I have been around for the days of Barrie being a 10 car street-stock show, and Sunset being a 50 car Thunder show...And you know what Holland? despite the low car count, and general mismanagement Barrie had at the time, THEY STILL PUT ON ONE HELL OF A SHOW!!!! Before you go off on your talent pool crap....There wasn't a Thunder or Street Stock in Ontario that could beat Kevin Bell.....even though he ran Barrie with "inferior" car counts.
Btw, just for clarification, I have ran BOTH tracks, BOTH have been the top track, BOTH have had ups and downs, and BOTH have been able to sustain a decent car count through the years... not bad for two tracks that close to each other, drawing from the same fan base...I guess Both tracks have done well....
I have been around for the days of Barrie being a 10 car street-stock show, and Sunset being a 50 car Thunder show...And you know what Holland? despite the low car count, and general mismanagement Barrie had at the time, THEY STILL PUT ON ONE HELL OF A SHOW!!!! Before you go off on your talent pool crap....There wasn't a Thunder or Street Stock in Ontario that could beat Kevin Bell.....even though he ran Barrie with "inferior" car counts.
Btw, just for clarification, I have ran BOTH tracks, BOTH have been the top track, BOTH have had ups and downs, and BOTH have been able to sustain a decent car count through the years... not bad for two tracks that close to each other, drawing from the same fan base...I guess Both tracks have done well....
Well that's just peachy rednek but ive been around since Gerry Watson decided to ruin a perfectly good corn field on the 8th line and Ken Shakell started welding truck frames together to make a grandstand . I have seen the ebb and flo of the talent pool at both tracks over the years and let me assure you the tide has gone out at Barrie . While 10 cars maybe adequate to put on a race for you history has shown that it is a recipe for an empty grandstand and disappointed fans .
Kevin Bell was a big fish in a small pond and i could come up with a lot people that would say guys like Scott McCormack , John Baker jr and Kelly Balsam at Peterborough or John Saunders , Dion Verhoeven , Mike Alguire at Delaware and Steve Tiemersma , Phil Lamoureux , John Gamble at Sunset were all just as good or better in that class and era . Most of the drivers i listed all went on to accomplish much more then Kevin Bell ever did . I do not mean to denigrate Kevins championship but since you brought up his name i may as well correct you on this point as well .
Neither Barrie nor Sunset has ever been the top track in Ontario but now Sunset clearly sits at the precipice of claiming that title while Barrie slowly slides down the ranks . Add to that a sketchy owner that is chomping at the bit to unload the joint and the outlook for Barrie is less then promising .
well, lets hope they both do good this year and for years to come. i hate to see any track with low car counts. we need all the tracks in existence today to flourish because once they are gone, they are never replaced. not just for us guys/gals that build and race cars but for the fans who love the sport and support it with their hard earned cash and live for the local racing scene. lets try and support all the speedways , EVEN if you don't agree with the ownership or don't particularily like some meathead driver some where. Kudos to Sunset and the gang for doing a bang up job and creating such a facility and lets hope barrie has learned from its mistakes and turns things around. both have survived this long, that says alot right there! lets not make a mochery of either and hope for a great year all around! just my thoughts on this!!!! ;D
Well said. With Sunset and Varney getting racelifts, the new Stefko series, and most tracks running the towel city tire, racing around Ontario looks bright for the next couple of years at least, should be fun!
Just to show how in tune you really are, you seem to think you have alot of knowledge, (more than anyone else apperently), since i brought up Kevin Bell as an example, maybe you should know that (before you go off as Mr. know it all) that it was three straight championships, not one....but you knew that already right? lmao
very well put Jim. My whole point is that talent level does not depend on car counts at all. Just cause one track may have the most drivers, does not mean that there are not top drivers elsewhere.....