AGAIN, we have been submitting it for years. We have spoken with the head of the Sports Dept. and done EVERYTHING they have asked. They have given every excuse in the book. When they gave a time deadline, we made sure we beat it. Then they came back with another excuse, and another and another. Say what you want, but unless someone is killed, Orlando Sentinel wants nothing to do with it. They cater to the Major sports and to their advertisers. And, FACT, Orlando Sentinel is one of the most expensive Newspapers in the Country to advertise in. There are no shortage of Theme Parks and other huge companies with unlimited advertising budgets willing to spend their money to keep the prices high.

I would LOVE to find a racetrack that offers Bankers Hours... As i stated earlier, I don't know of ANY track that would turn away volunteers to help out with ANYTHING. I can say for myself, working at a racetrack is a 7 day/week job. As I told my ex (not a race fan) shortly before we split up... Working in racing is NOT a 9-5 job... It is a lifestyle... 24/7.

And yet we can open ANY newspaper in Florida and see box scores and short write ups for every single local sports event except stock car racing. Local Minor League baseball, it's in there. Local HS sports, it's there too. Dog track results, every night and every matinee. Even local fishing stories and tournament results.
I realize this isn't necessarily your fault, but it's time for track owners to wake up smell the coffee. I don't want to forced to find another way to spend Friday and Saturday nights because the track owners in Florida couldn't be bothered to promote the races and the racers. And we're getting closer to that all the time.

[bubba]

So in this day and age - you are actually encouraging someone to spend time and money on getting results in a newspaper? Does anyone even get a newspaper anymore?

[Frasson118]

One thing that works in a lot of areas, and Florida has NONE of, is a dedicated, weekly racing newspaper. Right in your mailbox every week comes 30 pages of racing news, results, pictures, editorial columns...... and ADVERTISING for upcoming races.

You get to know the names, the looks, the backgrounds, and future plans for literally dozens of tracks, and thousands of racers.

We've got Karnac, and that's IT.

Nothing against the web-sites that cover racing, but its nowhere near the same experience for a race fan.

If anyone has browsed through an Area Auto Racing News, or Gater Racing News, will understand what I'm saying.

In all my time in Florida (32+ years now), I can't recall the Orlando Sentinel even once post race results. Hoping that it will happen anytime soon is just a pipe dream. It's NOT gonna happen.

I wish SOMEONE would try running a racing newspaper again.... but I do understand there must be reasons it didn't succeed in this area.

[Mark Keeler]

Jerry - I often dreamed about putting together a weekly or bi-weekly paper. The logistics alone along with start up cost was a nightmare.

Hell when I tried to start doing the Weekly Programs for sale at the tracks I had a nightmare of a time just getting drivers to give me their information and I was practically begging for it. Nobody wants to be responsible for selling themselves. Just part of the reason the Programs (except Gov Cup) are no longer produced or sold.

Don't get me wrong, there a good group of drivers that went out of their way, above and beyond to try and advertise their Sponsors and always make sure I had all their information up to date and would help out in any way possible... those were the same ones that no matter what would spend their $3.00 every week just to ensure that I could keep producing them... but unfortunately the vast majority couldn't be bothered.

I can't imagine what it would be like to try and get all the stories, results, news, upcoming events, photos, etc from ALL the tracks submitted while trying to get reporters to get the behind-the-scenes stuff. Then you would need someone to sell advertising to pay for it and arrange all the printing and shipping. And that's before you even begin the process of designing and laying out an issue each or every other week. It would take a small army to put something like that together I can imagine. Not to mention someone with a ton of free time on their hands until it could be a self sustaining or even profit making entity.

I know one time I put a message on this board trying to find volunteers to help write stories for the program in exchange for free admission into the pits and a discount at the concession stand to start until I could afford to pay someone to do it... Long story short, I was called a cheap, unappreciative s.o.b. for expecting someone to do it for free.

If anyone got the notion to start a paper or any publication, I would lend my assistance in a heartbeat... Jerry are you gonna be the Editor in Chief???

[Matt Albee]

So in this day and age - you are actually encouraging someone to spend time and money on getting results in a newspaper? Does anyone even get a newspaper anymore?

I'm encouraging someone to spend time and money professionally on letting the world know there's racing in Florida besides Daytona, Sebring, and Gainsville. I've often been in line behind other people getting their Sunday newspaper so there's plenty of readers left.
It was probably 10 years ago or maybe more, I stopped for gas in Jacksonville coming home from a vacation and I see a poster in the window advertising Speedweeks at New Smyrna. Now that's promoting. Not just within a hundred yards of the track the way most do now, but actually advertising the race and the track all over the state. Desoto is going to need that type of promotion as well, so advertise in Punta Gorda, Naples, Tampa. Let people know you're racing.

[zerofor]

Unfortunately most of the racing papers are R.I.P.

In this day and age of a thing called internet,nobody wants to pay for a tangible object they can hold in their hand.To me I would much rather have a printed paper than rely on the net for my racing news.The stigma that surrounds stock car racing even to this modern day prevents a lot of newspapers and other media outlets from reporting on anything to do with a local track.(other than the negative)Daytona? Sure.Auburndale,Orlando,Citrus County etc,only if something happens that they can portray in a bad light.Now when I talk about banker'shours I don't literally mean banker's hours.I mean living it breathing it 24--7 isn't enough when it is your business and/or source of livelihood.Sometimes that means working 72 hours straight without sleep to ensure the place doesn't go belly up.After all it is your source of income,we the fans PAY to get in,not the other way around.I myself wouldn't sleep at night if I saw my business was in trouble,and I damn sure wouldn't rely on the "help" of an entity that has a track record of giving me none.Word of mouth is great--if you begin to build it to an extent where you actually create genuine excitement amongst your patrons.But from what I am seeing that isn't happening here or up in Ohio either.But don't get me wrong'the gate attendance is worse here.R.I.P. MARC TIMES

[Mark Keeler]

One of, if not THE biggest problem with Racing in Florida can be summed up in Rick Bristol's post on this board... Scheduling a FUPS Pro-Truck race on the dirt on the same day as the Governor's Cup... 51 other weeks in the year and Gov Cup is what they settle on.

I can hope that it was simply a matter of something getting overlooked but in Florida that seldom appears to be the case.

[Jason R]

confused

Since when do the pro trucks run the governors cup?

[Mark Keeler]

My post had more to do with the Race Fans, but since you asked, Pro-Trucks have typically had a 50 or 75 lap race as part of Governor's Cup Weekend.

[Matt Albee]

One of, if not THE biggest problem with Racing in Florida can be summed up in Rick Bristol's post on this board... Scheduling a FUPS Pro-Truck race on the dirt on the same day as the Governor's Cup... 51 other weeks in the year and Gov Cup is what they settle on.

I can hope that it was simply a matter of something getting overlooked but in Florida that seldom appears to be the case.

It's pretty easy to see what's happening here. The FUPS people ( what a stupid name for a series ) had their feelings hurt when they weren't racing at NSS anymore. They don't seem to be racing at more than a couple of tracks anyway, so maybe they should change that dumb series name to ACOP ( A Couple Of Promoters ). Anyway, they're going to schedule on top of any other track that won't let them race. Pouting and revenge are the perfect recipe for bringing down racing in this state.
At least they stole a good idea for the truck race.

[Jason R]

My post had more to do with the Race Fans, but since you asked, Pro-Trucks have typically had a 50 or 75 lap race as part of Governor's Cup Weekend.

So shut everything else down because of governors cup? Also, haven't seen the 4 finishers at NSS at a series race....don't think it would conflict

[Mark Keeler]

I am in NO WAY bragging on our Pro-Truck count through Two races but would it kill people to just post ACCURATE FACTUAL information on here? I will never understand people deliberately posting things that are not true... There have been 6 trucks that have raced in the first two races of 2013.

In 2012 we averaged 2.8 Pro-Trucks per week for Weekly shows and started 16 a the Governor's Cup. (again, I am in no way proud of this number either, but PLEASE post FACTS.)

The difference IMHO between 'Constructive Criticism' and 'Track Bashing' is one is posted with FACTS and the other is usually just people throwing out information and 'flaming' so to speak with false information.

That being said, you have completely skipped over the first part of my answer to YOUR question which was that scheduling another Novelty or Big Race on top of an existing Big Race (biggest in the State other than Derby) does nothing to help Fan counts at either track.

Why would you force fans to have to choose? As I stated, there are 51 other weeks in the year to choose from. (50 if you take out Speedweeks). No body suggested that tracks shut down for the Governor's Cup... Just one more example of how they do it up North working much better... Nobody runs Modifieds on top of the Spring Sizzler (Stafford, CT) or the Ice Breaker (Thonmpson, CT) and amazingly, since they don't have to choose, they get full fields of Modifieds and compeltely full Grandstands at each!

It's called respecting Tradition and the fact that we are all in the same game. Go up North and see how many Track Owners / Promoters 'Like' one another and the number will small if existent... But see how many 'Respect' each other, the fans and the drivers and it would amaze you.

[Matt Albee]

Maybe the FUPS ( ACOP ) series is going to actually help short track racing in Florida. It would seem they've lost the support of most race tracks in the state already due to low car counts. But the track owners just might be willing to band together and spend the money on purses and promotion to go to war with FUPS ( ACOP ). That would benefit the racers and the tracks.

[8modified]

Maybe the FUPS ( ACOP ) series is going to actually help short track racing in Florida. It would seem they've lost the support of most race tracks in the state already due to low car counts. But the track owners just might be willing to band together and spend the money on purses and promotion to go to war with FUPS ( ACOP ). That would benefit the racers and the tracks.

FUPS has screwed up a lot of racing in the state of Florida, with caps on purses for one. Since they came up with this idea racing has been down hill since. You can see the car owners want bigger purses, tracks get big fields of cars when we can cover our cost by winning the race. Modifieds need 600 to win just to cover tires and fuel. Put on 1000 to win races and you will have 24 car every time.

Who ever thought that grooved tires would Save Us Money got that wrong, I for one of many will not spend another dime on this cramp no racing tire. SLICKS are the only race tire for Modifieds and up.

[Matt Albee]

Once again, I don't say a touring series can't work in Florida, but I sure haven't seen much from the FUPS ( ACOP ) series in car counts or crowds. And of course without big car counts ( big QUALITY car counts ) you aren't going to have crowds. I know the FASCAR thing sort of died off too a few years ago. I went to a number of their races and they put on a good show. Don't know what killed it. I'm not sure how the Brighthouse series is going, I think they only race at NSS and Orlando.
On a related note, I was talking to a SLM racer ( car owner ) on a completely unrelated subject and the conversation got around to the state of racing in Florida. He mentioned that he was sure the current situation can be blamed completely on the race gas companies and track owners. He said that the FUPS ( ACOP ) series was shut out of a number of race tracks because those tracks switched brands of race gas and Williams wasn't allowed to sell his gas anymore. So he decided to come up with the FUPS ( ACOP ) series to be able to sell his gas. That's why the series only races at a few tracks. I don't know how true that is, but I wouldn't be surprised. These tracks keep locking out competition between tire makers, engine builders, gas companies, soda and beer companies and this is the result. Tracks and series booking on top of each other and diluting the car count as well as spectators.