Second that Mike32 you are right on with your statements.Business yes but keep your fans happy(good food,washrooms facilties) and of course reasonable admission prices for events.Example Delaware had ARCA trucks 100 (was only 75 laps due to curfew) have to question that one & Delaware trucks (2-15 lap races & 1 -10 lap ) & truck King of the Hill and they charged $22.00 Adult addmission.It turns out ARCA raced 13 trucks sure it was rain delayed but for that show is $22.00 a good price for what was offered Iwould say no .Go to other tracks and look at Special prices and what they offer and you will see in most cases(More racing & laps) for your money .As for advertising tracks have go to the newspaper again.tracks do advertise on radio & television (Delaware) which is good but have crowds increased with only Radio & television from what I have seen no.Economy the reason ( jobs & fuel prices ) yes so there is a solution there lower gate prices make it reasonable for the family to go to the track.All track owners should get together and set a frozen addmission price across the board for addmission accross the province.Some posters on this site might think it is far fetched to think that way but that is my opinion as for some tracks may be interested I hate to say the majority are after the hard money that people (racefans) work hard to make only to go to tracks spend the big money for what they are given (as per example).Track owners give the racefans a break and maybe you will be rewarded with big crowds again.If it is not to late.

And how do you do that when each track has different overhead costs, different fan counts and different local conditions? You don't.

I think the newer style is like what barrie did a monthor so ago...they had a media day, and invited a bunch of media types out to the track...the thing got on a few different TV channels and newspapers...Kawartha also has school cars, mind you they arent as TV friendly as ours....i bet they could do the same type of thing...

I picked up the Saturday  paper,and low and behold in the sport section, The Orillia Packet is a very good article on driver Garry Renolds, headline (COLDWATER DRIVER FASTEST ON TRACK) This is the first time I have seen this in years, I was quite surprised. We need more of this.There was also mention of Keith McLeod, Dwayne Baker,Steve Quesnelle, and Rob Inglis. I will be sending this paper an email thanking them for their coverage of our sport. Thank you to the Orillia packet .

Stick and ball sports do something very well that racing could learn from. Families have a limited amount of money that they can spend on entertainment and kids often influence where those dollars are spent. Any seven year old can dream of being the next Sidney Crosby/Hayley Wickenheiser and parents support this by signing up Johnnie/Julie in the local house league. There are local hockey/ball heroes to follow and learn from. Who can the seven year look up to and dream of emulating? Where can he/she race? Where is the local race camp with local heroes as instructors/counselors?

The racing community often bemoans the lack of fans and there is a litany of reasons why. Ultimately, our sport doesn’t resonate in the community. Continuing to do the same practice that hasn’t worked gives the same poor results. Image is everything. Not a place for kids, heavy drinking and poor sportsmanship: a recipe for few fans.

Every track needs a junior division. Erbsville Kartway has an Arrive and Drive League where the track provides all of the vehicles. There are billboards up around KW. Get the kids interested and you get the parents. Come to Grand Bend Speedway and see all the kids as young as seven in driving suits putting on a show. My son saw this once and was hooked. Seven years of the three hour round trip to Grand Bend and new kids can now watch my son race his mini truck and dream of driving one just as my son did. The dream still continues … cup lites, legends, late model, we don’t know yet.

The drivers could start a weeknight or Saturday morning pep rally based upon a “show N shine” format in the downtown, at the mall, etc. Have the junior cars/karts there with the big boys/girls. Have an announcer talk about the drivers, classes, and the excitement that occurs at the track. Interview the drivers, especially the kids. There are many posters on this site who could do an admirable job as an announcer for their favorite tracks. Give away some tickets. Let kids in free so they can follow their local heroes.

Newspapers, are not the answer. The newspaper doesn’t sell ads, its sell your time and attention through your readership to businesses in exchange for the advertisements that promote a product or service. When the local racing community generates the interest, the papers will be there to cover it, sponsor will want to be associated with it, and the fans will be there in droves to take in the excitement.

I apologize that this is a little long but I believe this needs to be said .