Citrus???

[gary laplant]

Matt

Sometime big purse work and at time it does not.

Look At Sprints last Year Yoho Put a race on top of my with a 5000.00 to win I had 1000.00 to win he had 8 cars I had 21. A couple of months ago Desoto had a 100 lap Late model race 5000.00 to win they had 18 cars. Same Night I had a 25 Late model race and had 14 car with 800.00 to win. BUt I fully undersand what your saying it all depends on the timing of the racers on where there wanting to race at. But I do know a lot of changes has to me made to get Florida SHort Track racing back where it should be.


I think we should have never got rid of all the traveling series they helped the local tracks.

JUst My thoughts.

[egspeedway]

One thing that complicates cooperation among tracks and owners is the tire and fuel companies getting tracks to align with their product to the exclusion of others by supporting the point funds. If tires from every manufacturer were legal at all tracks then with the number of classes and cars, it would make it much easier to align classes within the geographical areas. As it is competitors without deep pockets choose a track and brand and rarely go elsewhere. By the way most of your weekly racers don't have deep pockets.

[Matt Albee]

One thing that complicates cooperation among tracks and owners is the tire and fuel companies getting tracks to align with their product to the exclusion of others by supporting the point funds. If tires from every manufacturer were legal at all tracks then with the number of classes and cars, it would make it much easier to align classes within the geographical areas. As it is competitors without deep pockets choose a track and brand and rarely go elsewhere. By the way most of your weekly racers don't have deep pockets.

100% correct. The tire and gas companies love to buy up race tracks and race series to keep their competitors out. There's nothing wrong with having wide open rules as far as brands go. But you'll always hear from self serving racers that open rules will just cost the racer more money. I don't know how many tire companies there are, but there's no reason to exclude any of them. Same with the gas companies. Desoto lets every gas run as far as i know, and the world hasn't come to an end yet. I also see more tracks eliminating the tire impound nonsense. They're coming around.

[Matt Albee]

Matt

Sometime big purse work and at time it does not.

Look At Sprints last Year Yoho Put a race on top of my with a 5000.00 to win I had 1000.00 to win he had 8 cars I had 21. A couple of months ago Desoto had a 100 lap Late model race 5000.00 to win they had 18 cars. Same Night I had a 25 Late model race and had 14 car with 800.00 to win. BUt I fully undersand what your saying it all depends on the timing of the racers on where there wanting to race at. But I do know a lot of changes has to me made to get Florida SHort Track racing back where it should be.


I think we should have never got rid of all the traveling series they helped the local tracks.

JUst My thoughts.

I was thinking more along the lines of Modified Mini Stock, or Street Stock, or Thunderstock type cars. Huge purses, huge car counts. You give those guys a race that pays 500 to start, and you'll have the place packed. Those classes are the majority of the cars that race at Yohos'. And there's plenty of them in Central Florida. Then you retain as many of those cars as possible with smaller but still good weekly payouts. Build your classes using rules that make sense. The racers will show up.
Bring in a SLM show or OWMs, or Sportsman, or Sprints from time to time, but get lower classes built up to be a rock solid 60 cars per week.
Traveling series were the thing alright, but they died a while back. Too expensive to bring them in, and not enough cars to get the fans interested. Oh, and forget the truck thing too. Most race fans wouldn't walk across the street to watch street stocks with pick up truck bodies and automatic transmissions. Lump them into the Sportsman class.

[gary laplant]

Matt

If four track joined hand to have buying power to buy everything for there track and we all have our own account. Then we have the power to got to every vendor there is and say we are going to go with the best price and product you have for us so give us your best cost. Joining hand make all the since in the world to save money as a group bigger discount and better advertisement from vendors in the long run. Then the saving can come on done to the drivers also.

If a track owner can save 2 cents on everthing we sell at the track to join hand that can lead up to some big saving at the end of the year.


Just my thoughts

[Matt Albee]

Matt

If four track joined hand to have buying power to buy everything for there track and we all have our own account. Then we have the power to got to every vendor there is and say we are going to go with the best price and product you have for us so give us your best cost. Joining hand make all the since in the world to save money as a group bigger discount and better advertisement from vendors in the long run. Then the saving can come on done to the drivers also.

If a track owner can save 2 cents on everthing we sell at the track to join hand that can lead up to some big saving at the end of the year.


Just my thoughts

Maybe, but if the other 3 tracks aren't going to work with you ( and they're not ) then i don't see where it's worth it. Do your own thing, you don't really have much choice. I know Desoto brought in Renegade, Showtime has VP. There's plenty of choices out there.
One last piece of free advice. Build an import class. Call it Mini Stock and open it up to ALL imports. Or start a Tuner class that's open to ALL imports and accept most modifications within reason. You can be a racing pioneer here Gary.

[UREZ2PASS]

Gary, here's a solid piece of advice. Get out of the lease at citrus and find something else to do. Don't get involved with another track. Don't look back, be done with racing. There's other things to do. This was free advice, next appointment will be our regular fees.

[OldSchool+]

Gary, for your consideration:

>For whatever reason, the other track operators are not interested in joint efforts.

>For whatever reason, some competitors feel slighted and will not currently race at Citrus, as is their prerogative.

>Fans have watched Citrus go from a large field of cars, to...waiting for the lights to come back on. Many have found other venues or other activities, and, like changing brands of beer, we tend to be creatures of habit.

>So, IF the race(s) in July and August are not barnburners with lots of before hand advertising, I am fearful that Citrus will be relegated to the same status as Speed World, a non-relevant facility.

The racing business is cutthroat, at every level. Always has been.

I would suggest assessing your entire deal--which at this point, "fair" or not, lies solely on your shoulders, and decide how best to move forward. Many Cup owners (Roush, Waltrip, Petty) have found partners with deep pockets. Many (McClure, Donlevy in '06, Johnson) have moved on to literally greener pastures.

[Phil Jacques]

I am always all for giving people a chance, but let's not forget the definition of insanity is repeating the same thing over and over and expecting a different result... As I said before, it's all who you surround yourself with and sure the owner or promoter becomes the fall guy, in this case it's Gary. But how many times has it happened. Is it truly worth another try? But then again, FL seems to enjoy the insanity...

[Roger Mashburn]

I've been saddened by what has happened at Citrus County because I've enjoyed it for ten plus years or so, so I'd like to think stepping back and regrouping can help turn things around. I do think there is something to the schedule New Smyrna has going and I think rotating headlining classes with a couple nice payoff late model and modified shows is the way to go. Last year I took in the non-wing sprint shows and I think the tire soaking fiasco might have killed that class of unfortunately. Maybe they should just let Stan Butler run the non-wing sprint deal for them?

I'm trying to stay positive because I'd like to start going back there on a regular basis in the fall.

[Weftracing96]

Your options are:

1. Give it another chance.

2. Tow a long way.

3. Wait til 2017"......maybe.

I'd at least try option 1.

[OldSchool+]

"FL seems to enjoy the insanity..." Mr. Jacques

Like we gotsa choice.

[Phil Jacques]

"FL seems to enjoy the insanity..." Mr. Jacques

Like we gotsa choice.

Well, you ALWAYS have a choice. But you always choose the easy way out lol Success isn't easy. In your years of wisdom, you should know that.

[Phil Jacques]

Your options are:

1. Give it another chance.

2. Tow a long way.

3. Wait til 2017"......maybe.

I'd at least try option 1.

If Gary want's to change the negativity that follows him, one of the easiest things he can do is be open minded and do what he can (within reason) to give the racers and fans what they need to be happy. If that means finding a way to bring in a little extra purse, so be it. If that means a few rule changes or division combinations to help increase fields and align other rules with other tracks. Do it... Open up and listen, be willing. Don't cross your arms and close your mind and do it the way you think will be best ALL the time. We are all in this TOGETHER. He needs racers to succeed. The racers in FL have a bunch of different choices. Much like when I lived in Orlando and use to drive past OSW to head to CCS to watch racing a number of years back, drivers and fans surely do the same now if they feel like they get a better deal elsewhere.

[OldSchool+]

Re: Choice.

For all:

Go to the races or not go to the races?

Spectators:

Where is the best show, given the admission, gasoline, time, all that?
THAT IS OUR ONLY CHOICE.

Racers:

It's close. Where will I tow to that I will be treated well, that I feel the purse if fair, and where I feel I can be competitive? Phil, am guessing that is your choice also. "Treated Well" seems to be at the top of the racers list, and as my bud says "How can you guess at the future except by judgements of the past?"
THAT TOO IS THEIR ONLY CHOICE.

SO--IMO, the choice is truly up to the track operator. Do you have a thick skin and can you put up with the shennanigans that the racers bring with their cars? Do you have the necessary fundage to pay a decent--or better than decent-- purse? Nevermind what the other track operators can do for you. Where are the most cars? Right now that is New Smyrna & St Pete. The cars are built to their rules. Should your rules or classes be different?

It is unfortunate that the pendulum swings per a handful of people. But it is what it is.