what's going on in N.FL pavement scene?

[ScottPrentice]

I live in Jefferson county FL-
closest track is South Georgia Motorsports Park. Been closed and looks to stay that way.
Columbia/Ellisville is 90 minutes away- been closed and looks like it will be in 2015- I haven't read or heard otherwise.
Bronson- 2+ hours away has been having trouble with car counts for a while now. 2015 schedule just came out and looks pretty much like last year. (biggest show they had in the last 4 years was when they ran Late Models last fall and they're not on the schedule for next season)
Citrus County Speedway- about a 3 hour drive. I haven't heard or read a thing about next season and there is no schedule on their website.

Look to the west-
the SSS and the new Modifieds of Mayhem tour are running 14 shows between Mobile, 5 Flags, and South Alabama- add in a June race for the SSS in Cordele, GA. and I have 15 solid SLM and open Mod races within 2-3 hours of my house during a 30 week season (3/15- 10/17).

You would think between the 4 tracks and towns the size of Valdosta, Lake City, Gainesville, Ocala, and Inverness- not to mention Jacksonville and Tallahassee- we could have some racing around here....

[Renegade Racing Fuels]

Jump on I-75 and head down to Desoto Speedway. Super Lates, Late Models, Open wheel Modifieds, Mini-Stocks, and some Sprint Car shows, Figure Eights, and Monster Trucks.
Ellisville might run some races too.

[bowlegs]

I was hoping SSS would hit ellisville this year. Great place for a north FL versus south FL battle

[SeminoleWind]

I'm feeling your pain....same dire situation for pavement racing in Atlanta as well.

Senoia has been dirt for 5 years now with only moderate success. Was only moderately successful as asphalt as well.

Lanier has been shut down for 3 years, although now being resurrected as a rally/kart/drifting type facility but no oval track racing planned. Hosted 150 plus race cars and 5000 fans weekly a decade ago.

Gresham decided to call it quits last year. Excellent management team but struggled to get local racers interested in the very fast 1/2 mile that readily consumed race cars. A popular test track with the Nascar teams until the test ban was put in place, which sealed it's fate.

Only the Atlanta Motor Speedway 1/4 mile Legends track and Watermelon Capital Speedway (3 hours south) remain in Georgia if you want to race or watch the blacktop.

A decade ago, there were easily 300 to 400 asphalt racers in the Atlanta area. Most have retired. Couple of dozen went dirt racing. 2 or 3 tow 3 hours east to Greenville-Pickens. 2 or 3 tow to 3 hours south to Cordele. About 10 Super Late Model teams tow to Pensecola, Mobile and/or Montgomery.

[bowlegs]

Wow no circle track racing at Lanier? Bleepidy bleep drift crap?!!

[Nickel and Dime]

Would love for Ellisville to open back up! Ran Bronson some last year but it just wasn't working out for me. So like so many other North Florida racers, I'll be starting at NFS in a couple of weeks. I really think that with the right owner/manager, Ellisville could pull a lot of cars off the jack stands and have a good field again! It don't hurt to hope.....

[ScottPrentice]

I was hoping SSS would hit ellisville this year. Great place for a north FL versus south FL battle

That would be cool or how about a Brighthouse series race- or better yet a combined event?
Actually I think SGMP would be better for that type of event but I won't hold my breath for either of those to happen.

The SSS will be in Cordele in June so that may get a few Florida teams....

[ScottPrentice]

Would love for Ellisville to open back up! Ran Bronson some last year but it just wasn't working out for me. So like so many other North Florida racers, I'll be starting at NFS in a couple of weeks. I really think that with the right owner/manager, Ellisville could pull a lot of cars off the jack stands and have a good field again! It don't hurt to hope.....

I hear what you're saying but I don't think the track will ever reopen for weekly racing- too many have switched to dirt or have gotten out of the sport.

[ScottPrentice]

I stand corrected

According to the Real Friends of Bronson Speedway facebook page Late Models ARE going to be running once a month this season- Yeah!

Real Friends of Bronson Speedway
January 15 at 8:24am · Edited ·
From LeRoy Davidson: Late Models will be added to the 2015 schedule on the first Saturday in each month. I will post these dates up to the July break, then will post the second half of the year at that time. Late Model dates will be April 4, May 2, June 6, and will all be 35 laps. Also, Robby Cooper with Bronson Lube in Bronson will be sponsoring a 50-lap $1000 to win race for Sportsman and a 50-lap $800 to win Pure Stock race, dates to be announced.
Like · Comment · 1611

BTW- Citrus County Speedway now has the first 2 months of the schedule up on their website.