Speed51 blows

SSS numbers are not down. They sit in the low to mid 20s depending on what track they are at.

Maybe just a little crazy, but look at it like this:

A big race at 5 Flags in Nov. would be too close to the Derby.

A big race at South Alabama wouldn’t be as big a draw because it is a much smaller track.

Logistically Gov. Cup is easy because it’s already an established event and closer for SSS teams too.

What are the options for the SSS that would have that marquee event appeal? Could be a great new tradition.

Oh yeah, would be a lot warmer for everyone too. :slight_smile:

Some people on other sites are throwing out South Georgia MP and even Memphis (cool idea but getting a little too far west). Too bad Lake City is closed, half mile and easy to get to. Lanier ain’t no signs of coming back. Huntsville too small. NSS is probably too far, but would be cool to finish series there then the teams can kick back and go to the beach with the family

Is Memphis still open? Or even operational, for that matter?

I’d have to believe that NSS is closer for most SSS teams than Nashville.

Great point, season finale at NSS then a few days with the family at “The World’s Most Famous Beach”. Also not to be forgotten “Racing’s Most Famous BBQ” hosted by Jerry! Its worth the drive just for Virginia Higginbotham’s 'Tater Salad (talk about famous)! :ernaehrung004:

Memphis held a super late race last year. I believe it was a CRA race

Memphis had either a pro or super late model race a few months ago. Think it was pro. The track is a little too big for weekly racing right?

Kinda suffers from the same thing that USA Int’l. (Lakeland) did. Too big for weekly racing, not quite big enough for the top 3 NASCAR series. Fortunately Memphis has Drag Racing, Drifting and other motorsports events to keep the whole facility afloat. Maybe Memphis would work for a big SSS/CRA combination Season Finale. But I’d still rather see 'em all come to the Governor’s Cup. I’m biased and I admit it!:aetsch013:

According to their website, It’s confirmed. SSS AND CRA will not be going to Nashville for the AA400. Press release had NO mention of a replacement date. If that’s the case then you will likely see waaaay more SSS drivers at the Gov. Cup. True, a few SSS drivers like Grill and Pollard usually come for the Gov. Cup, a lot probably didn’t come because of the expense of the AA400 which was a SSS points event and just a few weeks earlier. Nashville’s arrogant loss will be NSS’s gain! Should be the best Governor’s Cup field in years! I can’t wait, I can taste the SUDS already! :ernaehrung004:

10-4, I stand corrected. I was looking at the “newsroom” tab on the left, when all the latest info was right in front of me on the main page- my bad.

There is a site I came across about a year ago called race22.com. They cover a lot of NC and VA racing. Heavy nascar type of late Models. They refer to super lates as straight rails. Huh? Anyway good write up on SSS and some good quotes from drivers that want a replacement race. This site is doing some free “trackside now” coverage as well.

[QUOTE=Don Nerone;147913]So they send out people to cover the races. Then they keep up the web site
pros all the in coming info so you can see it and the should do it for free.
I did work that way for years but not now
My bill for this website when I was promoting was over $500 a month.
Now ill bet all the tracks in Fl together don’t pay that now.

If you want good racing info some one will have to pay for it.
TV killed the ticket sales. Now you will still have to buy one but you will get to know what happened at many tracks
If all the sites were gone then ticket sales would go up .

your turn
left turn

don62[/QUOTE]

well they already are getting plenty of advertising money- that site is packed with ads so I don’t think they are or have been doing it for free.
But I get what you’re saying, my point is that now by having pay-per-view they are collecting from both sides- no law against that…

I never have had cable because I’m not going to pay to watch commercials. There is a difference between making money and greed.
I don’t see where greed has ever changed things for the better. exhibit 1; NA$CAR

perhaps from the reply that Kim Brown gave in the “Lake City” thread maybe something is in the works…

I really don’t think that the Southern Super Series is planning on going to Lake City. You would have to put up a big purse and given the limited seating capacity and the fact that Lake City has drawn really disappointing crowds when it has been open recently, would make it financial suicide. I believe the zoning laws in Lake City require at least one event a year to be run for the property to continue being able to be zoned as a racetrack. I believe that is the motivation behind having an event there this year. If that land is not zoned as a racetrack it would lose pretty much all of its real value. That being said, I would love another opportunity to race at Lake City and if it helps keep the facility alive on life support all the better. The last thing we need is to lose another racetrack in this state. Hialeah, Lakeland and St. Augustine were the latest victims. All were fine racetracks (like Lake City) and it’s a bummer that they are gone. Things will change and hopefully a person with some deep pockets and saavy marketing skills will come in and lease Lake City and start bringing it back. All we can do is do our best to support the few events that will occur there to help show the viability of the place until Mr. Hart can find someone willing to put the effort and more importantly money in to revitalize the old gal.

Columbia Motorsports Park (Ellisville Speedway)

@ scottygarrity07

I didn’t know about the zoning law thing but I agree with you that if that is what it takes for now to keep Columbia alive then so be it. Like you say that buys time until maybe someone can come along and give her a real go.

As far as seating capacity goes I think Columbia has more than Montgomery does and MMS holds 2 SSS races a year. Besides I was at 5 Flags last night and while they had a nice sized crowd it wasn’t anything Columbia couldn’t handle.
I can remember the good old days at Columbia when that entire parking lot behind the grandstands was FULL and folks were parked on both sides of the road out front for about a half mile in either direction- the place can hold alot of people.

…and here is a little btw I picked up last night at 5 Flags;
The SSS would like to and needs to increase car counts. They only had 20 cars last night and 6-8 were guys that only race the 5Flags-MIS weekends.
They already run in AL and 5 Flags plenty, plus N. GA- Gresham. Florida is kindof untapped right now and they would like to get more of our hotshoes to come out and race the series.

Someone said in an earlier post that Columbia would make for a great special events track and I agree- I could see that working for something like the SSS.

5 Flags seating is VERY deceiving. It holds like 10000 people or something so when you look you think there aren’t that many people, but there are. I was there also and I’ve been to Columbia many times, I bet that crowd last night would pack Columbia to the gills.

BTW you really have to hand it to the Bryant Family for bringing that place back from near death and making it a real showplace. Not to mention Tim runs Mobile now too and the SSS

Columbia Motorsports Park

10-4 it was a nice crowd and it would be awesome to see a turnout like that if they did run at Columbia. And really that’s what it would take, I think, if we are to save Columbia and get the SSS to start running here in FL.
The other option would be So. GA Motorsports Park up in Valdosta. Nice facility, not sure why no one runs any shows there anymore but I do know that dragstrip runs something every weekend.

I agree with you about Tim Bryant, I think he is one of THE best race promoters in the United States. 5Flags, MIS, and the SSS- he obviously knows what he is doing, and IF the SSS does come to Columbia he will make sure it’s done right.
Between he and Mr. Hart it could be one heck of a show- a throw back to the glory days of Columbia when PeeWee Griffin and Gary Balough would show up just to run a regular Saturday night show.

I imagine SSS and Brighthouse have very similar if not the same rules. Could there be a joint finale for both series?