Forum: CZ's PitPass (go)
Moderators: z-man

There's been an on going discussion on here concerning car counts, and the lack there of, at some tracks, while other tracks are having banner years. While there are multiple factors involved in why car counts are the way they are, there's one point that people seem to be missing.

Years ago, it didn't seem to be that big of a deal but everything evolves and with it comes changes. More times than not, businesses that do not keep up with the changes will find themselves behind the eight ball and some will catch it before it's too late, while others don't see it coming, or refuse to admit they need to change, and ultimately lose their business altogether.

The change that I'm talking about is making the race teams unload all their equipment in the infield and having to load it up again after the races are over. Yes we've done it this way for years but that doesn't cut it anymore.

Times have changed. These race teams have thousands of dollars in extra equipment. No longer do they only have a spare tire or (2), a tool box and a cooler.

My travels with ASCS have taken me to many race tracks in the upper midwest. Not one track anywhere makes you unload all of your equipment and pull your truck and trailor out before you race and then load everything up again after the races...

...except our local tracks.

Let me repeat that...

"Not one track anywhere makes you unload all of your equipment and pull your truck and trailer out before you race and then load everything up again after the races..."

I'm not bashing our local race tracks, but rather making a point as to another reason, of many, that some race tracks are averaging more than double the car counts that our local tracks do.

I have yet to see (1) race fan, purchase a ticket, sit down in his favorite spot in the grandstands and then decide to leave and ask for their money back because the race cars are not pitting in the infield. That's an excuse that will fall on deaf ears. That excuse doesn't hold water.

If the tracks would ask all the race teams which they would prefer, I bet (90) percent or more would want to pit outside out of their trailers. Ask them. I have.

Is making race teams unload thousands of dollars worth of equipment every night keeping some race teams from racing at a few of these tracks? You bet. Ask them. I have.

Race teams don't make money racing. They aren't going to go on to Nascar and become Jeff Gordon or Dale, Jr. I would venture to say that (99) percent of all local racers you see every week, will race locally or within a few hundred miles of their home track because the opportunity just isn't there. Not bashing our race teams, just looking at the reality of the situation.

So they must be racing for the rush of it, for the fun and enjoyment they get from this exciting sport. When that fun no longer exists, they'll be gone.

The old tradition of unloading everything and then loading it back up, takes a lot of fun out of it. Not to mention the fact that they need to leave their shop an hour earlier and will get home an hour later because of it. Quite a few race teams simply refuse to do it. They choose to race somewhere else.

Their having more fun. Ask them. I have. The car counts will tell the story. They already have...CZ

The only place that concerns me in the next week is I90 Chuck. Have you heard what Lyle is planning? I can't imagine that it makes a difference to him, but after last year's fiasco, and then us pitting outside during the last ASCS show he's got to see it makes a difference to us.

Lyle wants to pit outside but he wants to do it right. He's having a meeting today with some of his officials to discuss the matter. I have even told Lyle that I would help him Sunday if he needed help to make the transition to the outfield if he decided to do so for our show on Tuesday.

I hope he decides to pit out there but I guess we'll have to wait and see. I asked him to call me and let me know what his decision is as soon as he knows so I can at least inform our race teams of the situation...CZ

Glad to see Lyle is making an effort to accomodate all the teams traveling this far to put on a show for the local fans. You've gotta be crazy not to show up at any show you possibly can next week if you're a sprint fan! Here's hoping to good track conditions and racing all week long.

I asked this question on the NMRA message board, but will ask it here too, in case they delete your comments, CZ. What reason do the local tracks have to make teams unload in the infield? It seems like a waste of time to me, and if, as you say that is why teams choose not to race at the Rubin tracks or I-90, it would be to their benefit if they did away with this outdated policy. Any comments?

I'm not taking sides and I'm not trying to defend any decisions either way but I will add this ... For a track to successfully manage a pit area that is located outside the track, there must be a few key items in place. First and foremost is an safe and easy entrance and exit to the racing surface. Granted this could easily be handled at Lake County and Rocky but at Huset's it's a huge issue. Yeah, we put up with the opening and closing of the gates all night during WoO events but with 4 classes on a weekly basis, it would grow to be a problem. Keeping large groups of cars inside for extended periods, away from their tools and equipment would be very restrictive for those who have trouble and need to work on their cars. Another key item is facilities as in restrooms, concessions and lights. This is one easily solved if the track is willing to step up to the plate and make an investment in their plant. Sometimes you have to spend money to make money (or in the case of the racers, you spend money to ...well, spend money).

I too have talked to several teams about pit situations. However, I don't know that I agree with zman's estimate of 90% in favor of pitting outside. To me this seems to be more of a trend with the "upper level" teams vs. the "entry level" teams. Sprints, Late Models, Street Stocks and Mods tend to want to pit out of their haulers outside the track (or inside where conditions allow) while FWDS, Factories, Hobbys and such don't seem to have as much of a problem.

In any case, I'm all for increasing car counts and revitalizing local racing so whatever we or the race tracks can do to help that ... I'm all for and I would think the tracks would be too.

Richce,

Here's a couple thoughts as to why I believe the tracks coninue to make the teams unload inside...please bear in mind, there are simply my thoughts:

1) The perception that it makes a difference to the fans, possibly enhancing the show. I think maybe at one time that was the case but I'm not so sure anymore. Has anyone asked the fans recently if they care? I don't think so.

2) Laziness or unwillingness to make an inventment in the facility itself. Putting up lights requires time and money. Building restrooms requires time and money. Building fences requires time and money. There may even be some extra personnel requirements in making the switch.

3) Stubborness on the part of track personnel. Have you ever heard anyone say, "we've always done it this way" or "this is the way we did it when I was racing"?

4) In the case of Huset's, it just may not be practical for the reason I stated above regarding a safe and easy way to get on and off the track. But that's only 1 example and maybe it's not a valid point at all.

I don't know...but, I do know I've done enough rambling for now.

Todd

I think the biggest concern on the racer's part is time. Most all of us have families and jobs to attend to outside of our racing endeavors. It tends to make it a little rougher to race on a Sunday or a Tuesday night at a place where you have to unload especially when you have to be to work the next morning.

Fortunately, we have been set up to unload since we started racing Huset's several years ago. There for a while, Huset's was kind enough to let the far away out of town guys have a premium parking spot for their rigs so they could get in first and get loaded up. I always appreciated that.

When I go to a race as a fan, I could care less if there were rigs in the infield or not....as long as I can see the backstretch. (ie Jackson)......but that is one racetrack I have never watched a race from the grandstand.

Maybe ASCS should change the rules so that you only get to race one complete racecar every night. Have a real "run what you brung" race. With no adjustable wings or shocks. Unload the car with the 4 tires and wheels on it...the four shocks...wings...same wheel offsets etc. NO changing parts throughout the night what so ever. If you break or wreck you are done. This way we can see who the best drivers and mechanics are with limited resources. We basically don't get to change a flat tire after the heat race as it is! ;-) Also, why don't we just skip hot laps. It would really speed the show up and help save the racetrack. Think of the good it would do for the ozone layer........I digress..

Hope to see you Friday!

Mark

Rome wasn't built in a day......but they sure didn't
waste any time burning it down!

In response to your #2: It might also be a case of, where the promoter is not the track owner, who should pay for the necessary improvement required to allow pitting outside. And is the non-promoter track owner (fair board?) willing to pony up?

I'd prefer to pit outside at the trailer but NOT at the expense of the FAN'S enjoyment of the show.