Something To Think About...
I copied this from Paducah International Raceway's facebook page. Folks, the bashing of race tracks and owners on social media has to stop or there won't be race tracks to go to. I'm guilty of this, and I feel I'm partly to blame for Bob Sargent not promoting Late Model specials at PIR. I got all bent out of shape about the track conditions at last year's World 50. I went on here and facebook to point fingers...especially to Bob. Bashing tracks and owners is NOT the answer. Talk to management face to face and discuss your issue's... Now here is a portion of the post from PIR!
As race fans we see tracks that are hurting on car counts, tracks hurting on fan count, you name it, it’s probably hurting. This is sad but very true. We struggled all year with our car and fan count.
Throughout the 2015 season social media has been our best friend and our worst enemy. Social media is killing our sport that we all have learned to love. Here in the last few weeks two different dirt tracks have permanently closed due to the constant battle with social media. The harsh words and criticism are doing serious damage for the dirt racing community.
Racing is in our blood, it’s what we live and breathe. Local dirt tracks like ours give fans and drivers a place to call home, a place to bring your family, and a place to spend your night eating dirt sprinkled chili-cheese fries.
For the 2016 season we have to work together. All of us. From the staff, to drivers, to fans, etc. We have to work together to save the sport we love.
We want to make the year 2016 the best race season yet. Exciting things are coming to Paducah International Raceway this year. This is going to be a year of change. We want to give drivers a place that they are honored to call their home track. A place where fans can bring their children and make unforgettable memories.
Everyone please continue to support your local tracks and PLEASE NO MORE BASHING!!! I'm done with all of that.
Thanks,
Darrell
If you run it right, they will come.
IMHO, the cream rises and if you don't put on a good show and provide a venue that people want to attend, you won't survive. I'm no promoter and I've never run a track, but like it or not social media is here to stay, for better or worse. I understand things happen beyond your control, like weather and fires and other unforeseen events, but... If every week a track keeps serving up sub-par shows, with bad food, racing so dusty you cant see half the track and restrooms you need a hazmat suit to even consider, then maybe some need to close. I'm not talking about PIR, I've never been there, I'm speaking from experience in my area and about tracks in general. I hate to see any track close, but I hate it more when I take someone to a race that has never been to one and the experience is so bad I'm embarrassed and have to apologize all the way home and offer to pay them back myself. In this age, where there are more options than ever before for where the entertainment dollar gets spent, we cant afford to have tracks run so poorly so often. I still don't believe social media is closing any tracks, people make up there own minds from experience. One of the most successful dirt track venues I grew up going to was also the strictest on rules, behavior and curfew. Going back to the 1980's, Dixie Speedway came up with a rule that no one was allowed on the track for any reason except to save a driver. If you stepped foot on the track surface for any other reason you were ejected. They also had a strict curfew because of neighborhoods being so close, so they enforced the black flag if you caused more than 2 cautions. Each division had strict time limits and when time ran out the checkered flag fell, whether they had run 29 laps or 2. This track has also thrived thru numerous recessions and suburban sprawl, but they put on good shows and do what they say they are gonna do.