The end of Stock Car Racing at Speed World

[Matt Albee]

Dirtdirtdirtdirt

I've seen that suggestion many times, and it's very likely a good idea for OSW. But turning it into a dirt track doesn't solve any of the other problems. Ozzy doesn't seem inclined to spend any money or energy in promoting the track. Nor does he seem to be interested in hiring the appropriate staff to turn the place around. Will making it a dirt track get him motivated? I've read that this months General Manager is trying, and that's good. Does he know anything at all about dirt tracks? Will Ozzy pony up the money for a grader and the other equipment needed to operate a dirt track? Will he hire someone who knows how to prep a dirt track?
But they also need professional marketing help. And they sorely need to spend the money to advertise. Just spreading clay over the track surface isn't going to solve the problems over there.

[shorttrackcar1]

well said matt these guys get on here and say go to dirt I dont know what they are thinking . a dirt track cost more to maintain

[katlizy]

Really ? How many times in the last three years did anybody on this thread actually go to the track, pay to get in, or for that matter race.

Gotta stick up for dd39 on this though, he was there more than any of the current MOUTHS on here.

Y'all talk all you want but unless you were there, you don't have much ground to stand on. You DID NOT SUPPORT THE TRACK.

I was there most every Friday!!!!!! In the stands, eating the food and bringing ppl with me.

Me and the five other ppl that showed up...

[OldSchool+]

Kat, If you had your crew and Dora had hers, y'all could just about have an event!

[cake]

well said matt these guys get on here and say go to dirt I dont know what they are thinking . a dirt track cost more to maintain

They would have to fix the turn 2 light first...

[rhinoracing11]

What would dirt do? COME ON MAN! Lets say Ozzy puts up the cash for dirt and equipment, hires a Gm with dirt background etc. DIRT would re energies the Orlando market.Create a buzz about the track and bring NEW life.You have the resources to pull fro, ie cars and traveling series, not to mention speedweeks in that dirt brings a major amount of cars to Fl. Its the drastic measure thats needed.And I believe the drivers will come.High banking short track 2 groves.Look at the numbers the dirt tracks are pulling twice the amount of cars than the concrete tracks.Other than the lates and the mods every other class can change over to dirt.
Just my 2 cents, Rob

[egspeedway]

Even though I am a dirt fan almost to the exclusion of pavement racing, dirt is not the answer to OSW problems or future. This track has been through so many different managements and scenarios all of recent vintage that have included so many bogus rainouts and schedule changes that the fan and competitor have lost interest in being involved. The solution I fear is to have someone with deep pockets willing to set a schedule, establish classes and stick to the plan until trust is reborn. This track cannot rely on the tourist dollar as the tourist attractions are now so expensive I doubt the tourist has budget or energy to participate after a day at Disney. Given the tracks location it might be better to try and attract Brevard countians as the traffic on 50 from Titusville is much lighter than the traffic from 50 west. I have visited the track on multiple occasions for the Joslin memorials and have always found it to be a very racy facility. It will be a shame if we lose it.

[kendo]

What would dirt do? COME ON MAN!

All the dirt tracks in Florida run Saturday nite,and all have decent car counts.A somewhat centrally located track like OSW converted to dirt would draw cars/crowd from East Bay,Hendry,BRP, and VSP...With 2-3 wide racing,that place would pack the house on a Friday or Sunday.

[dd38]

First off you would not get 3 wide racing there. Also if you notice dirt tracks have more sweeping turns than Speed World. You would have to rip up all the asphalt because if you just put dirt on it you would have to raise the walls to get the needed dirt for it to make it safe. And that costs money Ozie is not going to spend. He hates Stock Car racing I have heard from people I know that Drag race. But taking the oval track was part of the deal to get the Drag Strip. All or nothing. He has his little circus going out there and that's the way it is. If he was a man of his word all the BULL SHIT he fed is the night he introduced himself he would have stuck with it. All those POS Drift cars that "Compete" or whatever you call it he charges something like $65 to run/compete. I'm just wishing some sort of miracle would happen because I love that place. Let's wait until something happens like someone getting hurt to see what happens. Trust me I don't want that to happen to anybody but it is going to happen. Have you ever looked at some of those cars!! WOW!!!! I rather take a ride in a Electric Chair!!!

[kendo]

First off you would not get 3 wide racing there.

lmao

[Frasson118]

Dave the Dirt Hater is way out to lunch on this one.

"Wider, sweeping turns" ... East Bay is very close to the same dimensions as OSW. It's considered one of the Top 10 dirt tracks in the country.

Until recently reconfigured, turn 4 at Ocala was never considered wide & sweeping by any driver that put the hammer down in that corner.

"Can't run 3 wide"..... there is a track in Illinois that is only 1/5 mile, and THEY can go 3 wide with full-blown Late Models & Modifiers. Why is that impossible at OSWs 1/3 or 3/8...?

Dave.... we get it that you hate the idea, but putting out false ideas doesn't help any solution.

Here's another idea why dirt WOULD work... Sponsorship. Sponsors put money in front of CROWDS of people, not handfuls of them. They love the new & exciting thing in town. Nothing new or exciting is gonna happen to that track. The damage is done, the reputation stinks, and the support isn't there from top to bottom.

I see 2 options, and they both involve a shovel:
Dig the hole & shove it in.
Or, dig up the asphalt and give a brand new birth to a dying girl.

[dd38]

Hate Dirt? Not really. I just love winged Sprints on dirt. False idea's? I would like nothing better than see it go. Just advertising would be a Great concept. I'd be willing to say no more that 1/10 of 1% of the people in the Central Florida have not ever heard of Speed World let alone know that there is even a track here. All the years that the track has been here (and I have been going since day 1), I have maybe seen/heard any advertising just a handful of times anything west of Alafayla Trail in at least the last 30 years. And where are you going to draw the cars from for dirt? And why did they reconfigure the turn at Ocala? Tell you all, Let's go Downtown Orlando some Friday night and survey the people. Then on a Saturday let's go and survey neighborhoods starting from Downtown and head East, West, North and South as far as you can go. Now this would take A BUNCH of people. And how many do you think would show up to do just this? If this was a dirt track then everyone would be saying to change it over to Asphalt.

[scottgarrity07]

The only way OSW becomes dirt is if Ozzy is out of the picture for both Circle AND Drag Racing at OSW. If he goes dirt that means no more drifting. If he goes dirt then all that dirt in the air floats over to the dragstrip and onto the track. He won't even pay to get the turn two lights and scoreboard fixed, but he's going to pay to reconfigure the track to dirt (over asphalt he just laid down in the infield), buy graders, water trucks and other equipment and pay to constantly maintain the surface? I'd be up for dirt for OSW if that's what it wohld take to keep it alive, but Ozzy ain't gonna do it.

[Lurkin]

I heard the problem over there is all the people on the internets. Not sure if it's true, but that's what I heard.

[UREZ2PASS]

I heard the problem over there is all the people on the internets. Not sure if it's true, but that's what I heard.

LOL ! It's definately part of the problem. If it wasn't , how would everyone on here know the track has been struggling ? It's for damn sure they didn't hear it at the track because only a handful ever went .