abrungot Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 Ok.. believe it or not.. If i counted correctly there were 24 weeks of Racing Scheduled for THR this season.. And if i count correctly there have officially been 8 of those weeks checked off *(Some Due to rain).. What i am looking for here is a honest and constructive Poll... Please no Bashing. I am interested in the Constructive not destructive Points of view.. Please give a Letter Grade and post the following if you would like. The #1 Most improved thing The #2 Most imporved thing The #1 thing viewed needing to change The #2 thing viewed needing to change Drivers, Crew, Touring series, Spectators alike.. all are welcome.. And Yes that means Jason and Nick too!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrungot Posted May 25, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 #1 Most improved Fairness #2 Most improved Cummunication #1 Needing to Improve Driver Loyalty #2 Needing to Improve Concessions *(work already under way) Ok I will explain my needs to's Driver loyalty is shown by some but not by others In order for a track to get better Driver Loyalty and Support must get better *(hint... Why always the negitive things) Concessions *( I know the food is in the midst of change so hard to judge).. one notice in the pits this weekend Gatorade/Powerade in the big bottles Especially Blue my fav.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProTree Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 when the bud lite wears off-i'll figure this @#%* out-saw the #'s at the top and thought i missed something-with those % 's- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatboyracing7 Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 #1 most improved are the track itself, making the back wider for more racing surface. #2 most improved thing is the paved entrance, no more baja driving to get to the gate. #1 thin that need improving is the pit are i think, open it up a little more. and offer more paved slabs, charge a whole $10.00 per night and they will be payed for before you know it. It is really hard to work on a car when you stuck out in the rocks. #2 thing that needs improving which is in the works in promoting and i think chuck is the man for the job, i hope THR grows and can add a couple more classes and get a deal worked out with TSRS to return. Overall Thr is my favorite track to drive at in the TAMS series and hopefully soon a THR LM. keep up the good work THR staff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supertx Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 #1 the track is better than it was #2 the entrance is alot better to bad they didn't finish it #3 The biddest thing that I see needs to be done is getting people in the grand stand what i see at this point is no crowd and what is being done is not enough. #4 Get more spectators if you don't do that the rest doesn't matter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 Supertx, They are working on that. I bet Chuck can explain to you some of the things they are doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrungot Posted May 25, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 Jason.. Supertx.. I don't want to leave the question hanging.. but in this post I would like to try and keep it on track... It will make it 10X easier to get all this stuff down... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckman Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 #1 Most improved The backstretch. #2 Lining the field up after a caution. (due to the all involved rule) #1 Thing to change Opening the pits earlier and starting the races earlier. (when there is a traveling series running) #2 Market Austin more (I know this is in the works,but if the track targets mainly San Marcos it will not fill the stands) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UMSCHEIDRaceServices Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 #1 Great job on the track improvements, BAck straight and enterance. #2 im thinking i know theres more but i havent hit on it yet ive only been there 2 times this year. needs to improve on: #1 Maybe a pit road or a HOT Pit area in the pits, put a wall up on the suite side of the pits so that during an event the cars can enter and exit the racing surface and have a better chance of staying ont he lead lap. #2 track exit, to many times does a car drive off the track and run over a rock and causes flats. #3 pace car needs to run the same speed all the time, i have seen wheer the pace car has sped up which will stick a car 1 lap down and they really would of been ou in time if the pace ran the right speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey19 Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 Most Improved: Paving the entrance and paving the track Adding the Grands class (affordable racing that fans and racers can have alot of fun with) Things viewed needing to change: Continue the Texas Big Shot get the "big boys" back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrungot Posted May 26, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 Ok ladies and Gents... I know there are way more people in the Forum that have been to THR.. Why so silent? Please Provide your Feedback.. I know Jim and Brian Read this stuff.. not to mention>>> Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodneyRodriguez Posted May 27, 2004 Report Share Posted May 27, 2004 I haven't been there in some time but from what I hear it sounds like they are taking the right steps in both the facility and in terms of the competition. Hopefully, this will carry on the balance of the season and THR can springboard to a bright, successful future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truck99 Posted May 27, 2004 Report Share Posted May 27, 2004 alright, alright.... #1 most improved - new pavement - track and entrance #2 most improved - it's a tie between improved communication with the drivers from Nick, Brian, Jim, and Chuck and the improved PR efforts thanks to Chuck. #1 needing improvement - fan attendance, but I hope #2 above will take care of that. #2 needing improvement - more concrete pit spaces. cs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildRacer5 Posted May 27, 2004 Report Share Posted May 27, 2004 ok here's my view: I agree with every one else on the improvements to the place. the biggest improvement is needed in a couple of areas. Car count, Fan count and ticket prices. Everyone is talking about expanding the pits. There is no need for it. If more cars started showing up, then ther might be need for it. Although I do agree with the whole congrete or paved pit stall idea. Maybe all they need is just to add a strip of pavement as wide as the concrete pads. Fan count, needs to be increased. It could be multiple reasons. everyone that I talk to does not want to pay the ticket prices to see such a small car count. I think another problem is the entertainment value. When you come to a race track you want to always see cars on track. When one race is over the next group needs to be comming on to the track. Take the race at CCMS the night of the romco races as a good example of how to run an entertaining night of racing for a good price and a great entertainment value. I think that the improvment that has been made in all the other areas has helped THR, maybe just a little mor work is needed in a few others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supertx Posted May 27, 2004 Report Share Posted May 27, 2004 Jason I hope Chuck would put something on here about what's going on. Just to be frank about it' the fan counts sucks and it is way into the season if there going to put pople in grandstand they shoud be working before the season not at the end of the season. I was a track last Saturday in Bryan and the grandstands were packed and so was the pits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie37 Posted May 27, 2004 Report Share Posted May 27, 2004 I have one comment about the pit spaces. I believe if you want yoru pit space to be paved you have to pay for it yourself. I thinks thats what my dad but don't quote me on it. Why should THR pay for the pit spaces when they don't even get that many cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckman Posted May 27, 2004 Report Share Posted May 27, 2004 Jamie Terry used to do when he was at the track,but I don't know who they use now. If you have a reserved pit you have the option of getting a slab poured,but you would need to contact Brian and get the info from him on who to contact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckLicata Posted May 27, 2004 Report Share Posted May 27, 2004 Supertx, Sorry, I've been a little busy lately, but I didn't want to ignore your post or request for information.. I would encourage you to PM me or call me (512.736.8230) becuase I will give you a more detailed explanation that's what here, because I don't want this to become a long, drawn-out post.. However, in response to your question, here is some info.. 1) When I took this job back in March, I told Brian and Jim that we would need THIS season to build for NEXT season, and to not expect fan count to rise substantially before the end of this season...The reason: Not a lot of people in Austin, nor the immediate Central Texas area, know about Thunder Hill...Through no one's fault, THR has not had a season-long CONSISTENT program of marketing/advertising in its 6-year existence--at least, not one that has helped the track build a good "base" of recognition...a "consistent" program means advertising every single month, every single week of the season. That helps promote name-recognition, which is very essential in any business. So, that is what we're doing right now--we've advertised every single week that we've been open this season; however, you can't just throw your name out there and expect people to pick up on it right away. It takes time to build a solid foundation of recognition; that's what we're doing. Plus, we're looking into other areas of advertising, too...And once again, special thanks should go to Brian and Jim for putting up the money for all of this, they're obviously committed to the business side of it! 2) In concert with #1 above, we ARE getting phone calls and emails from people who've heard our advertising on the radio. Like I said in an earlier post, I got 6 phone calls at the track office from folks who wanted to know where the track and what time we started racing. When I asked them where they heard about us, they said from the radio advertising..In fact, I had a guy (Mike Childs, no relation to the racing Schilds) call me after my radio show on Sunday. He said he "I just listened to your radio show and it sounds like things are improving out at Thunder Hill. I used to go out there a few years ago, but I haven't been back since." I told him to come out with this family and friends this Sat.; he called me yesterday and he's got a group of 15 people coming out this Saturday... 3) The 3 rainouts in 5 weeks (back in April and early May) killed ANY "momentum" we were trying to build early in the season. You're right, we're a couple months into the season, but last Saturday night was the FIRST time we had 3 straight weekends of racing without a rainout (I know rain has hurt our sister tracks as well!). At this point, we're practically starting the season NOW...Also, just like our brethren in SA, we're fighting a whole slew of entertainment options on weekends up here. Again, we haven't built that strong base of support just yet, so that's another hurdle we have to clear. Kudos to the tracks like CC Speedway, which has built up good name recognition and packs the stands every Saturday night... 4) The other aspects of the track - the management, the officials, etc. - are improving as well, and those areas are VERY important in growing the image of the track. I can't speak for the past couple of years, of course...but I do know that Brian and Jim brought in Nick Holt, who's done a phenomenal job in stabilizing the on-track racing operations and everything that falls under that umbrella...Greg Gurley and Aaron have been a huge help to me in coordinating our Drivers' Appearances, which gets us valuable exposure in the community (with a special thanks to the drivers who take time out of their busy schedule to make the appearances)...Christy Ganem, who's taken THR Merchandising to a new level as well as helped out immensley with the Saturday night show. Danielle Birmingham and Rhonda Toyne freely give of their time on Saturday nights to help both Christy and Tracie Callaway in whatever area they might need them...And believe me, the list goes on and on and on, with folks (like Kathy) who are giving of themselves to turn things around... Okay, enough here, I'm sure. But I think you get the idea---the bottom line is that we're NOT going to turn things at THR around in a SHORT TIME; patience and persistent, consistent hard work is what's going to make THR successful in the long run. We have to lay a solid foundation of advertising, marketing, promotion and good community relations (among other things) to grow this track for long-term success. To close, Supertx, I'll tell you this---the one thing THR DOESN'T LACK is teamwork-- everyone who works here should be proud of what we've accomplished to this point. Teamwork is something I think is prevalent in all areas of the track! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckman Posted May 27, 2004 Report Share Posted May 27, 2004 Chuck its a good thing you didn't put that long post on here.lol I knew if someone pushed the right button you would let everyone know whats going on with the promo of the track. I have heard the adver. on the radio 1300 am and it sounds great Also heard the ad on Z102.Keep up the good work and thanks to Brian and Jim for all they have done this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvinmcgee Posted May 27, 2004 Report Share Posted May 27, 2004 My two cents on what all race tracks need and strive for. Some are easier to attain than others! 1. Better fan attendance- Lets face it ..its entertainment and there is alot of competetion out in the world on Sat night for the almighty buck. Need lower gate price....Do you want 500x $12.00=$6,000 or 1000x$8.00=$8,000. Sponsor Giveaways...ie shirts caps... its a psychological thing to be sitiing in the stands with only a hand full of people. Fill the stands with ticket giveaways,promos,etc. Worry about room when you get the stands full!!!! 2.Better quality concessions and lower prices. I know bottled water and bottled soft drinks do not cost that much. 3. Larger car counts- Lower entry fees,increase the purse,get sponsorship to help offset purse??? When I raced my Dad never understood why the guys putting on the show (racers) had to pay so much to do it??? I know all these items all interconnected and some are currently being addressed. Keep up the GOOD work!!!! Bottom Line: People from Austin will not make the drive to Kyle and pay $12.00 bucks to sit on bad seating for several hours to watch a handfull of cars compete and pay large amounts of money for bad food when they can go many other places for a better show or stay home and watch races on the TV.. Sorry if this hits any bad nerves. I thought several days about it before I finally blurted this out!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted May 27, 2004 Report Share Posted May 27, 2004 LMAO! Bad seating? I like THR's seats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvinmcgee Posted May 27, 2004 Report Share Posted May 27, 2004 The track view is GREAT..But them skinny boards for several hours slanting down hill can be rough for the price!!! Thats why the diehards bring their own chairs and sit along the top!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrungot Posted May 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2004 Ok.. since there hasn't been nothing new.. i am going to have Nick Close this one.. The grade is calculated using the GPA format. A=4 B=3 C=2 D=1 F=0... Using this format the GPA is 2.85.. For those that Don't understand the GPA deal its Equiv. to a 78.52% Thank you for those that provided feedback.. It is all greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted May 28, 2004 Report Share Posted May 28, 2004 At the request of the thread originator (abrungot), I am closing this thread. Nick Holt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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