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First things first, I apologize if this does not have the best grammar or spelling simply because I am shooting from the hip here and will not be proof-reading.
Ok, after years of being on here and not saying much, I just don't think I can keep my mouth shut any longer....Nope I can't do it. I have been around racing my ENTIRE life and have an opinion on why the cancerous, crybaby wannabe racer is killing our sport. So I guess this is the place to voice it.
This goes out to all of the Drivers/Car owners and keyboard jockeys that think they race. Fans are welcome as well...but this is not directed to you. I will start by saying my name is Eric Purcell. Yes, my father is Junior Purcell. Now that that's out of the way...
Do you all want to know the real problem with short track racing besides the economy? And why it is sadly a dying breed inevitably? Well here it is.
The whiny, b*tchy, crying, finger pointing, wanna be's that do nothing but exactly what is spelled out at the beginning of this sentence. We all understand that this guy at this track did this to you or that guy over there did this. Guess what...that's called life/racing. Not everyone gets their way every time. After seeing so much turnover throughout the years in Florida short tracks, it seems though that it is always the same people bitching about the same thing. It doesn't matter who owns or runs the track, they have to bitch and moan about something or someone.
Here's the deal.
First off, everyone needs to understand that owning/promoting a racetrack is a BUSINESS. A business is defined as the following: "A business, also known as an enterprise or a firm, is an organization involved in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers."
The goods and services provided here would be the atmosphere, sound, and the excitement of side-by-side racing on a Saturday night. Secondly would be the concessions with cold beer, hot food etc...
Before proceeding, the consumer in this equation is not the racer! Let's get that outta the way. If you thought you were going to build or buy a race car and get into racing because you were going to make money, that was a horrible misjudgment on your part, or a friend lied to you. Now if you can do that or are currently doing that, by all means kudos to you my friend, and keep up the good work! But that's not why we race, at least in most local divisions.
The consumer mentioned in this above equation though is the FAN. Not the racer...the FAN. Isn't that what racing is all about? Putting on a show for the fans? I know for me that there is no better feeling after winning or doing well in a race than to go over to the other side with your fans/friends or hang out in the pits and talk about how great of a pass that was or how awesome it was to watch people go 3 wide...blah blah blah. At least that is my opinion. As a racer, it is all about putting on a show. That's what we are here for. That's why we go to the racetrack. Without the fans, there can be no racing.
Why?? No fans = no money.
How do we solve this problem you ask? Stop bitching about who owns what, who runs what, how they run it, these rules suck...etc.
You guys b*tch and moan about rules?? WOW!! Just think if every local track's tech area were ran like NASCAR with a 500 page rule book and 123,871,239 officials combing over every nook and cranny of your car with a fine tooth comb. "Sorry Dick Anderson but yo'u're a 1/16th of an inch low on the wheel well height on your left front...DQ. or "No way Jeff Scofield, you weighed in .25lb light. See ya next week. No $$." Now these are just examples. My point is this. A rule is a rule. Whether it be weight, carburetor, rear end, or what have you, you must conform to what is displayed in the rules or figure out a happy medium with the tech officials. Generally it happens by adding or subtracting weight to your car to make it competitive. At least tech guys at short tracks are lenient in cases where there is room to be generous. They will usually give you the benefit of the doubt if it's close, just have it fixed next time. We've all been there.
To my next point. The fact that people hold personal grudges against different tracks and owners is beyond my conceptual depth. I just do not understand it. I get it that "this guy is a moron," or "this guy is an asshole." Here's the thing, when you go to their "playground" you play by their rules. There are plenty of playgrounds to choose from. Here is my problem though. There should never even be an issue of someone not liking how this track owner does this or that differently than another. And generally, as long as you aren't acting like a complete ass-bag, there will never be an issue. Very rarely do you even see, let alone talk to the track owner. Especially if you are racer that only runs a few times a year. But that is besides the point. As a racer, you know the drill before you show up...
After being around racing since I was born, watching my dad and racing myself, here is how I understand "the drill," 28 years later. You enter with your car that has been built or tuned around a certain set of rules for a certain class, you pay your pit entry, you hang out and talk with other racers while practicing and tuning your car throughout the day, you qualify/heat race, you watch some of the other races, you race, you load up, you hang out and drink beer and talk about what happened and what could've/should've happened, you collect your money, and then you go home....right?
Between my father and myself we have had and seen bad calls and instances where we or someone we were helping got the short end of the stick. Well hey, not one time did that stop us from going back the next week and racing. Generally what goes around comes around, and you'll get a bone thrown back your way the next time.
I really wish people would realize that we are KILLING our own sport by pointing fingers and talking down about all of the people and all of the tracks. Every track has it's quirk. Nobody is perfect. And haters are gonna hate. Once we accept that, we can race and have a good time doing it. I remember stands at all tracks used to be packed in the late 80's early 90's and I understand it is a different dynamic now, but damn guys, we need more than 20 cars in the pits on a Saturday night.
So for all of you real Florida racers out there, keyboard jockeys and cry babies alike... This has been a Public Service Announcement.
Sack up and go support your local track and put on a show for the fans. I don't care if you drive by one to get to another one, you are still there supporting what we all want to support, and that is our sport, our love, our roots...Racing.
Ugh...I'm spent.
-Eric Purcell
Ok, after years of being on here and not saying much, I just don't think I can keep my mouth shut any longer....Nope I can't do it. I have been around racing my ENTIRE life and have an opinion on why the cancerous, crybaby wannabe racer is killing our sport. So I guess this is the place to voice it.
This goes out to all of the Drivers/Car owners and keyboard jockeys that think they race. Fans are welcome as well...but this is not directed to you. I will start by saying my name is Eric Purcell. Yes, my father is Junior Purcell. Now that that's out of the way...
Do you all want to know the real problem with short track racing besides the economy? And why it is sadly a dying breed inevitably? Well here it is.
The whiny, b*tchy, crying, finger pointing, wanna be's that do nothing but exactly what is spelled out at the beginning of this sentence. We all understand that this guy at this track did this to you or that guy over there did this. Guess what...that's called life/racing. Not everyone gets their way every time. After seeing so much turnover throughout the years in Florida short tracks, it seems though that it is always the same people bitching about the same thing. It doesn't matter who owns or runs the track, they have to bitch and moan about something or someone.
Here's the deal.
First off, everyone needs to understand that owning/promoting a racetrack is a BUSINESS. A business is defined as the following: "A business, also known as an enterprise or a firm, is an organization involved in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers."
The goods and services provided here would be the atmosphere, sound, and the excitement of side-by-side racing on a Saturday night. Secondly would be the concessions with cold beer, hot food etc...
Before proceeding, the consumer in this equation is not the racer! Let's get that outta the way. If you thought you were going to build or buy a race car and get into racing because you were going to make money, that was a horrible misjudgment on your part, or a friend lied to you. Now if you can do that or are currently doing that, by all means kudos to you my friend, and keep up the good work! But that's not why we race, at least in most local divisions.
The consumer mentioned in this above equation though is the FAN. Not the racer...the FAN. Isn't that what racing is all about? Putting on a show for the fans? I know for me that there is no better feeling after winning or doing well in a race than to go over to the other side with your fans/friends or hang out in the pits and talk about how great of a pass that was or how awesome it was to watch people go 3 wide...blah blah blah. At least that is my opinion. As a racer, it is all about putting on a show. That's what we are here for. That's why we go to the racetrack. Without the fans, there can be no racing.
Why?? No fans = no money.
How do we solve this problem you ask? Stop bitching about who owns what, who runs what, how they run it, these rules suck...etc.
You guys b*tch and moan about rules?? WOW!! Just think if every local track's tech area were ran like NASCAR with a 500 page rule book and 123,871,239 officials combing over every nook and cranny of your car with a fine tooth comb. "Sorry Dick Anderson but yo'u're a 1/16th of an inch low on the wheel well height on your left front...DQ. or "No way Jeff Scofield, you weighed in .25lb light. See ya next week. No $$." Now these are just examples. My point is this. A rule is a rule. Whether it be weight, carburetor, rear end, or what have you, you must conform to what is displayed in the rules or figure out a happy medium with the tech officials. Generally it happens by adding or subtracting weight to your car to make it competitive. At least tech guys at short tracks are lenient in cases where there is room to be generous. They will usually give you the benefit of the doubt if it's close, just have it fixed next time. We've all been there.
To my next point. The fact that people hold personal grudges against different tracks and owners is beyond my conceptual depth. I just do not understand it. I get it that "this guy is a moron," or "this guy is an asshole." Here's the thing, when you go to their "playground" you play by their rules. There are plenty of playgrounds to choose from. Here is my problem though. There should never even be an issue of someone not liking how this track owner does this or that differently than another. And generally, as long as you aren't acting like a complete ass-bag, there will never be an issue. Very rarely do you even see, let alone talk to the track owner. Especially if you are racer that only runs a few times a year. But that is besides the point. As a racer, you know the drill before you show up...
After being around racing since I was born, watching my dad and racing myself, here is how I understand "the drill," 28 years later. You enter with your car that has been built or tuned around a certain set of rules for a certain class, you pay your pit entry, you hang out and talk with other racers while practicing and tuning your car throughout the day, you qualify/heat race, you watch some of the other races, you race, you load up, you hang out and drink beer and talk about what happened and what could've/should've happened, you collect your money, and then you go home....right?
Between my father and myself we have had and seen bad calls and instances where we or someone we were helping got the short end of the stick. Well hey, not one time did that stop us from going back the next week and racing. Generally what goes around comes around, and you'll get a bone thrown back your way the next time.
I really wish people would realize that we are KILLING our own sport by pointing fingers and talking down about all of the people and all of the tracks. Every track has it's quirk. Nobody is perfect. And haters are gonna hate. Once we accept that, we can race and have a good time doing it. I remember stands at all tracks used to be packed in the late 80's early 90's and I understand it is a different dynamic now, but damn guys, we need more than 20 cars in the pits on a Saturday night.
So for all of you real Florida racers out there, keyboard jockeys and cry babies alike... This has been a Public Service Announcement.
Sack up and go support your local track and put on a show for the fans. I don't care if you drive by one to get to another one, you are still there supporting what we all want to support, and that is our sport, our love, our roots...Racing.
Ugh...I'm spent.
-Eric Purcell
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