Can Friday night racing work?

[The Ocala Speedway]

Sure I understand what you meant. Our pit gates open at three just to accomodate anyone coming early. They just hang out until practice at 7:00. On asphalt we started practice at 5:30 and the show started at 7:30. Which made it tougher. Now we start practice at 7:00 (one session each division) heats at 8:00 go home at 10:30.

[georgep]

Who SAW the Richie Evans race at NSS? That was the best and cleanest race and they started Double file to MAKE THE FANS SMILE. Yes it is a Yankee thing but it is showmanship that packs the stands.
18 cars with a double file restart and inverting the top 10 is a show.
Yes I am from the north where on any given Friday or Sunday night at Reading you had 50 to 60 Modifieds and a FULL grandstand. Oh yes NO SUPPORT RACES required just modifieds. That lasted till an idiot built a mall on top of the place thanks to some crooks downtown.
What I have seen since moving down here in 1971 is the transtion of CARS to GO-KARTS as far as the type of show. In Karts they just added classes so everone can play, same thing with the cars.
People it is and will always be QUALITY not QUANTITY. That is the answer for a quick Friday night or dare I say SUnday Night show.
YOu have a show with 45 or 50 late models and NOTHING ELSE then you get the idea.

[OLD STYLE RACER 2]

Ocala doesn't start practice until 7:00. It doesn't matter if they opened the gates at 12:00. You still can't get on the track til 7. If you want to race there, you'll make the effort. Years ago when I ran there, we would load everything up on Thursday night and be all ready to go come closing time on Friday.

As for making a good show. I say invert them all. You have several ways of doing it. Use a 4 week average based on money won or points gained. More you make, the farther back you start. OR line the feature up inverted by how they finished the heat.Just add one little rule for this. YOU MUST FINISH THE HEAT AND BE ON THE LEAD LAP to be able to get invert. Of course you would have to pay some money or better yet pay in points. Pay half the points of a feature win for a heat win. Just my .02.

[Benny The Mule]

Will Fri night work?

Yes, been there done that.

Inverts....yes please, or use heat to qualify for it still gives you a mixed field.
Fast cars in the front SUCKS! The most fun i EVER had in a racecar was 10 or 12 yrs ago when i started 28th and we ran 20 concecutive green flag laps and i finished 7th.

Mid week shows work too (events) not same old same old.

Florida..........Citrus County Speedway.............need i say more?

When i raced i never asked the purse before i went to the track and i'd sit in a 2 hour traffic jam (and i have) to get there.

The real racers are gone i think (well, there's a few left.)

Now all you got are spoiled 12 yr olds or pansies who buy speed to start on the pole to AVOID actually racing.........and want to get paid enough to buy a new $280,000 toter every season or so.



I'm Done................

[georgep]

The BIG question is if you make them have to drive and race to win, will they just POUT an go someplace else?
With the NO BODY IS A LOSER being taught today that is what you are fighting. The little runt at 95# wants to be the starting FULLBACK at a ahigh school, do you let him? YES he gets wiped out in the first play and everything is back to normal.
Take the FASTEST car on any given night and put a wanna be driver in it and put it on the pole, THEY WILL PROBABLY WIN. Take the SAME car start it scratch with a wanna be driver and it stays there. THis is 100% the problem now in MANY areas of the country. In S.C. Crates have no heat races, 2 laps of time then straight up. GREAT SHOW, Yea right, I have been in this area since 2001 and have still NEVER stayed for a Crate Late Model Feature, I could sleep at home instead of in the stands.
If you INVERT and give everybody a chance you get a better show. We used Points to invert. High point person started 20th, low points got the pole. New cars and "B" feture cars started BEHIND the regulars until they had points. This protected the local cars from a candy thief that just wanted a pay day. The opinion is if you could start 24th and win then you earned it.

[MIKE TRIPP]

I think inverting the field is best for racing. It needs to be based on heat points and season points.