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

Can someone please get this once great facility back to where it once was.  It's in terrible shape,  no promotions, ran poorly and needed upgrades everywhere.  Gold Cup a mear shadow of it's once self.  Who is running this track as of  2014 season?  What happened to the track itself,  the surface, the banking ect ??  Its dirt, its flat, and one night it's fast and the next its slicked off.  The pits consessions is run out of a thirty year old trailor (scary) and the bathroom is one toilet and the rest honey buckets.  The PA in the pits is non existant and scoreboard is good one week and broken the next.  Seriously,  this use to be one of the top short tracks in America holding the prestigious "Gold Cup" where the stands where packed for 4 solid nights, camping sold out and great racing.  Now we the fans call it "Tarnish Cup" and no one goes.  I know John Padjen made alot of money in the late 80's and through the 90's and then just let it go to hell.  Is there any plans to get this place back to its golden days or is it done? 

CAJ

The Gold Cup used to be one of the best weeks of the year. Except for Larson being Larson it really SUCKS !  Horrible track conditions through out the entire year.

The Gold Cup needs to move to Tulare!

 
I LEARNED ESP FROM MY MOM

"PUT YOUR SWEATER ON: DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW WHEN 
YOU'RE COLD?"

That's sad to hear.  When I lived in northern ca in the mid-nineties, Chico was the place to be on Friday nights. The NARC/GSC races there were can't-miss events, and even the regular shows were great with some of the NARC guys coming in to run.  The Gold Cup jammed that place with cars and fans. Does John Padjen still run it?  I would think think Butte County would help with upkeep?

Has Placerville sufferred the same fate?

Hope things turn around for you guys.

very little of the problems at silver dollar can be traced back to the current promoter. the glory days of the gold cup are pre world racing group, when the money went into the purse not some huge sanctioning fee. pre tire wars when it didn't cost $1200.00 for a 360 to enter after tires and membership and join the party. pre governor moon beam taking money from the fairs, so there are no improvements, huge promoters fees, expensive chp security and facilities that havent seen an upgrade since I started racing 45 years ago. The weekly show is barely limping along on this wonderful obamma economy but it IS continuing. Tracks that run weekly are our sports incubaters. this is where drivers like larson, sweet, balou and so many others got their start. Special event tracks like tulare and calistoga are great for watching a big event but they do little to extend and nurture our sport. Also I think you have selective memory, I raced chico in the day when the plowed fields we passed on the way to the track were smoother than the track and from june to sept it was all about dry slick.

Want a better silver dollar? pound the fair boards ass for decent facilities, go out and visit dennis and troy and volenteer your vision and sweat and see it from the other side of the fence, but by all means, go weekly and support the racers and track. its not all about 1 or 2 big shows a year.....paul

Last post was dead on but did not address the  increase in racing cost at the same time the fans having less to spend. Promoters are trapped in the middle, racers want more money, fans want cheap tickets , and the promoters overhead goes up everyday.  With all the hype about the Trophy Cup I wonder how many made enough money to pay expenses, entry fees, pit passes, fuel, tire wear, and hard laps on a $40,000 motor, food, hotel, and Beer. 

Coming from someone whose opinion I respect a lot and has put their money where their mouth is this post is really the most important one that you will see on this thread. The only thing that I think that is missing is that investments were not made to the facility at a time in the past when times were good and now that things so desperately need to be addressed there is no money to do so. This is an opportunity lost and the appearance is that the method of operation was to grind every ounce of value out of the joint without ever putting a penny into it. That's what I see at least. Unlike you, paul, who has INVESTED in your facility in a way that we just haven't seen in the North State it wasn't done at Silver Dollar. Barring a miracle like what we have witnessed at Calistoga I personally don't see it happening in my lifetime here in Chico. Now somebody go prove me wrong......

threadkilllllller your exactley right.  Im not blaming current holder but the past holder who milked the facility dry then left and anyone and everyone knows who that was.  Dont tell us Paul he didnt have the money to upgrade when he held it for years and years because I personally know different.  Scoreboard was a casino deal, new catch fence was done by Allen and the "real good clay"  was brought in by Fenn Farms on some backroom deal so............................................

CAJ

Dennis Gage, Troy Henning and a bunch of other people behind the scenes work hard to keep Silver Dollar alive, and I'm grateful for their efforts. I saw some good racing there this season. Three suggestions:

Get a handle on track conditions. Some nights this season, especially after the fair, the track was quite good. Other nights, it was a rubber-sucking, one-groove nightmare.  

Raise the catch fence on the front straight, or at least in front of the turn 4 bleachers. The situation is a tragedy  waiting to happen. 

Dump the World of Outlaws from the Gold Cup. I know that WoO attracts some casual fans. However, WoO shows are hugely expensive. Spend that same amount of money on promotion and the purse, run the event without the WoO's ridiculous dictates, and you'll see a lot more cars in the pits, which translates into more fans in the stands. The Trophy Cup and the Dirt Cup prove that you don't need the WoO to have a very successful event. 

The Trophy Cup and the Dirt Cup prove that you don't need the WoO to have a very successful event. 

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 
I LEARNED ESP FROM MY MOM

"PUT YOUR SWEATER ON: DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW WHEN 
YOU'RE COLD?"

I've attended the Gold cup when it was on the 1/2 mile at Capitol Speedway in West Sacramento, Ive seen the changes in northern California and aplaud John Padijen for his years of efforts and his support for the local racers and the success he achieved in the years he dedicated himself to the local sport and all the great races we always attendend.(he earned every dollar he made)

Dennis Gage and his crew have kept the same mind set ! where else in northern California can you see a weekly Friday night 410 race ? while you race your hobbie stock, super stock, ecomony,sprint,wingless sprint, dirt modified , legends car. Troy Henning is a class act and does what the does for the love of the sport, Dennis could be kicked back on his retirment sipping a cold one anywhere he wants, but like John Padijen he supports the local racers and we all thank Him !
I agree chico has changed but what else hasn't? I would rather have a chance to race most every week, then not and I do agree WRG needs to bypass the gold cup but in a business stand point it's the only time Dennis has a chance to make any money for his year long efforts(gold cup has been on the WOO schedule  the the start up the only one, Ted Johnson last race before he passed), as a fan you want it all as a racer I'm glad I get to go racing and feel track conditions on average were as good as any track in U.S.A. Thanks again Dennis and crew look forwrd to 2014