sprint cars at Sunshine

[Boneman]

Hey Matt Albee, try to be more accurate when you make stuff up. Your comments on TBARA could not be more wrong. Here are some real facts for you: in 2013, we averaged 19 cars per event. So far in 2014, we are averaging 16, but we are also on the upswing after running NSS last month with 21.

We are running at all the operating, paved tracks in the area except for Showtime. Our 2014 tracks include Citrus, De Soto, Orlando, New Smyrna, Auburndale, Punta Gorda (as soon as they open) and two others that are currently under negotiation.

We are in contact with Showtime, and I expect we'll work it out there one day, but at the moment they are taking a break from sprints after steadily running their own series that was not affiliated with us. That track has been an excellent supporter of the winged sprint class, and I hope that they will be back involved in the future.

[Matt Albee]

It lokks like the Showtime race wasn't any show at all, not just TBARA.
Scott, if you don't have the money or time to race, then pack it in. Nobodys forcing you i hope. The track operators are only reacting to the fans. Or for the fans if you like. These groups always promise the moon to get a race date from a track. We'll bring 30 cars, we'll bring 400 fans that the track wouldn't have had, we'll do plenty of advertising and marketing. None of that ever happens.

The fans hear there's a sprint car show at a track, they pack up the family and go. They pay their money, and 4 to 6 cars show up. They're the ONLY ones you should be worrying about. They paid out gas money, maybe tolls, admission tickets, $4.00 each for $2.00 drinks, $5.00 each for $2.00 hamburgers, program, t-shirts for the kids.....and most of the drivers they paid to see decided to stay home for whatever reason. How many times do you think they'll fall for that before they just go to a baseball game instead. And they can always count on full team rosters instead of most of the players being to busy with their families to show up.
Two different things? Yeah, maybe. But the fans deserve to get what they pay for, and it's up to the track owner to make sure that happens. If " racers " are too busy, or don't have the money, or don't like the look of the weather, the track owners have my permission and backing to get rid of whoever isn't giving the fans what they paid to see.

[Matt Albee]

Hey Matt Albee, try to be more accurate when you make stuff up. Your comments on TBARA could not be more wrong. Here are some real facts for you: in 2013, we averaged 19 cars per event. So far in 2014, we are averaging 16, but we are also on the upswing after running NSS last month with 21.

We are running at all the operating, paved tracks in the area except for Showtime. Our 2014 tracks include Citrus, De Soto, Orlando, New Smyrna, Auburndale, Punta Gorda (as soon as they open) and two others that are currently under negotiation.

We are in contact with Showtime, and I expect we'll work it out there one day, but at the moment they are taking a break from sprints after steadily running their own series that was not affiliated with us. That track has been an excellent supporter of the winged sprint class, and I hope that they will be back involved in the future.

Hey Rex, nice song and dance. But as you well know, i wasn't talking about 1 years history of the TBARA. They've been around a long time and have a very tumultuous history.

[rdv69]

I was one of the six cars at showtime Saturday and thank Mr.Yoho for the purse and the payout as it was what was posted. I am sure that everyone wanted more cars at that event but as has been said in the thread this was a last minute race put on for the non wing sprints that was posted on Sunday not much notice if you weren't planning on running that week. And most of those teams are on a different tire than was run that night so that hurts car count. The purse was great for top 10 but with a full field it wouldn't have bought either rear tire again that hurts car count. Sorry to hear he has canceled the rest of his events. Maybe somethings can be changed both with the tracks and racers alike but all need to work it out.

Hope to see everyone at CCS for the nonwing show this weekend fans and racers.

[scottgarrity07]

Matt, I never said I don't have the money or time to race, I just said I, like most racers, just can't do it at the drop of a hat (its all in my previous post). I put up some numbers as to what it costs me to help you understand that for a Sprinter it costs even more, but you didn't catch the analogy. It is up to the track operators to provide an environment that enables us to be able to/want to run. Scheduling last minute doesn't help. I hate it, as a racer, when I show up and the car count is weak. So I can understand the disappointment of the fans. Also if a track has a rep of cancelling when weather is bad, I'm probably not gonna pull there on an iffy night. I drove through a monsoon to go to Desoto on Saturday because I KNEW Critter would get the race in. HOWEVER, I went to watch and not race, because the decision to make it a BIG Sportsman race wasn't made until the middle of last week. Too late for me to get Saturday off to race...

[katlizy]

So now you're taking shots at anybody that tries to put on a Sprint Car race? I get your beef with tbara as it pertains to your hero but what does that have to do with this? Why wasn't Joey there?

I didn't take any shots at yoho for trying, just the whiney crybaby drivers that dont show up.... Where was joey???? Getting ready for his new series that doesn't have TBARA in the name!

Thank you for playing though.

[Frasson118]

Yep...... that will fix things. ANOTHER Sprint car series.

[katlizy]

Yep...... that will fix things. ANOTHER Sprint car series.

It is an already existing one, just new to him. Relax tiger.

[katlizy]

If you miss him.. He will be at desoto speedway on 6/14. Cya there!

[Rick Day]

When are these track owners going to learn that you can't just come up with an event within two weeks of the date, no matter how big the money, and expect a bunch of cars to show up. We all have lives, families, jobs etc. AND have to plan for the money needed to race to boot, and can't just race at the drop of a hat. Then you get snippy and you remove the division from the schedule cuz you didn't get the car count. Good grief!

Scotty so you know the Sprints had been scheduled for the 5th Saturday of the month ALL season. The only thing added was too give them the double dip and run both the Winged and NON Winged that night.

[scottgarrity07]

Yes, but when you change the existing date to become a BIG event within days of the show (like Showtime did for the Sprints and Desoto did for Sportsman), I can't see how the racers can be blamed for not having a bigger than expected car count because you added money to the event. The people that planned to race that date came, and the ones that wanted to but logistically couldn't, didn't. The 800 pound gorilla here was the weather and all the gloom and doom forecasts that were given by local weathermen. Hats off to Showtime AND Desoto for forging ahead, despite smaller than expected car counts, and putting on the show and paying the full purses when cancelling could have been the cheap and easy way out. A lot of tracks have been changing regular events to BIG events at the last second and in almost all circumstances the car counts have been less than expected. Give us racers some time to plan for these shows (at least a month) and we can plan and budget to be there. I think Yoho needs to give the Sprints another shot before he pulls the plug on them. My suggestion would be to go with TBARA. The event they recently held at NSS was nothing short of spectacular in every way.

[katlizy]

Yes, but when you change the existing date .... My suggestion would be to go with TBARA. The event they recently held at NSS was nothing short of spectacular in every way.

Why the TBARA? Those racers dont need them! They can race independent of the club, and the track promoter doesn't have to shell out exorbitantly high fees to have them there, thus raising admission. Higher count at nss? Big deal, its a bigger track with faster speeds. I am sure more drivers came for the thrill and not the extra 100 added to the purse.

Admit it TBARA is a sinking ship.. With a woman floating on a peice of wood yelling for jack to come back!! Showtime can run their own series.. Without Buffy the sprint car slayer calling the shots.

[scottgarrity07]

I realize you have your ax to grind with TBARA. But politics and drama aside, they flat out draw a higher car count than the "independent" shows. All I am saying is instead of shelving Sprints completely, Yoho try a TBARA date and see what he gets for a car count. Boneman pointed out that TBARA is averaging 16 cars. If my 2nd Grade Public School education Math classes were correct, then 16 > 6. No one is trying to talk you out of your "boycott" Kat. I know you have your reasons. But the Granstand was pretty full at New Smyrna and they put on a great show.

[Matt Albee]

Well, on June 14th we can find out what a well run race track can do with the sprints. Desoto is running the sprints and the super lates on the same program.

[Groundpounder]

If TBARA avg is 16, keep in mind they have only run 3 races???...the avg is skewed a bit by NSB...Like INDYCAR talking about their attendance figures which are terrible, but they include the Indy 500 which gets the avg up there.

Either way I doubt this track owner will swallow his pride and try to work WITH someone like TBARA. It seems many track owners are really testing the waters to run their own sprints, which long term never works (never has) just helps muck things up for a while... Remember Bubba, Leroy, etc.
I really don't blame the TBARA guys for sitting this one out.

See how long Citrus hangs on...

BTW, it's nationwide...USAC numbers are terrible also.

Dirt seems to be back!