Race Track Revival -- Save Bulls Gap

[TerryM]

Vic did not want the press release to read the way it did. He didn't lose money. But he could have made more, not knowing there were a number of issues that had to be fixed prior to the race. And the track will not be completely closed this season, just no weekly type of events. The track is for sale if somebody wants to buy it.

The biggest issue this track has, going forward, is location. It’s the same issue many other tracks have had, or currently have. Dixie Speedway down here in Georgia is another example. The track used to sit out in the middle of nowhere. There was nothing around it. Now it sits near a busy interstate exit that looks more like an Atlanta suburb than old Woodstock. This was my first trip to Bulls Gap in probably 15 years. I couldn’t believe what that exit looks like now, compared to when I first started going there around 1990 or so. Everything is building up and out, and the money offered for the land is impossible to turn down. If it’s near an interstate exit, it’s eventually going to get swallowed up. I hope I’m wrong, but history isn’t on our side.

[Drop Shock]

I’m sure Vic broke even, maybe made a couple grand. Flo on the other hand boasts about how it was the biggest single day event in the history of the company (all Flo Sports). That looks bad on flo’s end, racers don’t get a cut of that steaming money and apparently racetracks don’t either. I’m sure that didn’t sit well with Vic and the owners of the track. Greed

[foxfire2dirtracing]

Drop Shock

Just a thought: Flo did boast about the biggest audience- but how many were already subscribers before the Volunteer race.
My point is: was there a ton of “NEW $$” created for this race?
Or was it just a large viewing audience from existing subscribers?
There is a difference. I know Rigsby & Shelton watch 4m- would be interesting on their perspective.

As for the future of Bulls Gap- the track is almost 50 years old and to operate as a racing facility-it needs tons of upgrades. Lighting, new speaker system, upgraded restrooms ( the current ones in the grandstands are the original when the track was built- just like TAZ). It would be hard for anyone to purchase the property- do the needed upgrades and make a return on investment as a racetrack.
And for sure: the present owners are not going to spend the $$ needed- when they are trying to sell it. It would be foolish for Vic to spend his $$ also since it’s for sale.
The Earl Baltes book “EARL” goes into great detail about the problems he had with promoting all those different tracks. Problems with bussiness partners, other promotors, sanctioning bodies, proper help needed- so forth and so on.
Those same issues would apply to Bulls Gap under the existing time.
(Or really-any track)
Example: TAZEWELL’s biggest race of the year was the Lucas Oil Race. After being on the schedule since the beginning- it was removed from the Lucas Schedule. We know what Lucas said about it- but the truth is the Lucas drivers hated going there. They had complained for years about the lack of put area, roads in/out, hard on equipment and ect.
The 21k Bill Corum Memorial Race was what track owner Gary Hall came up with as to loosing the Lucas Race.

Things change daily in racing. Lucas / WOO upped their game this year to increased payouts/points funds- then along comes the X-RAY Series with their program.
Jimmy Owens is dropping off Lucas- which Davenport, Richards and others have done. With the highest $$ ever paid out by Lucas- they have the weakest field of touring drivers ever.
The next couple of years is going to be very interesting as to who survives or just says to heck with it and throws in the towel.
Many of the regular touring drivers are getting older and the road grind gets harder.
When Bill Frye quit traveling-he said he loved the sport, the people and the competition- but hated crawling in the hauler to hit the road.(of course living in Arkansas like the Moyers, Wendell Wallace- their road miles were very heavy)

[MRM]

Here is more on the situation:

https://insidedirtracing.com/racing-at-volunteer-speedway-not-necessarily-at-an-end/

[TerryM]

I don’t think it looks bad on Flo’s end at all. They provide a service. It’s up to the consumer to use it or not. No one is being forced to purchase it. And based on the numerous events I’ve attended that were also aired live on Flo (or elsewhere), streaming isn’t hurting live attendance. Not even a little bit. Attendance at most special events is at an all time high. The sport has problems, but Flo isn’t one of them.

[jhanson]

I was pleased with the racing when I was there many years ago; however, program times meant nothing. It was late, late, and later. A show should be run on time.

[lokwaidid]

flo has a lot more going on than just late models. there live and taped stuff is drags, boats, sprints and in the winter they had snowmobile racing. i'd guess there is more, but that is all i can think of quickly. so, the point is, flo has a large revenue stream.

[Travis Scott]

MRM stated Vic did not want the release to read that way. It was actually edited after initially being released. I don’t think Vic intended to paint Flo in any negative light whatsoever. Saying that, remember that Vic is the middle man. Sounds like he dumped a lot of his own money into repairs that he didn’t have to make but he did to make sure the event went ahead. I hate this for Bulls Gap and for Vic. That seemed like the perfect pairing. Also remember that it appears Flo rented the track. Meaning they had the most skin in the game to lose and could have easily lost money while the track still would have been paid. I’d assume they also paid the purse (which was over $60k). As already pointed out, that record audience doesn’t represent “new” revenue. I’m sure some of it was, but Flo also has one of the biggest and most diverse streaming subscription bases in all of sports to draw from. Attaching Kyle Larson’s name to it sure didn’t hurt.

[weatherman85]

Never a good thing for a track to shut down but with how bad the tire situation is getting, may not be so bad to not run a lot until 2023 when perhaps things maybe better. Drivers are having to beg others for tires just to run down here in the South as I am sure they are everywhere.

[3 wide]

Better find John Thompson