A good fan allways worries so thats great from the viewof a car owner and this year a driver i think we have the best peaple in place to make good changes the race directer is doing a great job the tech guys seem to now have a good direction they are working in and the management is trying everything they can i think to get peaple in the stands they are going to be trying some new things with the track surface to try and make the racing better so at this point like all businesses we might be in a little bit of a lull but its going to be fine .the competetors will always complain about somthing it was like that 25 yrs ago and before and it will be 25 from now . if the track surface stuff helps side by side racing it will be better sooner than later .my nicles worth Deleware staff keep up the good work!!!!!!

I am going to jump right in on this post - - normally I prefer to see where the thread goes, but in this case, I want to address a few of these points (and others) immediately.  Perhaps it will open the discussion up and help direct it a bit.

At any rate, part of me is always somewhat pleased when I see posts like this (hear me out…) because it shows me once again how passionate our fan base is.  When I see long posts laid out carefully like essays (especially from what sounds like a season pass holder), I often feel that I owe it to the poster to jump in - - although many of the concerns could be put aside with a simple phone call or e-mail.

Here we go:

I'll also admit, Delaware has not been fun this near!  What troubles me, and maybe I'm being naive, there doesn’t seem to be anybody willing to do anything.  The track seems stuck for some reason and on a path downhill. I hope I'm wrong, but they seem to have lost touch with the race going public.

I’m going to disagree about people not being willing to do anything and the general idea that somehow the track is stuck on a path downhill.

I work with a management team that works extremely long hours all with the express purpose of making the track successful and fun for fans and drivers.

The track has been putting together programs for the fan base in recent years which have included:

• Kids Club (which is enjoying excellent success, especially with car painting, pit tours and other activities).
• Return of Hoppy the Clown, again adding entertainment during the pre-race.
• Extensive top of hill renovations, including complete overhaul of the women’s washroom, and partial renovation of the men’s.
• New sound system to improve audio quality in the grandstand.
• A series of smaller events as part of the race program (Running challenge, train races, autograph sessions etc).  Not all have lived up to their potential, but should demonstrate that attempts are being made.

Extensive development also went into website updates, a new facebook page, new radio ads, a new television ad which launches shortly, and more.

This is not to say there is not more to be done: but believe me when I say, we’re not sitting on our hands.

I'm also disappointed in some of the racers and their public views on here and other boards. Don’t get me wrong, I think they have an absolute right to do so; just disappointed they don’t do it on the Delaware board.  Maybe they are afraid of reprisal. I hope that is not the case.

The speedway keeps track of many of the boards, not for the purposes of reprisal, but in order to - - as you put it, keep in touch with the racing public.  Nobody need fear posting on these boards, but we do ask that they do their best to treat us (and each other) fairly and contact us first by e-mail or telephone if they are having an issue.  Most problems can be easily solved in that way.  This lets the board become less about the speedway itself and steers the conversation more towards the on-track activities.

There are so many rumours out there, it’s scary.

I have heard rumours about every race track and sanctioning body.  Delaware Speedway is a very transparent track - - the majority of these rumours can be put to rest through a quick phone call to the office, as they likely can for many tracks and sanctioning bodies.

I also hear there are some problems with the Management and the Drivers. I hope this isn’t the case as they both need each other.

I am not currently aware of any major issues between management and the competitor base as a whole.  While there are selected drivers who have had issues in recent weeks, those are typically related to specific incidents on the race track.  These incidents are especially disappointing as it seems everyone comes out at a loss in these situations - - speedway, drivers, and fans.  Cooler heads must prevail, we have a very accessible management team.

The speedway is keenly aware that it must work with the competitors, and does so on a daily basis.  The competitors, in turn, need to help us with the development of their programs.

Of course, the ugly rumour of the tracks demise keeps cropping up.  Let’s all hope that it is just a rumour and not the end of an era.

This rumor has been around for the 10 years I have worked for the speedway, and from what I understand has been around for nearly the entire 60 year history of the track in one form or another.  Yet the fact remains - - we are still here.  The rumours increase during times of challenge.  I have no intention of being part of the speedway’s final management team - - rumours like this serve only to discredit the hard work done by all track staff and race teams.  Hard work, which ensures that such a future can never comes to pass.  Let us, as a racing community, stop these rumors about our track wherever we find them.

It’s unfortunate that a person like me, a fanatic race fan, doesn’t get excited about going to the track anymore. It just isn’t fun. I still go, but the bickering and nastiness takes the fun all away.

I’ll answer this with a question of my own: why?  Why not be excited about the race this weekend?  Why not be excited and proud of Delaware Speedway?  This isn’t a speedway ad, but let me hit this board with bullet points of some things that have been going on around the track:

• Top-rung visiting drivers for the late model series with DJ Kennington, Jon Urlin, Steven Matthews, Mark Watson (to name a few) joining into the Maple City Tire 100.
• Numerous day camp tours of over 50 kids each to come out and learn more about the speedway.
• Autograph books being released in the next two weeks, autograph sessions to go with them.
• A Super Stock series with strong competition, new body styles, new sponsor and new energy.
• A race director who is actively working with drivers and other tracks to solve the challenges that all speedways face in Ontario.
• A Chaos Car series with a new format that looks almost like an old-school enduro race, with driver participation increasing by the race.
• Special unique hook events like Non-Pro Lawn Mowers, Classic Car Cruise, Motorcycle Displays, Open Cycling Invitational, All-Truck King of the Hill etc. which add variety to the lineup.
• A track which has offered each racer tickets to bring their sponsors out to the track free of charge (of which almost none have taken advantage of)
• A strong Junior Racing League program with 28 kids registered and learning the ins and outs of stock car racing.  A program with a proven record of graduation to upper classes (SEVEN graduates actively competing in the Super Stock class alone!)
• A truck series that puts on some of the best 3-wide racing and makes it works of any series I’ve ever seen.
• An Enduro class that is putting on some of the best old-school stock car racing anywhere.
• Newer flexible licensing that allows fans to enjoy alcohol in the main grandstand.
• A great touring program for the rest of the year featuring two days of ISMA Supers, OSCAAR Outlaws and of course, the first-ever Canadian stop for the Whelen Modifieds.
• New track days once per month with the sports cars of the WOSCA group.
• A developing Train Race series.
• Nascar Super Stars returning to the track because they had a genuinely good time at the facility and wanted to come back again.
• New ways to experience the races (at the track) with teams using twitter and posting photos from the infield.  Fans able to tap into the timing and scoring system.
• Special nights honouring Emergency Services Workers (July 8th) and Armed Services Members (August 26th).
• A modified series that is working hard to rebuild itself, even touring a bit - - this weekend to Sauble Speedway for an invitational.
• A speedway fan base that consistently supports the 50/50 charities.
• An evening of entertainment for a family that is nearly on par with a night out at the movies.
• Free camping at nearly every event.
• Free kids entry at nearly every event.

… this list goes on and on.

Perhaps there is an equally long list of things that could be going better.  That list, however, has been long throughout my work at the speedway.  We call the things on that list challenges, which are to be overcome – not things that drag down the speedway we have worked hard to build.

Does this speedway have its challenges?  Absolutely.  I think every track in the province is fighting challenges of one kind or another.  Fortunately at Delaware Speedway, there is not a single other track that we identify with as ‘competition’.  Our chief competitors in the London market are movie theatres, home entertainment systems, and choosing to stay in - - anything that keeps people from coming to the races.

My challenge to everyone who reads this board (Delaware and non-Delaware readers) is to step up and help your local speedway grow.  Invite a new friend to the track this week.  Tell a neighbor about the racing.  Help the speedway distribute schedules in your community.  Consult with a race director about ways to improve your class.  Help a competitor with their setup.  Build bridges by travelling to other tracks to test the rules and promote cooperation.

Delaware Speedway is open for business, but as everyone is keen to identify - - there are challenges.  My call is for our racers, fans, and sponsors to join us in those challenges - - and to get excited about what’s going on at Delaware, because there’s a lot to be excited about and many challenges to be overcome.

-John Houghton
Delaware Speedway
john@delawarespeedway.com
(519) 652-5068 Ext 201

When you have 10 late models on a 1/2 mile track when you used to have 30, there are issues plain and simple, next thing you know there will be zero cars and zero fans.

racing has became expensive. time to get back to the grass roots. lets bring back true stock car racing . stock cars doing time trials, 10 lap heats and 25 lap feature, might be able to get a bunch of cars for that!