Something to THINK about

FLORIDA STOCK CAR RACING KARNAC's FLORIDA STOCK CAR RACING
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Evidentally if you are on this board, you love racing. Tell me, what track makes you feel the most welcome and appreciated for being there?? Is there one person at your track that goes all out and makes you feel needed and appreciated?? Are the ticket people friendly to you and the back gate people?? Do they concession stand people greet you with a smile?? Does the General Manager come around and say hello to you if you are a driver??

These are not hard questions but HONEST questions. Is there someone at your local track that goes out more and makes a bigger effort to make you feel special?? Or have you had a bad experience at a track which turned you off from ever going there again??

I have been to many tracks over the years but I will admit that Joe, the announcer at Volusia, made me feel more special and appreciated being there than anyone. The first night I went there, just to show Tonya what I could do to help them, Joe made an announcement that I was there and would be writing that night and how happy he was that I was there. He made me feel very welcome since I was an asphalt girl and really had not been around dirt that much. But he took that extra step to make me feel welcome and it worked. I love being there and working with Joe, Tonya, Shelley, Jeff and all the staff. They always greet you with a smile and how was your week and that is really, really nice. And I love the hugs I get when I go back to Orlando or New Smyrna and see my old friends. But now it is your turn, be honest and start WRITING.:slight_smile:

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all the race tracks i go to and race at make me feel special except one

and i ain’t going to get on here and bad mouth it just don’t go there any more do i have a favorite yes auburndale rex and ever body there go out of there way to make you feel like you are some body – citrus county speed way - critter and his whole crew same way - do ever thing they say they are going to do

columbia speedway don - sandy - joyce -and crew just like family all ways have a blast

east bay race way great place good crew and owners good show

hendry county speed way great place ken and crew great good show

too bad we can’t race at ever one of them on saturday nights hauler ain’t fast enough

now ocala- bronson orlando - new symnara - volusia - we just ain’t had time this year to race at your track but ain’t heard nothing but good about your tracks :huepfen024::huepfen024::huepfen024:

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For me it is Bronson Motor Speedway. Everytime I go there and work a night of racing I get thanks and complements, from fans, racers, and the staff. In fact, many people go out of their way sometimes to complement me, which means a lot.

At Ocala I know that the fans like me and appreciate me because they are not afraid to tell me, and Mike Peters also thanks me for a job well done.

As far as visiting tracks when I’m not working at them is concerned, I always feel welcome at Volusia. The staff there is very friendly and polite.

4

I’ve raced at 6 different tracks from Columbia to Desoto. Visited several more as well in Flori-duh.:sprachlos020:
Can’t say I’ve had a bad experience at any of them. Not bad enough to never go back anyway. I race at Bronson because the crew and track conditions are to my liking. All grass and concrete pits and no dust cloud. All racing runs smooth and on time every week.
-JIM-

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I’ve only raced at 1 track in my short time of racing, and that’s at Columbia, I have no complaints. Next season I may try Bronson if I can get all of my ducks in a row.

Bruce Flowers
#42 Purestock CMP

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Ams

[SIZE=“7”]AUBURNDALE SPEEDWAY #1[/SIZE]

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I’ve had trouble at two Florida tracks, but in fairness, it was at least 5 or 6 years ago. My first trip to De Soto was an unexpected hassle. Its a long story, but boy was it badly handled. I did return there a few years later and had no problem at all.

A place that has really turned it around is New Smyrna. 10-15 years ago, I found it to be an uptight and unfriendly place. I guess everyone thought the track was their ticket to the big time, because so many drivers looked stressed out and unfriendly. I had a mini stock and would show up a few times a year. The staff always seemed to be bothered by my presence, even though I am very low maintenance. It was hard to get the car weighed, get a question answered, etc…

But that is in the past. Now I find New Smyrna to be very racer friendly. Sure, there will always be problems with calls from race control or tech, that is just part of the sport and happens at any track. I have had no hassles there; in fact most of the staff is very friendly. It is a good place to race!

Another impressive turn around is Auburndale. I have visited there on and off for years, and have raced a few nights this year for the first time. In the past, the thing I remember most were the pit clearing brawls that happened over and over. Those boys loved to wreck and fight!

So far in 2009, the problems of the past seem to be gone, or are at least under control. I’ve had a great time there, and have to admit that Rex Guy and Ted Head couldn’t have been nicer to me. I tend to be a pretty small player, so I notice stuff like that.

Gotta tip my hat to Bobby Diehl too. Although I have not raced at CCMP, I was traveling by the track one weekday on business. I thought I’d stop in and give him a pat on the back. If you make an unexpected visit like that, you have to expect a delay or an excuse. Well, I got neither. Bobby sat me down in the office for a quick visit and was very cordial. Too bad CCMP is so far away from me!

On the opposite end of the spectrum was the old Orange County Raceway next to Speedworld. For years, that place was run by an unusually crabby lady. What fun! Then another guy took over, and he was either totally drunk, or with a staggering hang over. Did I mention that track is no longer there? Go figure!

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Only track I had contact with is Flordia was NSS and both times was very impressed with how they treated me once with my car for the Feb reunion and the 2nd trip, no car and just as nice. I am sure that the reception for DAARA at other tracks is also great but I only can comment on what I have seen myself.
Tracks are seeing that being a butt does not keep the gates open. The fact that the racer has to pay to play and never makes enough to break even but still keeps coming back is only because they LIKE the people and the track.
I drive 225 miles one way to run my vintage at a track that is in the back woods of NC because I like the people I run with and the owner is in it for the joy of racing. With 50 to 60 people in the stands and LESS than 30 cars counting all 5 divisions (unless the vinatge cars are there since we bring at least 6) you know it is not for the money but the love of racing. :ernaehrung004:

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Out of all the tracks that we have been to here in florida that I think is the best all around is Volusia Speedway Park hands down!!!, :ernaehrung004:,They make you feel welcomed and the have a great friendly staff of employees,Tonya Moschell is a awsome GM,and knows how to get it done!!! :)…My second track of choice is Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick Georgia,Mr.Frankie Lloyd was very friendly and appreciative when we went up there last year,all the staff was very friendly aswell…the concession stand food is awsome…gotta try thier chicken & rice and for desert thier homemade nanner puddin,wish GIS was a bit closer to us it is a great track :slight_smile:

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My answer is a pretty easy one for me - Citrus County Speedway, both as a fan and as a crew member I’ve had nothing but great experiences. On the crew side, the track officials were VERY fair to everyone in the disputes we’ve been involved in and their safety crew is top notch. Even the one time I had a problem with the announcer we handled it offline like gentlemen. Some other tracks have come a long way, but still need help.

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It’s Bronson

Bronson fits the bill. Tony, Al, BJ and the rest of the crew are very friendly and helpful and go out of their way to make everyone feel welcome. The prices are fair and the facility is clean. And on the other side of the coin we have CMP and I won?t get into that again. Things will have to change before I will consider going back there. Lack of funding keeps me from venturing very far south so I haven?t tried any tracks south of Bronson.

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As with anything in life each track has had it’s good moments and it’s bad ones over it’s life time. Most times it takes new ownership to turn it around. But they DO get turned around.