HMP IS SOLID FOR 2024

[RodneyRodriguez]

well, looks like it's go time watch this: 

 

https://fb.watch/nKy9jrnUBP/

[ron.brown11]

That's Great News Rodney!!! It sounds like Owen is going to provide the leadership that has been missing from the asphalt racing community for more than a minute. Here's to hoping that Mobile, Five Flags, & New Smyrna put their schedules out real soon, and maybe the tracks can work together in building their individual schedules. If they do put out their schedules soon, that would allow Owen to adjust a date or two to avoid some conflict, weeks or even months in advance.

They are all going to have their own regular race nights. But if they can coordinate running Specials, like the 100 lappers that you all were talking about on the podcast, those fields for the late models could swell significantly. There's an incredible amount of late models along the gulf coast, and I'm betting there are quite a few still in TX. Running a 10-12 race schedule will really be helpful for those that can't afford running weekly, or nearly weekly. It will help enormously for those that want to tow to HMS from farther east. Plus it allows for "battle damage" repair time when things go wrong. I've run 22-24 race seasons, and it can absolutely wear you out, both physically & financially.

I know that I've mentioned this before on this site. But with the expansion of the CARS Tour along the eastern seaboard, there's a chance to tag on to that trend, and possible even get a race date with them. I also believe that HMS is such a good facility, that it could draw cars from that tour, if the purses make it worth the trip. Five Flags has a great reputation, but HMS is a better facility. Five Flags probably has more room for hauler parking though. I've never been to Mobile, so I don't what that looks like. New Smyrna has a lot of room, but the track isn't as good as HMS either. Plus they're going to repave New Smyrna soon, and it won't produce good racing for a couple of seasons after that. 

I'm sure that dirt racing lovers are tired of hearing me go on about asphalt racing in TX, but there's room for both. You all touched on this a bit during the podcast. For those TX asphalt racers, they need to know that they have a place to race consistently, before they invest in getting their cars/teams/sponsors ready to do so. I saw this first hand in Tucson, when the France family pulled out of running the track after the Winter Heat Series. People were unsure if there was going to be a place to race, as the nearest asphalt track was the Bullring in Las Vegas. The Deery family didn't get the track lease until March, and didn't get full fields until June. Teams simply stopped working on their stuff, because is sure didn't look like the track was going to reopen. The fans were also skeptical, and also were slow to return. Our season usually ran from the first week in April, until right before Thanksgiving.

I'm very hopeful that Owen and his group succeed. But that's going to take the racers believing that HMS is here to stay for more than a season or two. My sense is that he's in it for the long haul, as that's what his success at other tracks says. I would sure love to see that happen. TX has produced some really great racers & racing over the years. I refuse to believe that it's time has passed. 

[rails]

That’s a very promising interview right there. The place is in desperate need a stability. It’s seem it may have showed up midway into this season. When HMP was in the able and capable hands of John M, it was an electric place to go to the races. With full fields of trucks and modifieds, and good car counts across the rest of the classes. 
 

I was only able to make 2 races there this season, and am out of town for work right now and won’t make this weekend. But I can appreciate Mr Owens desire to not over saturate the schedule. Just stabilize it and it will take off, I’ve seen it before there.