100 lap super race at citrus?

[Matt Albee]

There you go, Matt. You have Mikey driving for you, you gonna win some races.

I'm sure he would win me some races. There's a long list of drivers i'd hire. Hell, i might just hire Jimmy Cope.

[Mike Bresnahan]

Frasson I've been beating that drum for years. In fact that's one of the reasons I quit running the "series" back in the day... It started off as just Friday night practices then it got to where teams were there on Wednesday renting the track to gain that much more of an advantage. I've always been the budget guy racing out of a small tag a long enclosed trailer. I've pulled into the track and wrote checks I knew would bounce if I didn't win the race that night. My last year in the Sunbelt series we won 3 races and finished 3rd in points. We were the only car in the top ten that didn't have at least one full time employee... That's crazy. For guys like me back then, or Daniel Webster now, the struggle is REAL.

The promotors could do a shit ton to make this sport cheaper for the racers. We know they can't pay more, but making it cost less is really the same thing. The problem is they're only listening to the racers that are there and not the ones that CANT be there.

Too many promotors are wrapped up in selling tires instead of arm bands... Too many racers are wrapped up in their egos and demanding to be on slick tires so they feel like they have real race cars. Up north they have full fields with 30 plus late models for a weekly show, all on hard ass treaded tires... Samething with the modifieds.

Anytime I voiced these concerns I was told I was "crying poor mouth" or if I couldn't afford I shouldn't be doing it... It's not about affording it. It's about priorities and drawing the line somewhere. I think if you look at today's fields I think you could say maybe my ideas were more right than wrong.

[scottgarrity07]

Once again, great post Mike. Ditto, ditto, ditto...

[MiniRacer26]

Frasson I've been beating that drum for years. In fact that's one of the reasons I quit running the "series" back in the day... It started off as just Friday night practices then it got to where teams were there on Wednesday renting the track to gain that much more of an advantage. I've always been the budget guy racing out of a small tag a long enclosed trailer. I've pulled into the track and wrote checks I knew would bounce if I didn't win the race that night. My last year in the Sunbelt series we won 3 races and finished 3rd in points. We were the only car in the top ten that didn't have at least one full time employee... That's crazy. For guys like me back then, or Daniel Webster now, the struggle is REAL.

The promotors could do a shit ton to make this sport cheaper for the racers. We know they can't pay more, but making it cost less is really the same thing. The problem is they're only listening to the racers that are there and not the ones that CANT be there.

Too many promotors are wrapped up in selling tires instead of arm bands... Too many racers are wrapped up in their egos and demanding to be on slick tires so they feel like they have real race cars. Up north they have full fields with 30 plus late models for a weekly show, all on hard ass treaded tires... Samething with the modifieds.

Anytime I voiced these concerns I was told I was "crying poor mouth" or if I couldn't afford I shouldn't be doing it... It's not about affording it. It's about priorities and drawing the line somewhere. I think if you look at today's fields I think you could say maybe my ideas were more right than wrong.

Several excellent posts Mike. The tracks have made it so expensive with allowing the rules to far exceed what the average racer can afford. I make a damned good living but $600 a night to run a REAL car three times a month pays my mortgage and truck payment. The high dollar engines, $125 racing tires, $10 a gallon for 110 and all the BS that goes along with it has destroyed local racing. The fishing comment that was made is legit, I am doing a trip to Marathon for lobster season with a couple buddies and it will cost me about the same as it did to run a 75 lap race with the Mod Mini... (Mini Late Model) IF I wasn't crashed out by a 14 year old kid trying to be the next Jeff Gordon. Having the money to do it isn't the issue, I just can't justify continuing to sink money into something that continues to circle the drain, while the promoters continue to ignore the problems that have caused the downturn. Don't even get me started on "promoters"......we are REALLY circling the Kohler with quite a few in the area.

[MiniRacer26]

I can't help but notice that racers and track owners never, ever think they're the problem. In hundreds of threads on this site i've seen discussions and suggestions by fans on what they want to see and what they feel should be changed or improved. And in the end, a track owner or racer chimes in to let us know that we couldn't possibly know what we're talking about because racing is way too deep and complicated for fans to really understand.
Old Racer, thanks for the offer, didn't check the site last night so i missed your post. I'm at Desoto every week. And over the years i've been to NSS, OSW, Lakeland, Showtime, Five Flags,the old Jax Raceway, Auburndale, Port Charlotte, and Citrus " The Track That Don't Require Much Motor Or Car ". I've also been to Putnam and VSP. So i know what good racing looks liike and i know what bad racing looks like.
Short track racing in Florida is in the dumps, and i've seen every possible excuse from racers and track owners for the big decline. They continue to do it their way, yet the car count and fan count keep dropping. But if neither of them are to blame for where we are, then i guess it's just that we fans don't know what we're talking about.

You sir, are a Class A IDIOT!

[tom77hmstd]

Damn Bresnahan you are as smart as I thought you were. (lol) It is about priorities and drawing the line some where. In my original post I was not complaining or whining ,just stating facts. Desoto is being run now as good as I have ever seen it (Robert Hamke and I were there the day the ran their first race finished 2nd to Plecther) and the payoff is as good or better than any we have had lately. I repeat a regular working man just can't fund this stuff. The practice is just another nail in our coffins as the guys with the extra $ for this will just keep on renting tracks and putting us in a position where if we don't go on Friday we are just that much more behind. As always we will still run as much we can when we can.

[MiniRacer26]

Maybe if Citrus steps up there purse to match the other tracks they might sway people of which track to race at.

As long as they pay in CASH. I have heard of the "Gold Standard" but haven't heard of the "Rubber Standard".....must be new

[Matt Albee]

You sir, are a Class A IDIOT!

Nope, just a true fan of the sport that's tired of hearing excuses from racers and promoters. For instance, the old favorite about racing being expensive because track owners allowed the racers to spend too much money. Racers spent too much money because they had it to spend and there were bright shiny things to spend it on. Racers were never told they had to buy toter homes, they just did it. They weren't told they had to buy spare cars and engines. They just did it. They weren't told to they had to rent tracks for practice. They just did it. But now it's sounding like they think the promoters were to blame for all that. Did promoters and track owners force the racers to keep spending on the above items? No they did not. Should the promoters and track owners have come up with rules to stop the racers from spending stupid money. Sure, and some tried.
But here we are. " i just couldn't help myself from spending money " meet " we change the rules to make things cheaper and the racers park their cars ". I'll hang with Desoto because i can see a real effort there to turn this sport around. And the other tracks are scrambling to copy what Desoto is doing, so that just forces the other tracks to be where they should have been all along.

[turnleft]

expenses need to be cut

NSS just announced a two tire rule (for pro class). I see that as a step in the right direction for racing in general. Tracks do need to limit practice and renting of the tracks, like Tom said, it sucks to show up on Sat. knowing one third of the field has been there testing the last three days, most racers at this level do have jobs. The way racing is going now is not working.

[MiniRacer26]

Nope, just a true fan of the sport that's tired of hearing excuses from racers and promoters. For instance, the old favorite about racing being expensive because track owners allowed the racers to spend too much money. Racers spent too much money because they had it to spend and there were bright shiny things to spend it on. Racers were never told they had to buy toter homes, they just did it. They weren't told they had to buy spare cars and engines. They just did it. They weren't told to they had to rent tracks for practice. They just did it. But now it's sounding like they think the promoters were to blame for all that. Did promoters and track owners force the racers to keep spending on the above items? No they did not. Should the promoters and track owners have come up with rules to stop the racers from spending stupid money. Sure, and some tried.
But here we are. " i just couldn't help myself from spending money " meet " we change the rules to make things cheaper and the racers park their cars ". I'll hang with Desoto because i can see a real effort there to turn this sport around. And the other tracks are scrambling to copy what Desoto is doing, so that just forces the other tracks to be where they should have been all along.

I think you like to hear yourself talk, nothing that you have said is relevant to what we are talking about. Talking in circles doesn't do anything but make you look like even more of a tool.

[Frasson118]

Turnleft.... not picking a fight, just stating my observation here.....

It's not like '1/3' of the field practiced the night before, it's more like 7/8ths.

Every practice night that brings 21 cars, only has 23-24 show up on race day. VERY FEW entries show up on race day if they weren't there for practice.

IF you can't do BOTH days, nobody shows up for the 2nd day only.

Being behind 8 guys is a lot different than being behind 21 of them.

[zerofor]

One thing I think a lot of you guys overlook

Isnt that racing will make you go broke.(It more than likely will)But rather back in its heyday and through the good times when the pits and stands were full is that racing at least offered up the promise of at least breaking even OR maybe even coming off ahead if you got good enough at it.Nowadays you know right out of the gate its a money losing proposition.That has eliminated all but the guys who either bleed it or are trying to reach the top levels of Nascar.I dont entirely blame the track owners for not raising the payout enough (even though there is plenty of things to blame them for)especially when the stands are 3 quarters empty.But the fact is the costs of EVERYTHING racecar related have jumped way more than money in hand has.Lower cost classes with steel bodies and street tires would help,but would it be enough?Nascar has killed local racing and I think for an organization that yammers on about grass roots racing they do damned little to prop it up.If Nascar was to go away today the local tracks would experience a re-birth but yuo know that wont happen and the fact of the matter is its a different time and we cant move the calender backwards.

[zerofor]

And Matt Albee

I love Desoto too (its my favorite track in the state of Florida)but get out to some different tracks too man.They all need our support.I get frustrated with pretty much all of them at times but I dont want it to come down to Desoto and New Smyrna and nobody else left open.

[xracer54]

Thank You Mr B.

Matt I don't know you either, but I have seen your posts on here and I usually agree with you... Matt, I have been around racing my entire life. My dad was a great racer that started from the bottom and went to the top local levels. My father in law is one of the most famous short track racers ever and made it all the way to the big show. If there's one thing I know, it's that racing is not "money maker".

However, I can tell you 100% without doubt local racing (all classes) is in decline due to the expense of it... In the past 20 years not only have the cost of tires increased by over 50%, now the compounds are softer and wear out faster than ever. Arm bands have doubled. Race Fuel has tripled. Those are just some of the weekly expenses... Shocks went from $95 to $695. Bodies went from $1200 to $3500, the list is never ending... But everything else we buy at home has gone up too. Gas, Food, Rent/Mortgage, Insurance etc...
You know what hasn't gone up much in 20 yrs? Wages and Race Purses!!

I'm sure you realize it's $150 just for a family of 5 to walk into the back gate? $450 a month if their class is racing 3 times a month. That's a Truck payment. Or grocery bill...

Again, I'm not by any means under the illusion racing is a profitable endeavor as you stated. But as a fan you can't expect a racer to mortgage his house so you have entertainment either. I know dozens of racers, hardcore racers, people who bleed it, and love it to the bone that just cannot afford it anymore. Or they're like me have realized we can have just as much fun for a fraction of the cost. We won't be at Desoto this weekend because of that exact reason. Country concert in Jacksonville with a large group of friends, staying all weekend, tailgating, corn hole, pools, music, etc.. all in cost: less than $500

Know what else? I don't have to mount and dismount tires 2 sets of tires, shouldn't have to worry about getting wrecked by a 14 yr old kid trying to make it to Sprint Cup, and if I don't have a good time there is no one to blame but myself... So for those reasons I race now when I feel like it. Now it's a hobby not so much a way of life, like it used to be.

Matt you are obviously a huge race fan, I bet you would enjoy it a lot more if you were a car owner. You should give it a shot. Heck I'll come drive for you if you're paying for everything, expense isn't an issue, right?

Thank you so much. I don't think anyone could have said it any better!

[xracer54]

Please help us all

I love Desoto too (its my favorite track in the state of Florida)but get out to some different tracks too man.They all need our support.I get frustrated with pretty much all of them at times but I dont want it to come down to Desoto and New Smyrna and nobody else left open.

Please,oh please help us. Don't leave us with New Smyrna Speedway, can someone build a few houses there, or a Walmart? The track could be a nice place,if someone ran it the way that a track should be ran. I dont live far away from it,but I would drive to Ga. before spending my money there. Sure miss the OLD MR. HART, you know, the one that cared about racing