NickHolt Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 This is a copy of an ARTS-Lonestar email received 5/12/03 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ All: As many of you may have heard directly or indirectly, Joe Napoleon is attempting to form a local truck racing organization, tentatively called Turn Key Race Truck Series. Although Mr. Napoleon has billed his organization as something new and different, it seems to be nothing more than an attempt to divert existing assets from ARTS, a national touring series, to a local series. To avoid any confusion that may be created by Mr. Napoleon, we would like to take this opportunity to enumerate facts as we see them and make our position public. To the best of our knowledge: Mr. Napoleon's series plans to run a 75 lap feature every third Thursday during the season at Houston Motor Speedway. Mr. Napoleon has made no efforts to recruit additional drivers or increase overall participation in truck racing in South Texas or the ARTS - Lone Star Region. His efforts have been focused solely on existing ARTS competitors, suppliers, venues, and to some extent, scheduled dates. Mr. Napoleon has solicited interest from the proposed venue by indicating his organization is not actually a truck series, but a "group of ARTS drivers that want to run their trucks on off weekends." Based on our analysis of his promotional flyer, there seems to be a contradiction between his sales pitch and his business model. Participation in Mr. Napoleon's events requires alternate sticker packages than those of the 2003 ARTS sponsors. Substantial technical deviations from the 2003 ARTS rule book will be permitted. First, it is imperative that we communicate that ARTS-Lone Star in no way discourages licensed competitors from running their trucks in non-sanctioned events on dates that do not conflict with the existing ARTS schedule. In fact, we believe such opportunities are good for our Series in that: - they give an opportunity to new drivers to practice in a competitive environment without the pressure of points standings they give experienced drivers an opportunity for research and development - they further solidify the relationship between host tracks and the Series in that our drivers expressly support the tracks as individuals - they provide expanded exposure to the Series as a whole. However, Mr. Napoleon's initiative proposes something more than ARTS trucks running on off weekends; it is an attempt to create an independent organization that competes for truck count and sponsorship dollars. The particular problems we see with Mr. Napoleon's proposal are: - running different sticker packages will certainly damage the relationship with our existing sponsors. - costs of retooling trucks for ARTS sanctioned events due to the deviations permitted from the 2003 ARTS Rule Book. Additionally, such advertised changes could require additional tech time at sanctioned events to ensure competition remains fair. - lack of substance regarding sponsorship draw and interest. - lack of planning; we see no clear set of standards (e.g. rule book) for Mr. Napoleon's proposal other than a loose adaptation and bastardization of those standards currently governing the AllStar Race Truck Series. In contrast, AllStar Race Truck Series, has secured or is diligently working on the following sponsorship opportunities for the Series, region, and individual drivers: - Race Talk Live - The weekly Internet radio show, Truck Talk, that promotes the Series and the individual race teams that make is successful (emphasis on sponsors). - Saturday Night Drive - An initiative to broadcast live ARTS racing action via Race Talk Live from one race in each region during the current ARTS season. Saturday Night Drive will provide enormous exposure to existing sponsors, as well as illustrate the value of our Series as a legitimate marketing initiative to potential sponsors. Saturday Night Drive will have live pit interviews before the race, play-by-play action during the race, and live interviews in the winner's circle after the race. - Hospitality Sponsors - We realize a significant portion of the cost of competing in a touring series is travel and lodging. As such we are working with large hotels, restaurant chains, and oil companies to provide free or deeply discounted lodging, meals, and fuel for race teams. - allstarracetrucks.com - With over 215,000 hits per month, our web site is a very marketable sponsorship vehicle. In addition to helping us reduce the costs of administration of the Series, the web site makes us the envy of all other racing organizations in and around our market. - National events each season that draw exceptional fan count and coverage. And so, we do not balk at the competition per se, as we believe it puts our Series into the lime light and provides opportunity to illustrate the strengths of AllStar Race Truck Series by contrast. We just want to be sure our competitors understand the true assets and liabilities of our Series and Mr. Napoleon's initiative so they can make an informed decision about participation in the initiative or any other competitive racing organization that crops up in the future. Second, the business model of the AllStar Race Truck Series is to create a self-sustaining series. That is, as long as drivers want to race, they will always have a home at ARTS. The value of the Series, however, lies wholly with you. We have learned from other race series that a single sponsor inevitably leads to disaster. In our experience, the initial influx of capital means large purses ( a short-term benefit) and poor management of assets and capital. Almost always, the initial sponsor loses interest and pulls their support...the life blood of the series. At AllStar, we are not dependent on any one sponsor or supporter. As such, we can promise longevity to the dedicated participants that invest their time and money in their racing careers. As part of our ultimate mission of affordable racing, we work diligently to create marketing and public relations opportunities that appeal to sponsors of the Series at the national and regional levels, as well as to sponsors of individual racing teams. With the continued support of our competitors and fans, we are on the cusp of exciting possibilities for each participant in our Series. As the Series gains momentum, your job of acquiring sponsors for your own teams becomes a much easier prospect. Based on the parameters of Mr. Napoleon 's Race Initiative, the probable outcome is to dilute truck counts and deteriorate sponsorship opportunities, track relations, and fan interest. We think this outcome is completely opposite of our mission to manage the costs of truck racing. To conclude, we encourage ARTS competitors to evaluate the legitimacy of the opportunities provided by Mr. Napoleon in an objective light. We will not discriminate against any competitor that chooses to race with Mr. Napoleon; the integrity of our officials will not permit bias of any sort. We will stand by our mission; honest, affordable racing with a national presence. Moreover, if there are groups of drivers that are interested in running in non-sanctioned events at certain tracks on off weekends, we would utilize our contacts and influence as ARTS to help broker such opportunities for our drivers. But we need to hear the desire from you directly. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at 800.893.1252 or lonestar@artsracing.net. Very truly yours, ARTS - Lone Star Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasman Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 Perhaps some guys dont want to get caught up in the big corporate structure of ARTS and want to race in their back yard in Houston. How could a few trucks in Houston hurt your "National Touring Series". After a long hard week at the office, it is nice to go out and have some fun in a hobby where there are no politics involved. Give the guy a break, he just wants to have some fun and race even if he has to back a small series to do it in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 Gasman I agree with you but I think in this situation the series was formed to try to hurt ARTS. I think some of the people involved were just former ARTS racers mad at the people of ARTS and are looking to get back at it. Not a good foundation for a series if you ask me. Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebelracewriter Posted May 13, 2003 Report Share Posted May 13, 2003 I think you hit the nail on the head, Jason! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailerman Posted May 13, 2003 Report Share Posted May 13, 2003 Jason The race director and I have talked extensivley and have laid out a TK race schedule as to not conflict with the arts racing schedule. The once a month race program lays out a lot of features and benefits for the current drivers of arts. As the letter stated from Stark."arts" and we want to bring in a new level of drivers to our series that can do a race out of town if they so choose. Think of how well that concept could work!!! Steady eddie the touring team wants to go on an off weekend and test/race. well what better place to go than HMS. A Local base TK racer wants to do an occasional out of towner Arts has it!!! This also opens up more buisness oppurtunity for Jont Garrett, or did you want him to afford racing by selling one truck a year???? Things can work both ways in buisness to open minded people and will work out for all the better for everyone involved!! This could actually increase truck racing in Texas because now people have more options to fit into their racing/work/family schedules! Your thinking of this situation as you stated in your very politically incorrect response does not set well with people and more thought should be put into things. There is nobody wanting to hurt anyone. There is no one mad about anything ie. except low truck counts There is no one looking to get back at anything. and this is a great new foundation. Sometimes Jason people dont like change thats O.K. but this is a happing deal and you need to be more supportive of racers supporting racers. This may be the deal that helps keep the truck racing alive in Texas.....dont you want to be a part of that?????? Joe Napoleon P.S. do you race? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted May 13, 2003 Report Share Posted May 13, 2003 Joe, Maybe this will work. I guess we will give it time to see if it hurts ARTS Lone Star or not and if you can get a decent truck count. As for my "politically incorrect" opinions I stated I stand by them. As long as this class was created out of wanting to race and not hurting ARTS then there is no problem. I support change just I don't think splitting up a series that already has a low count is the way to go. And no at this time Joe I do not race. I hope to be racing next year though. Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasman Posted May 14, 2003 Report Share Posted May 14, 2003 Just another thought, this series will support a local track. Many peoples concerns were that these new series would cripple racing on the local level. The ARTS series claims to be a "National Touring Series", not a local track series. That is why I would support the TK series over a National Series. I would rather support the local guys wanting to race close to home. A new guy may want to run the smaller series first before having to trave to race. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeg Posted May 14, 2003 Report Share Posted May 14, 2003 Joe, what is the payout going to be this coming weekend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeg Posted May 15, 2003 Report Share Posted May 15, 2003 Joe, what is the payout for the first five positions for this coming weekend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandit Posted May 15, 2003 Report Share Posted May 15, 2003 It is this kind of politics that made me want to quite racing after two years of running ARTS. I have been behind the wheel since I was five years old and the politics in the truck series almost put that too an end. I would rather get sentenced to five years in a gay state prision than set foot in a ARTS Truck because of past management. And yes I did think before I posted. Ok, Im done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel Posted May 16, 2003 Report Share Posted May 16, 2003 I don't believe there is any payouts to any of the racers at HMS. That is unless ROMCO rents the track. Anyone else know different? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meredith race engines Posted May 16, 2003 Report Share Posted May 16, 2003 WOW BANDIT KNOTHING COULD BE THAT BAD NOT EVEN ALLSTAR RT my bro runs a truck and it has not been that bad (we raced 2 of 3 races) i have heard of 2 differant drivers allready mad at arts though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colt15 Posted May 16, 2003 Report Share Posted May 16, 2003 I dont know if its that bad but I enjoyed the two years in arts. Things seem to go alot better after the first race director was let go.(dont wanna mention names) But I know there are a couple drivers that didnt like the series, but I thought it was a good starting point for someone wanting to join a traveling series. The cost are alot lower than Romco and TSRS. Just my .2 cents Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildRacer5 Posted May 16, 2003 Report Share Posted May 16, 2003 I guess that you wouldn't have anything bad to say about the ARTS Colt. Winning 2 regional and 1 national championships wouldn't put a bad taste in anybody's mouth. Well except for your competitors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colt15 Posted May 16, 2003 Report Share Posted May 16, 2003 ya but i still had to deal with the officials just like all the other competitors. but i do see what your saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeg Posted May 16, 2003 Report Share Posted May 16, 2003 If its management that is the problem, then Colt or Garrett or anyone else who wins consistantly would have the same problems as someone who runs in the middle of the pack or even a back runner. Winning does not change management problems in any form or fashion. If you suck then I guess you gripe more and think you have problems. Usually you will find most of your problems if you look in the mirror. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gundogC3 Posted May 16, 2003 Report Share Posted May 16, 2003 ARTS-ARTS-ARTS-MONEY OR JUST FOR FUN. CAN WIN MONEY IN ARTS OH YEA A TROPHY TO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gundogC3 Posted May 16, 2003 Report Share Posted May 16, 2003 DITO MIKE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandit Posted May 16, 2003 Report Share Posted May 16, 2003 By the way mikeg, we did run up front in ARTS. It was other front running trucks ( not Colt ) that would intentionally put you in the fence while you tried to pass them, and the officials did nothing about it. Colt can back that up, our wrecks paved the way for a few of his wins. I will say that I did race under the unnamed race director Colt was refering to. I heard it was alot better after he left. To many race series just dilute the available race teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasman Posted May 16, 2003 Report Share Posted May 16, 2003 Gundog, I'll bet the purse money, even if you win in ARTS, does not offset the Travel expense. Travel do Kansas and spend $1500 to win how much?????? If you win????? Does it pay $750 or even $1000? You are money ahead to stay at home if you are in it for the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gundogC3 Posted May 16, 2003 Report Share Posted May 16, 2003 DONT CARE,STAY LOYAL TO SPORT AND THEY WILL BE THE BEST AT WHAT U DO. LOVE THE WAY JOE MOVED US OUT OF THE WAY LAST YEAR . GOT PIECE OF BUMPER ON MY MANTLE. HAVE FUN THINK THERES ONLY 3 TRUCKS IN HOUSTON AREA ,MIGHT FINALY WIN ONE JOE . LOVE U MEAN IT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gundogC3 Posted May 16, 2003 Report Share Posted May 16, 2003 GASSMAN HERE AGIN TRUCK COUNT, THE GUYS THAT DONT COME DOES MAKE A DIFF SO WHAT I THINK THE SIERIES IS THE BEST FOR TRUCKS. BRING YOUR TRUCK AND U WILL BE PAID,NO MATER WHAT IT IS,IT BETTER THAN NOTHING. FAR AS BEING HOME PROBALY TEN OR MORE TRUCKS WOULD HAVE TO TRAVEL TO HOUSTON. LET ME THINK, TRAVELING ????????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lzy88 Posted May 17, 2003 Report Share Posted May 17, 2003 Hey Bandit, I remember you running up front consistently in ARTS, AND getting put in the wall in Kansas by you know who, but didn't you quit ARTS shortly after you were caught with an illegal camshaft at SAS?? Granted the officials of ARTS were not perfect, but what series has perfect officials??? NONE!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted May 17, 2003 Report Share Posted May 17, 2003 Some strong opinions on the subject of ARTS trucks. We were one of the original ARTS teams and ran from 1998 to 2001. Now I agree that NO series has perfect officials, and they have a hard job to do. They will not make everyone happy, and realistically I don't really expect them to. By the end of the 1999 season, our 1 1/2 year point in the series, I wanted to cut the truck in half with a torch. It was not the competitors, it was two particular race officials, along with one of their wives, who made the truck series a miserable experience. Their names don't deserve to be mentioned here. I really hate to call them officials; that is an insult to the hard working and competent officials out there. These individuals tried to treat the series like they were Bill France and we were NASCAR. "Their way, or the highway." To back up statements made earlier by Bandit and others, terrible and unbelievable calls were made at virtually every race. Anyone remember the wife with the video camera at the top of Kyle's turn one? Didn't know the first thing about racing and was making position calls based on what she saw through her camera. We were victims of several of these calls, and were told later that they made a mistake. Didn't change the outcome, though. We lost many points to these calls. We were spun at Irwindale while leading a heat race, and the officials put us to the rear, and left the other party up front. "Didn't see it, they said." If they weren't watching the lead of the race, what the hell were they watching? --Now to defend the series. I think with the changes made to the series, it has the potential to grow into a viable series. The first positive change is better people running it. The Garretts and the others involved are very proactive in tying to make it work, and I wish them all the luck. This is more like my .50 , but I have some pretty strong opinions about the original ARTS, and this is a public forum. Ask me in person, and you will hear all this from a completely different (and very politically incorrect) angle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gundogC3 Posted May 17, 2003 Report Share Posted May 17, 2003 had a colonoscopy yesterday. if i made anybody mad im sorry. out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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