quote:
Originally posted by Tom Lang:
I thought I'd share a few things with you all from this weekend. As you may have noticed, I spend all my time around the Pro Mod folks trying to help make that program run as smoothly as possible. I lost track of how many times I was told,"we really like your track". All those people who came down from Canada, New York, Michigan, etc. were very impressed by the preparation of the racing surface and by how they were treated by the staff at PRP. They were also impressed by how friendly the tracks regular racers were to them, which isn't always the case everywhere they go. Yes there were some comments about how long it took to get the program in, but the Pro Mods pretty much ran on schedule, until Sunday. But even after the rain their program wasn't really too far off schedule, except that the 11AM qualifying session ended at 3:30. I will take the hit for that, playing the Canadian national anthem put us behind by one minute and fifty six seconds, but that song seemed longer than that.
I've noticed that anytime anyone posts comments on here that point out some of the flaws in the program everyone jumps all over them to defend the track. It is a very nice facility with alot of good people on the staff and a lot of good people racing there. But it isn't perfect, nothing is. When a reasonable person like Steve Reasbeck points out things that could be improved on he should not be castigated (or castrated) for speaking the truth. The track, it's staff and racers are strong enough to stand criticism, especially if it's warranted. Some of the things can be made better, some things just are what they are and people will have to learn to deal with those things just as they are. Overall I'd have to say PRP has far more positives than negatives. I've been to tracks from Englishtown to Pomona to Seattle to West Palm Beach. Haven't seen one yet that is perfect. But any dragstrip is better than no dragstrip.
Good points, Tom. I will be the first to admit I get my back when people criticize "my" track. I am an unabashed homer (with the pants to prove it
) for PRP. I have been a weekly racer since the 2000 season, after being an occasional racer after I bought my Cutlass in August of '96. I've had an absolute blast there, on the track and in the pits. I've met some of the best people ever, people I've literally laughed with til we cried, and flat out cried with, unfortunately. I guess that's what gets my back up - after a hugely successful weekend for PRP, the first thing that gets mentioned is the negative. I'm not blind - I know there are things that can be improved. But for me, that's minor to the pride I feel, seeing all these people come in and share in "my" track, and as you mentioned, a lot of good was said. There were a number of racers saying "I love this place" "this is a great race" "Man it hooks here" and things of that sort. At least let Greg, Michael, and the PRP staff enjoy the moment before constructive criticism. You think they don't know there were issues, and what they were?
I'm no man/racer of the world, but I have been to a fair amount of other tracks for national events, big dollar bracket races, and regular bracket programs. They're nice to visit, but it's not home. PRP is.
'81 Cutlass, KX05, Keystone Raceway Park
Millerstown Pic-A-Part, Tarentum, PA
Wholesale Transmission, New Kensington, PA
Thinking of Nikki and Mark - forever 53
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