Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

Jeremy,

With all the doom and gloom you wrote about the 358 sprint class last season, and how it's time to get rid of them and go 360's. Are you going to write an article on how the 358 class is alive and well ?  That Selinsgrove is on the verge of collapse with their forward thinking switch to 360's. That the 3 shows run at the Grove and Lincoln has out drawn the 410's ?  37 cars in the 358 class last night at Lincoln !

If you are the fair and honest journalist you say you are when can we expect an article on the class that is bring more cars to the track ? And arguably the better show ! Shaffer with a last lap pass for the win at the Grove on a terrible track.

Before you even go there..... don't even bring Trailways up in the conversation...everyone involved in central PA sprintcar racing knows Trailways has become the driver training facility for new drivers to learn and cut their teeth then move on when they are ready. Less a few drivers that go to cherry pick and pad their win totals and rack up Central 358 series point, we all know who they are.

Just an honest obsevation...

I like this!!

   Most of his articles are truly one sided.

   He is no Jerry Reigle!

  Just my two cents.

Hoser.. please explain how someone logs on with my name ???

Point on!

Jeremy certainly in no way, shape or form is Jerry.  He only reports on his favorites, covers so much racing from out of this area and is so negative you could never call him a champion for local racing.  Maybe if we could get the print reporters to do a better job, we could get the sports reporters (heads up abc27!) to actually take this six figure budget sport seriously.

Case in point - it's all about the outlaws and who cares who was going to win the regular season opener at Knoxville, IA.  This is central PA!!!

Get your S%$^ in gear Elliott!

I hope you realize that pennlive.com is about # of clicks, # of unique visitors, etc..  THose are teh #'s they use to sell advertising.

The newspaper business (those that moved to the internet 10 years too late) is hurting bad.  In order to get $$$ running through their advertising dept. they must generate clicks, visitors, web traffic.  Obviously the way to do that is to cover more than just your local sports (it's why you see a lot of papers owned by Gannett that run USAToday articles in the local daily paper and use those stories on their online paper as well. 

It's to generate revenue.  Take that revenue away and you see local reporters laid off and no local content.

Man I really liked what you had to say until you brought up TrailWays. Love the 358 division and dislike Elliot. But for you to say drivers cherry pick and pad their win total and rack up series points is a very uneducated statement. TW runs 358s nearly every friday night unlike Williams Grove. Yet everytime the grove doesn't run on Friday nights nobody comes down to the so called "driver training facility" as you called it. If it's so easy and can be cherry picked where's everybody at then when the grove doesn't run? I've been going to TW since I was 5 years old and in my opinion has some of the best 358 racing around. You actually gotta drive the car not just put your foot on the gas and steer. Really getting sick and tired of ppl saying that drivers are cherry picking. Every Friday night the grove doesn't run the TW regulars hope and pray they all come down for a little bull ring action But Nobody does. Oh that's right because it's not as easy as sitting behind a computer and making silly comments like you made. Know m' Sayin. 

He hit the nail on the head with trailways being a drive training facility.  And im going to assume you mean Brad McClelland in the cherry picking and adding win totals.  Williams Grove 358 drivers probably dont want to risk damaging equipment at trailways.  It may produce great racing, but i know for one if i am a car owner, im pretty pissed off if a rookie takes me out because hes just learning his way. 

Selinsgrove had 21 360's this past Sat. night, had they stayed 358 they would have had about 12. at least they were able to pull a couple 360's from the URC , Stillwaggon, Betts, Franek, Collins, Bitner, Franks,Trenca, Parker all outsider 360's. I agree Selinsgrove is in trouble but it has little to do with which Sprint division they run, they might as well go 410 they would still have the same 12 regulars.

I'm assuming you're trolling because this is almost too much of a caricature to be plausible. haha

Someone tries to give our sport extra coverage and y'all run him down. Shame on u

Agree 100%.  Why run down a writer who is actually covering the sport.  If you don't like what he writes or covers, go ahead and start your own column.  Justin Zoch of Flat Out was looking for writers this winter, and I am sure hoseheads will put a solid weekly column up.

Quit ripping the guy who is taking the time to write the columns and start your own column.  It won't cost you a thing, and you probably will make a few pennies for doing it, plus you might be able to get a press pass.

I, for one, enjoy Jeremy's sprint car coverage. I live in the midwest and find most of his articles informative and applicable even to my region.  Loved his Top 25 best sprint car drivers list that he did.  There are definitely not many journalists who regularly cover sprint car racing and give their opinions on it. His opinions: you can take or leave it, because they are just that - just because you don't agree with him doesn't mean you are right either.  No need to cut a guy down for doing his job. If it wasn't for him doing his job well, I would have never gone to their website nor been a regular visitor there. As Vande77 said, that traffic to their website creates revenue - so he's doing something right....

I appreciate all the comments, good and bad. That being said, I feel I should address some of the concerns or misconceptions.

I have nothing against the 358 Sprint Car division. Not my cup of tea, but that has to do with the look of the top wing, etc. However, I don't write bad about them because of that. They put on some good races and are a good support division to the 410s in this area.

Last year, the 358 car count was an issue. Not so much at Lincoln, wear and tear on motors isn't as bad at that track, which is why that is. But, it was an issue other places. I find it ironic that Lincoln gets 37 this week, and now the division is this booming market. That being said, I will make mention of it in the future. That is what the Monday talking points are about. Things like that.

As for favorites, I have none. I write about who wins, issues, news, etc. I'm not a PR guy that writes for one team or driver and for a newspaper or publication. That is a huge conflict of interest. My job is to report on news, what happens, etc., regardless of who it involves. I think if people go back through all the stories on PennLive, they will see a mix of drivers. Again, that's why I have those talking points on Monday evening.

The World of Outlaws and Midwest thing: I can't just focus on one area. In my opinion, you need to know and report on everything in the sport...local and national. It's about providing news. But if people go on PennLive, they will see more PA based stories than national. I try to provide the best mix possible.

Again, I appreciate the comments and feedback. I have no problem answering questions as to why I covered one thing over another. As for the Jerry Reigle stuff, I'm going to leave that alone. What I will say is that he was a good mentor, a best friend and a great writer. 

I appreciate your observation. I don't know if it is an entire story when it is just at Lincoln and that track routinely gets more than other places, but it is worth mentioning if it continues.

As for this better show and comparing it to the 410s, it can't be done. I'm not saying they don't put on a good show or anything like that, but so do the 410s. Also, this area — PA — is all about 410s. That is never going to change, whether it is 360s or 358s. I don't think either of those classes can be a headliner. 

I like the coverage...358s are the most expensive "limited" division this area has to offer.

they are not going under or resurging because of reporting.

lok at the bright side...when they are on the card, it is easier to get on the road without waiting in line in the parking lot.

Lincoln 1845 ft/.35 mile T1=118MPH 
Eldora 2287 ft/.43mile T3=135MPH
Port 2716 ft/.51 mile T3=TBD
Grove 2792 ft/.53 mile T3=135MPH
Selinsgrove 2847 ft/.54 mile T1=136MPH
"I didn't move to PA from El Paso in search of better 
weather." Van May

I could not disagree any more with the critics of Gators, he has supplied more accurate news in his collum and on this board than any other reporter. If I want news I look to Gators if i want results or point standings i can get them from the speedway releases.

You may not always agree but the stories are usualy true, the 358 count at Lincoln was helped by the Grove not running them this week and 410 drivers dropping down at least five were former or current 410 drivers and alot of new guys starting fron that area.

JEREMY WELCOME TO THE TOUGH KEY BOARD CRITICS! YOU DO A GREAT JOB I.. LIKE OTHERS MAY NOT AGREE WITH ALL BUT IT IS COVERAGE! IT'S A TOUGH WORLD OUT THERE ANY NEWS IS GOOD FOR THE SPORT. ANYTIME YOU GET IT OUT THERE IT WILL HELP. IT IS A SHAME THEY DO NOT MAKE THE HOSEHEADS SIGN IN UNDER A SOCIAL MEDIA

Not real sure why this thread turned into a bash Jeremy Elliott affair. That was not the point of my post or intent.All of the columns Jeremy writes are well written and informative. I actually like getting some national news also. The point was that I feel the 358 division deserves a little more coverage from our local media. I don't expect there will ever be reversed roles for those two divisions nor should there be. We all understand that the 410s are the show. No argument from me on that. But I do feel it is the feeder division for the 410s and if your weekly column is 10 paragrahs, 7-8 should be on the 410s and 2-3 on the 358s. The AARN gives Nascar a full page every week and for the most part the Infinity series will get 1/2 to 2/3rds a page coverage. The truck series usually gets at least a 1/2 page of coverage every week. The fans should know who is performing well and get to know their names, know something about them before they get to the premier division. To write the entire motorsports coverage about the 410s and one sentence at the end saying so an so won at lincoln seems disrespectful to all the hard work those teams put in and the money they spend. Not sure if everybody realizes it both it takes the EXACT same amount of work every week for a 358 as a 410 car. Not one minute less. These teams work very hard and to think they could get just a very small amount of recognition is not to much to ask for. 

The reason I posted the question to Jeremy was becuase Jeremy did write a column last year saying it was time to get rid of the division and convert to 360s. It would have been better to just not say anything. Imagine some team looking to move up from 305s or 600 micros , read that as they are deciding what their next move should be. Jeremy is a respected writer and his opinion will carry weight with some. So they decide they better not invest into the 358 division because they read somewhere that it was dieing and should be put down like a sick dog. 

So can we please stop the bashing of Jeremy. 

Now if anyone feels a need to bash someone have at it with Bruce Ellis. That is someone that goes out of his way to put down and be disrespectful to the 358 teams. He even goes as far as to not call or recognize them as Sprint cars. He should be ashamed of what he sees when he looks in the mirror.

I appreciate your thoughts and in some cases, you are correct. Here is a breakdown of how I handle the 358 Sprint Car division.

When it comes to a results story from a track, they get 2-3 paragraphs at the end. Sometimes, it is 1 or 2 depending on the length of the story. In the past, I have put more of the 358 Sprint stuff in the Monday talking points section that I do. That post is a chance to hit on different topics without making it too long. A year ago, I had 358 info in that section on numerous occasions. Not every week, but not once a month, either.

Colums, which are the opinionated pieces, usually run Thursday. I wrote the one on the 358 Sprint division and car counts a year ago because it was becoming an issue. I talked to track promoters and also drivers within the division. That's how it became a story.

As for 360s, plain and simple, I was wrong. I thought that division could work in this area. But seeing what has happened, I'm really skeptical if that division can be a headliner. I will be writing a story on Selinsgrove and the situation there for Thursday (Should be posted Wednesday night).

I have no ill will towards the 358 Sprints. Yes, those guys work hard. One of the reasons I have the guidlines I do is because if I handle it one way for that division, I have to do the same for Late Models and Super Sportsman. I treat all support divisions the same...and really, I treat the 358 Sprints better than the others as well.

Sometimes, it is just a space issue with no explanation. Again, I appreciate your thoughts and hit me up anytime if you have any questions or concerns.

Jeremy you do a great job covering the sport. Love your internet talk show as well as all your stories.