Friendship motor speedway nc shuts down

[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!