Racing was better before....

FLORIDA STOCK CAR RACING KARNAC's FLORIDA STOCK CAR RACING
1

Racing was better before accurate weather forecasting. Remember in the not so distant past when we would haul to the track, even if the skies were threatening? In my part of the state, it always seems to rain between 5 and 8 pm, but then usually cleared out. I remember waiting out a lot of storms at the track, getting the surface dry and having a good night.

So often now, the events get called off hours or even days before. I get it; the paying fans have access to the same forecast, and if it looks bad then many will go elsewhere. Racers so the same damn thing.

I try not to look back too often, but historically this is something that we did better before.

Done with my micro-rant, thank you.

2

Radars are racings biggest enemy. When someone asks me what the radar looks like I say I dont trust them… Looking at a predictive radar is not a good way to forecast because its so hit or miss. I would stay at the track all night if thats what it takes.

3

Used to just tow to the races and not worry about it…
Radar is more a promoters tool than a racers…

4

And on a side note Berlin Michigan announced today that they cancelled for Saturday June 30th because of HEAT.

5

These days with phone apps etc, everyone is a “meteorologist”.

I can’t tell you how many times in the past few years up here, rain was in the forecast, so the track cancelled the day before or morning of, only for it to be sunny most of the day with just a simple passing shower that lasted 2 or 3 minutes.

6

Here in 2018, I am as guilty of this as anyone. Ten years ago, me and my open trailer would go anywhere, damn the torpedoes and the weather forecast.

7

Funny you mentioning that you had an open trailer. I always had open trailers,a wrecker or a roll back from 1979 till 2005. Towed my first dirt street stock to Palatka and Jacksonville with a '70 Ford sling wrecker my brother loaned me. After that I had a single axle trailer with no suspension I towed my open cockpit road race cars all over the southeast. In 1985, Scott Lagasse used it to go to Michigan to pick up his very first race car. He said that it was so noisy towing it up empty he almost dumped it on the side of the road. Then I bought my first roll back and thought I was Hendrick Motorsports. I still remember the day I decided to get an enclosed trailer. In 2005, I was unloading my Porsche 911 RSR GT2 SCCA car at Sebring in a rainstorm that was blowing sideways, and I I said I am to old for this. I came home and told my wife of my plan, and she asked how much are they? I said I could get a used one for 5 or 6 thousand. She cringed. I happened to look on Ebay one night and a guy in Tampa had a beat up 24 foot Haulmark for the buy it now price of $2250. My wife was standing over my shoulder yelling “Click it! Click it!” I did.

8

Three things have changed the course of racing and weather cancellations…

  1. Daylight Savings Time… everything happens earlier than it did back in the '60s when there were very few rain outs…
  2. Race start times… When we first started going to Orlando & Eau Gallie, the races started at 8:30, Golden Gate started at 8… NSS when it first went weekly started at 8 on Sunday nights, all EST. Rain would usually be long over by then…
  3. Progress… I have a good friend that is a long time TV Meteorologist in Orlando… The boom in construction - everything from a multitude of highways to large buildings etc. - has contributed to the amount of heat that lifts into the air and generates storms along with contributing to fueling the sea breezes each day… He told me once that the amount of hot air generated by large AC units is one of the biggest factors in contributing to more big, lingering storms than almost anything else… Back in the 1960s you could set your watch from the times the T-storms started… usually around 2-3 pm and they were over by 4-5 pm… There were some night storms but they were mostly associated with tropical systems or fronts crossing the state…
9

As Sunshine cancelled today around noon, the 4:30 pm RADAR shows the sprinkles around Pinellas County now about dissipated, as they were called to do so by the morning future cast…coulda, woulda, shoulda…
Plenty of time to dry that pavement.

10

Cheers to New Smyrna for going old school! That track was determined to race. They waited out the storms, dried the track (with the assistance of an airboat!) and got their show in. Yeah, the start was delayed, and they skipped victory lane interviews, but no problem; it worked.

Thanks to NSS for bucking the trend!