I spoke with Chris Hunnicutt, owner of Needmore Speedway which is Georgia’s newest race track, earlier in the week about the lateness of the show this past Saturday night which went into Sunday morning.
Indeed he said the $3,000 to win late model feature ended at about 3:45 AM on Sunday morning. There were three other features yet to be run and Chris admitted the whole show was over about the time the sun rose.
This was the grand opening of the brand new speedway and Chris’ first venture into running a speedway. He admits that they were overwhelmed with over 6,000 people in the grandstands and 192 cars registered in the pits.
He apologizes for how long the race program lasted and hopes that fans are forgiving. Things can and will only get better. He is going to meet with his track manager. All aspects of opening night will be reviewed and he assures me that they will do everything possible to make sure the race program ends at a decent hour on future nights.
Overwhelmed with over 6,000 people in the grandstands and 192 cars registered in the pits.
Wow. If you gotta have a problem on opening night. I guess that would be the one you would pick.
Hope the virus is catching and it rubs off on some of our Florida tracks.
yep we would all be “overwhelmed” if our track had 6k fans and almost 200 cars. we would party til the A.M. at least the guy knows he made mistakes and is willing to work on them. what a novelty!
carol aka oz
As a fan, I know my limits, if it takes me X amount of time to get to the track, I know the time going home will be the same. Midnight is about all these old bones can stand and I know it’s time to leave. I know there will be rain-outs and accidents that will be out of my control. I’ve heard people say I ain’t back to that track and a few weeks later, there’re back. Us race fans forgive easily. Congradulatitions to this new track and owners. Maybe they can get a WoO or a Lucas show.
I remember a few years back being at Lake City Speedway (now North Florida Speedway) at about 2 a.m. and they were still going but I had a 3 1/2 hour drive home so I left. I think Jimmy Parker (I think that was his name) had it then. It was real oily back then and they could not practice when they were suppose to because it was too oily so the show was really, really late. My friend e-mailed me after that and said they got out of there about 4:30 a.m.
I know I have waited until the wee hours of the morning for race results when a protest would happen and it is not easy but usually I didn’t have a 3 1/2 hour drive back home.
Congraulations to Needmore for their first night. 200 cars and 6,000 fans is great.
hey if thats whats botherin ya then come to Punta Gorda Speedway. I fully guarantee you can go in our restrooms any time of the night and they will shine and smell cleaner than a hospital. There is ALWAYS soap, paper and towels! Our girl Melanie is amazing! so come on down and drink alot of nice cold beer so you can enjoy clean toilets! lol Bring your friends so they too can pee in luxury! ya can poop too because Mel will be in there spraying!!! she is so good the first thing i do after i get my wrist band is to send bobby running down to her with a $5.00 bill because i know i never have to worry about nasty rest rooms…
miss ya
ozzie
The car count is easy to deal with, run 3 classes not 6. To me the bigger issue is beer in the pits. I could not believe how prevelant it was. There was an amazing number of 4 wheelers and golf carts much like Pheonix city for their big races. Now whats wrong with that? Thats where I saw most of the beer. I guess thats an open container in an open vehicle.
Being their grand opening, maybe they were really running around like chickens and could not see or control the beer in the pits but I am sure they will. That is the biggest no-no at any track period although I have seen alot of plastic cups before in the pits that was not a coke or ice tea. Thank goodness most of the time it was not a driver with the cup but a crew member or spouse. But I am sure they will get that under control.
According to their web site this morning they are taking an aggresive stand on this situation. They are limiting coolers to six pack size and the drinkers on the atv/golf carts must be at least 16 and have a license.
Consumption of alcoholic beverages should never be allowed in the pit area. It is my understanding that there will be a much stronger law enforcement presence at the track for future races.
I hope you are correct but the message board, before it was silenced implied otherwise. Their problem is that the number of spectators in the pits probably rivals that of the grandstands. These spectators pay $25 not $10. The entire track except for the grandstands and the road to the racing surface was 4to 5 people deep in lawn chair or standing. I pray a car never clears the fence or goes through it. They have a fairly low retaing wall.
There were quote a few complaints lodged by neighbors of the track to the police and the police were to meet with Needmore Speedway to address all of the problems. It was the police, themselves, who assured neighbors there would be more of a police presence at the track for future events.
They have already had a management shakeup. One of the two promoters (Lavon) and the tech man are no longer working for the track. Does anyone know what caused this? Greg, the tech man, ran the Needmore board as well as his own www.saturdaynightthunder.com/ board.
My name is Greg, I was one of the tech men at Needmore and I also handled the website. It is true that Lavon and I are no longer associated with Needmore Speedway but hopefully everyone will still support them.
at least the guy knows he made mistakes and is willing to work on them. what a novelty!