FYI: The Pro Truck Divide

[SPATS]

There has and continues to be much conversation regarding the Southern Pro Am Truck Series and the old FASTRUCK/Joey Coulter Truck Series, or now called FASTRUCK Next Generation (as listed in their online posts). No registered name found on Florida's sunbiz.org.

Recent statements have been made by members and followers of the old pro truck series/now FASTRUCK Next Generation (for short FTNG). Statements that include: the Southern Pro Am Truck Series has cancelled scheduled race events, or the two pro truck series are joining, or that certain individuals of the old pro truck series/JCTS/FTNG now own the Southern Pro Am Truck Series, or that FASTRUCK has a $300,000 sponsor…

A handful of drivers and followers of the old pro truck Series/FTNG have decided to hold a meeting today to discuss the start-up and future direction of pro trucks. Three individuals of the old pro truck series/FTNG had called to invite the CEO and participating members of Driver Seat Racing and the Southern Pro Am Truck Series to their meeting. The phone calls did not have an invite tone, rather it was a call to communicate their own agenda and to persuade the Southern Pro Am Truck Series to merge with old pro truck series/FTNG. The Southern Pro Am Truck Series has declined the invitation to attend this meeting due to old pro truck series/FTNG’s misrepresentation, slander, and libel posts directed at the Southern Pro Am Truck Series.

One of the main reasons why the Southern Pro Am Truck Series was formed was to right the wrong on how the old truck series operated and conducted their tech inspections. Other reasons why the Southern Pro Am Truck Series was formed was its mission to bring new drivers to pro truck racing, start building new pro trucks, equalize and lower the investment needed to race a pro truck, and align its rules with other pro truck series in the southern and eastern part of the country. For these reasons, there is a high percentage of pro truck drivers that have embraced this, but unfortunately the race tracks have been caught in the middle. Some track owners are frustrated by the two series and have made a decision to only run their own pro truck races.
To increase the number of pro trucks in Florida, every driver (rookie or veteran) needs to feel confident that they will have a fair opportunity to be competitive. Will pro truck drivers have this confidence at their local track(s) which may allow different tech inspectors to inconsistently tech the consistent top three to five leaders? Will these drivers and tracks be content to have a lower truck count?

The old pro truck series/FTNG is looking to gain sponsors and promises race tracks to put more people in their seats. The Southern Pro Am Truck Series is not responsible for putting more people in the race track’s seats. The responsibility of the Southern Pro Am Truck Series is to network with pro truck drivers, improve the driver’s overall experience, bring in a large truck count which in turn brings in more people through the track’s pit gates, inform pro truck teams to purchase food, tires and fuel from the track, and to provide a great show…, and when this happens everyone wins.

Currently the Southern Pro Am Truck Series takes 95% of what sponsors and tracks are paying and applies those funds directly into the payout. The other 5% is used to support social media, websites, advertising, paying race day tech inspectors (to do the job right), and administrative support. As sponsorship dollars and pro truck counts increase, so will the payouts and the advertising/exposure of the pro truck Series’ races.

As the FASTRUCK Next Generation states, their Series decisions will be made by their drivers. Was this statement made due to negative feedback of the individuals involved with getting the old pro truck series/FASTRUCK Next Generation back on their feet? The Southern Pro Am Truck Series tried this committee concept and quickly learned that this type of organization was unproductive as each driver had their own agenda, own opinions, blatantly showed lack of respect for other drivers…this fostered more of a divide than unified. The Southern Pro Am Truck Series has and continues to accept suggestions from pro truck advocates, drivers and teams that have ideas on how to improve pro truck racing in Florida. These ideas and suggestions are discussed among Southern Pro Am Truck Series’ consulting firm, administrators and the Series’ well respected tech inspector.

The Southern Pro Am Truck Series would like to reply to the old pro truck/FASTRUCK Next Generation administrator’s numerous postings regarding the Southern Pro Am Truck Series. It is a true fact that in the 2013 start-up of the Southern Pro Am Truck Series, the Series initially reached out to numerous pro truck drivers, owners, and advocates. Mr. Bobby Diehl was one of the many advocates that were contacted. The Series contacted Mr. Diehl to learn what lead to the demise of FASTRUCK, and to find out whether or not Mr. Diehl would be a good resource for the Southern Pro Am Truck Series. Mr. Diehl was willing to speak with the Southern Pro Am Truck Series, shared his story, informed the Series that he had no intentions of getting back into promoting a racing series due to personal reasons, and he accepted the Series’ invitation to attended as a consultant at the first and only Southern Pro Am Truck Series’ committee meeting.

Upon first contact with Mr. Diehl, the Series was optimistic about the information he willingly shared and with the amount of names/businesses he associates himself with. Unfortunately after Mr. Diehl’s unwarranted and erroneous posts, an unconfirmed deal he made with a contingency sponsor and the negative feedback received from race tracks unwilling to work with anyone associated with Mr. Diehl, the Southern Pro Am Truck Series quickly made the decision to discontinue the relationship. Recently, Mr. Diehl contacted the Southern Pro Am Truck Series to inform the Series that the promoter of the Joey Coulter Series stepped down and suggested that the Southern Pro Am Truck Series take advantage of this transition.

In 2013, the Southern Pro Am Truck Series agreed to meet with the promoter of the old Joey Coulter Truck Series; this meeting was requested by a local Florida race track owner with the hope that the two Series would agree to merge. This meeting was unproductive as the promoter was unwilling to merge with the Southern Pro Am Truck Series, belittled the Series’ mission/vision and communicated that the Southern Pro Am Truck Series would fail.

For various reasons, the Southern Pro Am Truck Series understands that having two pro truck series is not in the best interest of the local race tracks. Due to the past history of the old pro truck series and promoters, the Southern Pro Am Truck Series believes that it is in the best interest for pro truck drivers to have two Series; it makes all involved work harder to provide their members with a better experience.

When the Southern Pro Am Truck Series was invited to attend the old pro truck series/FASTRUCK New Generation meeting to discuss the future of Florida pro trucks, one analogy came to mind: Why jump on a sinking ship lead by a captain who you know was responsible for another sinking ship.

Pro truck drivers will race with a Series that offers a fair and competitive atmosphere or provides the largest payout. Currently the Southern Pro Am Truck Series is self-sponsored, meaning that the owners, administrators, members and tracks support the Series’ payouts.

As the Southern Pro Am Truck Series works hard contacting potential and relevant sponsors, we are quick to learn that verbal commitments mean nothing until there is a signed contract. If you are a pro truck driver and you hear or read an announcement that a Series has signed with a large title sponsor, has a new contingency sponsor, or worked a great deal with a fuel or tire company, etc…as a participating member of that Series, you have every right to request a copy of the signed contract that validates the announcement.

The Southern Pro Am Truck Series is making every effort to do things the right way, which in turn will protect the Series and most importantly those pro truck drivers that want to see the number of pro truck drivers grow within Florida.

[Matt Albee]

Holy cow that was boring!! The warning about not operating heavy machinery certainly applies after reading that post.
Going from past experience, i'm betting that neither of these series are still around next year. I think your anticipated fan and track interest is way overblown. The tracks don't need a touring series of truck bodied street stocks, they can, and in some cases have, developed their own.
But from a fan's point of view, here's an idea. Somebody should develop a series for pro lates or super lates with truck bodies. Trucks that look and sound like the nascar version. Promoted correctly, that would be a winner.
By the way, who are the pros and who are the ams?

[Lurkin]

That
.
.
.
was
.
.
.
wordy...

Can you get to the point?

Signed,
Literally Everyone

[OldSchool+]

Here's da point, boss, da point

"When the Southern Pro Am Truck Series was invited to attend the old pro truck series/FASTRUCK New Generation meeting to discuss the future of Florida pro trucks, one analogy came to mind: Why jump on a sinking ship led by a captain who you know was responsible for another sinking ship."--Spats

In other words, Pro Truck ain't hitchin' wagons with Bobby Diehl's deal.

Am hoping that the racers--spending their cash--come out okay in the end.

[Lurkin]

Oh, well I could tell that just from the name of the thing.

[Rick B.]

I wanted to leave this alone but when it is a lie… you reply

SPATS Claim ………..."In 2013, the Southern Pro Am Truck Series agreed to meet with the promoter of the old Joey Coulter Truck Series; this meeting was requested by a local Florida race track owner with the hope that the two Series would agree to merge. This meeting was unproductive as the promoter was unwilling to merge with the Southern Pro Am Truck Series, belittled the Series’ mission/vision and communicated that the Southern Pro Am Truck Series would fail"


This is not the truth……….because I and Joey did not agree with the rushing of changing certain rules and allowing fabricated clips in…..that was the biggest snag to SPATS by far. We offered to work together and work into the future on putting in the rules but after the proper time and procedures to do so. We left the meeting and are later told no. That is the truth, so please tell the truth when you post something. We actually worked in some of the rules after testing some and making the rules cost effective to do in a time frame to be easier for drivers. The clips were something being considered over the next year or so, but certain ones wanted that asap. That is why it did not go, not because we were not willing. I am out of it now, but I am not going to have SPATS post a false statement in their post.

[ProblemChild]

Come on Man

You are on here making all these claims. First lets go to the fact that you have had what 3 races and got a 15 truck turnout at a track that drivers have been begging to run a decent truck race. This is not a wow achievement. Most of these are all the same trucks racing at Destoto the track that averages over 20 trucks. Second the pay out, despite what is said the advertisement was for $100 to start the race and that was not what was paid. Now the rules and tech, Really, you have no rule for the 603 at all but that was over 3/4 of your field, So its add weight at techs discretion (a tech man that has a nephew racing) not saying he is bad man or cheating for his nephew but that is still not something you should ever have. Now the built motors in your rules, Is this a 305, 350,400, which motor cause you guys never say, so I guess its run what you brung. Then your post race tech, you weighed the trucks, checked the carbs and checked that components where steel under the trucks. This is not some great overwhelming tech. Give me 5 minutes with my 12 year old and I could teach them to tech that. So the tech man is a good but he was not challenged at all and we celebrate that. From what I understand that is the exact same tech they did at Citrus but no one is running around patting themselves on the back for doing basics. Then last your job is not to help put people in the seats of the tracks. Dude we need the tracks so helping them get fans should Always be a priority. no track, no race.

PS you keep calling this Bobby Diehl's thing, He is on to help promote. that doesn't make it his thing.

[Bobby Diehl]

There has and continues to be much conversation regarding the Southern Pro Am Truck Series and the old FASTRUCK/Joey Coulter Truck Series, or now called FASTRUCK Next Generation (as listed in their online posts). No registered name found on Florida's sunbiz.org.

Recent statements have been made by members and followers of the old pro truck series/now FASTRUCK Next Generation (for short FTNG). Statements that include: the Southern Pro Am Truck Series has cancelled scheduled race events, or the two pro truck series are joining, or that certain individuals of the old pro truck series/JCTS/FTNG now own the Southern Pro Am Truck Series, or that FASTRUCK has a $300,000 sponsor…

A handful of drivers and followers of the old pro truck Series/FTNG have decided to hold a meeting today to discuss the start-up and future direction of pro trucks. Three individuals of the old pro truck series/FTNG had called to invite the CEO and participating members of Driver Seat Racing and the Southern Pro Am Truck Series to their meeting. The phone calls did not have an invite tone, rather it was a call to communicate their own agenda and to persuade the Southern Pro Am Truck Series to merge with old pro truck series/FTNG. The Southern Pro Am Truck Series has declined the invitation to attend this meeting due to old pro truck series/FTNG’s misrepresentation, slander, and libel posts directed at the Southern Pro Am Truck Series.

One of the main reasons why the Southern Pro Am Truck Series was formed was to right the wrong on how the old truck series operated and conducted their tech inspections. Other reasons why the Southern Pro Am Truck Series was formed was its mission to bring new drivers to pro truck racing, start building new pro trucks, equalize and lower the investment needed to race a pro truck, and align its rules with other pro truck series in the southern and eastern part of the country. For these reasons, there is a high percentage of pro truck drivers that have embraced this, but unfortunately the race tracks have been caught in the middle. Some track owners are frustrated by the two series and have made a decision to only run their own pro truck races.
To increase the number of pro trucks in Florida, every driver (rookie or veteran) needs to feel confident that they will have a fair opportunity to be competitive. Will pro truck drivers have this confidence at their local track(s) which may allow different tech inspectors to inconsistently tech the consistent top three to five leaders? Will these drivers and tracks be content to have a lower truck count?

The old pro truck series/FTNG is looking to gain sponsors and promises race tracks to put more people in their seats. The Southern Pro Am Truck Series is not responsible for putting more people in the race track’s seats. The responsibility of the Southern Pro Am Truck Series is to network with pro truck drivers, improve the driver’s overall experience, bring in a large truck count which in turn brings in more people through the track’s pit gates, inform pro truck teams to purchase food, tires and fuel from the track, and to provide a great show…, and when this happens everyone wins.

Currently the Southern Pro Am Truck Series takes 95% of what sponsors and tracks are paying and applies those funds directly into the payout. The other 5% is used to support social media, websites, advertising, paying race day tech inspectors (to do the job right), and administrative support. As sponsorship dollars and pro truck counts increase, so will the payouts and the advertising/exposure of the pro truck Series’ races.

As the FASTRUCK Next Generation states, their Series decisions will be made by their drivers. Was this statement made due to negative feedback of the individuals involved with getting the old pro truck series/FASTRUCK Next Generation back on their feet? The Southern Pro Am Truck Series tried this committee concept and quickly learned that this type of organization was unproductive as each driver had their own agenda, own opinions, blatantly showed lack of respect for other drivers…this fostered more of a divide than unified. The Southern Pro Am Truck Series has and continues to accept suggestions from pro truck advocates, drivers and teams that have ideas on how to improve pro truck racing in Florida. These ideas and suggestions are discussed among Southern Pro Am Truck Series’ consulting firm, administrators and the Series’ well respected tech inspector.

The Southern Pro Am Truck Series would like to reply to the old pro truck/FASTRUCK Next Generation administrator’s numerous postings regarding the Southern Pro Am Truck Series. It is a true fact that in the 2013 start-up of the Southern Pro Am Truck Series, the Series initially reached out to numerous pro truck drivers, owners, and advocates. Mr. Bobby Diehl was one of the many advocates that were contacted. The Series contacted Mr. Diehl to learn what lead to the demise of FASTRUCK, and to find out whether or not Mr. Diehl would be a good resource for the Southern Pro Am Truck Series. Mr. Diehl was willing to speak with the Southern Pro Am Truck Series, shared his story, informed the Series that he had no intentions of getting back into promoting a racing series due to personal reasons, and he accepted the Series’ invitation to attended as a consultant at the first and only Southern Pro Am Truck Series’ committee meeting.

Upon first contact with Mr. Diehl, the Series was optimistic about the information he willingly shared and with the amount of names/businesses he associates himself with. Unfortunately after Mr. Diehl’s unwarranted and erroneous posts, an unconfirmed deal he made with a contingency sponsor and the negative feedback received from race tracks unwilling to work with anyone associated with Mr. Diehl, the Southern Pro Am Truck Series quickly made the decision to discontinue the relationship. Recently, Mr. Diehl contacted the Southern Pro Am Truck Series to inform the Series that the promoter of the Joey Coulter Series stepped down and suggested that the Southern Pro Am Truck Series take advantage of this transition.

In 2013, the Southern Pro Am Truck Series agreed to meet with the promoter of the old Joey Coulter Truck Series; this meeting was requested by a local Florida race track owner with the hope that the two Series would agree to merge. This meeting was unproductive as the promoter was unwilling to merge with the Southern Pro Am Truck Series, belittled the Series’ mission/vision and communicated that the Southern Pro Am Truck Series would fail.

For various reasons, the Southern Pro Am Truck Series understands that having two pro truck series is not in the best interest of the local race tracks. Due to the past history of the old pro truck series and promoters, the Southern Pro Am Truck Series believes that it is in the best interest for pro truck drivers to have two Series; it makes all involved work harder to provide their members with a better experience.

When the Southern Pro Am Truck Series was invited to attend the old pro truck series/FASTRUCK New Generation meeting to discuss the future of Florida pro trucks, one analogy came to mind: Why jump on a sinking ship lead by a captain who you know was responsible for another sinking ship.

Pro truck drivers will race with a Series that offers a fair and competitive atmosphere or provides the largest payout. Currently the Southern Pro Am Truck Series is self-sponsored, meaning that the owners, administrators, members and tracks support the Series’ payouts.

As the Southern Pro Am Truck Series works hard contacting potential and relevant sponsors, we are quick to learn that verbal commitments mean nothing until there is a signed contract. If you are a pro truck driver and you hear or read an announcement that a Series has signed with a large title sponsor, has a new contingency sponsor, or worked a great deal with a fuel or tire company, etc…as a participating member of that Series, you have every right to request a copy of the signed contract that validates the announcement.

The Southern Pro Am Truck Series is making every effort to do things the right way, which in turn will protect the Series and most importantly those pro truck drivers that want to see the number of pro truck drivers grow within Florida.

WOW.???? Famous quote used to express the validity of said rather lengthy post. "Just spell my name right!!!!" WOW!!!! I know my old friend Larry Moyer had a good laugh and a smile on his face after that rant. Kind of sounds like Paralegal wrote this one.

[Bobby Diehl]

Sorry Rick.

SPATS Claim ………..."In 2013, the Southern Pro Am Truck Series agreed to meet with the promoter of the old Joey Coulter Truck Series; this meeting was requested by a local Florida race track owner with the hope that the two Series would agree to merge. This meeting was unproductive as the promoter was unwilling to merge with the Southern Pro Am Truck Series, belittled the Series’ mission/vision and communicated that the Southern Pro Am Truck Series would fail"


This is not the truth……….because I and Joey did not agree with the rushing of changing certain rules and allowing fabricated clips in…..that was the biggest snag to SPATS by far. We offered to work together and work into the future on putting in the rules but after the proper time and procedures to do so. We left the meeting and are later told no. That is the truth, so please tell the truth when you post something. We actually worked in some of the rules after testing some and making the rules cost effective to do in a time frame to be easier for drivers. The clips were something being considered over the next year or so, but certain ones wanted that asap. That is why it did not go, not because we were not willing. I am out of it now, but I am not going to have SPATS post a false statement in their post.

Sorry Rick just when you thought you were done with type of BS. Hope your feeling better.

[Bobby Diehl]

Check out the "Filling the empty seat".

Last night we (FTNG) were at Quake Steak & Lube. Check out the post "Filling the empty seat". Sorry to high jack your (rather lengthy rant) post.
THANKS from BD of the FTNG

[Groundpounder]

I am not going to have SPATS post a false statement in their post.

Well, they did make a statement and you can't do a thing about it! LOL You say they are lying...really??? They are??? I have learned in life never believe a guy that says "I'm not lying" as you do.

You know if you went down in flames and are out as you say, for whatever reasons, stay there for awhile...

[OldSchool+]

GP,

It would seem that if someone says they are telling the truth, there may be two things that actually could be happening.

If someone says that someone else is lying, again, there could be two scenarios happening objectively.

To discount anything out of hand may lead one down the wrong path.

Speaking of which, like the tree falling in the forest that does make a noise, there is accountability by at the end of days for it all...

So, would suggest trying to look at things through that prism and take a "wait and see" stance if one is empirically unsure.

[gary laplant]

[QUOTE=Rick B.;159139]SPATS Claim ………..."In 2013, the Southern Pro Am Truck Series agreed to meet with the promoter of the old Joey Coulter Truck Series; this meeting was requested by a local Florida race track owner with the hope that the two Series would agree to merge. This meeting was unproductive as the promoter was unwilling to merge with the Southern Pro Am Truck Series, belittled the Series’ mission/vision and communicated that the Southern Pro Am Truck Series would fail"


I was the promoter that asked for the meeting in 2013 and I still say there should only be one truck series. I have spoke with Bobby D and Danny Anderson about the Fastruck generation seires I have also spoke with Bobby Owens of the SPAT series in asking both of them to sit down and talk again as a full group from both series. In reading all of this all that is happening is a big mess for the drivers and the great fans that all of track owenrs have. So truck series personal let sit down and work your personal problem out and dont make the drivers and the fans pay this great price of all this.

I also have said that all track owners should work togehter much more also as a full team to make Florida Short Track at its best.

The main goal is to have more car or truck along with fans at our local track to have full granstand and good car count. Not working together has shown low car count and low fans in the seats at some of our local tracksover the last year.

As a owner of a track we may not like each other 100% but if we work together better we can save money in many ways and would give us buying power on our food, fuel, tires, beer, etc. Have our rules the same payout the same start of each other schedule of big races. Let put the fun back into Floida Short Track races. I would be very willing to sit down with all the track owners to work many problems out in Florida Short Track racing anybody other track owner willing???

Just MY thought
Gary Laplant

[Groundpounder]

GP,

It would seem that if someone says they are telling the truth, there may be two things that actually could be happening.

If someone says that someone else is lying, again, there could be two scenarios happening objectively.

To discount anything out of hand may lead one down the wrong path.

Speaking of which, like the tree falling in the forest that does make a noise, there is accountability by at the end of days for it all...

So, would suggest trying to look at things through that prism and take a "wait and see" stance if one is empirically unsure.

This is quite true (as AJ would say) but...
this guy has a history of whining and calling everyone a liar here that disagrees with him.

[scottgarrity07]

[QUOTE=gary laplant;159154]

SPATS Claim ………..."In 2013, the Southern Pro Am Truck Series agreed to meet with the promoter of the old Joey Coulter Truck Series; this meeting was requested by a local Florida race track owner with the hope that the two Series would agree to merge. This meeting was unproductive as the promoter was unwilling to merge with the Southern Pro Am Truck Series, belittled the Series’ mission/vision and communicated that the Southern Pro Am Truck Series would fail"


I was the promoter that asked for the meeting in 2013 and I still say there should only be one truck series. I have spoke with Bobby D and Danny Anderson about the Fastruck generation seires I have also spoke with Bobby Owens of the SPAT series in asking both of them to sit down and talk again as a full group from both series. In reading all of this all that is happening is a big mess for the drivers and the great fans that all of track owenrs have. So truck series personal let sit down and work your personal problem out and dont make the drivers and the fans pay this great price of all this.

I also have said that all track owners should work togehter much more also as a full team to make Florida Short Track at its best.

The main goal is to have more car or truck along with fans at our local track to have full granstand and good car count. Not working together has shown low car count and low fans in the seats at some of our local tracksover the last year.

As a owner of a track we may not like each other 100% but if we work together better we can save money in many ways and would give us buying power on our food, fuel, tires, beer, etc. Have our rules the same payout the same start of each other schedule of big races. Let put the fun back into Floida Short Track races. I would be very willing to sit down with all the track owners to work many problems out in Florida Short Track racing anybody other track owner willing???

Just MY thought
Gary Laplant

Great post, Gary. Can't argue with any of the points you make. However there seems to be a great divide between FTNG and SPATS. Calling each other names is not helping the situation. Unfortunately we've seen this type of divide on a grander scale with CART/IRL and more recently ALMS/Grand Am. The lesson learned is that when you divide one class between two sanctioning bodies both sides ultimately lose. Division makes a lesser of the whole. In the end, one side will win but at what cost? It's hard to come out of one of these deals as the "victor" without being nearly mortally wounded in the process. After reading these posts by both sides it seems that a compromise is not likely anytime soon. It's too bad that all the Pro Truck guys have to be caught in the middle on this deal. They are the big losers on this deal. If the issue of a fabricated clip is such a big deal then put a weight penalty on them and be done with it. Unfortunately the rift appears to be more about ego and having things "your way" at this point. Sad to say, I'm feeling really good this morning that I don't race a Pro Truck.