Oct 9 Biggest Fan Appreciation Night in Florida Short Track History

[The Ocala Speedway]

Ocala Speedway, October 9 will host Fall Fan Appreciation Night.
General Admission for adults $8.00, Children 12 and under free.

$2000 to win Late Models
$1000 to Hobby Stocks
$1000 to V-8 Thunderstocks
Gladiators

Top late model drivers in the state already confirmed. We'll keep you updated as the list grows.
Our Hobby stock division is the most competitive in the state. 4 different winners last 4 races.
Our V-8 Thunderstock division is the most competitive in the state. 6 different winners last 6 races.
Double points all divisions.

Door prizes and give aways to the first 100 fans.
Drink and food specials all night.
See you there!

[ocalasp76]

Oh Chit!!!!

I'll be there for sure.....
-JIM-

[carolwicks]

Wow !!

what an awesome night for race fans!!!! hope the place is packed like a can of sardines! $8? for real? and kids free? and LM winner $2,000? WTG Mike & Angie!!! no wonder you keep the place packed! ;-)
carolwicks aka OZ

[BJ Cavin]

Wow! All that from Mike and not one Bouncing Bobby!

I'd like to see ANY track in the state of Florida top that for a Fan Appreciation Night! OCALA ROCKS!!!

[SpeedChic529]

Awesome! That's my son's birthday and I can't think of any better way to celebrate. We'll be there for sure!!!
Ocala Speedway ROCKS!!!!!!!!!

[BJ Cavin]

Just curious here....

This is probably the best show for $8 ever offered, and I'm seeing very little excitement over it. Very interesting! So what is the problem? Too good to be true? You just don't believe it? I really want to know why not many folks seem to be happy that such a great deal is out there!

[ocalasp76]

Just curious here....

This is probably the best show for $8 ever offered, and I'm seeing very little excitement over it. Very interesting! So what is the problem? Too good to be true? You just don't believe it? I really want to know why not many folks seem to be happy that such a great deal is out there!

They are probably still in shock there BJ.....
-JIM-

[Todd McCreary]

and I'm seeing very little excitement over it. Very interesting! So what is the problem?

most of the people on this board are asphalt?

are you getting a better response on one of the dirt boards? if not, then i might be a little concerned. not much though.

the most important promotion area for this night will be Ocala and the nearby towns and many of those people probably don't spend a lot of time on any racing web site.

so, if it was me, i'd be getting flyers into local car repair shops, junk yards and gas stations. many libraries and grocery stores have real "bulletin boards" that you can post local events on. maybe try to do something with the local high school.

possibly a billboard although it may already be too close to the event date to even try to bother with that.

of course, the best billboard would be east of Barberville for west bound traffic....

[carolwicks]

Here Ya Go Bj & Todd !!!!



doesnt matter if you like dirt or asphalt.... this is showing the fans that the track appreciates them in a huge way and i commend Mike and Angie for doing that...

OZ

this is all in fun so dont get shi**y!

[Jimmy McKinley]

Girlfriend's only ever been to the races three times - last year's Governor Cup (what a fiasco that was...LOL); the Richie Evans race in February; and a Brighthouse SLM 50-lapper at Speedworld. She's never been to the dirt, and I ain't never been to Ocala when it *was* dirt before. So we're gonna make the trip up from Clermont and see what the fuss is all about

Hell, I ain't been to the dirt since Volusia opened up the second track and *it* was the dirt track...

[JackTripper]

Just curious here....

This is probably the best show for $8 ever offered, and I'm seeing very little excitement over it. Very interesting! So what is the problem? Too good to be true? You just don't believe it? I really want to know why not many folks seem to be happy that such a great deal is out there!

Maybe because NSS has had $5 Fan Appreciation Night? I don't think they had as big of a headlining class like this, but just saying...

[bubba]

And maybe because it is a thinly veiled pecker measuring contest with VSP. The only people all hyped up about it are the ones who were outraged that VSP dare have an event on a Friday night - boy now Ocala is gonna show them.

[Frasson118]

No offense here guys, but a $2.00 discount for basically a regular show, isn't worth doing a whole lot of backflips over.

There are quite a few tracks that have "Fan Appreciation Nights", that don't charge anything to get in. Some places also call it "Pack the Track Night".

Also, Bubba hit the nail on the head. It does look like pecker measuring contest. A week ago, neither track had anything special happening, now they are going head-to-head against each other.

There MUST be some sane resolution here. This is not good for either track... and I think, deep down, they both know it!

[ocalasp76]

No offense here guys, but a $2.00 discount for basically a regular show, isn't worth doing a whole lot of backflips over.

Hey Jerry. FYI the general admission price for adults is normally $12, and special event pricing is $15. This may have have qualified for a 'special event' pricing. But $8 is like senior pricing for all adults ain't bad either.
-JIM-

[BJ Cavin]

I've given this some thought for a few days and now I'm going to respond. So some folks feel that a $2000 to win late models race, plus two other divisions racing for $1000 to win each, all for an $8 admission, is no big deal? Really now? I'm sure that Ocala Speedway will keep that in mind for future reference, and so will a lot of other track owners and promoters.

I could be wrong, but it is my prediction that the racers and fans will prove you wrong. They will come out in droves and fill the seats and pits, and this will become an annual event at Ocala Speedway.

Certainly some tracks charge less to get in for fann appreciation nights, but what do they pay the drivers on those nights? Regular payouts? Do they run the more expensive divisions? Better check your recollections on that, because most don't. The fans get a regular show at best on those nights, especially at tracks where the admission is free.

I know Mike Peters, and I know that this fan appreciation thing is a well thought out deal and not some knee jerk reaction to something else. Mike has certainly done the math, found sponsors to help, and knows what he has to make in order to break even or make a small profit. So if $8 was the number he came up with, it wasn't snatched out of the sky on a whim. And personally, I think it is a generous offer considering the amount he will have to pay out to the racers when it is over.

You guys can poo poo it all that you want to, but when you step back and look at the entire picture, I have to commend Mike Peters for offering some of the best racing he can for as little as possible.