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Rick Day news...


NickHolt

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Just got off the phone with Rick Day who has just been named promoter/track manager at Columbia Motorsports Park in Ellisville (Lake City) Fla for the 2010 season.

 

He says it's going to be a challenge since the car counts and fan counts haven't been very good over the past few year. I figure he'll be able to bring this place back to life given half a chance...

 

Nick

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Here's the official press release on Rick's new position:

 

FASCAR Welcomes Two New Members to the FASCAR Family!

 

New Smyrna, FL (November 2, 2009)

Former Southern Automobile Racing Association (SARA) Owner and Promoter Rick Day will be joining Columbia Motorsports Park (CMP) and FASCAR according to a recent announcement by Robert Hart, owner of both organizations.

 

Day will begin his new duties in Mid November, 2009

 

Columbia Motorsports Park (CMP), located in Lake City, Fl is part of the Florida-based stock car racing promotions company FASCAR. Along with CMP, FASCAR also owns and promotes New Smyrna Speedway and Orlando Speedworld.

 

“I will be handling the promotions and General Manager duties at CMP to bring it back to one of the premier Motorsports facilities in North Florida ,” Day said. “But I am really looking forward to the challenge Robert has given me. Together with the fine staff at CMP we will make it an outstanding motorsports park.”

 

Day has an extensive background in motorsports including owning and managing a successful touring asphalt series (The Southern Automobile Racing Association) which included Open Wheel Modifieds, Late Models and Trucks in the Southeast for a number of years and, more recently, managing all three United States Racing Association touring series – the USRA Super Late Model Series, the USRA Modified Series and the USRA Truck Series. While in Texas he also was the Race Director for Thunderhill Raceway in Kyle Texas as well as the Texas Super Racing Series Late Model Series.

 

“Rick Day is a great addition to the FASCAR Family, he has a great deal of local and national racing knowledge and we are indeed fortunate to be able to bring Rick into our organization. Rick will play an important role in rebuilding Columbia Motorsports Park” said Robert Hart.

 

FASCAR also announced another new member of the FASCAR Family, writer Andy Sandall who will be writing weekly articles for both New Smyrna Speedway and Orlando Speedworld. A native of England, Sandall has a passion for Auto Racing that truly comes across in his writings.

 

“We are very pleased that Andy has agreed to help out at both tracks” said Kim Brown, New Smyrna Speedway General Manager, “From the first time I read one of Andy’s articles, I felt like I was sitting in the stands watching the race live.”

 

Sandall’s articles will be distributed via the FASCAR Email Newsletter system each week as well as appearing in the Weekly Souvenir Program at both tracks.

 

For more information about FASCAR and Columbia Motorsports Park, please visit their websites at www.FASCAR.org or www.ColumbiaMotorsportsPark.com.

 

To Sign-up for the FASCAR Email Newsletter, please visit www.NewSmyrnaSpeedway.org.

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Sounds like y'all have a lot of good things to say about Rick. I've been racing at CMP, the track Rick is taking over, for several years until earlier this season when I had enough and decided it was better to pull an extra 80 miles to a better track. This track has been through some rough times with management. At the end of this past season, there were about 18 cars for 4 classes. That's 18 cars in the pits, not per class. I still consider CMP my home track and look forward to going back there. We sure do need a good manager and it sounds like Rick might just be the guy for the job.

 

Tim Alldredge

Nickel and Dime Racing

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Tim,

 

Is Rick fair? Yep. Does he listen? Yep. Does he have a proven track record and a ton of racing experience? Yep. Is he a pushover? Nope.

 

Yeah, Rick is a good guy for sure and fun to be around. But don't be fooled for a minute into thinking he'll give in to those who think the track should see things their way because they have money, have six cars, was last year's champion, or whatever. The man does what he believes is right - and he's right most of the time - and sticks to it without giving in to the "powers that be."

 

As papa said, our loss is indeed your gain.

 

And Rick, if this CMP deal doesn't work out, you'll always be welcome back over here in God's country.

 

Nick

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Tim,

 

Is Rick fair? Yep. Does he listen? Yep. Does he have a proven track record and a ton of racing experience? Yep. Is he a pushover? Nope.

 

Yeah, Rick is a good guy for sure and fun to be around. But don't be fooled for a minute into thinking he'll give in to those who think the track should see things their way because they have money, have six cars, was last year's champion, or whatever. The man does what he believes is right - and he's right most of the time - and sticks to it without giving in to the "powers that be."

 

As papa said, our loss is indeed your gain.

 

And Rick, if this CMP deal doesn't work out, you'll always be welcome back over here in God's country.

 

Nick

 

I second everything Papa and Nick said and all the other Thunderhill racers trust me they know what their talking about. He is a stand up guy. :rolleyes:

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rick is a fine fine person ..i didnt get to race with him much ..but have a great respect for him ..texas is missing rick ..... .... good luck rick and dont get all teary eyed .... tim alldredge ... give rick all the help he will need ...it will pay off .the track will get cars back .looks like it may take some work and time .but worth it .................

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Thanks for the input. The last fellow came with an impressive resume of managing tracks and series and on the surface appeared to be very accomplished but later we found out that every track and series he was over was run into the ground and is no longer around. We were given the same information about Rick that’s in a previous post above and I just wanted to see if we were being B.S.’d again. Sounds like Rick is the real deal though. He’s already contacting drivers and getting things going not only planning for the 2010 season but the 2011 season as well. I’m looking forward to racing under his management and helping bring this old track back to life again. Thanks again for your input.

 

Tim Alldredge

Nickel and Dime Racing

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Thanks for the input. The last fellow came with an impressive resume of managing tracks and series and on the surface appeared to be very accomplished but later we found out that every track and series he was over was run into the ground and is no longer around. We were given the same information about Rick that’s in a previous post above and I just wanted to see if we were being B.S.’d again. Sounds like Rick is the real deal though. He’s already contacting drivers and getting things going not only planning for the 2010 season but the 2011 season as well. I’m looking forward to racing under his management and helping bring this old track back to life again. Thanks again for your input.

 

Tim Alldredge

Nickel and Dime Racing

we wish yah good luck ..we understand the b.s part ..but rick is the real deal ..if you get tired of him .just send him back .we will pay shipping ..lol ... just make sure you send the shipping bill to the sight moderator ..he is rich ..lol .im in trouble now ...

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  • 3 weeks later...

I finally got to meet Rick this past Thursday. He held what was intended to be a meet and greet with all the drivers. Remeber I said earlier that at the end of the 2009 season there were 18 cars in the pits, 63 drivers showed up for this. There were some that wanted to attend but were unable to. Rick is sure enough someone you have to look up to, literaly!! Unfortunately he was bombarded with questions on rules and scheduling that he was unprepared to answer. Now here's a question for the people that know Rick and how he works. A few select drivers are pushing their own agenda and wanting, what is in my opion, major changes made to the rules in a certain class. These changes will end up costing many of the drivers in this class a lot of time and money to meet these rules. How likely is Rick to give into these few drivers? These few drivers that I speak of have been pushing thier agendas for years and, for the most part, getting what they want. Rick, I know you still read this forum, and I hope you don't take offence to my posting this question.

 

Tim Alldredge

Nickel and Dime Racing

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I have worked with Rick in the past and I can assure you that he DOES listen and he listens to everyone.

 

While he usually doesn't get into heated public arguments over this or that - and at times people wrongfully assume that since he doesn't argue about it that he's agreeing with them - but it's just his way of getting along with everyone. What he does do is quite frequently ask opinions from people who have no vested interest in the class, track or whatever. He mulls things over and then makes good, sound decisions that are in the best interest of the track and it's growth.

 

Not everyone will agree with his decisions, but show me any promoter/owner/race director that everyone agrees with. There ain't none...

 

I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard Rick say, "Yeah, uh huh." Never could figure out if he was agreeing or disagreeing with me when he said that... LOL

 

Nick

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