I'm just going to leave this here...

SidsView Exclusive - 06.04.2015

You guys can view this as you would like, but I wanted to share this with all of you. In my eyes, this is exactly the type of person that tracks all over this country need. Shawn was a rough and rugged racer... Scott will tell you this first hand, but at the end of the day he was respected by many. He was a racer from the bottom to the top and has a true passion for the sport. He runs his own successful business, and after being given the chance to take over as manager of the New London-Waterford Speedbowl in a very short time, with his back against the wall in many ways, it's very clear why he was chosen to manage our track. Short Track Racing needs more people like Shawn. This isn't a direct stab at anyone but hopefully it will help and inspire some track owners, managers and promoters in FL in some way.

[OldSchool+]

Phil,

Thank you for sharing a heartwarming story. Nice guy, nicely laid out track, beautiful cars, great crowd. And per the other "Sid's View" vids, great on track racing.

A straight up question though. A lot of what he has accomplished--track improvements, pit improvements, possibly purse improvements--have apparently been facilitated with Bruce's...help.

How would Shawn's great personality, intentions, and governing ability convert to Bithlo or Citrus, without that backing? No cars, no crowd, poor lighting & etc., and limited funds? And a rent check due, regardless.

Another way to say it...Yoho has, let's say, a different approach than Shawn. Make no mistake, I am fond of the guy and his antics, and am strongly considering making the haul to St Pete this weekend, but the approach seems to be "different".

Yet Showtime is successful. The commonality (imo)? Adequate funds to properly get the job done. Perhaps that will be more apparent to local owners (that are not interested in investing in their facility themselves) moving forward.

Again, thank you for sharing. As Shawn mentions, he, and you, and all that are associated with the New London Waterford Speedbowl are truly...Blessed.

[Phil Jacques]

Phil,

Thank you for sharing a heartwarming story. Nice guy, nicely laid out track, beautiful cars, great crowd. And per the other "Sid's View" vids, great on track racing.

A straight up question though. A lot of what he has accomplished--track improvements, pit improvements, possibly purse improvements--have apparently been facilitated with Bruce's...help.

How would Shawn's great personality and intentions convert to Bithlo or Citrus, without that backing?

Another way to say it...Yoho has, let's say, a different approach. Make no mistake, I am fond of the guy and his antics, and am strongly considering making the haul to St Pete this weekend, but the approach seems to be "different".

Yet Showtime is successful. The commonality (imo)? Adequate funds to properly get the job done. Perhaps that will be more apparent to local owners (that are not interested in investing in their facility themselves) moving forward.

Again, thank you for sharing. As Shawn mentions, he, and you, and all that are associated with the New London Waterford Speedbowl are truly...Blessed.

This wasn't in any way meant to be turned into a money discussion. Bruce owns a petroleum company and a tractor trailer training school. He has solid finances behind him and owns the track outright, but that aside, it's a pure desire to improve and the open-minded approach that this video is all about. Not the "my way or the highway" mentality I see many other places across the country. Fyi, Waterford is the lowest paying track in New England... $250 to win for our Limited Sportsman division on a weekly basis and $35 for 20th on back... But it's all worth it knowing you are treated well, tech'd fairly and you are in front of a well packed grandstand. The improvements to the facility for us as racers has been a bonus. All we have wanted there, was fairness and respect and an open approach. We finally have that. That is what is making things so much better. As he said in the video, the vibe is so much different. There is something special going on and you can feel it in the air. It's amazing what simply cleaning up a place and putting a coat of paint on it with a friendly and fair staff and an open minded approach can do for morale... I wish you guys could have experienced the morale there last year compared to now... You would be blown away...

[OldSchool+]

"There is something special going on and you can feel it in the air. It's amazing what simply cleaning up a place and putting a coat of paint on it with a friendly and fair staff and an open minded approach can do for morale."--pj

Am glad you are part of all that, there is hope that "feeling" could come to some tracks that lend themselves to great racing here.

[Phil Jacques]

"There is something special going on and you can feel it in the air. It's amazing what simply cleaning up a place and putting a coat of paint on it with a friendly and fair staff and an open minded approach can do for morale."--pj

Am glad you are part of all that, there is hope that "feeling" could come to some tracks that lend themselves to great racing here.

I firmly believe that if some of the tracks there adapted this approach, things would improve very quickly... VERY quickly

What is going on at Desoto with Bobby is a good step. I think that Desoto really stands a chance to make some waves here shortly they just need to continue to stay open and listen to us. We are the show, and they need to remember that our input is valuable because in the end, if you aren't happy being there, you just won't go. OSW is a great example of that.

[OldSchool+]

Phil,

Did Shawn "listen to you"?

Did you make suggestions on a Karnac-type site or other publication including specific improvements to the facility, the rules, and the promotion of events, and the request that they continue to "listen to you", or did they come up with their own plan, and it is a positive one and one that you and clearly the other racers and fans happen to like?

No offense intended, and I am not in the loop re: Showtime, but I am guessing it is the latter over there. If anyone IS in that loop perhaps they could share their experience.

[Phil Jacques]

Phil,

Did Shawn "listen to you"?

Did you make suggestions on a Karnac-type site or other publication including specific improvements to the facility, the rules, and the promotion of events, and the request that they continue to "listen to you", or did they come up with their own plan, and it is a positive one and one that you and clearly the other racers and fans happen to like?

No offense intended, and I am not in the loop re: Showtime, but I am guessing it is the latter over there. If anyone IS in that loop perhaps they could share their experience.

MANY of us have spoken with Shawn multiple times. Shawn stands in the tower with me most nights when I am filming for SidsView and we have had some discussions through the night about different things. Ideas etc.

We don't have any forums like Karnac up here other than Facebook. For the most part we are forced to speak face to face with owners and promoters, not hide behind keyboards with fake names and personal vendettas. When it comes to improvements, have they listened? Absolutely! The bathrooms at the Bowl are terrible, so what did they do? They brought in a trailer like you would find at a cup race with clean toilets. They added more staff to the concessions to help reduce wait times, another big complaint from many, and they moved victory lane from behind the grand stands back onto the front stretch something that was somewhat of a tradition and was removed and many asked for it back. And that's just for the fans! For us behind the fence in the pits, there have been multiple changes to help speed up and smooth the show out. Shawn and Bruce have 100% open ears and are more than willing to take a few minutes to discuss your ideas or thoughts on what might make people enjoy their experience more and keep them coming back. They absolutely understand that return business is very important.

I honestly don't have much negative to say up here about any track here except Stafford. Stafford is a track I could easily compare to some of those down there right now. Closed Minded, rules are just different enough that cars cant go elsewhere, low fan and car counts etc. We are NOT immune to what you all struggle with by any means and that shows straight up good and bad can be separated by less than 50 miles very easily.

[scottgarrity07]

Shawn is a passionate guy and that's an understatement. As a racer he would, well, flip the switch at times if you know what I mean. I didn't care for that behavior but as they say, show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser. Shawn was and still is a winner. The difference between Showtime and the Bowl is simple. Bruce and Shawn have embraced the "we are all in this together" concept and because they are genuine the racers and fans are on board. Yoho does his best the way he sees fit and most of the time he had the right idea. But, make no mistake, this is purely Robert's deal and he seems to micromanage every aspect of his facility.That's cool because it's his joint and in all fairness he does generate the highest weekly attendance in FL. However IMO Bruce and Shawns' approach will generate more success and less ill will in the long haul.

[OldSchool+]

Perhaps, and in a perfect world.

But I would suggest that the coin is a mandatory pre-req.

And Promoters, by default, kind of have the Bobby Diehl/NASCAR "in charge" mentality, so...

Nonetheless, am very glad you have it going on up there, Phil.

One last thought--as Racers and Fans, we need well funded promoters more than they need us. It appears to take a significant pile-o-jack to maybe, maybe turn a profit. CD's or Mutual funds also make money on your pile-o-jack with a lot less effort, risk, and...grief.

I am guessing that some of the issues known here were money driven that then turned into/seemed like "bad treatment", but nonetheless, without the Promoters/Owners and their backing, Bithlo and Citrus remain dormant, regardless of whether the racers and fans fuss or make well intentioned suggestions.

[Weftracing96]

I'm not sure how Bobby Diehl has the take charge/Nascar type mentality. If anything, Bobby tries too hard to please and accomodate everyone. But as stated, his passion is contagious, and Desoto should have one whale of a show tomorrow night as 30 trucks have already reserved slabs with possibility of more. So it's kind of hard to knock a guy who is trying and making headway.

[OldSchool+]

Am certainly not knocking Bobby.

He likes to lead, perhaps is a better way of saying it.

Nuttin' wrong with that, but those "A" type personalities (perhaps Bobby excluded) are sometimes kind of headstrong.

And, IMO, they earn the right to be.

[Phil Jacques]

Perhaps, and in a perfect world.

But I would suggest that the coin is a mandatory pre-req.

And Promoters, by default, kind of have the Bobby Diehl/NASCAR "in charge" mentality, so...

Nonetheless, am very glad you have it going on up there, Phil.

One last thought--as Racers and Fans, we need well funded promoters more than they need us. It appears to take a significant pile-o-jack to maybe, maybe turn a profit. CD's or Mutual funds also make money on your pile-o-jack with a lot less effort, risk, and...grief.

I am guessing that some of the issues known here were money driven that then turned into/seemed like "bad treatment", but nonetheless, without the Promoters/Owners and their backing, Bithlo and Citrus remain dormant, regardless of whether the racers and fans fuss or make well intentioned suggestions.

Stop focusing on money. Just for one minute.

You keep skipping over everything important here... A friendly and open minded approach costs NOTHING... Not one single penny! It's called finding the right person for the job. It's all about attitude!

Truthfully, there hasn't been any big money spent at Waterford yet. The place got a fresh coat of paint and pressure washing, both supplies that were in the supply shed out back from last year or before then. The millings they put down in the back pits, have been in a 30 or 40 foot tall pile for a long time. They had a tree removal crew come in to clean some stuff up and then hired Kobyluck's Construction crew to spread the millings and roll them out. Again, not a huge expense. Other than that, it's all been about attitude and effort.

The only place money has really been spent, is a few strategically placed radio ads and fliers in high traffic locations... HMM... SOUND FAMILIAR?!

[scottgarrity07]

Headstrong is ok, but if you're hardheaded and unaccomodating then I'm passing your track for the next one up the road where they make me feel like they're glad to have me there. That "my way or the highway" crap is finally starting to bite one of the nicest facilities in the US in the ass, Stafford Motor Speedway. True the owners need capital but we are all in this together. Without cars and racers you have no show. Without fans you have no sustainability despite your resources.

[Phil Jacques]

Headstrong is ok, but if you're hardheaded and unaccomodating then I'm passing your track for the next one up the road where they make me feel like they're glad to have me there. That "my way or the highway" crap is finally starting to bite one of the nicest facilities in the US in the ass, Stafford Motor Speedway. True the owners need capital but we are all in this together. Without cars and racers you have no show. Without fans you have no sustainability despite your resources.

I've been to Stafford on Friday once this year... 9 LM's 8 LLM's and 12 Dare Stocks... No thanks... I'll take Waterford on Saturday where I can see 20 cars avg thru all divisions. The only two Divisions at Stafford worth watching are SK and SK Light, which are bottom feeder wreckfests.

Rumor has it this morning that some BIG changes are coming for 2016.

[OldSchool+]

I have a "friendly and open minded approach"

But at the end of Saturday afternoon, am going to the track wid da jack, Jack.

ps--Robert also has a friendly and open minded approach, as long as you do it his way, lol.