Friendship motor speedway nc shuts down

[SLIDING SIDEWAYS]

Another one bites the dust. Memorial day weekend was there last race stating theres to many tracks in the area that they cant make ends meet.

[Driver50x]

Dang, sorry to hear that. :(

[dirtMAN007]

Did someone bash them on social media ?

[TerryM]

Another one bites the dust. Memorial day weekend was there last race stating theres to many tracks in the area that they cant make ends meet.
What other tracks are in that area and what's the distance between tracks?

[SLIDING SIDEWAYS]

What other tracks are in that area and what's the distance between tracks?

Theres only 2 thats near and 1 rolling thunder speedway used to run fris but has been closed the last couple yrs. The other is 311 thats still open and is in competition w friendship. They both run sat nights. He wont run any regional or touring events. 311 is prolly 45mins to 1 hr away I believe. Friendship has had trouble in past.

[Barbecueboy]

That backstretch at friendship up on the hill is one of the best racing views at any track I've ever been too.....too bad for the fans in that region.

There will be many racers that will just park it instead of going over to the track that mr flip flop owns....that's the sad part.

[ShawnStreet]

Wythe in Virginia is pretty close as well. There is a track in Boone, NC but I don't know if Friendship would call them competition or not.

[nc mudcat]

Went to friendship often and love it. Too many classes normally, and track conditions had gotten poor. I went friday night and it was a disaster. FASTRAK doubleheader, mideast modifieds and blue ridge outlaws. I left at 12:40 and there was still a race to run. Great place though, and hope someone takes it. Wythe is the next best option IMO, even though 311 is closer for me.

[PushinTheLimit]

It was just announced that Swainsboro is shutting down too on Facebook.

[EvelB7]

Was at Friendship Friday, $35 for pits, track in horrible shape, long intermissions, to many 'special' classes.... Crowd was not terrible but the show ran way to long... These tracks need to get back to promoting instead of thinking they should make the money off the back gate. Run a show that gets you out by 10:00- and actually try to draw a crowd! I don't even mind the rough track as long as you can somewhat race on it. Getting home at 3am from a track that is less than 45 minutes away is insane.

[thexfactor0210]

Tracks just dont seem to get it. The large majority of fans dont want to be stuck there all night. We dont need intermissions and useless breaks. Keep the show moving and start earlier.

[NormP]

Did someone bash them on social media ?

Don't know the first thing about this track so maybe that has nothing to do with it. But if that's all it takes to shut a track down, it isn't much of a track.

[nc mudcat]

Forgot about Rolling thunder already. Was shut down for a few years, then new guy took it this year and tried to run it. Rained out most weekends early, then no turnout ruined it. It shut down already after just a few months.

I had not mentioned Friendship's track conditions, but they were awful last Friday. Desert in one end, swamp in the other. I always wondered if asphalt underneath was an issue, but I have seen good conditions there since then, so that is not the issue.

2 years ago, I took a van full of new folks there for fan appreciation night. My mistake. They ran 7 classes. We left at 2 in the morning and missed 2 main events. The van full of new folks did not become fans, and in fact, only one of them has been back to a dirt track, and it was not this one.

I have seen this track be successful and it can be again, just needs some fine tuning. Rainouts probably hurt this year a lot, as they missed quite a few weeks of possible income.

[EvelB7]

Friendship was one of the first tracks I raced out after moving south (early 90's). I can say that after the asphalt is has been different, but not always in a bad way. Hate to see it struggle but every time we go there the show drags on. I can't even get my wife and kids to go as either it has been a dust bowl or three in the morning (haven't been there much in past six or seven years, same when I do go though). Now mention going to Wythe and it doesn't even matter if I am racing, they are all in! (an hour past Friendship for me but we will still be home before midnight). Good luck to Friendship in the future, hopefully it can be revived....

[SLIDING SIDEWAYS]

Friendship was one of the first tracks I raced out after moving south (early 90's). I can say that after the asphalt is has been different, but not always in a bad way. Hate to see it struggle but every time we go there the show drags on. I can't even get my wife and kids to go as either it has been a dust bowl or three in the morning (haven't been there much in past six or seven years, same when I do go though). Now mention going to Wythe and it doesn't even matter if I am racing, they are all in! (an hour past Friendship for me but we will still be home before midnight). Good luck to Friendship in the future, hopefully it can be revived....


You wont find a better track than wythe. My favorate track but weather gets in the way up there. Great racing

[nc mudcat]

Agree on Wythe. My favorite dirt track, no question. Same as EvelB7, it is longer, but an hour and a half ain't bad when I can still be home by midnight. They do a great job of getting you in and out.

[jog49]

" I left at 12:40 and there was still a race to run."

Isn't that a normal program requirement for dirt tracks in the Carolinas? LOL! That is, with the exception of the Dirt Track at Charlotte, for the most part, but even they have gotten worse over the past few years. I've eaten breakfast after the races more than once.

[TerryM]

Was at Friendship Friday, $35 for pits, track in horrible shape, long intermissions, to many 'special' classes.... Crowd was not terrible but the show ran way to long... These tracks need to get back to promoting instead of thinking they should make the money off the back gate. Run a show that gets you out by 10:00- and actually try to draw a crowd! I don't even mind the rough track as long as you can somewhat race on it. Getting home at 3am from a track that is less than 45 minutes away is insane.
Sounds like Swainsboro. We used to leave there at 1;00 or 2;00 in the morning. That's one of the reasons we stopped going. Also, when the racing was finished at the big track, the kart track was still running. There'd be kids over there 7 or 8 years old, waiting to race at 2;00 or 3;00 in the morning. I know it sounds impossible to believe, but it's true.

[brsteg]

I went to Friendship once... I am not surprised to hear of it's closing. Poor facilities, poor racing, late evening. Nothing about the place gave me any hope that it was just an off night.

I could be wrong, but I think they shut down their website to go facebook only. I think that is a terrible decision as facebook pages do not replace the order, the ease, and the communication of a well organized and ran site. Your facebook page should be the supplementary to your website not the other way around.

I think that is just one sign of poor management; in addition to the other issues I and everyone else mentioned. In this day in age, poorly run or bad tracks are NOT going to survive. Not enough cars, and therefor not enough interest.

A few years ago their used to be room for slop when there were cars everywhere and tracks all over could pull decent fields. With cars and local heroes grows interest, and there was just more of everything to go around so you could be imperfect and make it.
Now you have to be darn good, if not perfect. Good facility, reasonable concessions, well ran show, racey track, and limit divisions so you don't have 7 classes of 6-7 cars.

Tracks that are not good are going to fail. And some that are good could still fail depending on what is happening in their area.

[chupp n bloomer fan]

I went to Friendship once... I am not surprised to hear of it's closing. Poor facilities, poor racing, late evening. Nothing about the place gave me any hope that it was just an off night.

I could be wrong, but I think they shut down their website to go facebook only. I think that is a terrible decision as facebook pages do not replace the order, the ease, and the communication of a well organized and ran site. Your facebook page should be the supplementary to your website not the other way around.

I think that is just one sign of poor management; in addition to the other issues I and everyone else mentioned. In this day in age, poorly run or bad tracks are NOT going to survive. Not enough cars, and therefor not enough interest.

A few years ago their used to be room for slop when there were cars everywhere and tracks all over could pull decent fields. With cars and local heroes grows interest, and there was just more of everything to go around so you could be imperfect and make it.
Now you have to be darn good, if not perfect. Good facility, reasonable concessions, well ran show, racey track, and limit divisions so you don't have 7 classes of 6-7 cars.

Tracks that are not good are going to fail. And some that are good could still fail depending on what is happening in their area.Well said...

[chupp n bloomer fan]

Sounds like Swainsboro. We used to leave there at 1;00 or 2;00 in the morning. That's one of the reasons we stopped going. Also, when the racing was finished at the big track, the kart track was still running. There'd be kids over there 7 or 8 years old, waiting to race at 2;00 or 3;00 in the morning. I know it sounds impossible to believe, but it's true.That is just insane. I can see a kid literally be sleeping and being told, hey Johnny, time to wake up and go race. Just unacceptable.

[Barbecueboy]

Johnie would probably be going Dad get up it's time to go race....lol.
But yes, unacceptable unless it's on some very rare occasion for something like weather , stacked full fields or something like that.

[Waldo]

I go to two dirt tracks in North Carolina on a regular basis. Both race on Saturday night. These 2 tracks are roughly 25 miles apart. Both tracks run between 8 and 10 divisions a night and are hardley ever done before midnight. It is a chest match for me. I literally go to the one I think will be finished earlier based on the program. Neither track know's nothing about time management or how to get done at a descent time. The only reason they are making a profit and drawing a crowd is because there is nowhere else to go. They will cater to the drivers and give them anything they want, but nothing for the fans except high admission and 1, 2, or 3oclock nights driving home after the race. 3 dollar cold hamburgers and 2 dollar old chili hotdogs, while walking thru a rainforest to get to the bathroom.

[thexfactor0210]

What tracks are you referring too?

[ncdirt]

The rainforest/bathroom = Harris. The 2nd would have to be East Lincoln

[SLIDING SIDEWAYS]

Friendship will be active begining of july. Mike hatton & ron perkins are parterning up and taking over and have hired jason smoot to run it.

[Barbecueboy]

Good news.......

[EvelB7]

Mike Gatton... They are spending quite a bit to help turn things around at Friendship (new dirt, cleanup). Hopefully the fans will give them the support it needs, going to be on Friday nights. Good people who truly want to have a great place to race, they are not looking to make a quick buck but rather look at it as an investment for the future.

[Barbecueboy]

That's even better news.....thanks evel.

[nc mudcat]

Looking forward to Friendship opening back up. They posted a note saying they would try to get races done by 10:30-11:00 each night, and if they can do that, and get a grip in the track surface, they will do well. Friday nights are questionable, as it is good for some, bad for some. Here's hoping for a good thing in Elkin!

[EvelB7]

I know they will try really hard. Clean restrooms (especially the women's), over by 10:30, and decent food are my big three... I have only been around them for a couple of months but great group of people, they are new to promoting but have a lot of support and the right reason for doing so.

[NorthAlabama]

It reminds me of a local track owner who had the greatest track ever, Moulton. Then he retired and has leased it to many others. The latest guy is killing the track. Word was nobody in the stands, late night intermissions, stupid ideals, track ruff and so dusty at times, just bad. I bet the owner wishes he could find someone who would run a track like he did. Now days, it is fly by night want to bees who don't have the brains nor money backing needed to run a business. As another track owner told me, you can make money off of the small car locals (pits and family) by running local only, don't need out of town fans.

[49wrench]

Sorry to hear this. Hate to see any track close. Was only there one time but have fond memory`s We won a 10k to win STARS race there in 96..

[nc mudcat]

Sorry to hear this. Hate to see any track close. Was only there one time but have fond memory`s We won a 10k to win STARS race there in 96..

Bob Salathe? I was there! And the rest of the thread gives good news, track opening back up.

[Barbecueboy]

This thread is great.....good to see people stepping up.

That place is just really cool.