Agreed!..
don’t know if this helps, Stafford Srings has a great car count. They have SK Modifies, Late Model, SK Lights Mods Also, Plus mini stocks (The Real Ones
and Dear Stocks. The track and all fields are filled that night
Smart move!!!
Here is the release:
NASCAR Sanctions New Smyrna, Orlando
Marquee Florida Speedways Join Whelen All-American Series
By Paul Schaefer, NASCAR
January 18, 2013 - 4:00pm
Tweet DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Florida is the birthplace of NASCAR and Friday afternoon, two marquee tracks in the state joined the NASCAR family.
NASCAR and track officials announced New Smyrna Speedway and Orlando Speedworld will be sanctioned tracks in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series in 2013.
New Smyrna is a half-mile banked paved oval near New Smyrna Beach, Fla. – 25 minutes south of Daytona – and Orlando is a .375-mile banked paved oval east of the city.
Super Late Models will be NASCAR Division I at both facilities. Speedworld operates on Friday nights and New Smyrna on Saturday nights.
Representing NASCAR at the Friday announcement at New Smyrna Speedway were Jim France, NASCAR vice chairman and executive vice president; George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president, regional and touring series; and Bob Duvall, NASCAR senior director, business development. They were joined by New Smyrna general manager Terry Roberts, Orlando track operator Ozzy Moya, and Robert Hart, who owns both tracks.
Sanctioning New Smyrna Speedway and Orlando Speedworld is important to our NASCAR Home Tracks program,” Duvall said. “Partnering with two well-established race tracks in central Florida is energizing the local racing community.
“These tracks are known for entertaining competition among top-notch drivers,” Duvall said. “With NASCAR, they have a new platform for recognition on local, state and national levels. Track owner Robert Hart created mainstays for weekly racing in Florida. We look forward to working with him and officials at both tracks.”
Hart represents the second generation of his family’s ownership of the facilities.
“We’ve enjoyed longtime friendships with folks at NASCAR,” Hart said. “My dad (the late) Clyde Hart was thinking about this 15 years ago. Now is the time to do it, and I have a feeling our new relationships are going to work out really well.”
Moya operates Orlando Speedworld via lease from the Hart family. The two tracks will work together under the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series banner.
“We spent the past year reviving and improving Lakeland (Fla.) Dragstrip, and we’re proud of what we’ve done there in a short period of time,” Moya said. “We plan to do the same with Orlando Speedworld and renew its status as one of Florida’s premier short tracks. This is a great opportunity and it’s generating a lot of excitement.
“My parents came to America from Cuba. They came here and worked hard for success,” Moya said. “I’m following their path. Part of our promotions will be aimed at creating new race fans in central Florida’s Hispanic community.”
David Rogers of Orlando, Fla., won the 1994 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national championship at a former central Florida paved track. His undefeated season of 22 wins in 22 starts is legendary in NASCAR short-track racing. The 40-year racing veteran is excited about returning to NASCAR racing.
“Obviously I like it,” Rogers said of the new era. “This is good for our tracks and for NASCAR. The racers will benefit from the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. They’re going to find out how important weekly racing is to NASCAR. This will work out well.”
With their Division I designation, NASCAR-licensed Super Late Model drivers are eligible to compete for NASCAR Whelen All-American Series championships at the track, state and national level.
The track operators will designate support classes as NASCAR Divisions II-V and each will compete for points in the NASCAR Finalist program. The program brings added recognition to support division drivers.
Entering its 32nd season, the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series is NASCAR’s national championship program for weekly short track auto racing. More than 50 tracks throughout the United States and Canada participate. Asphalt Late Model driver Lee Pulliam, 24, of Semora, N.C., won the 2012 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national championship.
The track websites are http://newsmyrnaspeedway.org and http://orlandospeedworld.org.
[SIZE=“5”]I think it’s a GREAT move. Hopefully more of Florida Tracks join in. Now NASCAR can have a “Winter Heat” program for the NASCAR Fans that get “CABIN FEVER”!!! Can’t wait for the 2013 Schedule!!![SIZE=“5”]:huepfen024::huepfen024::sport009::huepfen024:[/SIZE][/SIZE]
:ernaehrung004:
Maybe it will force them to improve the facilities a little bit, I know thats dreaming and probably won’t happen but a paved infield at NSS would sure improve the facility…or at least soap in the bathrooms. The only flat tires I’ve ever had in a racecar before even going on the track were at NSS, there is sh!t everywhere. They also need a track sweeper like Five Flags has that goes out there before any big race and does a once over on the track. How would anyone run a high groove when it is filled with junk from the previous month of racing before the race even starts.
I think it is a good thing for the track, I think it could be a GREAT thing for the track but knowing how the owner is…Nobody there has ever had a “spend money to make money” attitude, so unless NASCAR forces them to improve some things I don’t think they will. Its all how you handle opportunity when it’s given to you, this could be a great thing, we’ll see. Whoever mentioned Stafford Springs go look at the car count, every class is 20+ cars every weekend, but I doubt that’s all from being a NASCAR sanctioned track…its all what you make of it. We’ll see.
Nascar
Hope they bring SK Mods also:)
I noticed the comment by the NASCAR official that now that NSS was a NASCAR track, he could drive over there and watch a race. I guess they aren’t races unless they’re NASCAR sanctioned.
I wonder why there has been very little interest in Florida and elsewhere for short tracks becoming NASCAR. There must be a reason that the local short tracks aren’t elbowing each other out of the way to line up for becoming a NASCAR track.
I don’t think NASCAR has any demands of it’s sanctioned tracks regarding up keep. I think repairs and repaint will be left up to the owners.
Now they just need to get all these big NASCAR drivers in street stocks for a race and let all these weekend warriors get a chance to wear them out. Then it wont be who has the most money. It will be about skill…how racing should be!
The “press release” says Orlando is Friday nights. Few weeks back, Butch and Barbara posted that Orlando was going to Saturdays.
Which is it? Dad wants to plan to run the SLM at Speedworld…
I hope it will be still on saturday if not then just as well go to A-Dale
yea I saw it said orlando would be running fridays also I guess we will find out thursday .
Brilliant !!!
WHAT A GREAT IDEA, GO TO THE MEETING BEFORE POSTING SMACK ON THE INTERNET !!!
:aktion033:just think. if people didn’t post smack on the internet, then messages boards would be boring and would most likely go away.
If they go back to Fridays, they just as well be ready for empty stands again. I live 11 miles from the track and it takes me sometimes 45 minutes plus just to get to SR419.
From what I remember, NASCAR has a rule that prevents NASCAR sanctioned tracks within 100 miles of one another from running on the same night. That could force a move for Orlando back to Friday nights.
[QUOTE=kletus;119381]WHAT A GREAT IDEA, GO TO THE MEETING BEFORE POSTING SMACK ON THE INTERNET !!!
:aktion033:[/QUOTE]Who posted any "smack"?Scott… not trying to start anything, as you very well may be right on that rule… and maybe this is just the other side of the coin. I thought the rule (at least the one I’m thinking of) is that you can’t run an “independent” track that’s within 100 miles of a Nascar track on the same night (assuming the Nascar track is running that night).
The only conflict with this, as far as I can see, is if someone wanted to run at Auburndale some nights (within 100 miles of OSW), on the same night as an OSW show… they would be disqualified for Nascar points and awards. All other Asphalt tracks are more than 100 miles from either track.
As with you, not trying to start anything and no disrespect but…I don’t see how NASCAR could mandate anything with an “independent” track. The only reason I mention the 100 mile thing is I’ve heard it mentioned by officials in New England. And I remember that all the NASCAR sanctioned tracks up there didn’t run the same night. Thompson ran Sundays, then switched to Thursdays, Stafford Fridays and Waterford and Riverside Park on Saturdays but they were over 100 miles apart so that was ok. I may be wrong, but that’s how it went. Now I don’t know if that’s 100% true or even if the two tracks within the 100 miles can mutually agree to “opt out” on that either but I hope the latter is true because I think Speedworld could do better on Saturday nights. This rule would only pertain to New Smyrna since they would be the only other NASCAR sanctioned track within 100 miles of OSW.
I just moved down here from michigan and have raced or been involved in racing for many years. I was at New Smyrna this past weekend watching as my car is not done yet & I am kinda checking places out to figure out where I wanna run. When they made that announcement, it made a huge impact on me personally as far as where I would like to race. The insurance is incredible, the money they pay back for points finishes is awesome & alot of times more then what the track itself pays or offers & its an added check each year. Also it gives drivers an additional source to speak with or whatever if needed. Coming from a member for many years, it is well worth the money & a definate good thing for sure.
A friend of mine had a super bad crash, destroyed the car, front to back and was also injured and the bill was out of the roof…again, he never heard a word as the bill was taken care of by the insurance he had through being a nascar member. as for the racing side, I won a championship at a nascar santioned track in Michigan and received points money the track advertised and then recieved both a check for my championship from nascar but an additonal check for being in the top 5 in the nation for the charger division back then. of the championships I have won, the amount of money I recieved at the nascar sanctioned track equalled adding all of my others together.
As just a member, for crew people or anyone who is at the track, the insurance is the exact same. had a guy get hit by a car one night & his leg was broken and he never got a bill either as the insurance covered it.
I am NOT a fan of nascar as far as thier sprint cup, nationwide, truck operations & think they have killed what racing is all about with me being old school. I also get aggrivated with them several times on things they do & almost never even watch a race anymore because of it BUT, the insurance they offer for everyone & the money they put into points funds is excellent. I can honestly say, if you join and run an entire season somewhere, you will make your membership fee back with the check they send at season end.
as for the having 2 tracks santioned racing on the same night, its not the issue of having 2 tracks running the same night but more about location as they try to not have 2 tracks close to one another under the sanction. for anyone who would want a shot at a national title, having 2 tracks sanctioned and running on different nights is a huge benefit. Its hard to do that if you cant run 30 points events a year. we only had one track in michigan total and it was impossible to win the national deal with only 20 events per year and then the rain outs so guys were lucky to run 12-14 events total & there was no chance to have enough points to beat a guy who run 40 events in california for example.
They could run programs at both tracks on the same night by running different divisions at each track. For example: run Super Lates, Sportsman, and Minis at one track while Limited Lates, Prostocks and Mods run the other. Then the next week trade places. Just a thought…