Ocala is going to Saturday night?!? Anyone with any sence would take their track to Saturday night! Now everyone is trying to make it sound like Bubba is trying to kill the other tracks just because of that move. Tracks have survived for many a year racing against each other! Put Orlando on Saturday night and the place would go through the roof! Well…you would have to wait for all of the naysayers to get over their venting about change!
Rule # 1 TREAT YOUR CUSTOMER RIGHT
If any track owner treats their customer right they do not have to worry about it! Seems like an easy approach…far from it!
What I was hoping would come from the Asphalt thing was that EVERYONE was going to run the same stuff…this was tried a few years back when Don introduced this same kind of program…If you put it all on a level playing field he who treats the customer right wins! How many track managers or owners are going to step up to that plate? If people feel like they belong they WILL be back! Respect, you give it to get it!
I’m not against your thought Rusty, but I would capitalize on being the only racing on Friday night. I would sell to the racer and fan…enjoy the boat on Saturday and Sunday. I really do believe, its not the night you race, the cars you run, or the cost of admission (within reason)…It’s what you can sell, and is your product worth the price…plain and simple!
I agree Rusty. They also have to take care of the drivers. From the looks of all I can read Bubba understands both of those princibles. I think he will do well. Bob…
The only thing I have seen is that alot of the Volusia racers would race at Ocala on Friday then go to Volusia on Saturday. Now they will have to decide which track they want to run more - Ocala or Volusia. And yes, you need to treat the racers with respect, let them know how much you do appreciate them coming to your track and want them to have a good time and come back again. With Ocala, Volusia and Putnam all on Saturdays and fairly close together, it will be the purses and how well you are treated as to where you go.
Are you sure it is spelled “hub bub”? I always thought is was “hubbub”. Probably derived from the Scottish Gaelic. It is sort of a drunk version of “Bubba”.
Putnam has already switched to Friday night to avoid the competition from Ocala.
Switching to Saturday night was a logical business decision for Ocala . But i’m sure the idea of getting in the face of the other Saturday night dirt tracks also occured to him .
Now , there are three possible options for all other dirt tracks in the area .
1 -Switch to a different night than Ocala
2 -Stand your ground , run Saturday night and cultivate your own race field and fans
3 -The other tracks get together , alternate classes between themselves , pool their marketing and sponsor resources , and grow their fan base .
The last one sure seems like the way to go .
And i don’t think Saturday night is the holy grail of race nights . All over America there are tracks racing every night of the week , and a lot of them are doing fine .
Mike has a point. Can you say alliance? Where have we heard that before. It sounds like a good resolution to me. Altrnating classes is the key then they don’t have to choose. The rules need to be the same and consistant. Bubba is a business man and I am sure those are among his thoughts. How far is N FL? are they close enough to be affected? Bob…
I think the problem with Orlando on Friday nite now is all the traffic, tolls and construction that’s been going on for years now. I could get to Orlando years ago without the 408 in 20-30 minutes tops from downtown Orlando. I live on the east side now by Valencia and use the 408 and it takes me all of 30 to 45 minutes to get there now Not to mention like someone else said about the price of fuel let alone the price of race fuel. If the tracks want to help out the racer and get them back, in this economy, offer them something like driver and 1 crew member gets in FREE. Or sell the fuel at DEAD COST. The tracks should not be in the fuel or tire business to start with. It wasn’t like that not too many years ago. When St. Pete ran you had Jay selling tires and Mitton selling fuel and parts. Orlando you had Poncho/Buzzy and the Finney’s doing that for years. And the tracks still got their cut.
Hmmm if Friday is not that bad then I guess the other tracks could easily switch to Friday and there is no problem.
OF COURSE Bubba is gonna get in the face of the other tracks GEEEEESHHH What do you want him to do come in all timid and shy and get eaten by the others! He is doing the EXACT right thing…he is causing a commotion! Is he gonna back down??? I don’t think so! Look at Bronson…when it was first announced it was sold all kinds of stuff…they stayed quiet…now nothing! Bubba is larger than life in your face kind of guy! If you were expecting anything less, you were not paying attention! I feel he will come in guns blazing kicking butt and taking names…then it is all gonna level out and everyone is going to be right back where they are!
Do you really care about his “personality”? Heck, with some of the other posts on here it looks like we have had some pretty shady characters owning race tracks from time to time! What funded…from what I hear…racing back in “the day”? If you will go to the races and enjoy the races you will be fine! Stop trying to get into the politics of it and RACE! I always hate it when a fan becomes a driver…before you jump off of your Lazy Boy and critisize here is why…when I was growing up watching races, it was FUN! You went to the race track watched your favorite cars and drivers rooted for them and went home to see them all do it again next week!!! COULD NOT WAIT! Now eveyone has to pick the entire program apart…before, during and after it happens! That fan that once loved racing has seen the other “ugly” side…and somtimes it proves to be a bit too much! I have seen numerous folks just get out of it all togather because they did not like the “junk” involved!
Bubba…go get em! The other track owners are not little girls, they know what to do! They have had to deal with all kinds of stuff before, and if you think they are trembling in their boots…they are not!
There is enough room in Florida for all of it’s GREAT tracks! Now there is plenty of room for each and every one of you to be at one of them!
Personally, I wish Ocala had stayed Friday. It was nice have two options a weekend, especially when there was a chance of rain. And most of my visits to Ocala were for that reason – get some racing in now, just in case. Plus, with so many Cup races on Saturday nights, it just seems like a good idea. Fridays work very, very well in some other markets. Don’t see why they can’t here.
Like so many promoters, regardless of their names, Bubba will come in, try to re-invent the wheel, realize there’s a reason why the wheel has always been round, and adjust. The Bubba Army Nationals he has backed at East Bay and Ocala were professional events – why should we expect anything different on a weekly basis? Like Jerry said, though, prepare for a different type of crowd at first – some will stay, some will never come back after the first lump of clay that drops into their beer.
Let’s face it, local racing – and these boards – have gotten a little dull the last year or so. I’m kind of looking forward to something different. And if I don’t like it, I won’t go back – God knows plenty of other places to go on a Saturday night.
[QUOTE=Mike C;71397]Switching to Saturday night was a logical business decision for Ocala . But i’m sure the idea of getting in the face of the other Saturday night dirt tracks also occured to him .
Now , there are three possible options for all other dirt tracks in the area .
1 -Switch to a different night than Ocala
2 -Stand your ground , run Saturday night and cultivate your own race field and fans
3 -The other tracks get together , alternate classes between themselves , pool their marketing and sponsor resources , and grow their fan base .
The last one sure seems like the way to go .
And i don’t think Saturday night is the holy grail of race nights . All over America there are tracks racing every night of the week , and a lot of them are doing fine .[/QUOTE]
Or fore your number 1 Putnam go to Friday night and then they and Voluaia work out their rules and classes to be the same.
It wouldn’t even require changing rules . One track concentrates on building an OWM class with whatever rules work . Meanwhile another track concentrates on building a late model class . Another track concentrates on building a sprint car ( or dare i dream a midget ) show . Each track also has regular weekly classes of Mini stocks , Mod minis , Pure stocks , Sportsmen , etc .
Then , one week the OWM run at track A along with it’s usual weekly show . The same week , the Late Models run at track B along with it’s usual weekly classes . And the Sprint cars race at track C that weekend , along with it’s usual classes . So each weekend , each track has a headliner class along with it’s normal show .
It can be done pretty easily . Just requires track owners and promotors to give up their dreams of dominance and and instead give the fans a reason to come out each week .
Your correct Mike C. That’s why UMP, United Midwestern Promoters was formed in the first place. In the beginning it was the promoters attempt to save dirt late model racing.
There is a simple solution to all of this. Pick a track that YOU like and go there. Support that track and all is good. If you don’t have a favorite track, go to all of them. Spend your time and money at the track and less time on the computer bitching about things you do not have the power to change.
I love the idea of alternating the classes between the dirt tracks and this way, drivers who loved Ocala and then when to Volusia on Saturday, can still go to both tracks and run for points at both tracks if that is what they want. And if Putnam goes to Friday, hopefully, that will help them.
Racing today is very expensive so tracks treat your racers like family and just remember, SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL TRACK IF AT ALL POSSIBLE BECAUSE TOMORROW IT COULD BE A SHOPPING MALL.
You just never know what tomorrow will bring!!!
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