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

Kinda what I was thinking, but I don't know anything about Mr. Gobrecht or how deep his pockets are.   Easy to suggest where money should be spent when it's not your money...

Why do I need to be rewarded for doing what I love to do the most? The great racing is all the reward I need! Do you think you need to be rewarded for shopping at the same store all summer long? Or getting your car serviced at the same shop 10 times in a row? I have never been rewarded for going to an Iowa Hawkeye football or basketball game. 

A well run sprint car show with at least 1 support class does not have very much down time. That is when I go to the rest room or concessions stand. None of the newbies I have taken to the races ever complained about no entertainment between races. On the other hand, I have heard a lot of complaints about all the crap McCarl does between races at the FRC. And he has cut back on that stuff in recent years. 

I really do not think you are a sprint car racing fan. You just want to try and make yourself look smart with all your dumb ideas to improve everything. The vast majority of FANS do not even notice most of the crap you think needs improved. You are the only person I have ever known that even mentioned the music Gibson plays between races. And you made a big deal about it! 

Good point. Path Valley might just be my favorite track. If I wanted amenities, I could go to a Sheraton hotel

Haven't been to Susky yet

Hear what you're saying.  It's a wicked cycle though.  Gotta have the money to make improvements, but most sanctioning bodies would see XYZ conditions and ABC stands and say "NO WAY". 

As far as track that is in better condition, I would say beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  If he gets the surface back in order the Central Pa fans will overlook the facility if it puts on a good show like we usually do (for god's sake look at Path Valley) IE why I had what I had at number 1.  The true fans only care about the racing.  They will piss out in the bushes if required, Lincoln's bathrooms aren't much better FYI.  Items 2 and 3 definately need to be considered though if the casual/new fan is to be introduced.  To a new fan their first impression isn't the racing, because their first impression was made before they saw a single car in hotlaps.

Case in point, we have sat on concrete stanchions for decades at Lincoln.  While my and numerous other race fans backsides continually suffer from it, we do it knowing that we will most likely see one of the best 410 races in the country that weekend.  Lincoln doesn't usually disappoint. 

I'm sure Susky can put on just as good of a show, just have to get the surface in order.  

To me the better question is what divisions are they going to run?  I know it has been announced they would run Super Sportsman cars there, but can't run just that.  Can't really run weekly 410's and not butt heads with the Grove, Lincoln, or Port Royal.  Given that it appears the 360 division has been orphaned maybe run 360's on Saturdays along with the fendered cars?  Not sure.         

Many of us have been p!ssing in the parking lot for years...if the racing remains good we can easily do that for another season.

1- hire a bulldozer and a half dozen dump trucks 

2- knock down everything from the racing surface outward and clear the infield

3- new pits on the backstretch / new fan zone

4- announce the 2016 schedule 

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

No one is interested in any of your ideas Altman, no one! No track, no driver, no promoter, and no fan is interested in your ideas. Please go try to help somthing else, maybe the local ballet is interested in rewarding their fans with money and prizes. You are so desperate for recognition in Sprintcar racing that you make up silly ways to improve the fan experience in an attempt to impress people but sadly no one is impressed and you end up looking like a fool over and over again . You throw out names of drivers and promoters like your involved but your not, your just another guy with an Internet connection and no friends, so you come on here and spew your same old same old, and when folks react negatively, and they always react negatively, you act all smug like you have some inside info or you know better then everyone else. Sadly, You are delusional and probably need some type of medication, perhaps you can go to a doctors office and let them know how they can take care of their patients better, make sure you ask about the meds while your there. 

The hatred I see on this board is far worse than Altman's ideas (or lack thereof)

Just say you disagree & spare us the personal attacks, OK?

No, I tried that 200 silly posts ago, didn't work, sorry if my "hatred" is offensive to you politically correct wussies who think everyone should get a turn at bat, this guy has been saying the same crap for at least 2 years on thus board and has done 0, if he posts it again I'll blast him again, freedom of speech is not only for the weak.

Oh, so now I'm a "politically correct wuss"? You really know how to make enemies

Common courtesy existed long before "political correctness"

Sprint racing is supposed to be fun, don't try to ruin it

1.Bleachers

2. new concessions

3. new bathrooms

If I just bought it , I'd sell it to Scott Gobrecht. :)

Now your my enemy? LOL I don't even know you how can we be enimies? If the shoe fits wear it, if I'm wrong about my wuss statement then ignore it, wow I didn't realize that you considered people you don't know friends or enimies, If you dont like me because of my posts I truly don't care, I don't skirt around the issue trying not to offend anyone, I tell it like it is.

You can tell it like it is without the personal attacks. You could say, "I think you're completely wrong" or something like that.

You talk to Altman like he's an enemy

Thats all I have to say, do what you want

I couldn't agree more. No more useless Band-Aids. Then hire people that actually have a clue.

i "heard" the budget for improvements. if it is true, i dont think they will have a problem fixing the place up. i am sure they didnt buy it intending to leave it alone and run it "as is"

as far as track conditions, there have been times i have been there and it was very good, other times, it sucked. if it has shown potential to be "very good", figure out what was done right and keep doing it.

IMO, the biggest inprovement was selling it to people who give a shit.

1. Have a weekly program that creates positive cash flow via front and back gate. Saturday show from Silver Spring will be awesome there. 

2. Have a special event (410) schedule to pack the front gate and add to cash flow. (Rahmer and Gobrecht working together on this could be win-win for all involved.) Could do other special events for other divisions. 

3. Maximize all profit centers (food and concessions).

4. Use positive cash flow to reinvest in the physical plant (surface, stands, restrooms) and racing product. 

5. Manage, promote, manage, promote.........

I hope this place gets the boost it deserves. We have lost car owners and tracks over the years. There is room for a successful track in the market place. Within a 1 hour driving radius of Susky is 1 million people. Think about that potential market and get after them. 

All the rumors indicate Scott is on it.

Proposed idea:  Weekly programs that create a positive cash flow.  The reality up where I live around Minnesota and Western Wisconsin:  Seven classes of shit boxes all paying under $500 to win.  ;)

Stan Meissner

I'm not sure about the Rahmer part of #2. The track will need to maximize all there potential profits to help ROI they've committed. Any successful businessman will confer closely with their accountant and have a plan and timeline of when the business should be in the black and showing a profit. I don't think you need to be a genius to sit back and look at and evaluate what Rahmer has done differently in the handful of races he has promoted vs. What the other area tracks are not doing. I'm sure he hasn't applied for a patent on successful race promotion so its fair game to learn and emulate a successful promotion model. Why pay someone else for work your own personal can do. Jmho of course :)

Susky has always produced great racing so the surface and prep would be my first choice. These things will not happen over night I don't care how much money you have. Put butts in the seats with great racing and improve from there. Promotion is a key as Fred Rahmer has shown. Keep fans involved and bring them back, it has been years but 60's 70's the place was packed every week. I think you have someone including the owner and general manager that have a vast racing knowledge and the connection with teams and fans to bring this around. I am looking forward to it, and hope I can be involved in the resurection in some form. It is one of the tracks I spent my life at and always enjoyed the racing.