Well worth the read and some words to consider...

[OldSchool+]

Albee believes in reincarnation...

[Phil Jacques]

Albee believes in reincarnation...

Albee is probably sitting in the corner with a box of tissues listening to Taylor Swift songs at this point. Poor guy

[OldSchool+]

Indeed.

He was led down a primrose path...

[Phil Jacques]

Indeed.

He was led down a primrose path...

[OldSchool+]

Good news, you are up to a sportsman, er, Sport.

[OldSchool+]

Warning: A Serious Post!

Phil,

If you really would like to hep the Florida Racing scene, how about getting your arms around the tech required to detect traction control from the "serious tech" officials up there, regarding both MSD boxes and HEI distributors?

If that is possible, contact the pertinent parties down heah with the info. You are no doubt aware of who they are.

That would be a help.

[Phil Jacques]

Guys like Jeff at NSS and Ricky Brooks are likely very privy to these things already and have kept an eye out. If any weekly racer in FL (or anywhere for that matter) sees it necessary to spend $7500 on a traction control unit, to win $450 or so, then that's pretty sad if you ask me. Not sure how people who do things like that sleep at night.

[OldSchool+]

There seem to be concerns nonetheless. If you are too busy, we understand.

RE: Sleep?

I suspect they sleep well.

I consider myself a relatively stand up guy that goes by The Good Book.

But given everything that goes on with tech--politics, something or other here and there throughout the pits, etc., etc. and still more etc...

IMO, If you make it out of the gate with your motor intact, a trophy on the seat, and the winner's cash in your pocket, you are legal.

All that said, if detection became easy, and the devices went away, it would be best for all.

[luke81]

The only thing he is doing, is pointing out a major problem with the health of short track racing right now. It's an undeniable fact. Social Media is extremely damaging when used in the wrong way. If you choose not to believe it, that is your own deal. But it has caused 3 tracks in this country to close their doors in the past couple years.

Did social media actually cause that, or did social media just make better known how terribly the tracks were being operated? You can't screw the pooch and then complain when someone points out that you have screwed said pooch.

[OldSchool+]

Luke--Agreed.

I do try to mention the positives and more of them, but I don't shy away from the negatives when I give a track report.

I try to be constructive and respectful to the track, and paint an accurate picture for the fans.

All that said, if they were having a big modified race somewhere and the restroom was "back behind that tree somewhere", I would be there.

[Phil Jacques]

Did social media actually cause that, or did social media just make better known how terribly the tracks were being operated? You can't screw the pooch and then complain when someone points out that you have screwed said pooch.

You need to look at the larger scope of things regarding this subject...

As I said... Back in the not so distant past, people would gather in the parking lot talk about if they liked it or didn't and generally it wouldn't leave that group. Maybe that group didn't come, but no one else really ever knew about it.

Fast forward today, people take to social media the instant they don't like anything. It's an instant gratification world we live in now. It has it's pros, but also has it's cons. 1 person can now reach 20,000 rather than 20 people in an instant. In the ever influential world we live in today, that can cause huge damage. It can very well cause people to go elsewhere or find something else to do based on one persons post. Don't deny it, because it happens every single day from small businesses to large corporations. Reviews on Amazon keep people from buying things or make them buy things, yelp keeps people from places etc etc etc. It doesn't just pertain to short track racing. It's our entire world.

As I said, I lived this reality with Thompson Speedway and Waterford Speedbowl between 2011 and 2014 (We even came very close to losing Waterford completely). Car counts began to drop, fan attendance dropped all because people weren't liking how things were going and a lot of it came from social media venom. One post gets liked 300 times and shared 30 times, how many people does that reach. Even if it's 20,000 people and 200 of them decide they aren't going because of what they read, one after another and it can snowball out of control very quickly.

Fortunately it can also be used in a positive manner. And used to repair damage and that has also been a huge help here and we had outstanding counts and attendance in the 2015 season after some years of "struggling"

It's not 100% of the problem OBVIOUSLY, but there is a lot of substance to it and the more it's ignored the bigger that problem can grow.

My suggestion, and my only suggestion to people is grow a set of balls and learn how to solve a problem instead of being a keyboard crusader. Sure, it means actual physical interaction with another human being. But that's how things were settled when racing was at it's peak. That's how I like to handle things today when I have an issue. I had a couple closed door meetings at TSMP this year with my team and track staff, problems were ironed out and solutions were found to the issue and everyone was happy and nobody knew about it outside of myself, my crew chief the track manager and race director. THAT IS HOW IT SHOULD BE. When it comes to the fan side of things, go to the main office or call the main office and express your displeasure. Try to find a solution. I promise Denny, Yoho, Mr. Hart or their respective management would be more than happy to work out a problem rather than put a negative post out there.

I know it's not a popular idea, but if we want Short Track Racing to survive another 30-50 years or more in this country, we need to work together, not against each other.

[OldSchool+]

If that phenomenon has hurt things up north, that is sad, and has been mentioned, someone had to listen to it and then choose not to go to the track.

But regarding our deal, who is beeching? Besides this thread, of course?

And let's not forget:

>The track operators are "supposed" to work together

>And we are all going to cut the springs out of our cars and wheel out to Beethlo on the bump stops to watch drifting while singing "Feliz Navidad".

Why was this stuff not on the deceased site?

Phil, I love you man, but we gots it.

Suggest cheap rules (like Scott's tires), or help enforce the ones we have, save racing. And live Happily Ever After...

[Phil Jacques]

Open your eyes OS... It's happening EVERYWHERE. The venom I have seen spewed about FL tracks on FB the past couple years is insane. Are you active on Social Media outside of Karnac? It seems to me that you aren't if you are claiming it doesn't happen in FL. Some of the stuff I have seen, from the Three Palms debacle, OSW, Issues with Dutily and Schofield, problems at the Gov Cup last year and more. It's there.

I see a lot of "I'm never going there again" or "That place sucks nobody should even bother with it" This can spread like wildfire and influence others to make their decision and take their business elsewhere. Take off the blinders. It's a problem here. It's a problem there. It's a problem across the entire country. It happens. In FL, I say you guys are the most Fragile. Your entertainment industry is massive compared to many other states. People have many more options and when they feel wronged and can go elsewhere easier than here.

It doesn't matter. Nothing is going to change it at this point. People in this world just want something to complain about lol People these days are extremely influential. If you don't think it's a real problem. You are blind to the reality of life.

[OldSchool+]

Okay, so one of us is delusional.

Let's assume it is me.

You have made your plea, repeatedly, to the social media dbaggs, and now...what?

Either they stop, or they don't. You gonna try to convince them (each and) every month?

Meanwhile, Yoho doesn't care, NSS doesn't care, Auburndale and Desoto are wheeling along, and Bithlo, 3 Plams and Citrus issues were due to other operator related deals.

[Phil Jacques]

Okay, so one of us is delusional.

Let's assume it is me.

You have made your plea, repeatedly, to the social media dbaggs, and now...what?

Either they stop, or they don't.

Meanwhile, Yoho doesn't care, NSS doesn't care, Auburndale and Desoto are wheeling along, and Bithlo, 3 Plams and Citrus issues were due to other operator related deals.

See, the mistake you make, is that you believe I truly care about any one place in general anymore. What I do care about, is that our support survive. And I have pointed out one fatal flaw that is currently and will continue to be a rather large issue unless people start to understand what they are doing. You're right, they either stop, or they don't. But the power is theirs to control the future of this sport. Without fans in the stands, and cars on the tracks, tracks do not exist. When this happens, the sport dies. There are other underlying issues. Rules, yes. Costs, yes. But social media is one as well. STOP trying to discredit a FACT. If you want to help repair it then you have to open your mind it everything that really is wrong right now. You continue to live in 1975. Get with 2015 and see reality for what it sadly is.