Friday Night Racing

[Jamie]

I am not one to usually voice my opinion about any particular track, especially if I think it can be taken the wrong way, but I have to say this. I understand that running on a Friday night you want to start as late as possible to make sure everyone gets a chance to get off of work and get to the track. But if you are going to start late I think it is the tracks responsibility to do its best to cut as many corners as possible to make the night go faster. When you think about it, it is a double edge sword and I don't want to be the one making the calls, but something has to give.

 

I know last night will not be a good example but it really hasn't seemed like it has mattered or not if there are a lot of serious time consuming accidents, but the late ending is rough on a lot of drivers, crew and fans that have to travel; not everone lives 15 mins from the track.

 

Now this is just my opinion but probably a general concensus but there is absolutely no need for and "extended" intermission. If you are running the features the same order you ran the heats than 5-10 min intermission is pleanty long enough. Trust me, people have already made up their minds about when and what they are going to get from the concession stand. Just because there is a longer than needed break, doesn't mean more people are going to open up their wallets more.

 

 

I really want to stress that I don't want this to be taken the wrong way but me getting home after working all day at 0215 and only a 40-45 min drive is really out of control. The purpose of me posting this thread is maybe to get people to share their ideas on what could be done to make the night go faster. It would probably be really good to hear from some traveling drivers as after all they are the show. I know as a fan I would be more apt to attend a track that I knew would get the show in as fast as possible even if I had to travel several hours to see it.

[rebelracewriter]

LOL....I got home at 4AM ....but the deer sausage was the good!!!

[doninaustin]

[edited out by Nick Holt, 4/12/09]

 

I suggest: START THE SHOW ON TIME

One solo yellow and you're out -- better luck next week!

Much shorter intermissions

Line up board for restarts. I hear arguments why a lineup board can't work but it works fine at Texas Thunder in Killeen.

Eliminate extra caution laps on restarts -- As soon as lineup is correct -- GO! Not a lap or two later.

 

Texas Thunder in Killeen runs 5 classes with excellent car count in all of them. They typically run two features in their Twister class. They start at 8:00 and usually end the show about 10:30.

 

Don in Austin

[REBELRACER]

the line ups seemed to be the big problem. took an additional 5 laps to line the cars up after a caution. running a scanner probably would help that a little.

[NickHolt]

Thanks for not turning this thread into a bitch session - well, for the most part.

 

There isn't a track anywhere that can't do things better - including Daytona International and Texas Motor Speedway...

 

Constructive suggestions are always welcome by tracks, and as long as things stay constructive they will read and take whatever action they feel is in the best interest of all concerned. But when the negative crap starts they log off and I don't blame them.

 

Nick

[sm44]

First off, there were three flips, which probably took 20 min each to clean up, nothing can be done about that. That ends at 12:30 instead of 1:30. I do agree, if we are going to start at 8:30, start at 8:30,still running hot aps at 8:30 is not good. I was wondering why they don't use a lineup board? Having two guys out there pointing and motioning with their fingers takes three laps when a board would do it in 1. If there is not a board because of cost let me know, i will buy one and bring it down(the dry erase one, not electric)lol. We got home at 3:30, work at 6:30 came very early.....going to take nap now. See you on Friday.

Joe

[DirtRacer9s]

The time doesn't bother me to much when I think about still having a close track to go racin at.

[tqj3]

All of your points are well-taken, including the fact that we had three flips Friday night, something that doesn't happen often. I had actually talked to Don Lewis before the race, asking how he liked the track and so on, and he raised the complaint about it taking too long to get the show in. (He has a long way to come and makes nearly every race.)

I've also been talking to Jim Knudtson, and he also wants to move the show along. He and Eric are working on that now and we'll keep everyone posted.

The good news is that we had a pretty good crowd for the second race in a row, so maybe our advertising and promotions are beginning to pay off. What's more, the fans stayed even though we were running later than usual (and certainly later than we planned).

But for the fans, too, we have to keep the show moving and try to finish fairly early. Run late too often, and they'll rememeber that more than the good racing they saw, so it's in all of our interests to keep the show moving.

Thanks for the comments, and I'll echo Nick's comments about everyone making suggestions rather than just turning the thread into a bitch session. We think I-37 is getting better all the time; we're sure trying. But we also welcome suggestions. You all may have some really good ideas we haven't thought of, and we need to hear them. See you all on Friday.

[rebelracewriter]

I've been urging them to use a dry erase board for line-ups for.......oh.....only about 7-8 years now.

Raceivers....while an excellent idea, are a bit pricey and probably not an option until I-37 can get better established.

Then of course there's SOME drivers practicing the Henry Witt school of lining up.....move up as much as possible and hope no one catches it. The Dwarf car class always has been able to line themselves up WITHOUT help....I mean com'on guys you know who you were behind. Granted there will always a little difference depending on which lap was counted....but geez.

 

Start time is also critical...I always thought it was 8 instead of 8:30.....now I have a half hour more before I leave...LOL

 

As Don stated....one solo/single car caution in the heat....you're done.....two in the feature....If you need practice the track is open for that after the races.

 

Intermission....short and sweet!!! Feature line-ups should be run down after each classes heat races. I'm sure it would be easy to find some kid willing to work for free hot dogs/soda.

[sm44]

I do have a question.

How is the line up determined at a yellow? Three different times i made a pass, had a yellow come out and the guy i passed either moved back in front of me and once he even moved up two places in front of me which he had never been to. Is it just back in the places you were in wnem you cross the line, regardless what happens in 1-2, back stretch and 3-4? Not bitching, got the passes later anyways, just wondering.

[rick]

Hey,I was just reading sm44's question to lineups and the post just disappeared. What happened ? I was wondering about how I37 lineup works also ? I did notice a few guys jumping spots and hoping no one would catch them. I also noticed a good clean pass in front with an accident behind and they would put the car that got passed back in front even though the accident was behind half a lap. I am just curious also,if someone can explain lineup restarts to a newbie.

[rebelracewriter]

Rick, Scoring reverts back to the last "completed" lap. It depends on how many cars "completed" the lap(tracks vary as to % or all) and when the yellow came out as to which lap it reverts back to. Yes it can be somewhat of a grey area sometimes, but the head scorer has a radio on and knows the point at which the caution is called.

 

As for initial feature line-up.....the IMCA class has a specific set of rules, which would take a while to explain. In short it goes by track points average/number of cars/qualifying through heats.(higher points average start in the back/up to 12th) I'll guess that I-37 uses the same system for the other classes for convienence sake.

As was the case this past Friday, the guys with previous track points lined up the feature ahead of the new guys without points.

[sm44]

Rick, Scoring reverts back to the last "completed" lap. It depends on how many cars "completed" the lap(tracks vary as to % or all) and when the yellow came out as to which lap it reverts back to. Yes it can be somewhat of a grey area sometimes, but the head scorer has a radio on and knows the point at which the caution is called.

 

As for initial feature line-up.....the IMCA class has a specific set of rules, which would take a while to explain. In short it goes by track points average/number of cars/qualifying through heats.(higher points average start in the back/up to 12th) I'll guess that I-37 uses the same system for the other classes for convienence sake.

As was the case this past Friday, the guys with previous track points lined up the feature ahead of the new guys without points.

Thanks for the info Reb, I was one who jumped a spot during a yellow and may have slowed down the show some, I thought the pass i made before the yellow would count. I guess someone didn't like my question though.

[tqj3]

I wouldn't think that was the case, SM44, as you had a fair question and asked it politely.

[NickHolt]

OK... what did I miss? LOL

 

I don't recall removing a question about how lap scoring is done... I will check with the other moderators, but it sounds more like a software problem than anything else. Or perhaps I inadvertently hit the wrong button when I was editing an earlier post.

 

ON EDIT: I apparently clicked on the post by accident when I was dealing with a post that I was deleting. I have retrieved the post from the database and it is now back where it belongs.

 

Sorry.. my fat fingers and small brain are to blame... LOL

 

Nick

[Jamie]

The time doesn't bother me to much when I think about still having a close track to go racin at.

 

Don't keep the fans coming and see how long that close track stays open. I think that a few other good points were brought up and the fact that there were three roll overs was addressed in my intial post. It still seems to me that there is more that can be done as others have pointed out. I know that I am not a regular attendee but if this past weekend would have been my first night there, I know for a fact I probably wouldn't put them at the top of my list of tracks to attend. This wasn't my first night and have seen this before so I think that I can raise the questions.

 

I only wish that all tracks could succeed and prosper and race forever but as history has taught is that is virtually impossible. It is every track responsibility to make sure they don't make the same mistakes as tracks or owners in the past.

[NickHolt]

Jamie,

 

In your initial post you raised the issue and sought solutions. Even though I clearly saw the potential for the thread to turn into a bitch session, this one seemed to be headed in a positive direction.

 

But why raise the same issue again after some constructive suggestions were made??? Let's not let what should be a constructive thread turn in a negative direction please.

 

Thanks.

 

Nick

[6packracing]

sorry for the late night i was there helping and yes some times lining the cars up the drivers would not listen to me and some times i could not hear right on the radio i do think a pit board would help but as you know some drivers just think there right if they would just go in the right spout it would go faster also we did cut the street stock race from 20 to 15 laps and we had complaints about it yes we hade more then enough wrecks to clean up some times we cant please every body i think the racing was good and clean thank you to i-37 for even having a place for us to run we all need to be there for them so all of us racer can do what we love doing as a HOBBY

[rrracing]

Racing was good But you cant hold up a race to switch the 2 last place cars so they are in the right order Dry Earase Line up Board it WORKS if you need one I have an extra at the office I will even supply the Markers. Is it hard yes it is and no one can say I dont know because when Frank ran the Track I did it all. I was line up man, clean up wreck man, tow man, and even Flagman. I have raced alot of other places I can drive 2 hrs to Killeen race and drive back and still be home before I would at I-37. I think they should not even have a intermission. If you ran first and had a problem you should have plenty of time to fix what went wrong even if you ran ur heats last you still have 4 other mains to fix what went wrong. I also think the Flagman throws that yellow way to early Remember I use to Flag to so I know what I am talking about. Heat races 1 Spin rule, Main 2 spins load the car up it is just slowing things down. I AM NOT BASHING JUST GIVE MY OPINION.

[PAPA]

As a FAN I don't mind if the night goes on till morning. As long as there are cars on the track or waiting to get on I'll say all night.

[6packracing]

you said it right "papa" we love this sport if you dont then quit crying

[Jamie]

Jamie,

 

In your initial post you raised the issue and sought solutions. Even though I clearly saw the potential for the thread to turn into a bitch session, this one seemed to be headed in a positive direction.

 

But why raise the same issue again after some constructive suggestions were made??? Let's not let what should be a constructive thread turn in a negative direction please.

 

Thanks.

 

Nick

 

I didn't/don't quite see it that way but I too hope this stays a positive thread as well; sorry if it seemed redundant it isn't my intent. I also hope that people of matter read and take heed. I do believe most are thankful for what we have, but it could always be better. That is the way I approach my pictures and I would hope anyone else presenting a part of their heart and soul would look at it the same way.

 

Again, I don't want any of this to be taken the wrong way as I stand a lot to lose personally.

[Jamie]

As for another suggestion, why not run a four class night. Mods, Limited Mods, Limited Late Models and Pure Stock/Street Stock mix;make the rules to where it wouldn't be hard to covert either way. Start with a simple foundation of core classes and build from there. One of my favorite tracks Lernerville in Sarver, PA run the Fab Four which consists of sprint cars, late models, big block modifieds and pure stocks. They pack the stands week in and week out. They also have great car counts in each of the classes. I know someone may think I am comparing apples to oranges but I don't see it that way; they are both attempting to put on the same product. Again this is only constructive criticism

[rebelracewriter]

Jamie, having/running too many classes in one night has long been an issue since I moved to Texas. Our track in South Bend(a Friday night track) ran ONLY three classes Super Modifieds, Late Models and Street Stocks. In my final year or two there they dropped the Supers and only had two classes. The Late Models had 25-30 cars and the Streets 40-50 cars/night which was pleny of racing for the fans, and give them time to hit the local gin joint before closing time.

Simple solution would be to alternate classes running only four maybe five a night. There are tracks out there doing the alternating schedule idea around the Houston area.

 

Papa....you and I are a lot alike.....if there are cars racing.....there I am.....LOL

[sm44]

Jamie, having/running too many classes in one night has long been an issue since I moved to Texas. Our track in South Bend(a Friday night track) ran ONLY three classes Super Modifieds, Late Models and Street Stocks. In my final year or two there they dropped the Supers and only had two classes. The Late Models had 25-30 cars and the Streets 40-50 cars/night which was pleny of racing for the fans, and give them time to hit the local gin joint before closing time.

Simple solution would be to alternate classes running only four maybe five a night. There are tracks out there doing the alternating schedule idea around the Houston area.

 

Papa....you and I are a lot alike.....if there are cars racing.....there I am.....LOL

Jamie,

I think trying to combine the classes once the season has started would only upset drivers and possibly have cars leave the track. One pet peeve of car owners/drivers is changing the rules midstream. Combine that and the money,(new parts, we are all cutting it pretty close these days) and i think you will have cars just not show up thus cutting the fan count as well. HOT runs 8-9 classes every night and are still done by midnight. Friday was my first night at the track and I am hoping this Friday it will not go as late, one of my reasons for coming to 37 instead of waco was it is 30 min closer. I will give it two more times to see if this is the norm.