many of Ontario race tracks are the equivalent of going to a movie theatre with a torn screen, breaking film interuptions, broken seats and stale popcorn. How long would a theatre last with conditions like that last? The promoters still don't seem to understand they're in the entertainment business. As far as grass roots racing, 1/2 miles tracks are hard on grass roots equipment!
One wag on the Raceny site had it correct when he said weekly short track racing is becoming like being in a bowling league. You pay to join, play other teams, and might get a trophy at the end with a few people watching.
So it's like playing any other sport nowadays...I'll take your entertainment comment and go one step further. The tracks need to realize that they aren't each others enemies, but that the things that are keeping people from coming to the races (ie. other forms of entertainment) are...In some cases you can strike a balance with them (ie. fairs, festivals and the like) but you have to compete with your shopping malls, your movie theatres, your bars, your concerts and stuff like that for the casual fans...
Does anyone know where I can get a pair of rose colored glasses?
I personally didn't think my post was negative towards Delaware Speedway. I actually suggested some ideas. Remember you have to find the problem before you can fix it. Now we do have some news a new G.M. and I think he has the possibilities of being great. He has business experience, and racing experience. Lets hope he has some promoter ideas. I just hope he doesn't get judged because he is Jeff Wilcox father because I hope people didn't judge me on my father or son.
To From the Stands-
How do you figure the attendance numbers have been increasing? From the numbers I heard and my personal experience there was a lot more seats to choose from in the grandstand, which would indicate attendance was down.
Have you ever driven a racecar in competition? Tony Stewart critized Las Vegas Speedway this weekend for being too fast! Maybe he shouldn't be in a race car and maybe he was the one white knuckling with the hat down Oxford Street. When a driver makes a chassis adjustment it is because he isn't comfortable in the car, not because he shouldn't be in the car. With the new rule specs the car are becoming a lot easier to drive which levels the competition but makes it a lot harder to pass.
I have been to Delaware on both regular nights and special events and was not impressed with either.
Yes, the track does need a promoter but isn’t manger just the fancy name for that? Or is Delaware Speedway not going to hire one?
Jake76- Good post.
Remember why Kevin and Amy left? It was because of unattainable working conditions. It might be true that there are not many people in the Delaware area capable of running a race track, but why limit the search to the Delaware area. There are a lot of business people in the London area capable of managing the business but they do not neccerily have racing experience. Maybe fresh ideas would be a good thing.
Mike32- You hit the nail on the head
Mobil1- Other tracks are the competition; I drive by Delaware Speedway to go to many other tracks because they sell me a better product.
Other tracks are the competition for the die-hard fans. Casual fans and first-timers are the ones who are being torn between other forms of entertainment in the area, and it's a trend that's being noted across the board, both in racing and in other entertainment areas....
"How do you figure the attendance numbers have been increasing? From the numbers I heard and my personal experience there was a lot more seats to choose from in the grandstand, which would indicate attendance was down."
I was told the numbers were up by many of the track officials. The overflow from the stands was back up to what it used to be a few years back. That's the only indication you have from the pits.
The enduro guys... holy cow. they more than hold their own and with the addition of all the extra races the past few years, I don't doubt it when I'm told total revenues are up. Even the rainouts are likely to cost less then they use to. The latest management teams have been quick to call a race night before the staff needs to be paid or rain checks issued.
"Tony Stewart critized Las Vegas Speedway this weekend for being too fast!"
When questioned further, Tony explained he was worried about going beyond the saftey bounaries of the track and equipment. I'd hate to think we're anywhere near that threshold at Delaware. ( Maybe if you brought in an old cascar chassis and put it in the 3rd turn wall, but I think they tech for that stuff)
I conceeded to you, and rightly so, that the condition of the track can make the racing "too fast". I think you would agree, taking speed away from the cars is not the way go.
"I have been to Delaware on both regular nights and special events and was not impressed with either."
Yes, there's a level competion on the track now and it's making for a different kind of racing some people don't like. In the past, and still at a lot of the regions tracks, 1 or 2 cars would be head and shoulders above the rest of the field. Handicapping them so they started at the back led to a lot of passing but ultimately the "racing" sucked. Some people liked this. I just hope at Delaware we stay the course on leveling the field so that in the long run, with proper track repairs, we can have the best racing that SW Ontario has seen.
I guess what set me off was the perception that you left with your post.
The guys and girls in the pits spend a tremendous amount of time and money preparing their cars for each season and each night. We know we are the show and we try to work within the limitation we are given.Where presented, we attempt to navigate hurdles set up by the conditions of the track, decisions of the bean counters and the economies of the times. It's definitley a labour of love with only a few returns. When someone flies into a thread and takes a shot at the "show", well.....the hair on the back of the neck stand up.
You know, making a comment about the show, based on a couple of visit is just unfair. The race program at a track is much like series on TV. Unless you willing to devote the time each week, it's really tough to get the feel of what's going on down on the track. The back story, which the announcers try to inform the crowd about, is more a part of the racing than how bad the track is. Week in and week out there's goings on the fans can see unfold, which sometimes the announcers can't talk about, that add to the drama. You just can't get that from a bulletin board or and newspaper. You need to be part of the show. What if I said that the Flammy or Peterborough programs sucked because all I saw was the fall events where they went for the big money grab in the pits, inviting every class that was available and then cut all the heats and reduced the feature to half. That wouldn't be fair would it?
If you could devote some time with Delaware, and make it your Friday night entertainment, you might see the show from a whole different angle. Maybe not rose couloured, but different none the less.
I'd just like to know what you, or anyone else, would like to see.
I went pretty much every friday night last year, and for the most part, the program was one of the best.
There's a truth in racing, from Sat nite enduros right up to Nextel Cup: Not every night is going to be a fender slammer. Sometimes they'll be side by side across the line, and sometimes one guy runs away with the race. That's just racing. It always has been. Jr Hanley used to lap the whole field twice in a 25 lap race, so you know its nothing new.
If I were to offer some suggestions on how to "improve" the show...
Trucks: Don't change a thing.
Street Stock: Ditto The fact that they've finally made non-Nova cars competitive has made things pretty interesting..as well as the inclusion of Camaros and a potential higher car count this year. (but that still remains to be seen)
Modifieds and LM:
-Track improvements should really help here. From a fan standpoint, these two classes are the ones where the drivers seem to be really tentative about the outside lane. (maybe the other classes are too...but LM and Mod is where it shows the most) On the flipside, it's pretty exciting when someone does make an outside pass.
-Feature length. LM feature should be 25 laps, MAYBE 30. There's no reason for a Friday night feature to be 50 laps long. With the counts they were getting on some nights last year, the extra laps didn't add anything and just served to string the field out further. If you look at the old programs, even the supermodifieds in the early 70s only did 20 lap features.
-Bring back the Dash/Challenge/whatever you call it race at the beginning...with LMs. Always kick off with your fastest and loudest. Gets everyone's blood moving. That's just good showbiz.
That's all I got for now.