Greenville Pickens Considering Switching To Dirt

[LMNED10]

Boy things must be getting bad in the asphalt world! https://speed51.com/south-carolina-t...phalt-to-dirt/

[SLIDING SIDEWAYS]

They need to tear up caraway in nc and switch to dirt also

[kidrock]

Boy things must be getting bad in the asphalt world! https://speed51.com/south-carolina-t...phalt-to-dirt/

Things are getting bad in your local dirt racing as well. It's not just the asphalt world.

[SLIDING SIDEWAYS]

Things are getting bad in your local dirt racing as well. It's not just the asphalt world.

Yep ^^^^^^^^^

[No_Weak_Links]

Most big 1/2 mile dirt tracks struggle now days. Plus there are many other dirt tracks in the area. I think they would do better as asphalt IMO....maybe do a little upgrading and schedule better races like CARS tour.

[racincowboy02]

Ok so if it was dirt back in the early years of it running and they paved it and have been running asphalt for so long how hard will it be to get it back to a decent dirt track?

[Krooser]

Ok so if it was dirt back in the early years of it running and they paved it and have been running asphalt for so long how hard will it be to get it back to a decent dirt track?

The problem is the fans... the old "asphalts for racing...dirts for planting taters" mentality.

[racincowboy02]

Yea i get that but lets say they bit the bullet and decided to go ahead and make it back to dirt how long would it take to get it to a finished product and have a race

Another thing that would concern me is what night would they run if they run on friday night they will have to contend with travelers rest speedway which is in northern greenville county and that would be a hit for probably both tracks depending on what classes they run

If they run saturday night then they will have to go up against Lancaster Laurens Modoc and Cherokee. I don't see them hurting Lancaster just because is to close to charlotte and the rock hill area to pull any cars from. Modoc is right about 2 hours away from them and laurens is and laurens is roughly an hour away. Those are the tracks that i feel would stand to be hurt the most by them goin to dirt. Cherokee has enough of a car count as they are averaging about 100 cars every saturday night and the action has been pretty good this year in all classes. Cherokee is an hour away as well so that might hurt them but then again maybe it doesn't as we get cars from NC as well to come and run every saturday night

[nc mudcat]

They need to tear up caraway in nc and switch to dirt also

Unfortunately, we would then have multiple dirt tracks in central NC with low car counts.

[SLIDING SIDEWAYS]

Unfortunately, we would then have multiple dirt tracks in central NC with low car counts.

Car counts are struggling but i think w right promoter you can get that car count where you see good racing.
The last 2 mod shows at caraway had 8&9 mods for feature. Thats sad. Im sure dirt will have more than that.

[Krooser]

Always tuff to switch surfaces....the fan base us different.

Capital here in WI switched from tar to dirt and went broke 20 years ago. Now they are back to pavement with a good promoter and doing well...

[nc mudcat]

Car counts are struggling but i think w right promoter you can get that car count where you see good racing.
The last 2 mod shows at caraway had 8&9 mods for feature. Thats sad. Im sure dirt will have more than that.

I do like your optimism. I disagree, respectfully. If the Hacketts sell it, perhaps someone could get it done, but honestly, I think the right promoter could get it done with asphalt. It was a hotbed for years. The southern modifieds are awesome, but the amount of teams is way down, and those that race them only care about the stadium, with few exceptions, so you really can't judge by that class. Either way, I have watched the re-emergence of my local dirt track to the north, and it is failing miserably, with the exception of a few touring races that came thru. The weekly show is a no-show. Either way, I hope success for Caraway; I have seen a ton of good races there dating back to the late 70's.

[EvelB7]

I would rather see 311 get turned around myself, but I still think there is a need in that area and maybe the Caraway piece would work...

[intel8]

Capital here in WI switched from tar to dirt and went broke 20 years ago. Now they are back to pavement with a good promoter and doing well...

I remember the fan base was quite upset with the switch to dirt with all the tradition that Trickle, Shear, Martin, Kulwicki, etc. etched upon that track.

[SLIDING SIDEWAYS]

I would rather see 311 get turned around myself, but I still think there is a need in that area and maybe the Caraway piece would work...

311 does pack the stands on a special show. Woo & ultimate. The fans are starving for slm racing there. I see it every special race i go to there. Weekly racing is sunk as they turn to friendship speedway. 311 is good facility if promoted properly
Caraway has always drew the limited late model stock and super late models but the stands are light w fans

[Barbecueboy]

311 is a great track.....unfortunately right now it's fulp of crap.

[SLIDING SIDEWAYS]

311 is a great track.....unfortunately right now it's fulp of crap.

Yup i was tryn to be nice lol

[toddg13]

I've never been to GPS, but from the late model races I've seen on the internet, it looks pretty narrow and flat. I've read it really needs to be repaved. If they could get the funding to repave it would be bad ass to knock down the inside wall and widen the track to 100 ft all the way around. Widen and maybe even shorten the track. Half mile tracks are great for late models but not good for the support divisions any more. Or they could leave the half mile for late models and build a 1/4 mile that shares the front stretch for the 4 cyl and motorcycle engine cars. If they go dirt, a wide 3/8 semi banked track would kick ass. Like someone said above, half mile dirt tracks aren't doing very well. I don't know, but it sounds like what they have now, a wore out narrow 1/2 mile is not drawing the cars or the fans.

[Stefan2k4]

If they go dirt, a wide 3/8 semi banked track would kick ass

Why should dirt track racing try to emulate Nascar and make all their tracks a one size fits all cookie cutter approach? The way I see it there are already plenty of 3/8 mile dirt tracks, just like Nascar has plenty of 1 1/2 mile clones. We've seen this movie before play out on the Nascar stage and how's it working for them? I think variety is better. I think this is especially true for dirt tracks because we don't have one big dominate sanctioning body who dictates everything like they do in the Nascar world. Therefore each individual track needs to do something to set themselves apart and create their own unique identity. Everywhere you go, you see 3/8 mile dirt tracks because everyone seems to have settled on the idea that this is the optimum size and is afraid to deviate from the norm.

Like someone said above, half mile dirt tracks aren't doing very well

How about Lancaster? Are they not doing very well? I don't know, I'm just asking. Anyway, Cherokee used to do pretty well, back in the day, when they were a big half mile. So, I think there's definitely more to it than size and a one size fits all approach may not be the secret to success.

Or they could leave the half mile for late models and build a 1/4 mile that shares the front stretch for the 4 cyl and motorcycle engine cars

Now, this idea, I like. It sounds very interesting, if it would be practical.

[No_Weak_Links]

SteFan...From everything I've heard Lancaster is not doing "very well" I'll just leave it at that...and Cherokee was shortened because car counts dropped off. The majority of racers today do not want to race weekly on a 1/2 mile. Its a lot more wear and tear on the motor, parts, tires...and if you do crash the damage is much more severe on car and driver.