quote:

Originally posted by green1:
I think I am gonna double up on sunday with box and no-box to try getting a round against that Slick Rick and send him on his way!

Doesn't take much these days... .03x and close to your dial and I will find some way to help you get it done.

I would like to personally thank Greg Miller and the entire PRP staff on a job well done. Yes it was a tough decision to make it a combo but realize Sunday was still $5,000 to win. Track was good.. car only varied .03 from morning to night. Would also like to shout out to AJ Casini, Kevin Romeo, Bubba Black, AJ Casper, Stewie and Ricky Baehr for putting on a great show of stripe driving in No Box. I was parked at the scoreboards and watched some sick pedal fest action between rounds....wow!!

LJ

not that things aren't bad enough with some of the new changes, whats up with the rain make up day getting switched from the 6th to the 13th?

So did the races on the flier pay per class or was this a combo race? The way I was reading the flier was that it paid per class not to a runoff winner?

shawn,very low car count so they didnt pay each class 5k,they paid 2500 each to win then had another 2500 to the winner of the runoff!!best for everyone that "did" participate and support prp..

Thanks Bill. Had a couple guys I talked to complaining about people saying things got changed. Was curious so asked where the correct answer would be given.

quote:

Originally posted by prest911:
best for everyone that "did" participate and support prp..

sorry bro, but you say that like the regular racers don't support the track at all. I feel its kinda the oposite, I would have been there this weekend (& so would have the other regulars that were at Quaker City with me), if the program would have included a regular race day (don't care if it was a points day, but quite a few racer's don't care for box/no-box events). I though very positively about this year & the changes it would bring, only to be let down by early, unnessary rain outs & ridiculously late starts that push the program to a point in the night where a person just wants go home rather than race.
even though I didn't participate in this event (& will not participate in further events of this nature, ie. box/no-box) I do hope the best for those who continue to support the track on a regular basis & while I will be persuing other intrests in racing after the let downs so far this year, I will be coming up to sort the car out on occasion.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: casper gt,

Prp strikes again. How many times does this track have to "change there plans" before the racers realize they are the ones getting screwed. Change the payouts,change the classes, heck combine the 2 day races into one or just pay for one and race for different payouts. Change the run-off awards,change the points days, then the topper, drum roll please, lets just make it a practice tree race ya! thats it. I cant understand why there racers are so supportive? Are they afrad to voice there opinion?

Mr. Prest, I see this week you were hanging from the PRP limb, is it because they used a picture of your car on the flyer? what will it be next week PRP or QCR maybe NRP? You know the powers that be will not be happy with you. Bring on the troll spray I eat that sh..it for lunch.

congrats to all the winners and RU's this weekend at prp.

i would have been there but i just didnt have enough seat time in the camaro to be a duck lol.
but will be there soon, pretty sure i got it figured out now.
ran a 10.214 on sat. afternoon, then 10.223, 10.246 and a 10.246 but was .007 red first round today on a very very soft set up and crappy weather.
so i will be at prp very soon to try my luck

This message has been edited. Last edited by: jeffrey10x2,

i was there for the $$$,but didnt work out to my advantage..and you can hang off my limb!!!

quote:

Originally posted by qcrobsrvr:
Prp strikes again. How many times does this track have to "change there plans" before the racers realize they are the ones getting screwed. Change the payouts,change the classes, heck combine the 2 day races into one or just pay for one and race for different payouts. Change the run-off awards,change the points days, then the topper, drum roll please, lets just make it a practice tree race ya! thats it. I cant understand why there racers are so supportive? Are they afrad to voice there opinion?

Mr. Prest, I see this week you were hanging from the PRP limb, is it because they used a picture of your car on the flyer? what will it be next week PRP or QCR maybe NRP? You know the powers that be will not be happy with you. Bring on the troll spray I eat that sh..it for lunch.

quote:

Originally posted by qcrobsrvr:
Prp strikes again. How many times does this track have to "change there plans" before the racers realize they are the ones getting screwed. Change the payouts,change the classes, heck combine the 2 day races into one or just pay for one and race for different payouts. Change the run-off awards,change the points days, then the topper, drum roll please, lets just make it a practice tree race ya! thats it. I cant understand why there racers are so supportive? Are they afrad to voice there opinion?

Mr. Prest, I see this week you were hanging from the PRP limb, is it because they used a picture of your car on the flyer? what will it be next week PRP or QCR maybe NRP? You know the powers that be will not be happy with you. Bring on the troll spray I eat that sh..it for lunch.

Maybe the racers are supportive because they understand the many difficulties that come with running a racetrack. Maybe they don't feel like they are being screwed. The track still paid out a lot of money this weekend, maybe the racers aren't upset about it.

I'm interested to know how you were impacted by the tracks decisions this weekend. If you weren't racing there what are you whining about?

Most important, in the real world, deepest and most sincere condolences to the Romeo family, as Frank's mom/Kevin & Mark's grandmother passed away Saturday.

Ok, let's deal with the negative first...

Larry, it was a human error that the online schedule said June 6 for the make up day. The points sign up sheet listed the correct day of June 13, and the online schedule was corrected when the mismatch was discovered. All other make up days scheduled are correct. I don't know what you mean about unnecessary rainouts. On weekends at least, it's rained every time that the track called off the day. There has been 1 points day so far, and only 2 of regular racing. To base a whole season off of this would be premature, in my opinion, but best of luck to you in your other interests.

qcrobsrvr, you brave ANONYMOUS soul, Tom asks a great question that I second: "I'm interested to know how you were impacted by the tracks decisions this weekend. If you weren't racing there what are you whining about?"

Further, the purse on Friday and Saturday was paid to both classes in their entirety. On Sunday, different options were made available to the drivers to vote on, and one of those options was if a driver didn't like the option that won, they could get that day's entry fee back. Sunday paid $2500 to each box and no box, with an additional $2500 to run for between the winner of each class, for those 2 drivers to decide on. Monday's purse was done in a similar fashion, again with driver's having the option of receiving the day's entry fee back and leaving.

As I racer, I did not feel screwed at all. If I did, I would not be some whiny b itch trying to stir up shyt on the internet, I would go talk to whoever I had a problem with.

For the positive...

I'd like to thank Brian Lampton, the Baehr brothers, Tim Moore, Lou Greco, Bubba Black, the Pitts family, the Stanco family, Jeff Stewart, the Prests, and everyone else who traveled in away from their home tracks to race at PRP. I am an unabashed homer for PRP, and I take pride in the place. I love being there, I love drag/bracket racing, and I love that it's like a family reunion every time I'm there. Thank you, to every racer, for choosing to spend your long holiday weekend, whether all or part, at PRP.

Lou, you were driving awesome on Sunday, and were in there on Monday as well. Big time congrats to you.

Rick, that had to be a great feeling to meet your brother in the final. Both of you guys were on your game. He certainly didn't hold back, with the .0005 red light, dead on with a 6 or 7.

Congrats to my buddies Rich Paton III and Mark Brewer for winning box and no box on Monday, and to Rich for winning the combo.

My only problem with the weekend is that it was freakin' hot!!!

I'd also like to thank Greg Miller, the Tedescos, and the entire PRP staff for putting on a great race this past weekend. If you ran Thursday, it was five days of racing. And, also a thank you to the out of town support we got too. Would have been nice to see some more locals there but what can you do? I had no problems with any of the decisions made with respect to the payouts. I think they were fair and was glad to see there were options. Regardless of what's said, the entry fee was more than fair for the amount of racing and the payouts. Congrats to all the winners, too!

You know I don't generally post here, I'm not a "regular" anymore. Haven't been for a long time. However, I, too love the place. I was at Keystone when it opened in 1967, and have raced there hundreds of times since. I guess you could say it's my home track. Ronnie, Kyle and I do the Nostalgia thing, at NSS races, and we love it. It's a release....a good time. We race as a release from work, a way to blow off steam from work. If I want to get intense and aggravated, I'll go to work. Truthfully, age probably has something to do with it, I've mellowed a lot over the past forty five years. But, I ran on Sunday...had a good time. Had some little gremlins, but got to drive my car, hang out with my son, and had fun. I also listen and look around, and analyze, from a business standpoint. I was never going to race all four days...I'm just not up to it, and have too many other things going on. To be frank, if there had been a nostalgia Super Stock race somewhere that's where I would have been. That's what I'm into, it's laid back, and it's fun.

So, as a non-regular at PRP still loves the place, and for what it's worth, here's my take.

A drag strip is a business. It has to make money to remain in business. The way to grow a business is to be constantly mining for new customers, in addition to keeping your current ones. It's the same in all business....whether your running a drag strip or selling widgets. So, the question management has to ask is why did so many regulars go elsewhere, or sit at home in the garage?

Someone in an earlier post admitted this race wasn't for everyone. That's true. But, it should have been. For any business to attract different folks to a four day event there has to be something for everyone. A big entry big payout race is fine, but it can't be all you do. There simply is not enough racers that much into it to support it. The numbers aren't there. It's like a high stakes poker game....it only attracts a certain segment.

There have got to be kids who may have a mininum wage job, and support the track every week. $250, or even $100 is probably half their paycheck....they looked at the flyer and saw that PRP didn't need their business. $250 bucks may be a car payment to some of these guys. They see that the "big weekend" didn't have a place for them. So, they stayed home and ate hamburgers at their buddie's keg party.

In order for PRP to flourish, it must do different things. What a lot don't seem to realize is that the bracket guys are not the only venue in sportsman racing. There are the heads up classes, there are the nostalgia classes, these fast street classes, and on and on and on. Bob McCardle at Beaver Springs tries all kinds of stuff, some of it works, some of it doesn't. But, the bottom line is that BSD packs the place, all the time, and the bottom line is the measurement one must use.

I would try a "budget footbrake" class on occasion, maybe $25 to enter, $400 to win, ten bucks round money, no buy backs. I would use this to attract entry level racers, and lower budget guys.

I would give spectator passes by the hundreds....at First Commonwealth, everywhere, to get people in the gate and generate interest. If they buy a hamburg and a coke you've got your money back, and if even 20 percent come back on a regular basis you're growing the business. I would promote to Scout troops, youth groups, everyone you can think of to continually bring new blood into the track. Constantly. I would also look for some value shows, Nostalgia Super Stock races, Nostalgia funny car match races, jet cars. Be careful where you spend your money, keep track, and use what works and what doesn't. I would promote the stuffing out of them.....have someone with a computer print up fliers and put them into every Advance Auto Parts, Auto Zone, car cruise in a ten county area.

And......are you ready.....because this is really going to get everyone on their hackles, I'd get rid of the buy backs in favor of a consolation race, for those who wish. I realize they are a money maker for the track, and that point is well taken. My reasoning is this-I can't help but notice is that a lot of wives are not there on a weekly basis. Buy backs add a couple of hours onto the program, and nobody's spouse wants to be there from 1pm Saturday afternoon until 1am Sunday morning. It will be tolerated for a while, but anyone who's been married for a long time knows that if momma ain't happy, nobody's happy. Run a consy race for those who want to stick around and race, keep half and pay out half. Besides, I'm a purist (I've been involved in this since 1964) and the purist in me has a problem having to race the same guy twice for the eliminator win. But, that's just me.

There are exceptions, of course. But, a business has to appeal to as many folks as it can, not just the minority. There is no reason this sport cannot survive, PRP has a lot going for it. It is a great facility, second to none. It is easy to get to, Greg does a good job and works hard, it just has to cater to a greater variety of "car guys".

I know there are some on here who are going to go ballistic in their disagreement with me. That's OK. But, for what its worth, that's my take.

Hi Steve .....Some of you guys are going to cry your way to no tracks to race at. I think what Greg did was fair enough. He even offered to refund money to anyone who felt the wanted it back. I personally wasn't expecting much from my racing this weekend since it was a brand new "untuned" motor...but I figured what the heck and raced Sat/Sun ...I would have raced on Mon also but my brakes on the Arrow were telling me they need an upgrade for close to 150mph.

I felt the Shootout was the secondary race and as such I made my mind up at the track...so whether or not I pre-entered or not mean't nothing to me.

A couple of suggestions would be to avoid Holidays like the plague and to "refrain" from round-robin in 90 degree heat.

Personally I won't let pride or the thought that the race isn't being run "exactly" as I like keep me away from a race like this. The more we thumb our noses at these races the less there will be...that includes tracks to if we don't support them. I was hoping that more of my friends from NY would have made it but due to illness and other reasons some could not attend...It was nice to see Tim and his Corvette Roadster out....for thoughs of you who don't know him he is a terrific guy and a killer bracket racer too....Thanks for coming Tim.

Hey, Eric!! I saw you on Sunday....that Arrow looked really, really, good. That new BGR motor is really impressive in that car.

Congrats to Tim and who all who did well. Good job.

Please don't take my comments as a knock on the track, or anyone in particular. Just my observation.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Steve Reasbeck,

Some funny reading here!!

Just to point out McDonalds is a business too!
Bet non of you would accept a Happy Meal after paying for the BigMac Meal!

I run a business everyday. Most times I make out, sometimes i dont. But bottom line, I do what I say !

Last time I was offerd my $ at PRP, I had to argue with the people at the gate. Wait 45 min. because and I qoute " Im too Dam busy right now" Greg Miller. then finally One of the owners came to the and gave me my $.

In the real world this is called Bait & Switch.
If this purse wasn't a sure thing, then it should of had a car count min. on the flyer!

All people are tring to say is. Be a man (track) of your word!

Wrong Business too be in if you can't take some critism!!!

Dion Vickers

Wow - such vehemence! We racers are certainly a passionate bunch! As a long-time, dedicated-to-the-home-track racer, I think Greg and the PRP staff are doing a great job with a tough group of customers. I worked for Frank years ago in the PRP office and the phone does not ever stop ringing with racer's questions. Every one of those questions gets answered in a courteous manner. Try that scenario with Verizon or Dominions!
I lost my job last fall and could not afford a $250 racing weekend, but I am there every week for the bracket racing, and actually went 5 rounds in last year's Box/No Box races. So it was MY CHOICE not to attend, and had nothing to do with the list of competitors or the venue.
I think Steve makes many good points as far as ways to increase business, and the wonderful thing about PRP still being a "small town track" is that we have a forum to offer these thoughts, and that Greg does listen. I may not always agree with what PRP does, but I will defend their right to do it because I am eternally grateful to have a racetrack 15 minutes from my house!!!
Congratulations to all the Winners and R/U's and all the competitors who showed up to support a different type of racing weekend. See ya in the water box....... Just Joan

joan i agree with you. every week someone ask where are all the racers.as far as i know most of my friends and family that no longer come is simply becouse of the cost.(friday night)a family of four $80 just to watch.we love to race at prp but how many people with kids do you still racing there.if your family or friends stop going the racers will also stop coming

quote:

Originally posted by VX96:
Some funny reading here!!

Just to point out McDonalds is a business too!
Bet non of you would accept a Happy Meal after paying for the BigMac Meal!

I run a business everyday. Most times I make out, sometimes i dont. But bottom line, I do what I say !

Last time I was offerd my $ at PRP, I had to argue with the people at the gate. Wait 45 min. because and I qoute " Im too Dam busy right now" Greg Miller. then finally One of the owners came to the and gave me my $.

In the real world this is called Bait & Switch.
If this purse wasn't a sure thing, then it should of had a car count min. on the flyer!

All people are tring to say is. Be a man (track) of your word!

Wrong Business too be in if you can't take some critism!!!

Dion Vickers

No...when you go to Mickey D's half the time they give you the wrong meal that does'nt look anything like the picture and you eat it anyway...

I see where you are coming from...maybe a minimum car count would have been a good idea. But bottomline is they can't take it in the rear at every race and be able to put on a decent money show in the future. I'm sure they will look at the turnout at this race and make adjustments.