Forum: Oklahomatidbits.com General Forum (go)
Moderators:  /  David Smith Jr

From the people I talked to about the show it was worth the trip to Enid. Also from what I hear they were paid, what they were told they would be and that is what will keep them coming back.

Haven't heard about Brill's Champ Sprint show but I am sure it went good as well.

That would be cool if Enid run Champ Sprints every other weekend and Brill's run Champ Sprints every other weekend. Enid got 16 and Brills got 17 this weekend thats 33 total, so why couldn't they run some kind of point system where it would benefit both tracks?

Out of 33 cars IMO both tracks would average 20 to 25 cars a night with some running OCRS or Lawton . Don't they have to travel one way or the other? And with all of the drivers that still have cars sitting waiting to see where it would be the best to run at or they just are not ready yet, that were walking the pits at both tracks the car counts could be even better.

I am not trying to undermine any sanction that are running this type of car (OCRS or NCRA) I feel like it would be better for the class looking at the big picture; That not everybody can afford to travel with a sanction body with the economy the way that it is now...

Just a fans thoughts, so why couldn't this work or something like it?

I didn't believe Lawton would go for it that's why I went with Enid and Brill's...LOL

 Randy       

       DIRT TRACKIN
"When it's wet slide it in"

You OKC drivers and the ORA are missing the boat here as I have thought about this over the winter.

You need to get your group together of champ sprints, super sprints, pro stocks and just make a plan to go together to some of these tracks as a group one, present what you would bring as a group and ask for certain pay. Get the $1000 to win out of your hear cause it ain't happening. If you do it with modifieds, don't do it on nights NCRA or USMTS have anything scheduled or any other big paying shows. If you do it with the champ sprints, don't do it head to head with OCRS.

Charge your members $20 per draw and draw for starting position in heat races and use passing points for each race. Then line up "B" and "A" features accordingly.

Get somebody you can trust to keep the money you get from each draw and at the end of the year have a little top ten point fund or something of that nature.

You former OKC drivers have enough cars per division to make this work AND you have enough of a following of fans that would come if they knew where you were going to be racing.

You champ sprint and pro stock drivers, this could work out perfectly for you as you could bring the cars to those tracks, give the promoter a back gate and bring in race fans. The super sprints could do it as well but I am sure the numbers aren't there to give full fields. That is just something somebody has to do to contact people and find out.

If you go ahead with this all promoters will have to work together and all drivers would have to commit to it for the most part. You don't have to do it every weekend but maybe twice a month.

Thougths??

David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com

that is all good but of the 32 champ sprints that raced at the two tracks last weekend-14 of them are OCRS regulars getting ready for the season ....just my opinion.......plus i would imagine that some of the meeker cars will run at Creek when it opens...i just hope the cars dont get spread too thin.

"its useless to put on the brakes when you are upside 
down"   -Paul Newman

That's another good idea David it might get a little confusing though, it would almost be like another sanction and do we really need another sanction in Oklahoma?

The idea I was throwing out was that if two or three tracks worked together, to complement a Champ Sprint class or a full body-class like the Pro Stocks might be pretty neat. Because most tracks have 5 or so classes that are supported at their tracks already, so rotate the classes every other week. I was just thinking about the COST factor for your local drivers as well, and everybody knows about mid season the drivers and owners get the burn out factor. From running at one track because the travailing to several different tracks is not in their budget or schedule. But could probably swing travailing to a couple of tracks instead.

David, your idea could work with what I am thinking about as well. But allot of people would have to be on board anyway you look at it. Could a group of drivers /owners and track owners pull something like this off ? As a fan and supporter of racing I could only hope so... If not in 2010 maybe in 2011.

 Randy       

       DIRT TRACKIN
"When it's wet slide it in"

I totally agree with you bsman63. My point is with all of the guys that are not ready yet or just standing back waiting to see how the classes to shake out. It was just an idea to generate some different thoughts on the classes because when you ask some of the okc guys where they plan on running the answer is always; I don't really know yet we are taking it week by week.

 Randy       

       DIRT TRACKIN
"When it's wet slide it in"

the only problem i see now is there are already too many classes/sanctioning bodies/tracks competing for the same fan dollars. racing in this area is watered down...you have at least 3 classes of sprints, 3 classes of modifieds, and god only knows how many classes of (insert name here) stocks.....i think making existing racing stronger would be best....just my opinion

"its useless to put on the brakes when you are upside 
down"   -Paul Newman

Well a travailing schedule with 20 or more race dates is just to expensive for allot of race teams according to what I have been told. When you figure in the expenses and the tire bill for 20 or more races at different tracks over OK, KS and TX.

Speaking from a fans perspective to follow a travailing class like the Champ Sprints would be extremely expensive as well. That is why this post was started to see what else could be done to enjoy certain classes with out the cost being out of reach for most Fans and Drivers/Owners. And not effect any sanctioning body.

I always enjoy going and watching the OCRS specials, and I have nothing against the OCRS. I am also glad to see that as a sanction the OCRS, has expanded there race program with more tracks and more dates for 2010. So the local fans at other tracks can enjoy this class as well as it was enjoyed in OKC for the years past. But like most I will catch the OCRS shows that more fit my budget and schedule.

That is my opinion and I am in no way trying to take away from any program already in place. I feel like there is room for a couple of tracks to work together rather than working against each other like it has been done in the past.

 Randy       

       DIRT TRACKIN
"When it's wet slide it in"

i understand where you are coming from. i know that we (OCRS) got as many dates on the west side of the state as we could to accommodate the OKC area teams. when they (OKC area cars) run those dates (Ada, Lawton, Enid, Clinton) it offsets the cars from this area that cannot travel that far. some of the eastern dates are on holiday weekends as well to make it easier on all the teams.

"its useless to put on the brakes when you are upside 
down"   -Paul Newman

I wasn't even meaning it should be an ORA sanctioned but a quiet group of the guys who could all get together (champ sprints together, pro stocks together, etc.) and all agree say Monday or Tuesday to meet at a track and say to promoter "hey, here we come and we are bringing "x" amount of drivers, can you do anything for us (extra pay, free driver pit pass only) but if not then it would be no problem. The $20 or even $10 draw would be for private use only and at the end of the year that would be distributed to top ten or fifteen. Kinda of a bonus for sticking together through the season, just as you would any other Friday night at Fairgrounds Speedway. Like I said though, don't step on OCRS, NCRA, USMTS or whatever toes as all have to work together - promoters, drivers, sponsors and fans.

David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com

If you think you could EVER get a group of drivers to ever agree on anything,

Well, Just Think about an insane asylum that was turned over to the inmates.

Don't get me wrong here I totally agree on everyone working together, mainly promoters.

The tracks will just have to compete for the State Fair Speedway fallout.

Who do you think came up with all these different rules for the race cars anyway? Maybe a promoter that likes to keep them all at home? HUUUUUUMMMMM.

If the World of Outlaws was still coming to OKC and filling the stands and more importantly filling up the hotels, restaurants and gas(convenience stores) There would be a new Grandstand to meet the ADA laws and the Electrical updates would have been for the speedway by Mick himself.

Who do you think came up with all these different rules for the race cars anyway? Maybe a promoter that likes to keep them all at home? HUUUUUUMMMMM

That is what happened to most tracks today the past promoters screwed it up for allot of drivers and fans. It may have some what worked in the past when gas was around a buck a gallon but it is 2010 not the 80s&90s. And IMO if the track owners/promoters would work together a little more it seems like it would be the best for all involved.

I know wake me up I must be dreaming...

 Randy       

       DIRT TRACKIN
"When it's wet slide it in"

I disagree. a $40,000 a year lease would never justify spending 60-70 times that amount of either fixes or something new.

How much would could a wouldchuck chuck if a 
wouldchuck could chuck would

I was wandering when you were going to add your 2 cents... Somebody got richer and the track went away. And some people say they had no idea it was coming so soon BULLSHIT.... If the people wanting to keep SFS open should have pulled their head out of their ass years ago.

 Randy       

       DIRT TRACKIN
"When it's wet slide it in"

To start with. I've never heard of a facility that is leased for a flat rate. The lease probably had a base rate plus a percentage and 999 times to 1 time the fairboard never gives up the concessions.

So, what really happened was racing has not been producing enough income for the fairboard or the city to keep it open. This is happening to almost every track in the country and has been for the last 25 years. The newer ones and the older successful ones that sells to an owner that has to carry big debt usually fail real soon after opening.

If the percentage rent and the concessions amounted to 40g, That it is certainly not feasible to keep it open much less tear down and re-build the grandstand. But when those BOZOS in the suits think you are bringing money into town(economic impact) they get plum stupid about spending the tax payers money to keep things open and running.

As for the World of Outlaws. the numbers, when you have to give up a percentage of the gate and then not have income from the concessions would make it very hard to come out on the deal since the Outlaw show has gotten so expensive to run.

Now if you really liked the outlaws you could have gotten rich off their stock. Just last November 09 it was only a penny per share and today it's up to $4.24 I would bet a take over is in the woods, maybe even Tony Stewart. Somebody is sure buying it up to make it go up like that.

http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/snapshot/snapshot.asp?ticker=WRGP:US

Randy, you hit the nail on the head....lack of support by the racing community only helped the OKC and State Fair Board officials in their effort to close the facility.

I call it BULLSHIT too!!!!!

And POP......the sound it makes when you pull you your head out of your Ass.

Well to start with. Everything that I have read and seen on the local news proves it. All Lanny paid for a lease was $40,000.00 per season it is public record.

You would not believe the revenue that the city gave up, the facilities set Saturday thru Thursday. So who is at fault for the track to close? OKC Fair board and the City it self for letting a lease like what Lanny had to even happen. Hell it ain't all Lanny's fault he is just a business man, the people in charge at the time the lease was signed didn't know what the hell they were doing seems like to me and a whole lot of other people.

And it would not have mattered If the WoO Sprints,WoO Late models, USAC or frickin NASCAR put on a show at SFS in the last few years. All the City of Oklahoma City and the Fair board would have made was there season rent and their part of the concessions. So it's was kind of hard to bring SFS up to ADA code and have the Electric fixed on what they were being paid.

Because from what I understand anything that was done at SFS had to have Lanny's approval, and he did not like to have anything going on at the track unless he had a hand in it.

For the last few years I would say the Friday night crowd was around 2000 to 3000 in the stands and close to a 100 cars every Friday night. Some nights were slim but not very many, but with the purse that was paid at SFS it's not hard to figure out who made all the money.

So wipe the dust off your adding machine. LOL...

 Randy       

       DIRT TRACKIN
"When it's wet slide it in"

man I just typed a novel.....and then read yours.

I think you said it best through all of that. Lanny is a businessman and they did sign the lease. you're bullseye on it all........especially.........there was a killing being made!!!

As much dough as he was making there - probably way more than any other promoter in this part of the country.......and yet he still paid a purse that was pretty much par for the course with other tracks? it could be called greed.....but then again......that seems to be how all business is done. He found a way to make a lot of money BUT still deliver a product better than all of his competition......its good business.

but thats not to say it was ALL good business!!!
lots of people sure were perenially pissed at that man!!! lol.

How much would could a wouldchuck chuck if a 
wouldchuck could chuck would

If Lanny or any other promoter for that matter made the money that some people think they do he would have long ago sold out and retired living in Florida, Hell, they would all be multi-millionaires and all there coffee cans would be packed full of bucks. Lanny is very shrude at the racing business.

But I will submit to you and everyone else 2 things. I'm real sure none of you has seen his lease agreement and any amounts that are talked about out there are really just hear-say and speculation. And 2nd, not one of you can look up at that grandstand and estimate the crowd with-in 2000 people that are actually setting there. Now hammer on me cause I know some you know these things for sure.

I gotta agree, Lanny was not the reason SFS closed. We all know he can be an Ass but Hey, they don't call me Uncle A for nothing.

If you believe everything you here on the news is public record then you will fit in real well in the new OBAMA socialistic world that we have now.

That lease would never be public record. If it is public record why don't you have a copy of it?

And if there was a new grandstand they would be able to host more events especially during the fair. They have had problems getting promoters to produce anything during the fair over the past few years. It has turned into a race facility only just about and the 40 g or whatever it really was making wasn't enough.

The fair killed the events that used to happen during the State fair by charging to get into the fair plus the admission to the events. Fair admission prices have gone way to high across the country and the fairs have cut there own throats and now wonder why the attendance is down. Same thing has happened to a lot of race tracks. $10 and even more at some tracks is too high to watch cars race.

For family entertainment, it's too high. Take a family, 2 adults, 2 kids(one paying adult price) you got $30 to $35 to get in and another $20 or more at the concession stand. Well, that's $50 a week on the tight side and that makes $200 a month to be a loyal fan. How many people's budget can afford that?