Typical OSW

[Frasson118]

Rained out around 3:00..... Here it is 7:00, with dry roads, clear skies, and no threat of more rain.

Doesn't look to me like the new crew is trying any harder than the old crew. Giving up easy, week after week, isn't a great business model.

PLAN on the rain causing a delay, but also PLAN to try to get the show IN.

My closest track to home has NO reasons right now for anyone to have any loyalty to it.

What a shame.

[scottgarrity07]

How come no OSW Preview from Announcer Dave this week ??????

[dd38]

I was out there Thursday afternoon to get fuel and the infield was flooded. This was about 3:30-4:00

[katlizy]

Woe ppl, we had some nasty storms blow through here around race time. Leave them alone, they are doing a good job this year, no one doesn't wanna run. Quit yer bitchin

[Frasson118]

Florida, in essence, is a sponge. Most of the water that falls gets sucked right back into the ground.

Dave.... you would know this yourself.... Go back an hour or two later, and it would be an entirely different view/situation.

We KNOW its gonna rain.. That's a given this time of year.

My point is, it's natural, it's expected..... but it doesn't HAVE to be a reason to bail out early.

VSP rained early in the program last week, but hung in there and got every lap of every feature. Racers even came over from Ocala because they worked it out.

If the TRACK will put in every effort possible, racers will too.

If you give up easy, they start planning their fishing trip

[kendo]

Simple dollars and cents...With weather in the area,simply not enough expected butts in the seats to pay the bills/purse.

Just wish tracks would be honest and not insult our intelligence by saying that they are canceling on the best behalf of the fans/drivers who have to travel long distance (it is on their facebook page),,,We all know that if you had 4-5000 fans every week you would do everything to get the show in.

What tracks don't realize is that they create a snowball effect...When you have a history of cancelling early,fans simply make alternate plans early in the week when there is any threat of rain,resulting in never creating a decent fan base.

[Frasson118]

Exactly. I drove through not 1, but 2 storms on my way to VSP last weekend.... and it rained 2 Heats into the program.

They had the concept of TRYING. If they'd rained out, I couldn't blame them. It would've been the EASY thing to do.... but they didn't.

Yes it started late, yes they lost a couple of heats along the way, but every racer that showed up (some of them came after the Ocala rainout) got to run a Feature race.

Bottom line is.... if the TRACK will try, racers will too.

A DELAY shouldn't mean a cancellation.

[OldSchool+]

"PLAN on the rain causing a delay, but also PLAN to try to get the show IN." --Frasson

Amen, Brother.

Orlando Speedway used to try--hard, Beethlo, not so much.

Still, the joint has re-opened, and it could grow into something larger/better, but man, it just never seems to...

As Kendo stated, I understand the money and car count thing, but the number of classes and/or race length could be shortened, even the amount to get in reduced. But when folks show up to a sunny--yet closed track, it seems that they would be less likely to come back.

[Frasson118]

My point exactly. I live maybe 30 minutes from OSW, and had no other plans tonight. At 7:00, it was beautiful & a great night to spend at the track.

But by 3:00, it wasn't even an option.

I'll travel triple the distance to the track that tries the hardest, than 1/3 of the distance to somewhere that gives up at the first sign of rain.... and OSW has bailed out sometimes 2-3 DAYS in advance.

[dd38]

Like I said a day earlier the infield was flooded as were the pits. Again yesterday they had rain. With now covering most everything up with asphalt out there the water has no where to go so it can't act like a sponge. That's the problem every place else around. Everywhere is covered with asphalt and concrete. Just look at all the flooded streets we have now after a rain storm. I don't remember ever having this many "Rain Outs" years ago. I'm not one of those Global Warming conspiritors, but common sense will tell you if you cover stuff up liquid won't have anywhere to drain off. As someone that grew up in Central Florida, I don't remember it getting this hot in the summer. Yea you might have a few days that would spike up hot, but not days/weeks/months in a row.
Orlando Raceway was a different era where it was not as close to the coast as OSW and the weather has changed in the last 39+ years since "The Big O" closed(again everything is covered up with concrete and asphalt). I don't remember but a couple rainouts the whole season back then. Orlando on Friday and Eau Gallie on Saturday. And let's not forget about all the retention ponds dug for runoff today because the water has no place to go. Never needed that before. I think there is something going on under my house because when you bang on the driveway it sounds odd/hollow. Probably will be like that unfortunate guy that got sucked into a sink hole while he slept over on the West Coast. Boy JWP would love that I bet!!!!!

[Rick B.]

Seeping

Just saw a video of a ride along and the track is seeping water all over....it will be like this for next several months.....so it will be hard to race.

[OldSchool+]

Respectfully, as I am certain running a Racetrack is neither cheap or easy:

Sales/Marketing/Promoting...all kind of the same, and at the end of the day the either *The Goal* is accomplished,...or not.

Here are some suggestions to perhaps consider:

>Figure out who/what will be able to run on a moist track. Lower classes with street tires may do it.

>Further figure out how to make a small, wet show "fun".
-Lower gate
-Free Hotdogs and beer
-See if the guys will run the figure-eight track
-or similar

[OldSchool+]

higher and deeper

On a dry night, assess the car count. Set a minimum in your (promoter's) head.

Six seems reasonable to me, but it is your deal. If a given class, or classes, do not meet the minimum, pay the guys that show an previously agreed to $$ minimum and either let them practice before the stated start time, or run at the end of the "regular" show, or both.

Another thing that I never could understand. 3 late models, 22 limiteds, or sportsman, or whatever. 3 late models in the late model feature. What??

For goodness sake, run them together, or at least let the fastest limiteds run with the late models--and start in front.

Similarly, other combos would be interesting for both the racers and the spectators. Mini stocks and pure stocks, or bandelaros and legends, or whatever. If one class is faster, multiply the number of laps by the time and spot the slower guys that much, or make the faster ones run on the apron or get black flagged.

In short, SOMETHING that makes a trip to OSW kind of a lock to be interesting.

Everyone has choices--a movie, bowling, another track (the following night), drinking, something, on a Friday night.

The trick will be to make OSW at least as interesting--on a regular basis--as the other choices.

Hopefully something above will be of use--or spark an idea that is.

[Boneman]

Good thinking there Oldschool+. I'm all for a compromise instead of going home disappointed when the track is wet. It will be tough to pull that off while there are so few cars for a real show, but why not try?

When I raced mod minis at OSW a few years ago, we were out drying off the track after an afternoon rain. My friend and competitor "Al-ter-ego" both drove down our cars on the bandolero track and ran a bunch of laps through the puddles and spray. That was a blast, and would make a hell of a race.

[OldSchool+]

Some of most terrible things I have ever heard:

>I really still want us to be friends

>They called it