sas update

[direct-flo]

I was not there, I was racing in C.C. whats your point?

[fast18]

By the way I expressed my opinion in a previous post.

[direct-flo]

If I was there, and posted something about the races would you ask me to leave and not come back?

[fast18]

If you read all the posts then you should get my point. Someone else used the word venomous to describe Barry's "constructive criticism"....He does have a right to his opinion but ....insulting announsers, officials, series owners thats not going to get things going in the right direction as far as improving the race show.

[6BeesRaceFan]

Let's see now.............Barry hated almost every aspect of Saturday nights race,............Was very vocal to track manager, and on TSZ.................Got FREE tickets to Octoberfast!!!!!!!! Not too bad !!!!!!!!!!!! Too bad I enjoyed the races!!!!!!

[Guest Mary Ann Naumann]

Hello Barry, I would like to address a couple issues brought up here on this thread.

Can anybody ever make a decision in that series and stick to it? For instance?  Why does it take so long to make decisions?

Personally, I think that decisions were made very timely Saturday evening, I am not sure if you may be aware of this or not, but we TSRS, run our series with the "judgment rule". When an incident happens on the track, we gather as much input from the Officials that actually saw it happen, and then we make the call. As Officials we are trying to keep our eyes on the entire field, we are not going to see everything that happens each time, so we need corner workers, people in the tower to get as much information as quickly as possible in order to make the call. During this time, we are lining the field back up to the "LAST completed green flag lap", once the call is made that car(s) is sent to the rear of the field & we go racing.

Why does it take more officials to run a 43 lap, 17 car race than it takes run an entire race night at most other tracks?

I really don't know what it even matters to a race fan how many people are associated with a race track or a series, why would that be of a major concern to you, a race fan, I don't mean this to sound bad or for you to take this personal, but I am just curious, why would that even matter to you?

Why can't the officials “settle” the racers down and help eliminate unnecessary cautions? Why so much unnecessary radiotraffic unrelated to the show?

Barry, are we talking about questions being asked like where we are requested to be for the opening ceremonies? Can you refresh my memory of what else was being said, other than informing the drivers that it would be in car introductions and to have their crews beside the cars. Is there something wrong with trying to look professional for race fans like yourself? I believe from that point the SA Officials took over for a great opening ceremonies and then our announcer started driver introductions. If I am incorrect, please refresh my memory. Barry, if you were in an audience to see a live play and you were able to hear all of the BEHIND the curtain activity, don't you think it would sound a little busy? This is racing, not wrestling! Its not rehearsed, scripted or acted. If you have too few wrecks, its boring, if you have too many wrecks, its a "crashfest".

NO time limits! 15 more minutes would have permitted the race to go its advertised distance.

The advertised distance was as stated in the program on the front page with the schedule and on the schedule which was posted on TSZ (please refer back to media releases on TSZ) It was 65 laps or 50 min and that is what we did. We were hired by ROMCO and that was the request made, as I am certain it will be the same type of request at the Ocktober"fast".

Could your intense listening to the scanner have contributed to this problem? ***** NO! Could your listening to TSRS radio traffic contributed to ability to announce the race?

I will answer this one for our announcer, he does not have a radio!

See you October 16? I do know my physical limits and I will not go up to announcers booth however I would consider announcing from the lower area with a cordless mike.

I think that would be the case for our announcer as well, then, he too could hear how loud the music is and how loud his microphone is or is not.

Myself and many others do not recognize you or the other people.  I do know the track manager and complained to him. You might ask him how many complaints he got.

If you do not recognize us, then how do you know there are so many of us, LOL, I mean this seriously, why did you not stop one of us in our TSRS shirts, I promise you would have had our attention as you had SA management's attention. If you have been around racing as long as you say you have, then we must have seen one another at sometime!

[6BeesRaceFan]

Well put, Mary Ann!!!

[rebelracewriter]

Barry, it appears to me, one of the most opinionated people around here(TSZ), that you have more of a chip on your shoulder towards TSRS, than being a true racing fan. I'm not saying you are wrong or that I agree/disagree with you. But to take personal shots at people is not the way to show construtive critisism. While your latest post was a little more tame, you still seemed to go out your way to take a shot at TSRS.

 

Now as for your announcing job......good luck, done it myself and it IS as intimidating a job as you can find. Sarge not prepared? You're so far of base that I could pick you off even with a torn rotator! Sarge prepares more any one announcer I've ever seen. Probably more than any two combined! He's at the track hours early, talking to drivers, getting sponsor info, stats., etc. I'd love be at your announcing gig to watch you stumble through with what little ANY track gives for drivers info. Been there, done that.

 

Does Sarge get a little excited, sure he does, that's his style He's part of the entertainment, sorry he's not your cup of tea. To personally/publically chastise him was dead wrong. But I'd much rather listen to someone that puts his racing passion into his announcing than some monotone droning or dead silence, that you get at some other tracks.

 

Finally, since you will obviously never be happy with TSRS/racing, I have a nice needlepoint kit you can have.......NO CHARGE!

[Sarge]

Barry,

 

Thank you for answering. I appreciate it.

 

And now that we have knocked the chips off of each other's shoulder, let talk.

 

But first, let me apologize. I was indeed arrogant in my initial reply to you. For that I am sorry.

 

If you will let me, I would like to address some of your concerns.

 

Lets start with the # of officials, if you don’t mind. How many officials is too many? I would hope that we would always have at least one more than we need. Wouldn't you agree that it is better to have a couple more than you need, rather than needing a couple you don't have?

 

Making decisions, and the time it takes to make them. Again, do you want the decision made too quickly, or would you rather it be made after as much input as can be gathered from the officials? Mary Ann respects each and everyone of her employees, we each know what we are there to do, and don't mind helping each other if it is needed. A good leader asks for input from as many sources as possible before rendering judgement. And a good leader isn't afraid to reverse themselves when new information dictates that the previous decision was bad. As long as it gets done before we go back to racing, what difference does it make? If it isn't slowing down the show, then it ain't taking to long.

 

Why can’t the officials “settle” the racers down and help eliminate unnecessary cautions? If you were listening to the scanner, then you heard the message go out to the drivers several times. to calm down and get some laps in. And, the last time I looked, the brakes, gas and steering wheel are all controlled by the driver, no one else. How do you propose the officials "settle" the racers down?

 

You state that you don't want time limits. Well, neither do we. We had no control over that. That is the time limit that ROMCO gave us. I am sorry that you weren't aware of this. Unfortunately you had a hard time hearing me, but I did say it at least twice, that the race was 65 green flag laps, or 50 minutes. Again, sorry you didn't hear that.

 

It really appears that the real focus was to get the ROMCO cars on the track at 9:00 and to hell with everyone else.

 

Yes it was, in the sense that it was ROMCO's show, all of it. We played by the guidelines that they gave us. We fulfilled the agreement with ROMCO. We are also sorry that we didn't get all 65 laps in, but we are grateful that ROMCO invited us to be there with them.

 

And BTW, again, thank you to all the ROMCO people for letting us take part in the evening.

 

Your delivery is too fast and your voice sounds as though you are YELLING at the crowd. You were inaccurate when describing the action. Maybe the corners are numbered differently at the other tracks or they go a different direction on dirt. When you yell turn 2 and the action is in turn 3 you make me miss the action.

 

Evidently you don't like my style. I can live with that. As far as being inaccurate, I admit that I do sometimes turn the track around in my head. I am dyslexic. I do my best to control it, but sometimes, especially in the heat of the moment, it gets the better of me. I will work even harder to keep it under control the next time. Sorry to have made you miss the action.

 

It appeared as if ROMCO had brought their own sound system

 

I believe they did bring it, but as that was the first time I have ever announced there, I am not sure. I did not get to do any kind of sound check prior to the races. Also the booth is completely inclosed, I could barely hear myself in there. It is real hard to judge what is coming out of the speakers when you can't hear them yourself. I will try very hard to do sound checks before our next race there, and ask that it be adjusted if needed. Again, sorry.

 

Could your listening to TSRS radio traffic contributed to ability to announce the race?

 

Actually, yes, at times. I do have to turn down the radio in my ear so I can concentrate on what I need to say. However, I also need to listen to the same radio so that I can pass on the important information that comes over it. This is the first gig I have had that requires me to wear and listen to a radio. I have not yet quite gotten the hang of talking about one thing and listening to another simultaneously. Again, I will work on that. The two weekly tracks I announce at don't require me to wear a radio.

 

I do know the track manager and complained to him.

 

I am sorry that you weren't directed to speak to someone that could address your specific complaints on that night. ROMCO rented the track, they were in charge of the show on that night. However, any of the touring officials would have done their best to correct any problems you had. I am sorry we never got the chance.

 

you to be egotistical

 

Yes, I can see how you arrive at that opinion due to my first response. I will admit that I do have an ego, all announcers need one, or they won't last long.

 

And just a BTW, the reason I bill myself as the "Hardest working race announcer in Texas", is because, as far as I know, I am the only one doing three gigs. I announcer for the TSRS, I-37 Speedway in Pleasanton and Texas Thunder Speedway in Killeen. This last weekend I announced a full show on Friday night, the TSRS race on Saturday, and then was back at I-37 Speedway on Sunday night for a rained out make up show. Until proven otherwise, I am keeping the title.

 

easy to intimidate (Russ Martin and Milton Hope were in the booth and 4000 fans)

 

Again, that was by far the biggest crowd I have ever announced to. Was I shaking in my boots? no. Was I nervous? No. Did I want to do my very best, especially with one of the absolute best announcers in the state there? You bet. Both Milton Hope and Russ Martin are giants in the announcing game. I respect both of them tremendously. Extra pressure? You bet!

 

non-professional

,

 

Yep. I am not a professional. I fix computers for a living in real life. I just do the announcing thing on the weekends. Both Milton Hope and Russ Martin are broadcast professionals, and it shows. I will never sound as smooth or polished as either of them. But I feel I can bring other things to the game to make up for it.

 

extremely sensitive

 

Again, I apologize for my first response. But can you at least admit that what you wrote was a contributing factor? I honestly don't know why what you wrote set me off so hard this time, but it did. Again, I am sorry.

 

Sarge” must mean retired military that would explain why you seem to have a lack of respect for people’s opinions. A 2 striper never can voice an opinion, he takes orders from his Sarge. Your style of announcing is amateurish and condescending.

 

Nope. I did 10 years in the Air Force, getting out as an E-5 SSgt. That was 8 years ago. And I think you have a very antiquated view of the military in general, and the Air Force in particular.

 

Would you care to explain further the condescending part? I have not heard that said before. I think I answered the amateurish part a couple of paragraphs ago.

 

Start doing more research on the cars, drivers, and the tracks

 

What information would you like to have heard? I have a ton of info on the drivers. I know what each of them drives. I know what kind of chasis they have. I have most of the sponsors, home towns, ages,crew members, car owners and family of drivers. I have as much racing background on them as possible. I don't know what I am missing. Do I get a chance to say it all during a race? Nope. I try and get as much in as I can when appropriate.

 

I am not bragging, but I know for a fact I do far more research than most. But I could be missing something, please let me know what it is.

 

Donate the money to a Driver’s Point Fund at the track of your Choice

 

I will contact FASCAR and get the details and send it to their driver fund.

 

The track manager gave me tickets for October 16.

 

Again, I wish you would have let the people responsible for the show aware of you displeasure, and given them the opportunity to make it right.

 

I would consider announcing from the lower area with a cordless mike.

 

I will see what I can do. I can't promise anything, but I will try and give you a shot at it.

 

Bottom Line.....

 

That is a very old and tired argument. However, you are entitled to your opinion. I, and about 20 some odd drivers think your wrong. But think how you wish. But also remember that all those truck racers, the ROMCO guys, the legands, the Legacys, TPS and any other series are doing the same thing to local racing by your logic. I think it would be intellectually dishonest to state otherwise.

 

Actually, we do care, and as I hope I have proven do give a damn about you and your opinions. I would also hope that perhaps we both have learned a better way to express those opinions so that meaningful dialog can take place, the first time around. Again, I apologize for responding badly to your intial post. I am truly sorry.

 

Bill "Sarge" Masom

Hardest working race announcer in Texas! Have microphone, will travel.

[direct-flo]

Well spoken Fast18

 

I am a firm believer that a person has a right to express his or her opinion.

 

 

I am not taking sides on whether barry is right, or Sarge, or you are right. I just feel that some peoples attitudes have gone south.

 

one will catch more flies with honey.

 

Simply meant, if a fan feels cheated-then he or she may want to express how they feel in a civil manner. Likewise, a racer, announcer, or anyone else who puts ones heart and soul into this sport should not become instantly defensive. No one is perfect (especially me). Maybe ones opinions, both pro and con, could be addressed in a productive manner.

 

 

 

Jus my opinion

 

 

 

TomH

[Jason]

Let me get a word in here. Ok thank you! lol I'm staying out of this one. I agree with Tom.

[Jason]

I will answer this one for our announcer, he does not have a radio!

 

Actually, yes, at times. I do have to turn down the radio in my ear so I can concentrate on what I need to say. However, I also need to listen to the same radio so that I can pass on the important information that comes over it. This is the first gig I have had that requires me to wear and listen to a radio. I have not yet quite gotten the hang of talking about one thing and listening to another simultaneously. Again, I will work on that. The two weekly tracks I announce at don't require me to wear a radio.

 

Maybe he does maybe he doesnt. Don't matter to me.

[Guest Mary Ann Naumann]

Bottom Line..... TSRS is a series that has eroded the local tracks fan base and drivers. 1/3 of those drivers belong in ROMCO, 1/3 racing at THR, and 1/3 racing at SAS. TSRS is an over-hyped, lackluster show that hurts the local track. Barry, whether we like it or NOT, we the series and the race tracks are as Terry Barden has always said "in the show business"!  If the only time that I ever went to a track was for a "big" show then how long would the local tracks stay open? Where does a new driver develope his/her talent and gain experience if the local tracks lose money and shut down?

Shutting down local tracks was never a thought when TSRS became an idea, it was actually an additional series to help the local tracks. In my experience, as GM at THR for nearly 2 1/2 years, when the touring series come to town, that is when the tracks get a little bit ahead from the expense of the week to week racing.

How many new drivers do you see going into the LM or SLM classes this year? Why do we need a touring series that is really nothing more than a SAS late model on small tires or a THR LM?

I see TSRS as the "Busch" for ROMCO, we are that level before ROMCO or SA LM. You may not be aware that SA made a business decision to do away with these type cars the season prior to TSRS, some of these drivers would have had to move up a class or down a class in order to continue running at SA, which they may not have been able to afford or preferred not to go backwards. It was also conceived to help the car count @ THR during our off race weekends, that is why we worked together on the schedule.

Why is it that the only people on this board really satisfied with TSRS are TSRS members?

TSRS was born to address what I recognized as the most difficult challenge racers face; trying to balance racing with family. From my own experience, I really can appreciate and understand their need to run in competitive races while making time for family. That is why we race every 3 to 4 weeks, this in turn allows families to plan activities around their race schedule and it allows for greater involvement from their families. I have always believed that racing is a family sport, I have been going to stock car racing since I was 7 years old starting with watching my Dad race, to racing myself and to watching my own son race. There is a lot of great camaraderie with this group of drivers, their crews, families and the officials and staff that is associated with TSRS, so yes do we enjoy it and we take it personal. I think it is great that the tracks want to get the rules together so that drivers can have a choice on any given Saturday as to where they want to race, but you know, come Saturday night those tracks are just as much competitors to each other as TSRS is. At the end of the season, when each of the tracks have their "Big Events" and everyone can go run the other tracks, this is great, but keep in mind, there are no other tracks open on those same nights, this great for you, the race fans! That is when the tracks make money.

Berry, during the 2003 season ROMCO, TSRS had lots of media coverage in local newspapers, on local radio stations (thanks to Chuck Licata & Trey Ware), coverage in nearly every Late Model Digest issue, in Rat Trax Racing Magazine, a statewide magazine. Media now, coverage has grown and it now includes more than 50 web sites and feature articles in the Late Model Racer magazine. Before touring series, our local stock car tracks did not get the exposure in these type of magazines, even though they and the local classes deserved it. When a series is featured in any of these, the local tracks benefit from the exposure. Trust me, our goal in TSRS is to only add to an important part of local stock car racing and the success of the tracks, not the failure.

Don't get me started... I might just tell you what is really wrong with racing.....

As I am with jracer98, I never want to loose a race fan, a lot of people have expressed their self in this thread, and there is a difference in constructive criticism and destructive, I don't think that is what this website was created for, thanks to Jason & Nick with the TSZ, it has the racing community so on top of what is going on in short track racing!

I would like to end with this, Robert Mullin's, Terry Barden and all those that made this event happen and were able to put that many race fans at one place at one time, I would like to say thanks and thanks to those that did have a great time and took the time to post on here as well, you make all the hard work, worth it! In life, "PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID, BUT THEY WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL". A lot of feelings have be touched in someway by this particular thread, hopefully some good will come from it. Now, I do stand corrected that our announcer does have a radio, I apologize for misinforming you on that earlier. Barry, I hope that some of the information that has been shared here may help you to give TSRS another opportunity to entertain you as you are a very important race fan and hopefully in this effort, that you or anyone else has not felt criticized in anyway, as that was not attempt, now I can be a little wordy, but I speak from my heart.

Sincerely,

Mary Ann

[Guest Mary Ann Naumann]

I'm staying out of this one.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I will answer this one for our announcer, he does not have a radio!

 

Actually, yes, at times. I do have to turn down the radio in my ear so I can concentrate on what I need to say. However, I also need to listen to the same radio so that I can pass on the important information that comes over it. This is the first gig I have had that requires me to wear and listen to a radio. I have not yet quite gotten the hang of talking about one thing and listening to another simultaneously. Again, I will work on that. The two weekly tracks I announce at don't require me to wear a radio.

Maybe he does maybe he doesnt. Don't matter to me.

I know Jason, you could not help yourself. LOL

[LegacyByStander]

Apologies in advance. Some of this gets slightly off topic but I figured I’d kill 2 birds with one stone.

 

Jus' a 2-cent note on all this.

 

I came upon South Texas stock car racing from Colorado about 4 years ago when I came down here for a business trip then moving here. Not as a driver, but as a fan and then an official with the now defunct South Texas Allison Racing Series (STAR) followed by a brief stint as official with the new Lonestar Allison Legacy Series. Now a spotter and “pain in the ass” for the 14 LLS car (for one more race anyway).

 

That being said, with an impending move back to Colorado and hopefully reinvolvment at Beacon Hill Speedway (I-25 Speedway) and the Colorado Hill Climb Assoc. I can only hope the passion and concern shown here and all over TSZ has blossomed there. {Note to the I25 guys: Not that it wasn’t there before. But I think something can be learned from these looney Texans!!!}

 

A show is just a show and within that comes imperfections. Racing doesn’t have scripts, as pointed out in an earlier post, much less rehearsals (Practice/testing don’t count). This alone I believe is one of the biggest reasons most of us love it so much. I myself have been a victim of these inherent faults quite a few times in all the capacities involved in racing, ie: fan (the loudmouth), driver (the bighead), official (the scapegoat), and crew (hell, those guys just work too hard and get too greasy & sweaty—Who can blame ‘em?).

 

I truly believe all of our intentions are to keep local racing alive across the country or we wouldn’t be in this forum. Whether it is Barry’s tirade from the beginning of this thread to Sarge’s responses or every other one in the middle of it all. (Although I’m not sure of TxTrouble’s intentions with ANY of her posts.) Every one of them has “a bit” or “a lot” of truth in them for all of us to follow for local racing’s sake. Passion makes us illiterate at times and we respond with the same afore mentioned passion in an unproductive way. (I’m guilty on TSZ for this one--Sorry Chuck).

 

When it comes to growing our sport, lets listen (even if its with a block of salt) to opinions of all and particularly the fans. Although, in my humble opinion, Barry’s efforts in expressing his complaints lean on the side of overbearing and extreme.

 

One of the many hesitations of my leaving the racing scene of Texas is y’alls (mental note -Gotta stop saying words like that before I get home) love of the sport as fans, drivers and others. Oh yea, and you too LegacyLady.

 

I will keep track of the growth of stock car racing (that will come), with in the SAS, THR, I37, and CCMS area, though all of you on TSZ.

 

In the words of Hawkeye Pierce (M*A*S*H), “I didn’t love you all. But, I loved as many of you as I could.”

 

Y’all (DAMN, I DID IT AGAIN) are great and I will miss everyone.

 

Gene Robinson

 

PS. Sarge and Barry: I can arrange the use of a SHURE wireless mic setup that will hook into Romco’s or SAS’s sound system easily for you to use at SAS in Oct for free. My only regret in arranging this for you is not being able to be there for the show. (Remember- It’s only a show) Contact me or if I’m out of contact for a while with my move you can contact LegacyLady, direct-flo, or Mel here on TSZ.

[BobRiley]

I still blame the oyster juice!

[Jason]

No matter how far this post guys it will never be as bad as the Closing CCSpeedway thread by the above poster. That was just sick.

[fast18]

Before a TSRS race there I was helping to repair the wiring on the front straight for the transponders and started to feel light headed...I think it was the heat and fumes from that tar in a can stuff we used to cover the wire.

[Rookie49]

There was less wrong with Bob Riley's thread, which was not merely humorous- it was funny as he((- than a ton of what you put on here Jason. The only reason you closed it was it hit too close to home. Kind of like that dish it out can't take it saying. What it boiled down to was you started a game (TSZ) another kid came along (Bob Riley) you didn't want him to play with the same rules you do so you took your ball and went home. I don't see a lot of difference in this and when people say that SAS might close because of toyota. Oh wait there are 2 big differences

1. CCMS/EPA -thread was a joke- had a punch line and all

2. SAS Rumors- usually spread by someone who doesn't know any of the principals and is told for the truth.

 

Just my $2.00 worth

[Rookie49]

Oh yeah,

 

If you were going to close the thread, why did you bring it over here?

[Jason]

Oh that was the reason?

 

I guess that the fact that I received nine emails from the track manager to concerned racers about that thread had nothing to do with it. Get real man. Someone who runs a series that should be grateful to just race at that track tries to "joke around/start a rumor" about the track being closed and you expect the thread to stay open. Hell yea it hit close to home and you just dont joke around about tracks being closed when we read about how the dirt tracks are having to close down because of different reasons and then THR's issues with their neighbors.

[TheLegend96]

I think that Barry is entitled to his opinion and I am entitled to percieve it. I see it as a spoiled child that didnt get everything he wanted when he goes to Toys 'R Us. In racing theres the good and the bad. Sometimes you get more than what you bargained for and sometimes you fall short. Do you ask for a refund if a movies not what you expected? It just could have been more progressive to take the time to find out who is running what and speak confidentialy to them. All of the track owner / series promoters are willing to listen to constuctive critisism. But on the other hand if you just shoot from the hip on here, they will put you in your place.

 

Is it possible to broad cast the announcing over the PA and a freq. on everyones scanner. Just an idea that may benifit those that do have scanners and those that cant hear. Same principle of the hearing devices you can find at churches for the hearing impaired. If the fan with a scanner is listening to his or her fav. driver, they can listen in on the announcer during the lapses of crew / driver conversation.

[Rookie49]

Yes,

The fact that you received 9 emails from different people means absolutely squat. I'm sure that more than that thought it was funny. I receive a lot more correspondence than that and even get acosted in public by people over much more outlandish rumors than that all the time. And they are about matters much more serious than a hoax about a track closing. You seem to have a decent head on your shoulders. But you are not objective about things which you so often comment on. Being objective and allowing others to have a joke or opinion at your expense is the flip side of having jokes or opinions at their expense.

 

And again I ask, "If you were going to close the thread then why did you bring it over here."

 

I was done with it until you decided that only you were allowed to comment on it. That's what you're saying when you comment on the thread a few times, then close it, then bring up the subject in another thread.

 

And lastly, why should someone be grateful for a business deal. He's paying to race there isn't he. This whole attitude of fans or drivers or tracks should be grateful for this or that or the other is malarkey. Each group has options available to them. If they don't like them then they can choose another option, or work to change their options. I don't like your track I don't race there. If you don't like my series don't rent me the track, If I don't like the races, talk to the manager or quit going. But if you register your complaints with a bunch of uncivil behavior, don't be surprised at the response or lack thereof, which you receive.

 

I'm done talking about the ganja fumes in turn 3 of CCMS.

[Mel]

Right about now Roberto Duran comes to mind!

 

"No Maas" "No Maas"

 

 

[Kathy]

Legend96,

 

Yes, there is a way to broadcast what is being said over the radios thru the PA. We have done it several times at THR in past years.