Citrus County Speedway cancels remainder of the Season
Speedway lease owner and promoter Gary Laplant announced today that he will have to cancel the remainder of the season at the 1/4 mile speedway in what will be a time of health recovery and a reorganization of things at the speedway.
" I hate to do this, but my health from the stress of the last couple months of personal family issues, rain outs at the track and business issues, I just have to step back and get my health back in order and reorganize here at the speedway. I am working on future plans and options but I have to reorganize somethings and I will announce all of that as soon as possible in the next month. My plan is to be back open in 2015, but what all that will be I have to work out.
I know people are affected by this including my staff, the racers, crews, families and fans, but I am physically and mentally in need of some time to regroup, and the effects of rain outs has hurt the financial aspect here and I have to regroup. I am sorry to all that are effected and I will try to do all I can to get back in shape and to do what is needed to move forward here, what ever that turns out to be. I love racing and care about this speedway and the people who have been loyal and really worked hard for and with me. I would ask for your prayers as I work on my health and for this situation as I make decisions for the future, I would appreciate it very much." stated Laplant.
Laplant invested a bunch of funds to repair and get the facility ready to race for the 2014 season, and much was done to the track. This is a situation that no one wins, it does not help racing to have a track close, specially to the people around the Inverness facility. So they will work to get back open for 2015.
More information will be released over the next few months of the plans and future going forward for the historic fair grounds speedway. Details will be updated on the tracks website and other media outlets.
I was asked to inquire about the banquet for the racers who have “have been loyal and really worked hard for and with me.” Surely the 50/50 money and tire money was kept aside in a separate account for trophies, a banquet and year end payouts right?
That’s a shame. I suppose this means that Citrus is available for lease again. Hopefully someone will re open it again soon.
Dining and dancing, along with your choice of chicken or beef, probably isn’t high on the priority list right now. Or were you really only interested in the year end money?
[QUOTE=Matt Albee;151072]That’s a shame. I suppose this means that Citrus is available for lease again. Hopefully someone will re open it again soon.
Dining and dancing, along with your choice of chicken or beef, probably isn’t high on the priority list right now. Or were you really only interested in the year end money?[/QUOTE]
You sir, have just won idiot of the year! I won a whopping $250 bucks in 2009 when I was track champion. It has ZERO to do with the money and EVERYTHING to do with principle.If 50/50 tickets were sold under the pretense that “half goes to the points fund” and a portion from every tire sold goes into the general points fund it is OWED to the drivers. If you knew anything about racing other than what you watched on TV or from the stands you would know this. That’s how the banquet and points fund is generated in most cases. It would be no different than my daughter selling Girl Scout Cookies in the neighborhood and POCKETING the half that was suppose to go to the intended cause…the Girl Scouts. If Laplant doesn’t give those guys a banquet and at the very least trophies, he is no better than a common THIEF.
I am really sorry to hear that news. Citrus is an excellent track to race on, and to be a spectator at. I enjoy doing both. Our club raced there this summer, and Gary was nothing but fair and friendly with us. I certainly hope that 2015 is a very successful rebuilding year for this excellent track.
Rex,the only thing that will save this track is another promoter. Gary has burnt his bridge with the majority of the local racers, businesses and fans. Generations of racers simply will not go back until he is gone.
" I hate to do this, but my health from the stress of the last couple months of personal family issues, rain outs at the track and business issues, I just have to step back …My plan is to be back open in 2015, but what all that will be I have to work out…
but I am physically and mentally in need of some time to regroup…[/QUOTE]
You really think this person will be back???
Many, many excuses, like we all could have with life, so I guess you just walk… Not trying to kick a man when he’s down here but there are other folks involved that are being left in a lurch. The rainouts, oh yeah, good one…nobody else has them! If you hate to do it, then don’t!
Is the contract (lease) he owns violated? I am sure those folks want their money. How about cancelling future contracted races this season, OK??? Would they come back? Legal, legal, legal…
Too bad for the folks that had faith in this guy. I hope nobody loses money, especially the taxpayers that own the property.
[QUOTE=Groundpounder;151083]You really think this person will be back???
Many, many excuses, like we all could have with life, so I guess you just walk… Not trying to kick a man when he’s down here but there are other folks involved that are being left in a lurch. The rainouts, oh yeah, good one…nobody else has them! If you hate to do it, then don’t!
Is the contract (lease) he owns violated? I am sure those folks want their money. How about cancelling future contracted races this season, OK??? Would they come back? Legal, legal, legal…
Too bad for the folks that had faith in this guy. I hope nobody loses money, especially the taxpayers that own the property.[/QUOTE]
The turd of a promoter and his cronies have been circling the drain up here for months. We are not buying the “health” excuse either. When you run off generations of die hard racers, fans and burn your bridges with the local businesses, it would be kind of hard to make ends meet in Citrus County. The line of people he owes money is very large I can assure you, so I seriously doubt anyone that has dealings with him will get a dime of it back. We are a tight knit community up here and we wont support him. Look at what happened at Desoto when new owners took over…the cars came out of the wood work! Expect the same thing at Citrus. His demise is self inflicted, when you screw people around and act like a total idiot this is what happens. If he is looking for sympathy, he can find it between #### and syphilis in the dictionary.
It is almost like being a Manager at a job. Too much of a buddy and the help takes advantage of you and will not produce. Too much of a taskmaster and they dislike you and will not produce. I don’t want to be a manager.
I said “almost” because at a job, most folks are inclined to stay because they need the paycheck to pay the bills.
But racers do not need a racetrack–as long as there is another one within towing distance…
So the “friendly atmosphere” has to come into play, and on the other hand the taskmaster thing can easily escalate into the “Little Napoleon” complex, and then the train is off the tracks.
The bad news is, there is no racing in Inverness, and some folks undoubtedly are short money, and Mr. Laplant, who had to have had high hopes and dreams, also undoubtedly is not having a good week…
The good news is, like Showtime & Bithlo, the track inherently lends itself to good racing, and there is plenty of support waiting to return.
" it has ZERO to do with the money and Everything to do with principle "
" if 50/50 tickets were sold under the pretense that “half goes to the points fund” and a portion from every tire sold goes into the general points fund it is OWED to the drivers ".
Make up your mind!
I’ll help you out. Yes, it has everything to do with the money and NOTHING to do with a glamorous night out. And if the money is owed to the racers then i hope they’ll get it. And the trophies, and the embroidered jackets, and all the press coverage the class champions deserve. But the track is closing for the rest of the year, and potentially longer, so maybe there are bigger issues for racers and fans alike.
It’s been said before and it’s still so true. It takes a lot of money to run a track, it can’t be done on a shoestring budget. And it takes an owner/leasee who can manage the place. It looks like Gary had neither and thats a shame for a track with the history and fan/racer base that Citrus has.
[QUOTE=Matt Albee;151116]" it has ZERO to do with the money and Everything to do with principle "
" if 50/50 tickets were sold under the pretense that “half goes to the points fund” and a portion from every tire sold goes into the general points fund it is OWED to the drivers ".
Make up your mind!
I’ll help you out. Yes, it has everything to do with the money and NOTHING to do with a glamorous night out. And if the money is owed to the racers then i hope they’ll get it. And the trophies, and the embroidered jackets, and all the press coverage the class champions deserve. But the track is closing for the rest of the year, and potentially longer, so maybe there are bigger issues for racers and fans alike.
It’s been said before and it’s still so true. It takes a lot of money to run a track, it can’t be done on a shoestring budget. And it takes an owner/leasee who can manage the place. It looks like Gary had neither and thats a shame for a track with the history and fan/racer base that Citrus has.[/QUOTE]
I see the views from both of you, Matt and Nathan on this. I will add that i knew it would take a guy on his “A” game to make the track continue success when Showtime re-opened. Many of the regulars were from Tampa. MOST of the fans in the stands were local and there to see great racing. When i was going there over the years they got just that, great racing. I raced there some myself and crewed on a few cars when i wasn’t and that place never let me down for a show. I noticed lately before i came back to NC the fan base was shrinking…due to lower car counts and quality of racing. It’s a great place and hope it comes back to life.
Mr Florian please spare us. We get it you hate Gary. Your constant bashing of him is almost obsessive. How do you know he doesn’t have health problems? Do us all a favor stop acting like you represent all of citrus county/inverness. I deal with alot of businesses in the area and very few have actually heard of CCS. So explain to me how he has burnt bridges with all the local businesses? I wish Gary all the best while i know his intentions were good i don’t quite think he knew what he was getting into.
If you hate to do it, then don’t!
