HMP Qualifying

[awmhunter1]

What ever happened to HMP going back to qualifying for starting order like every other track?

 

I understand and have heard several times that "starting the cars by points makes for a good show for the fans" well when was the last time the fans paid to repair a tore up 40,000$ race car?

 

Grant it accidents happen in racing and race cars get tore up, but more often than not the pro late models at HMP has become a wreck fest week and if you miss a week to fix your tore up race car you get the privilege of starting in the back when you get back to the track.

 

I would have to argue that the track owners say it doesn't make for a good show to have the leader run off with it for the entire race, well invert the front 4 -6 cars like TSRS, I think Mary Ann puts on quite the show and doesn't tear up as many of the teams cars....

 

What does everybody think about going back to qualifiying?

[landlord]

Your preaching to the choir on this subject with me!!!! As a matter of fact we leave today for the east side of the U.S. Home of pole qualifying and no inverts (READ EM AND WEAP BABY)

[Sarge]

I don't have a dog in this fight at all, but the fans are the number one priority.

 

HMP has struggled for a while putting butts in the seats for the circle track. If you don't give fans a show, they ain't coming back. To many racers forget that without the fans, they are club racing for trophies, if they are lucky, or looking at expensive yard art.

 

I know drivers put alot of effort and money into their cars. But with out fans, it will be for nothing. Fans need to be the #1 priority. Fans need to see a show.

 

Just a suggestion, if there are guys, and gals, that are having problems with setup, help them out. Help them to calm down. Get five of the fast guys to go over and show them what they do on their cars to make it easier to handle.

 

I will give you an example. Greg Dinsmore went from being a drag racer to driving an I. M. C. A. Modified. The first couple of races he was scary, very scary. But guys at I-37 got together and started helping him with his setup, so he could concentrate on racing the car, not just mearly holding on to the car. Greg got better and better, and now is a fine driver that you can race wheel to wheel with. When he first started, he was scary. Now some of those same drivers that gave him advice, have to hustle real hard to hold him off, or pass him. In the long run, those drivers are better off cause there is one more good modified in the field, and Greg stopped tearing up other people's cars.

 

Fans want to see action. Follow the leader racing is boring, and there aren't many that are going to pay to watch it week after week. Seeing a guy hustle his car from twelth to the front is exciting. And the good ones are going to do it. This isn't NASCAR, it is local Saturday night racing. If there is one thing about NASCAR (out of many) I don't like, is that every pavement racer thinks his track should be run like NASCAR does. Well, look at the recent history, when tracks started to try and be mini NASCAR shows. The attendance has been steadily going down. It ain't NASCAR, it's local racing, act like it.

 

Start in the back and win and they will be talking about it for a long time. Win from the pole, nose to tail racing doesn't generate the buzz needed to keep butts in the seat. Drivers can help other drivers get better, but then again, if they are better they are going to be harder to pass, but that makes for a better show, and less torn up race cars.

 

Just my opinion. Take it for what you will.

 

Bill "Sarge" Masom

[sprintsrule]

I agree with Sarge on the show part. I will not pay to watch follow the leader racing. That is one of the reasons I prefer dirt tracks. They tend to be a little racier than asphalt. USRA Super Late Models started by qualifying and still tore up a lot of cars so I do not think that is the answer.

[Truck99]

THR began this season using qualifying and qualifying heats to determine the feature lineup. After 3 races, they decided to go back to using points inversion for the lineups to improve the quality of the show.

 

I think the only classes that will qualify now are the touring series, except for maybe special events.

 

For what it's worth.

 

cs

[Lucky161]

I for one miss weekly qualifying, but I am afraid that I am in the minority. My brother who grew up with basically the same exposure to racing hates to watch qualifying. We no longer fight at the drop of a hat, but we still disagree sharply on what time to leave for the race track to the point that I often go early so that I can watch qualifying if they have it or even just packing the track and hot laps. I also get better seats than he does. But most people don't seem to have an appreciation of time trials. I must add that with short fields that most tracks have qualifying would lose some of it's desirability even for me.

[jumbo]

From a fan point of view qualifying is like watching paint dry.I like heats with a feature. I paid my money to watch racing not single car hot laps.

 

From a racer view I still like heats with a feature lined up by a combo of heat finish and points average.

 

It has to be what puts folks in the stands and brings them back. Doesn't work if they come once get bored and don't come back.

[landlord]

Thank god the fans out east don't see it that way.The tracks qualify,fastest car on pole and on down.The stands are full so I'm not buying into the whole blame it on the fan thing.

[jumbo]

What works in one part of the country doesn't work in another. This even goes to what is being raced. Some places sprintcars are big. Others its latemodels.

[racer61]

qualifying or inverts, point line-up, it doesnt work any which way as long as the drivers cant get there head out of there a$$. Somebody just posted that the USRA latemodels lined up by qualifying but still tore up alot of cars. Yep, sure did. Start fast cars in the rear, tear them up too. It is all in the drivers hands. The bozo's that think they have to win it on the first lap tear'em up no matter where they start. Some are over there head and tear up themselves along with others. Those well off ones that have plentyof backing dont seem to care who or what gets tore up as long as there treated like their the next Jeff Gordon. I am sorry to bust bubbles but its not up to the promoters to fix this, its up to us(as drivers) to straighten up and fly right. All you ever hear about anymore is guys whinning about who's cheatin, who spent more, who cant make calls. The best racing out there right now is the lower classes, mostly due to newer racers just tryin to have fun. That is the only reason my stuff sits parked. Its not fun anymore. Its always bickering and politicing. Short-track racing in central Texas really needs a swift kick in the pants, maybe we will all wake up and see what were doing. I am not saying there are not good drivers out there, or mistakes dont happen, Ive been there, I know they do. There is alot of talent out there, its just that talent (or skills) need to be honed. Remember, there will always be next week to figure out how to beat that other guy. Race hard but race clean and you would be suprised how 2nd 3rd or 20th might feel.

Enough of my soap box

[Brad]

In the east they have more cars on the track.

Average 20 to 30 cars: qualify...Average less than that do a point inversion.

Sarge had some good points.

JMO

 

Racer 61,

You got some VERY good points as well.

[jracer98]

I find it both amazing and embarrassing that "far away" places like New England and Wisconsin are so much better at this than we are....tracks, car count, fun, etc.

 

Jay

[Definitive]

I cut my teeth watching racing in Wisconsin.I even made a trip back there in later years.The focus seemed to be on teching the cars.It seemed like the track operator's and crew's night was only half over when the racing ended.The tracks were old and run down.The crowds were sold out at Madison and Slinger.The reason could have only been the cheap beer and the close side by side racing on very well designed race tracks that allowed for that action.Sarge is right....it's all about the product on the track.Bore us with 50 lap practice sessions called features or multiple track cleanups due to bump and run type racetracks and what do you get?....the most expensive thing in racing.....EMPTY SEATS.

 

A customer in a restaurant could care less how expensive it is to recook a third steak....he or she just wants it done right.

 

Do you think a new race fan(the ones all promotors strive to attract)cares how much your car costs to fix?They just want the race done right,kind of like their steak.If not,they won't return.And it is proven that 80% of customers don't complain(like us on this forum)they just don't return.

 

Can this possibly be why the longest standing tradition at Texas asphalt tracks is....empty seats?

 

THR and HMP seem to be making good moves.I think they need just a little co-operation from the racers as well as participation.

 

Listen to the customer.Even when the racer and promotor know how dead wrong the fan is they are always right,or they aren't there,and either is the track,unfortunatly.

[awmhunter1]

Thanks for all the comments and thoughts, over the past two weeks I have made an effort to ask every individual about the track at HMP, the place I got my oil changed, hair cut, bank, etc. To my surprise there was not one person out of possible 50 people that had ever heard of HMP, everyone thinks Baytown.

 

What would it cost to put up a couple of billboards around town? Is it redicuosly expensive?

 

I had heard the comment that people are not going to pay 12 - 15 dollars to watch the races, possibly lowering the ticket prices a few dollars, keeping it around 10 dollars or less....

 

I think possibly giving the guys say 5 to 10 tickets to each driver to hand out to people other than friends and family with a map to the track for a couple events, since no one is in the stand atleast there would be some money generated by food/vending????

 

I think it might help and if they enjoyed it they would come back and tell others.....

[speed demon 7]

If you need flyers with a map, call me. If you have a business that you wanna give tickets too, I can help you with that too. I would like to see the track be renamed Big H Speedway, because when I explain to people where it is, I mention Big H and they know exactly where it is. you can call me at 281-541-1301. I am on the North side of Houston, office is near richey and I live in Conroe. I will be at the track tomorrow for practice. Whenever or wherever you want to meet to get the stuff, we can arrange it.

 

Arthur

281-541-1301

[debwill]

awmhunter1,

 

During the last few races on Saturday night, I sat next to a couple from Baytown who had made their first visit to HMP. They really seemed to enjoy themselves and were ready to come back. They usually go a dirt track (in Baytown, I think), but they said they enjoyed the HMP races just as much. Even though there were a lot of cars (and wrecks), the staff from TSRS and HMP really kept the show going. As Turbo-Diesel said in his post . . . it's hooking those new race fans that makes a difference.

[Lucky161]

Thanks for all the comments and thoughts, over the past two weeks I have made an effort to ask every individual about the track at HMP, the place I got my oil changed, hair cut, bank, etc. To my surprise there was not one person out of possible 50 people that had ever heard of HMP, everyone thinks Baytown.

 

What would it cost to put up a couple of billboards around town? Is it redicuosly expensive?

 

I had heard the comment that people are not going to pay 12 - 15 dollars to watch the races, possibly lowering the ticket prices a few dollars, keeping it around 10 dollars or less....

 

I think possibly giving the guys say 5 to 10 tickets to each driver to hand out to people other than friends and family with a map to the track for a couple events, since no one is in the stand atleast there would be some money generated by food/vending????

 

I think it might help and if they enjoyed it they would come back and tell others.....

 

My first trip to SAS was many years ago for an ALLPRO race. I was from Lubbock and was going to meet some friend down there. I arrived in SA very early on Sat morning, did some sight seeing and thought if I just drove around long enough, I would accidentally find the track. About mid afternoon I still had not found the track so I stopped at a busy Texaco self serve station. I asked the guy at the counter and he said he didn't have a clue where the paved oval track was, but he knew the drag strip was just down the road. So I thought I'll go down to the drag strip and ask someone there. What a surprise to find that it was impossible to get to the drag strip without going by the oval track. Apparently this guy had not only never been to the oval track but he must have never been to the drag strip either. He probably thought any race car on a trailer going down that road was a drag racer.

[speed demon 7]

After last weeks race I went to the dirt track to do my Job. Since I won and we did pretty well at the track, I treated my wife, her mom, uncle, and 2 cousins to breakfast at Waffle House. They give us a discount for coming from the dirt track. After we left, I went to the gas station to fill the truck up. I notice a couple eying the car. When I was done fueling, I approached them and welcomed them to check out the car. They were from Coldsprings and big NASCAR fans. We talked for 10 minutes and I asked them if they would like to come watch. I gave them 2 tickets, a flyer with a map, and one of my pictures. On top of all our displays, I enjoy talking to race fans that approach me with my car. On another note, We have a die hard Dirt Track fan at Gator in Willis. He comes every Saturday and goes to Beaumont on Friday. Everytime I race, he approaches my wife every fifteen minutes(my wife runs our photo booth at the dirt track while I race) asking how I did. The announcer announces to the crowd to let everyone know when I get to the track and ussually interviews me. But the die hard fan didn't show up last saturday, my wife called me worried, said she hadn't seen Joel yet, he doesn't miss a race. I told him he was at HMP, he was walking the pits talking to drivers and he apparently had a good time. Anyways, we all can do our part and make racing what it was in Houston 30 years ago.

 

Arthur

[sprintsrule]

I drove for a car owner that refused to buy an enclosed trailer. He said pulling the car down the road where people could see them was good advertising. He thought the enclosed trailers were actually hurting our sport. Obviously it is not the major reason but we sure did get a lot of conversations going at the gas stations with our open trailer. Over the years I know we had a lot of people come to the pits after the races that we had seen at the gas station.

[HiTech]

IT LOOKS LIKE ALOT ARE IN AGREEMENT ON SOME OF THIS STUFF ..TRACKS HAVE TO PUT BUTTS IN THE STANDS ..DRIVERS HAVE TO KEEP THIER CARS RUNNING ..RACE TRACK HAS TO KEEP IT FAN FRIENDLY ..GOOD FOOD .CLEAN LADYS ROOMS ..TRACKS HAVE TO TECK .DRIVERS HAVE TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO WIN .... ..DRIVERS HERE IN THIS CORNER ..PROMOTERS IN THAT CORNER ..DRIVERS HAVE A HOBBIE ... PROMOTORS HAVE A BOTTLE OF ADVIL ..... PROMOTORS HAVE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET ..DRIVERS HAVE TO BALANCE THE CAR ..ALOT OF CHECKS AND BALANCES .. RIGHT NOW ..THE PROMOTORS .AND DRIVERS ARE NOT IN BALANCE WITH EACH OTHER ....... COULD IT HAPPEN MAYBE .WILL IT HAPPEN HOPE SO ..IF NOT THEY BOTH GO DOWN THE DRAIN .. THE PROMOTOR HAS TO RUN HIS LINE UP'S AS FANS REQUEST .IF YOU START HEADS UP FAST CARS TO THE FRONT .AND LOOSE FANS ..THEN YOU HAVE TO GO HIGH POINTS TO THE BACK ...... CC HAS DONE THAT FOR YEARS ..IM LIKE SARGE ..I HELP WHERE I CAN GETTING SOMEONE AROUND THE TRACK ..I WOULD MUCH RATHER KNOW WHERE THIS GUY WILL BE GOING WHEN I CATCH HIM THEN HOPEING HE WONT BE WHERE IM AT WHEN I GET THERE .BOTTOM LINE IS WE CANT FORGET THE FANS..HAVE TO GIVE THEM WHAT THEY ASK FOR .....I TOO DONT CARE WHAT IT COST TO RECOOK MY STAKE .JUST GET IT RIGHT ..

[Lucky161]

I drove for a car owner that refused to buy an enclosed trailer. He said pulling the car down the road where people could see them was good advertising. He thought the enclosed trailers were actually hurting our sport. Obviously it is not the major reason but we sure did get a lot of conversations going at the gas stations with our open trailer. Over the years I know we had a lot of people come to the pits after the races that we had seen at the gas station.

 

I strongly agree with him. An enclosed trailer especially if not painted up with an exciting paint scheme may as well be a lawn mowing company. If I owned a track, enclosed trailers would be banned from the infield as well as motorhomes.

[HiTech]

OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND. I DONT LIKE CAR COVERS

[speed demon 7]

This post is about qualifying, but has moved on to helping the tracks get better, so on that note... I got an e-mail this morning from the race fan I met at the gas station Sunday morning. Here is a copy of it for you to read. My handout pictures have my myspace account that I set up for sponsors and fans to go see what is going on, so that is where the e-mail was recieved, my myspace account.

 

...

 

hey i just wanted to write and say hey and thank you for talking to me about racing that night at the cheveron in conroe.. it was awsome to find a driver that will actully sit back and talk to people who are interested in racing. thank you agian for the tickets that you gave us. i hope that you do great on the next race i will talk to you soon. GOOD LUCK ON EVERYTHING!!!

 

...

 

e-mails like this let me know what I am doing is a good thing, and makes me feel good. I know, it is selfish of me to do this to feel good, sorry!!!

[HiTech]

buddy i want to read another one ..i fall into the stupidity of being controversual with trevia little things .. spelling not good .. and forget why we race ..whats it is all aboult .and forget the fans ..that i am sorry for ...... this was uplifting ..thanks . evrytime you get one let us read it ..

[Lucky161]

"e-mails like this let me know what I am doing is a good thing, and makes me feel good. I know, it is selfish of me to do this to feel good, sorry!!!"

 

And for every one of those you get there are many more who feel that way and either don't have the time or for some reason don't get around to letting you know!