Da Clash

[24nomo]

The vibe was awesome at the Clash man.  That is like the Old Bristol without the Redneck Music.  Nascar is expanding the audience base.  You gotta love them stepping outside of the box man.  They are taking care of the TV fans man, this is great stuff to watch.  Their money is coming from the Networks and they are collaborating with them in doing these exhibitions.  It is an investment into the future

Edited February 7, 2023 by 24nomo

[RodneyRodriguez]

We will be the only one that think this but you are spot on. Not my music, you know what I did when that come on? Took the trash out, got a beer or 4 and came back to watch the race. Pretty easy. 

Ratings are in it appears it did well, again. 

 

[24nomo]

One good thing about it was that it renewed some old rivalries.  Kyle Busch is mad at the champ Joey Logano now.  I think all but 9 cars were involved in some extra action.    

[RodneyRodriguez]

I keep hearing to many yellows. New Bristol sucks because there's no contact. Hmmmm 

[24nomo]

Yea, maybe find a happy medium, cut the race down to about 125 laps and only start about 22 cars.   But it was an exhibition, so the Party went on under the cautions.  

[HiTech]

 THANK GOD THAT IS THE ONLY RACE WITH RAP MUSIC .. 

[24nomo]

Pit Bull isnt going to bring any cotton eyed joe music man.   But that is ok, you cater to the money.   Money pays the bills 

[Radical]

1 hour ago, HiTech said:

 THANK GOD THAT IS THE ONLY RACE WITH RAP MUSIC .. 

Don't count on it. 

[RodneyRodriguez]

I'd rather hear George Strait lol Honestly when I worked for CTS they laughed us off because we had live music. But damn we did well on those nights. I remember the night at Austin when they would have a track dance. That worked too. 

[ron.brown11]

Getting people involved keeps them coming back. 

[ron.brown11]

Read some interesting things from Hamlin & Busch about the Clash. Both stated that the line might be getting blurred between racing and entertainment. You Think?? Busch said he thought the Clash was a disaster, because everybody was just driving through anybody. This coming from a guy that isn't shy about running through others. Hamlin is all in favor of having to actually be a pole sitter to be in the Clash. Hummm, that sounds familiar. Actually having to be a pole sitter to qualify for the Clash. Isn't that how that race started? I wonder if the heads that be in Daytona are listening? They are, but not about that. They're trying to figure out how to shut them up or fine them.. Anybody that has ever watched a modified main race from Bowman Gray knows what the Clash will look like. Twenty seven stock cars on a 1/4 mile track, that is barely 20' wide is insane. 

[MikePeters95]

I'm going to take a large leap of assumption and guess none of you have been to California lately. As someone who went to the Clash last year (I was already in town, and the debut of Next Gen/Stadium racing, how could you NOT go?) a large majority of people have NEVER been to a racetrack much less Nasar.  Most the folks around us were wearing Dodgers gear with kids, and were super interested and asking a bunch of questions when it wasn't loud.  The sound in a stadium is amazing.  

If you can't understand different areas have different demographics and interests, that's fine, but take that lack of understanding and maybe step back a little before airing your grievances "I didn't like what's popular in that area".  You're not in the area.  TMS literally has a bar down the entire front straight now and an official after party at Billy Bob's. I'm not sure what more you could want, and why you aren't supporting that if you care so much about country music and NASCAR being mutually exclusive.

All the teams have a good time at the Clash, not sure why fans on a keyboard can't.  Between the music complaints and the fascinating trend of people who claim to be "Short track fans", but also couldn't put together the fact that, yes, nobody cares about HEAT RACES and the fans only show up for the main event, those were the main complaints I saw.

My only real critiques isn't for the clash but for the broadcast panel, concerts do NOT produce well into TV.  99% of the events they go back to the booth, interviews, etc.  I am not sure why they didn't do that at the clash. 

I do agree that was too many cars in the feature for that tiny track.  I wondered why they didn't widen it but was told local regulators wanted them to keep access for emergency vehicles outside the wall between the stands, which makes it appear smaller than needed.  It was hard to pass but as evidenced by KB, you could totally do it.  Dude passed a ton of cars, I'm not a fan of that guy but it was fun to watch him claw through the field.

I thought it was fun, but then again, I'm a car guy that likes motorsports so it's pretty easy to make me happy.  Not sure about some you guys.

[rails]

Mike, you must be on some sort of comp package with TMS. The way you bash the fans, there is no way you are paying for your package like I do.

[24nomo]

TMS was a weekend destination for a bunch of drunks for a long time.  Now that there are shorter weekend races, the drunks stay home and watch it in their garage.  But thats ok, Nascar caters to the money crowd, the TV networks.  But, I am not sure Texas deserves a race track, we cant even afford new tires here.  So we are accustomed to driving to Florida, Alabama and Georgia to watch racing.  COTA is awesome and money flows like candy there man.   That is why Nascar races there now

Edited February 10, 2023 by 24nomo

[NickHolt]

I am pretty sure that local stock car racing on asphalt - as we once knew it - is history. The reasons the sport sprang to life in the first place have long since faded away and the sport is struggling to re-invent itself. 

Money has taken over asphalt short track with very few paved tracks able to make it work and very few individuals able to afford producing a competitive team.

The few paved short tracks that have survived are either catering to money (5 Flags for instance) or are located so far off the money grid (think Maine) that "poor boys" are still able to run up front - at least for now.

Unless the current generation of automotive enthusiasts discovers the joys of asphalt short track racing, they will be content to try their hand at the local drag strip or race on the street.  Those with more money will gravitate towards the growing number of expensive-to-run private road courses such as Houston Motorsports Ranch.

But, yes, dirt track racing still is viable in many areas, but some of us are becoming alarmed at the ever-increasing role that money is playing in the dirt world. Time will tell how that all plays out.

COTA, TMS, NASCAR, F1 are all becoming less of a sport and more of an expensive extravaganza. Money rules the top level without question. 

I'm just grateful that for 50 years I was able to actively participate in the fast-fading era of weekly asphalt stock car racing in Texas. 

[RodneyRodriguez]

I will tell you all TMS leans heavily on me these days with my Saturday radio show here. I work more hand-in-hand with COTA and their staff for the Austin events prior and more with the SMI team on the NASCAR weekends on those. The SMI/TMS staff is working very had to try to get TMS back to a destination as it was. I will say in my opinion all the bad reviews, lack luster races etc have killed the appeal there and with Mr. Gossage stepping away there are some really great people trying to work in that position. That's a huge obstacle.

I have mentioned to them that TMS right now is primed for what Neil did at TWS in 1976. A Texas Race of Champions type of event there to me would give that place some bad ass character at this point. That's what it needs, get people there and again IMO that will do that more that a Cup, Indy etc. Gotta dial it back these SLM, PLM cars are advanced enough to run on the big track, hell so are the street stocks and Outlaws it's been done it can be done again. That dirt track being overgrown sucks make lemonade. Pave it do something there. 

I fight for us y'all I promise I've mentioned the paved track at COTA to them but as I mentioned a high ranking dude there said I love it what are your thoughts on the ROI. My answer being low, possibly over time (10 yrs) it may develop made his way to go get a stiff drink and change the subject when he came back. 

 

Nick said it, it's a business. 

Edited February 11, 2023 by RodneyRodriguez

[rails]

Rodney, TMS/SMI fails at the basics. As far as the racing goes NASCAR runs that show, the 1.5 mile track is what it is. But if you know it is going to be a 100 out for the entirety of your event week and weekend, they should have enough sense to park some 18 wheeler trailers full of ice on the grounds. There wasn’t a bag of ice to be found on the grounds, which in turn had the buccee’s sold out as well. I also saw not 1 RV sewer pump out truck the whole weekend. They have been putting on races there since 1997. And they still fail at the basics. I don’t consider my race weekend package to be all that much money. I think it is about 700.00 for a camping spot and a tow vehicle and 2 grandstand tickets for each race. And there are a few things they do well at, for instance, they have one of the best tram systems in all of nascar. When they put that long bar in they also took out every other row of seats in the lower grandstand. Which caused half the ticket holders to get moved, and the moves were not for the better. And even after doing that I could still swing a cat by its tail and not hit a soul. I just wish they took better care of the basics as they should. But I will most likely keep supporting the place in the fall, as long as I’m able, or until it goes away.

[24nomo]

They had a big truck full of ice right by the concession area just south of Torchys tacos.   We texted the pump out guy and he was usually there within an hour.   Plenty of ice in there

Edited February 13, 2023 by 24nomo

[ron.brown11]

I still think that a track at COTA makes the most sense. We were discussing the ROI on investment a few months ago. I said then, and don't see anyway to make it better. It will take at a minimum OF 5-10 years to get ROI. So those owners would have to be in it for the long haul. Unfortunately there just aren't a lot of people with that kind of cash that will stick it out. The only thing that I can think of to get that ROI faster, is by making that venue another source of revenue, with something that the track isn't already bringing, to go along with the stock car racing.It can be done if the TMS/COTA footed the bill to build the track. I truly believe that between Austin, SA, Houston & Corpus, could give a good car count to get it started. I'm sure that there are folks that Nick, Rodney, Mike Peters that do have contacts. If they could give that support, I think the DFW area would also be able to join us here eat COTA. If done right, I'd be willing to bet that getting some cars from the Deep South is a real probability of drawing cars. If that happens, then OKC becomes a possibility.

 

If this "new" track can have similar rules packages, to the other tracks, it wouldn't be hard to attract out of staters. Get the purses right, and don't try and cut the other tracks' throats. Hell if done right, I could see a series that runs say at COTA, Houston, South Alabama, & Five Flags. Or put together shows that rotate like once a month to each of the tracks, and then have a championship to for that want to run them all. Have a separate points found for it. With a common sense rules package, that doesn't obsolete what racers all ready have, and decent purses, it can be done. Make the tire package a very hard compound, so that spending a $100 grand a season on big engines and expensive shocks won't be necessary. But even if they do want to spend like that, the tires are going to be the  great equalizer.

I truly do believe that this is possible, but even under the best circumstances, it won't be easy

[Josh42]

11 hours ago, ron.brown11 said:

If that happens, then OKC becomes a possibility

Won't happen. Oklahoma is a dirt racing community almost Mecca like. They had paved tracks here nice ones. But none of them are in operation anymore. I literally have one that I can look out the back of my business and see the grandstands and lights. High banked 1/4 mile they tried it on Sundays and Saturdays and only a few showed up.  I attached a map that is all within an hour of Tulsa and there is 8 dirt tracks within an hour, 7 of those tracks are big cars 3 run on Friday 4 run on Sunday pits are full at each track.  The 8th track is Port City which is all micros that packs the house.  

I will say it again Asphalt racing in Texas is almost dead with Houston being its only breath. Quit trying to revive what is long dead and support what is there. Let COTA be COTA they don't need a circle track. Always remember if you bring up a asphalt or another track what happens to CBS, I-37, STS, Texana they lose racers then if they lose enough then they close then your right back where you are at now. So support the tracks you have. 

[ron.brown11]

Well, I guess that's it! Asphalt racing is now on life support in TX, and Josh 42 says to pull the plug. So anybody that wants to see asphalt racing in TX now must just give in and go to the dirt tracks. Well I choose not to. I will instead choose to watch what I choose to watch. If that's online, so be it. It's not my first choice, but it will have to do. I'm sure that the dirt tracks will survive without my money. Unlike you Josh, I hope they do survive.

As Nick can attest to, I used to make a 400 mile roundtrip from Del Rio to CTS. I worked on Friday nights to midnight (sometimes even later), and had to be in Uvalde by 6:30am. I usually didn't get back home until about 4am Sunday morning.  There were many 24 hour days on about 3 hours of sleep. Hell, even after I wasn't crew chilling for a modified anymore, I still made as many trips to CTS as I could. There were a lot of weekends that I didn't see my family, so my wife was pretty happy about that. But I did it for the love of it. And I have never told anybody to just give up on what they wanted, because I didn't think it was possible. It begs the question, are you a racer Josh42?

[Josh42]

1 hour ago, ron.brown11 said:

It begs the question, are you a racer Josh42?

Am I a racer? 
I am 43, I have raced or been involved with a race team for 35 years of my life and probably have more laps around a racetrack than you will ever have. I have raced on dirt, asphalt, road courses, drag strips. I’ve raced 1/4 midgets, dwarf cars, go kart, trucks, midgets, drag cars. I’ve crewed on pro late models, super late models, race trucks, sprint cars, midgets, drag boats, nitro dragsters, dwarf cars. I have been a spotter for trucks and late models. I have worked for race tracks. I currently crew on a ASCS Sprint Car and OCRS Sprint Car. I’ve been to race tracks all across the US and constantly adding tracks every year. I raced at every asphalt track in Texas that was open during my time Longhorn, Thunderhill, SAS, HMP, CCS, and Wichita Falls. 
 

[ron.brown11]

Very impressive!! So exactly which one of those many endeavors did you give up on? Were you told to quit any of them? I'm going to take a guess and say not many of them. But wait, there's sooo many of them, something had to be given up on. So who told you to give up on them? I'm also certain that through all of your resume, you discovered something. Racing is hard, unless you've got a silver spoon/shovel shoved up your ass. And even then it's still hard, but that's usually because the silver spoon holder isn't that smart, talented, or dedicated. So exactly why would you tell people to give up on what they want to do? I will give you that you probably have more laps than me, as I only raced asphalt, drags, and some stupid stuff I did on a rice rocket on the street.

But I also managed to be a really good fighter jet crew chief (I never lost a jet), Quality Assurance inspector on those fighters, and an aircraft crash investigator for the Air Force. Then I spent the last 5 years of that supervising the entire work force at Laughlin AFB before retiring. I had to manage approximately 360 workers, with 255 jets. Trust me, working on jets is a lot easier then trying to get a bunch of useless union workers to do their job.  That too took about 35 years. Yeah, those things weren't easy either. I don't claim to be the best at anything. I'm just willing to work harder and smarter than most. As my late parents found out about 6 decades ago, don't tell me I can't do something. Because if I want it bad enough I surely will, and I'll figure out how to do it, and do it well. But since I've have 25 surgeries over the last 15 years (18 have been orthopedic, I'm probably done driving. But with the right circumstance, I could get back into ownership, if I so desired. But I'd want a driver & crew member that wouldn't quit, just because racing is hard, or someone told them to quit.

So Josh42, we can disagree, and I'm fine with that. But I am not good with you trying to tell me I can't do what I wish to do, or try to accomplish. You don't get to do that. As I said the very first time I ever commented about dirt & asphalt racing on this site. I love asphalt racing best.I like dirt racing ok, but don't want to watch/participate. I have no problem if you want to race dirt, watch dirt, or play in he dirt, as I hold no animosity toward those that wish to, or even dirt spectators. And I would never tell someone that they can't race what they want to race. So the odds are long at getting an asphalt track up & running. But I will tell you this, it is infinitely harder do get something done, if everyone is telling you no, it's not going to happen, or if they are openly trying to stop. 

But I promise you this. I won't stop posting the longing to bring back asphalt racing to TX. If that is troubling for you, My give a damn is busted. But I will wish you well in your dirt adventures. 

[24nomo]

Dirt is for a parking lot at the asphalt track.   I would rather watch paint dry that get dirty

[arob]

Dirt is for racing. Asphalt is for getting there. I grew up at CC Speedway and spent a lot of years going to SAS which I miss to this day. Then I went to the December races at Rio Grande Speedway and was blown away by the car count (150 or so) and the number of hotly contested qualifying races (20or so). When Owen left CCS to run South Texas Speedway is when I started going to dirt 100% of the time. I was kind of surprised a lot of the asphalt guys went dirt from that point on.  I wish nothing but the best for HMP. I hope they can build a good car count and be successful because they are the last hope right now. They have a very steep hill to climb and the folks promoting HMP should be honored to no end for the commitment and hard work they put into it.

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by arob