A word from the promoter ! OSW ends regular season this Friday night !

[Rick B.]

I want to thank all the drivers, crews, officials, fans and sponsors that have been a part of this trying season at Orlando Speedworld. There have been some real good nights and some bad. There was a terrible time of not being able to race because of rain and drainage issues. I want to thank Rober Hart for staying the course through this rough economic time, and his own health battles. I have been all over Orlando this year displaying my race truck with the Speedworld logo, giving out tickets, buy one get one free passes. Even when we were not racing I was out, trying to gain some contacts, fans etc. The long time of not racing hurt the momentum, no doubt but I will tell you there are a bunch of folks that did know know about Speedworld, that do know now. I have put together some programs with Scouts, The Library System and others that will be a part of the plans for next season. I have built some good e-mail contacts to promote to Military, Fire Fighters, Law Enforcement, Churches etc. So while there was bad moments in the season, I can tell you there has definately been progress and it hopefully can be built into next year. I know that many of you have faced job loss, tough economic pressures etc. I want to tell you that I, we, appreciate your business and appreciate you racing with us. For those of you who could not afford to, maybe things will get better for you for next season. I want you to know we hope to see improvements in many areas for next season. We want all of you to come back and be a part of a new season at Orlando Speedworld. I hope we can have a great finale to the season, good clean hard racing, families having fun together. Of course we still have Crash-a-rama to come, and then the event that is so very close to my heart and has become to many of you. The Charity Truckers 200 weekend December 4th & 5th.
Friday December 4th
Super-stock 50 $600 winner take all !
Strictly-stock 30 $500 winner take all !
Mini-cups
Champ Karts
Antique Cars
Truck Qualifying

Saturday December 5th
200 Lap Charity Truckers 200
Bandoleros
Legends
Champ Karts

Please be a part if you can, the fun we have, the cause we help makes for a wonderful feeling !

Again thanks to all of you and I pray you have a great Thanksgiving !

[Boneman]

Rick, I don't know how you did it. I would have quit during the monsoon season when we were rained out for months on end. If that situation didn't trigger a panic from the track owner, what would? Yet through it all, I know you were still making appearances, handing out tickets and doing who knows what else to promote the track without a show.

Clearly, the OSW is in danger of the same exact thing next summer. I have to believe there a plan in place to at least try and address the drainage problems, right? To ignore it for another year would be suicidal.

On a different note, I am pleased that your driver promotion night worked pretty well last week. As I was handing out tickets, I was amazed to hear how many people had no idea about the track. I live 15 minutes away, and I can't tell you how many times I heard "is there a track there?" "Do they still race there?" "I used to go 20 years ago, but I have not been back since." I am not throwing stones at anyone, but simply pointing out how many locals we have not reached yet.

Wishing you the best of luck with Crash A Rama, the Charity Truck weekend and the 2010 season.

[Andy S]

The promotion that really seemed to have worked this year have been the Boy Scout nights, as I think both of those must have brought easily the biggest crowds of the season down to the track. The promotions really do a great job of getting first-timers down there, but once they're there it then becomes another matter to give them something they remember and that brings them back.

Seeing as I'm a total newcomer to the track this year, I know from my own experience that coming on opening night and having the chance to go onto the track and see the cars close up made a big difference. I know the kids love it too, especially if the drivers have freebies and things for them to take away. I think the other thing that made a difference to me was the amount of good looking cars racing that night. I know that's a little shallow, but as a newcomer it made a big impact and made me feel I was watching something a little bit better organized and professional. If I'd come along and it had been 5 different classes of beaten up street cars then no matter how good the racing had been I don't think it would have had the impact. But I still remember being totally amazed at the incredible cars racing at what was now my local track, and how similar they looked to the ones I'd seen on TV.

Interestingly I've brought a few of my work colleagues down to the races with me this year, some who'd been a long time ago, some who'd never been, and some who are big NASCAR fans but would never watch short track racing. It's pretty much always the fact that there are such modern looking cars out there that surprises them. Of course you then need a decent car count, good racing, and all the rest to keep them interested, but it's really surprised me how much of a key role that first impression of the sport plays in their opinion of the sport and their night at the track.

[Rick B.]

Reply to Boneman and Andy

Boneman,

First off I made an agreement with Robert Hart, and told the drivers I would work hard to promote the track. I wanted to make sure I fulfilled what I said. Secondly, I really care about Orlando Speedworld and the drivers, crews, officials and fans that make it up, so I have to keep working at it. I will tell you it did get very disappointing at times. Many of the fun and big nights I worked on were canceled due to rain and drainage issues. The momentum I began to build was then eliminated. But as I said I still gained connections and was lettng folks know that Speedworld was here. I need t next year work the Titusville, Brevard County Area more. It was just hard to do on a part time deal. Not enough hours in the days, weekends. I have been to one or two shows a weekend for 14 our of the last 16 weekends. And there was some promotions before all that began. It is a full time job, but for right now we have to do it this way. The driver promotion nights would have been better had we not been so interupted by rain outs. But we did have good nights on Scouts, Law Enforcement, Fire Fighter, Military and Faith nights as well. There is progress, and there is reason to be excited that 2010, if we can get some economic improvement, can be a good one !

Andy,

The Scout deal has been a blessing. Being able to go to several Scout deals and see those young kids smile and have a good time, made me happy to be involved. The Library folks have been great to work with, and that has a lot of potential for next year. There is many other areas to work, just need more time to work on them. We can be excited about next season.


Oh and Boneman I know that Robert is looking into a way to fix the drainage, he has several proposals and is working on figuring what to do after the Charity weekend in December. We all think we need to fix it, just have to find best, most affordable way.

[Jane]

Rick - you have done a good job promoting Orlando. Rusty and I worked many fairs, etc. promoting Orlando and I know it takes alot of work - both leg work and work work. I probably made close to 100,000 tickets thru the time that Rusty and I worked together at Orlando. It is not an easy job I know but it can be a very rewarding job for sure.

Hopefully I will make it to your charity event and you will find a place for me to help although I know you have alot of help already. From the go-kart racing to now, I have admired all the work you have done for people. You got me into a go-kart where I had never been in one -ever and inspite of Bill Green trying to kill me, I won and still have the trophy.

I hope everyone has a good night Friday. It is always sad to see the points season end. I wish all the drivers and their crews the best of time Friday night.

My heart now belongs to dirt track racing and it is my goal for people to know the dirt drivers like they do the asphalt drivers. When I say Jason Fitzgerald or Grady Christian, people will know who they are and that is why I started Florida Dirt Track News so everyone can see and know these great guys. Dirt always made me nervous but now that I have written for dirt for a year, I can honestly say I have learned alot and if you can drive dirt, you can drive anywhere.

I will always care about Orlando and New Smyrna Speedway and everyone who races there. So Friday night, have fun, race safe, and good luck to everyone.

[Edm]

Is there going to be any kind of winter series this year?

[Rick B.]

EDM answer

There is no winter series this year. We hope to be working on some repairs and improvements over the off season. Planning and working in the 2010 season.

Sorry

[racnphotos68]

Rick, is this Friday a regular admission night or has the price increased? I have a few more tickets I am handing out and I want to tell the people the right info? Thanks.

[fastlanefan]

Rick when will they announce which driver won the fan promotion contest? Can you tell me how many of the drivers can out and worked on the track when you had the track clean up? How many drivers helped you set up on location at the library and other locations with their cars? Next year you should try giving each driver 6-10 grandstand tickets a month and see if they can't get some people to become regular fans. Thanks for your hard work.

[Rick B.]

Racin Photo's 68 and Fastlane Fan

Mr. Fettig, I am not 100 % sure you may want to call Kim at NSS to be sure. I do not usually handle that part. Thanks

Fastlane.......I counted more tonight hope to announce Thursday or Friday on Karnac and then at Track as well.

Drivers that helped at displays was 8 different ones.
Drivers at Cleanup day I think we had 3.

The passes have been used, but I do not want to use that to ask. I think all drivers, crews and officials should want to try to help when the track needs you just to keep things going, and to promote. The promotions help all of us.

THanks