ALOT of NOT nice things going on in Florida racing!

[BJ Cavin]

Carol...

My point includes your point. As you say, bad business practices are ruining racing. And as I tried to point out, certain people claiming to be media are using their assumed credibility to mislead people into believing that those bad business practices are actually good. They take the facts and twist them in ways that appear to make the bad look good, and they report "news" that is highly misleading in order to further their agendas. Unfortunately some people fall for that angle believing that because someone operates a website, a internet show, or a message board, that they have credibilty. Sorry, while sites like Karnac and others fight hard to be truthful, that doesn't mean everyone else does. The public needs to look carefully before accepting anything as truth, and by all means remember that just because it presents itself as media, it isn't always credible.

Trust me, Carol. We are all talking about things that are VERY related!

[oldyeller]

BJ, that sort of works both ways. I wrote a story, for instance, for Speedway Illustrated magazine on Ocala's first 12-hour enduro. A similar story also ran in the Orlando Sentinel as a section front. Wrote a story for AutoWeek on the Green Mamba's comeback after the car was stolen; similar story ran in the Orlando Sentinel. Heard nothing, ZERO, from the racing community in general, Ocala managment in particular -- not looking for praise, but when certain people whine about the media NEVER writing ANYthing positive about the local tracks, some response might be nice to take to my editor to say, "Look, we need to do more, we got some response." Local drag racers and tracks, FYI, are different, tho... you write about them, and often they let you know they appreciate it.

But when I wrote the obit on USA Speedway, I and the Sentinel were slammed on here for only reporting negative news. I challenged one slammer in particular, said I would dig up positive references to USA I'd written, and if he would send me his email, I'd forward them. You think I heard anything? No, after spending an hour pulling 25 references to USA races that have run in the Sentinel the past two years. Which, as you kow, is a lot, since the track didn't race weekly.

And finally, I started Racing Radio that ran first on Orlando and Melbourne's 1080 and 1060 AM, then moved it to 740 AM, the largest sports station in Central Florida. Sent emails to local track mgt, inviting participation. Aside from Dave Westerman, nobody took me up on the offer of free publicity, and no local tracks EVER bought ads -- not that they had to, but it would have helped keep the show going, even though it lasted nearly 6 years,and I never took a dime out of it. Local tracks don't buy ads in the Sentinel, either, but I still kept reporting weekly on local races, and did that 52 weeks a year for almost 7 years. Still, I kept writing about them... a column on the Charity Trucker's race at Speed World I did last December drew, let me see, ZERO emails or calls. A full-page profile on Rusty Marcus winning the promoter of the year award... zero. On driving a figure-8 bus in a Crash-A-Rama, which ran in AutoWeek and the Sentinel, zero.

Bottom line: Local racers would rather complain that do anything proactive. If you local paper or media does something positive, LET THEM KNOW you appreciate it. The radio show is gone -- ended up being nothing but NASCAR, anyway -- and while I've been thinking of doing a weely local racing feature in the Sentinel's sports section, I don't think anybody would care, except to complain that it was long enough, or I missed their home track, and that I profiled a driver that ran them into the wall six years ago.

Like I said, I'm not looking for praise, and never have, but I get POed when criticism comes from sources that oughta know better.

[Rick Williamson]

Just to let you know that some do call to say thanks....I did so in the last month to the person that got a story in a local paper about a family member. Rick

[BJ Cavin]

You hit the nail right on the head, Yeller! Do it right and no one gives a damn. Do it wrong (or do it in a way that someone perceives as wrong) and you'll hear about it! When I do write ups for Ocala Speedway I rarely get complements for anything I write. It's simply a matter of looking to see that it's done, then expecting it to be done for the next night of racing. It's a job and I do it, and that's how it should be. Hopefully at th end of the season the owners will thank me for my efforts and invite me back to do it next year. But make a mistake and oh oh! That's when I hear it, and I definately make mistakes from time to time. Then again, that's to be expected, right? If I screw up then the only way to know that is for the track owners or the public to inform me of it so that I can fix it.

But when I do get complements and thank-you's (and I really do get them for everything from article content to announcing at the races) it feels good and it makes the whole effort worthwhile. I just wish more people who got a positive feeling from my work would let me know about it, because the ones that don't are not shy about letting me know their opinions!

[Benny The Mule]

This thread is not stirred enough

Ugh, I'm going to throw this out there and maybe someone can bring it to light for me.

This does not include monthly specials (1 out of 4 weeks) neighboring tracks CAN make this work.

Two gas stations close together, everyone wants them to compete against each other to get customers.

Two race tracks nearby each other racing on the same night weekly wanting the customers (fans, drivers) at THEIR TRACK but the masses seem to think they should work together so track A loses this sat and track B will lose next saturday.

These are businesses.

Without the me me me me and my right to (fill in the blank) someone tell me why one business should lose money, or not try to make more money than another?

[carolwicks]

tracks working together.

a business that CAN work together on a schedule that will benefit itself, fans, and drivers. you are right. it isnt required but it works!
when you go to a gas station you are looking out for yourself and the best deal or most convenient station will get your money. when you run a race track, employees, fans, and drivers depend on your decisions and your ethics.
just my opinion ...
OZ
Oh and BTW OJ... i don't HATE anyone. i just get frustrated once in awhile. i believe it is a human malfunction! you might even have it occasionally. Hate takes way too much energy. i just want to see things work better for the owners, fans, and drivers and it will NEVER work unless this industry pulls together. there is no room for GREED or retaliation... tracks are closing a hell of alot faster than they are opening and once they close it is almost a certainty they will not reopen.
i don't think I am entirely wrong about this .... i am desperately trying to stay on the positive side.

[Benny The Mule]

a business that CAN work together on a schedule that will benefit itself, fans, and drivers. you are right. it isnt required but it works!
when you go to a gas station you are looking out for yourself and the best deal or most convenient station will get your money. when you run a race track, employees, fans, and drivers depend on your decisions and your ethics.
just my opinion ...
OZ

Unfortunately undermining your competition is part of business.

Name calling or mud slinging i have no place for nor should any business.

leave that to polititions.

Great reply Carol, well written without the poo-poo platter.

[Frasson118]

Old Yeller...

You wrote:

"I challenged one slammer in particular, said I would dig up positive references to USA I'd written, and if he would send me his email, I'd forward them. You think I heard anything? No, after spending an hour pulling 25 references to USA races that have run in the Sentinel the past two years. Which, as you kow, is a lot, since the track didn't race weekly."

Speaking as that "one particular slammer", I guess I should have explained earlier that I don't HAVE a working e-mail address. This situation should be fixed soon, and would love to see all the press written about Lakeland races, etc... Positive press is ALWAYS in short supply in major publications, and if you did your part (and I missed it), I guess I need to apologize, and give you credit for trying to do right by this sport.

Another thing.... instead of complaining that your work never got noticed or appreciated enough, try posting a link on Karnac to your stories. It would get a lot of notice, some positive feedback, and maybe even a "letter to the editor" or two asking for more of the same. We can't support you, if we don't know you're writing!

Other than that, don't be offended by me or my words. I'm only looking out for racings best interest... and from what I've seen, the Orlando Sentinel doesn't have much use for anything but Nascar. Their readers SHOULD know that there are at least 5 tracks within an hours drive from the Metro area... yet the only tracks the general public knows about, are New Smyrna (because they've passed it on the way to the beach), and OSW (because they've passed it on the way to the Port). Not because of results, upcoming big races, great human interest stories... but let a tragedy happen, and it's all over the front pages. I think there should be at last a LITTLE bit of mention for all the good that comes from these tracks, and not just the tragedies.

[Boneman]

Newspapers are a dying breed. I haven't had one delivered for 15 years. If it is not on the internet, I don't see it.

[Round D' Round Racer]

What You Say ?

You mean I can cancel my paper delivery...What a Country!

Why didn't someone say something before this?

Round D' Round Racer
So. Ga

[roundtracker]

What?

Sometimes it's better to say nothing when you have nothing to say!

You mean I can cancel my paper delivery...What a Country!

Why didn't someone say something before this?

Round D' Round Racer
So. Ga

[Joe]

Newspapers are fantastic though. By all means, do not cancel your subscription, unless replacing it with the Ocala Star-Banner.

Did I mention you can check out my racing column in the Banner on Fridays?

[Todd McCreary]

Another thing.... instead of complaining that your work never got noticed or appreciated enough, try posting a link on Karnac to your stories. It would get a lot of notice, some positive feedback, and maybe even a "letter to the editor" or two asking for more of the same. We can't support you, if we don't know you're writing!

pretty much this for me.

down here in Indian River County, i couldn't buy an Orlando Sentinel if i wanted too. i would get the Brevard county edition of Today once in a while ( thanks for your columns Jane! ) if i got up across the county line but that was it.

[Todd McCreary]

and still, nobody has told me what had Carol all wound up in the first place.


although, i know as of today we've got a new candidate for "most retarded business move in Fla racing".

[Profool]

The media, promoters, track owners and agendas

The media, promoters, track owners and agendas. All have a grave impact on the fans and racers. In posting I first off note I probably shouldn’t stick my nose into such a subject, but I’ve never been one to sit on the side when something that should be a positive has accepted such negativity. No, I haven’t been involved in racing as many years as most here, guess that’s why I can still say a bad day at the race track beats any day any where else.

The media; both friend and foe of racing. If you’re talking media, then you’re talking about selling your articles, personalities, and style. It’s a business. In saying this, I note it is not much different than the racer trying to seek a sponsor. The difference is that it appears we have become a society that puts greater emphasis on negativity than on positives. We certainly can’t get sponsors by focusing on the amount of crashes we had, but the media spends more time on reporting the failures of tracks, teams and others because as an old JB song states, “that’s what the people want to read about, up in America”. Do I fault the media, no, I’ve just come to the rationalization that you keep them close and understand that they can make you or devastate you utilizing tools you supply them with; your words and actions.

As for the track owners and promoters, I urge you to focus on your own castles and seek allies with those near. Now I don’t intend a tree hugging gathering; but let me remind you of an old quote, “hold your friends close and your enemies closer”. Don’t succumb to name calling or track bashing, make your track more appealing to his fan and backbone driver base, if you’re that close.

Owners/promoters, focus on what you have and make it better. Many times the back bone classes are left out. Yes I understand that the fans come out in greater force for the traveling series or big boys/girls, but what have you done lately for your track driers and appetizers? With the right promotion, couldn’t you sell some of your own loyal divisions? Not saying forget the dominate classes, but each supporting and using them to the betterment of your track. What would it hurt for tracks within one or two hundred miles of one another working on a schedule to ensure high car counts? I don’t think you’ll find a great dividing of the fans, especially with today’s economy. If anything I think it would serve for each track to be able to promote a better show and bring out those only big race fans more. As I see it if you have fast trucks at one location, late’s at another, sprints at another, etc., etc.; how many fans is the local track going to really loose? Gee should I drive a hundred fifty miles to see my favorite or see another really good class I like at my home track? Yes you will have those that would make the long trek, but I think more would not; as the economy churns…

Now don’t hammer me “big boys/girls”. Wouldn’t y’all rather travel where there are forty racers, than twelve? Focus on your own castle and make allies of those near. Rather than the tracks trying to tempt y’all to split, why don’t you combine/organize for a better show and in some cases more pay-out. If the track owners won’t focus on making it better, maybe you can force the issue a little.

Last I mention agendas. To each there own, agendas are usually a representation of opinion. Too many tracks have fallen by the wayside due to agendas (money included). Make all the tracks a place fans want to be, a place to be entertained and forget about the world for a little while; that is until the next time they endeavor into the media….. which reminds me, hey promoters, feed the media many positive morsels about the tracks!

Keep smiling and keep racing!