FL United Promoters Series Update

[Frasson118]

Another point here:

"Drivers seem more aggressive than ever".......

THERE is your problem. Not the procedures, it's the 'win at any cost' mentality. Cars wouldn't get torn up every week if there was a lot more RESPECT going on.
Joe Winchell has the ability, balls, and experience to start on the outside and go for it all....... these (far too many) rich kids would dump him in a heartbeat for a single position. And Joe is smart enough to accept 2nd place with a complete car rather than junk his and anyone else's equipment.

It's lack of patience, and the unwillingness to be smart rather than a 'hero or zero' driver.

It has NOTHING to do with double file starts.... it has to do with meatheaded drivers more than anything. FUPS should maybe start thinking about controlling drivers, rather than making the fans pay for bad racers lousy decisions.

[sunshinestateracing2]

I think most of the drivers other than the top 2 would love or rather have double file

[chevyj31]

Frasson, It is my problem. That is why I like single file better, it gives the crazy drivers less of a chance to tear my shit to pieces. Since I have to repair and pay for my own car, it works out better for me. If I were one of those rich kids you are referring to, I would like the double file better, because if I tear my shit up, a new car magically appears for me to drive the next week. I just see too many good cars get taken out with the double file starts. And the meat heads that cause the wrecks almost always go unharmed. I grew up watching local racing in the 70's and 80's, with all single file re-starts, the stands were full, and there were lots of cars. 9 out of 10 of you double file guys just love to see good wrecks and tore up cars, but will never admit it.

Matter of fact, the double file re-starts remind me more of a traffic jam at 5 o'clock then good hard racing.

[Buckwheat]

Over my many many years as a "RACE" fan not a "WRECK" fan, I have been to racetracks in EVERY State on the East Coast (except Rhode Island). I have not seen ANYWHERE single file restarts outside of Florida.

Frase maybe you can back me up on this one.

If you want a Show Car then put it in a Car Show. Race cars get tore up with bonehead moves whether on restart or during race. Boneheads will be boneheads regardless of the situation. Either Race it or Show it. If you can't afford to fix it you probably shouldn't race it. Maybe try the Demo class.

Heat Races (no Qualifying( and Double File separates Racers from Drivers!

[gary laplant]

Series

Rick

I sent you a personal mesage here give me a call 813 331 8741 gary

[chevyj31]

Ok buckwheat, call me show car then. Lol, buckwheat? Really!

[steadysteve]

single file re-starts are boring

To Rick Williams

Double file re-starts are great for the fans.I know drivers don't like them ,especially on a tight track like Auburndale.But it forces drivers to be focused.How mamy times have you seen re-starts where someone either spins their tires or misses a gear-shift change,and then there's a huge wreck?

This is probably why you and the drivers want re-starts to revert to single-file.Yet,double-file will make drivers more aware,and better drivers.I saw Joe Boyd have a good finish in a feature by avoiding a bad re-start wreck.His quick reflexes made him avoid that wreck.I've seen countless others do so as well.

Just hope you consider this before making these single-file re-starts a permanant thing in the FUPS series.

[Jack Burroughs]

Restarts?

As a spectator I like double file, if I were an owner I prolly wouldn't, but I'm still seeing lots of empty seats at all tracks, from local all the way up the ladder. and why do all the tracks within a 2 hr. ride in central Fl. have to race the same night? They're all starving for cars and have empty seats, how long can it go on?

[Benny The Mule]

I hope the series and the tracks it visits are both successful.

I like single and double file restarts from a racer perspective.

Single file restarts gave me the opportunity to go to a normally EMPTY outside line and advance.

I like double file as well because it groups us all back up which is also a chance for advancement.

I don't care if your the best, respectful or insane drive. The first 2-3 rows on a double file will go HARD because we can all see the front! It's part of racing. I'll take either one.

As a fan i will take either on as long as it produces some good racing.

[zerofor]

the way to do it is

Double file to halfway or set lap then single file to end of race..That way end of race restarts dont penalize the leader by lining him up next to somebody who will beat his fenders off if given a chance to steal a win that way.But you also have to haveconsistency in putting guys to the tail who cause the cautions or why worry about the restarts at all?

[Don Nerone]

"racers at this level" is the same damn level as anywhere else in the short track world. Bowman Gray Stadium, another 1/4 mile bullring, is THE most successful show in short track racing, on a very difficult-to-pass track, yet they do double file restarts.

Why.....?

Because its a show for the fans. And it's all the drivers know. They are used to it, and its just part of the norm.

Fans are interested in a RACE, not a high speed parade.

Jerry u need to spend everything u have and everything u can get from friends and morgage ur house so u can be part of a sport that is everything in ur life and spend it on a car...
Now its time to think what u would think about the wreck all of u are trying to promote..
If Rick trys to do boubble file restarts at the 1/4 mile tracks cars are giong to stay home and u will bitch about no cars..
take one of the two..
O Jerry u already did ur not going.....You will be missed....



don62

[scottgarrity07]

A Necessary Evil...

As one of the Drivers who strongly asked for this change, I applaud Rick for making this move. One thing Rick always does is listen to the players involved in these Series (drivers and track operators alike). After racing for 20 years, let me tell you, that kind of open mindedness is refreshing and very rare. Rick tried double-file solely for the entertainment of the fans. Since it is doing nothing but tearing up cars he has no choice but to abandon it. In each of our first three Sportsman events less than half the cars finished each event. Jerry, you made the comparison to Bowman-Gray Stadium and their always double-file rule. There are some extreme differences between racing in FL and at BGS. For anyone who has not been to BGS, it is as close to short-track perfection as you can get. Four divisions that send cars home every week (or even run two features for the same class with different cars in each (2 full fields). They routinely draw over 10,000 fans for a weekly show. In this environment, sponsorship and car counts are both plentiful due to the insane fanatic following this place has. But let me tell you, they DO tear up some cars because BGS is hardly 2 groove. The difference is when cars get torn up, there are always more to take the place of the sidelined and plenty of $ to fix the ones that can make it back. In FL we are lucky to get a good crowd and sponsorship dollars are nearly non-existent. The sport doesn't get the draw it should for many factors, but one thing I think hurts us the most is the lame-stream media's denial that we even exist (until someone is killed or there's some other black-eye controversy). In our world, we need every car we have to continue to keep racing because the pits are NOT overflowing due to economic factors. Keeping them in one piece goes a long way toward keeping the cars that we do have coming back. Rick and the FUPS officials tried to rein everyone in, but everyone just goes too wild. Besides, without someone intentionally wrecking someone it's nearly impossible to police things like this when they get out of control (short of reverting back to single-file or shortening the event). I wish I had the power to give my fellow competitors patience, but I can only control myself. In a wild environment if you choose to be cautious then you will get taken advantage of. I found myself making moves I normally wouldn't because of the wild west restarts. You become a part of the problem in order to survive and there's not much the officials can do about that. I think most fans would rather see a 25 car field with single-file restarts than a 10 car field with double-file. As far as Sportsman racing goes, I feel that we don't need that gimmick to put on a good show. To me, a real race fan wants to see good hard CLEAN racing and not a wreckfest with yellow after yellow. When we can go green for an extended stretch, we put on a great show (and everyone puts their car on the trailer in one piece and can come back again for the next race).

[zerofor]

Rick Williams

I sent you a message ..Thanks for your time.

[Frasson118]

Scott.... I do somewhat agree with your B-G comparison. That track is an exception to the rule.

However, there are many tracks, just a small & tight, all over the country that can fill the fields (or at least respectable), and not have a demo derby every time out. As far as the Sportsman series itself goes, guys like Patrick Thomas, Aaron Williamson, Brandon Morris, Donnie Williams, and several others have shown over & over that PATIENCE wins more often than aggression.

Maybe a little more 'tough love' towards the offenders is a more effective way of building things up, rather than 'we'll put up with anything, as long as you come back'......

You don't WANT 10 squirrels for every 10 professionals.

[UREZ2PASS]

You don't WANT 10 squirrels for every 10 professionals.

It only takes one squirrel. Slow squirrels are not a problem, but one fast squirrel is detrimental to everyone on the racing surface.