DRR S/Pro
| quote: Originally posted by Goomba: Shawn, What are you talking about? Or my pain med's are really working..
Helps when you take them orally!! |
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DRR S/Pro
| On a serious note..I have posted on the forum and expressed my opinion of Greg Miller based on my last interaction with him at PRP when he was GM there. It was less than pleasant, personal or professional. I kept an open mind when he took over the track. The time efficiency with Greg was not that great however, once he did get the program started it went very well. He could be rough around the edges but his people skill had improved and was tolerable.
I would say that overall the success of 2011 season was a 110% turn around from top to bottom at the track. The track operation started very late as we all know. Basically an operation that was built from scratch. Greg brought in a very respectable program and provided a good surface to race on for what he had to work with.
The weather is not something any track can control. I know it was new for some to sit for hours while the track waited to run and even try to dry only to end up rained out. That is an effort of the track not only by purchasing equipment to do the job but also trying to make a race happen for everyone. I can tell you that I have sat at Norwalk for a half a day or longer watching Bader make the same attempt.
The payout and race structure this year was fantastic. There were more juniors that were in and out this year and it seemed like TCR was picking up a car or 2 which helps to bring in future racers. The year end prizes were very respectable and the best the track has seen in many, many years. On top of that, you knew it was going to be paid at year end. If there is anyone that thinks that the class structure or payout structure was wrong or not the right choice apparently is a person that gets frustrated by not being able to count the cars in their class on their hands and feet or didn't like the extra rounds brought by new competitors. It's been a decade or so since this track has seen car counts like we saw this year. If people still think that the payout structure and class structure of year past is the way to go should be reminded of the car counts at the track or lack of starting from 2006 on as well as the struggles of other local tracks paying on car count.
Sorry to rant but personally I think Greg did deserve a fair shot at a season that he had more time to plan. We all know the pros and cons that were there but the pros that came for the points racers and regulars have far exceeded the cons. |
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DRR Sportsman
| Pink,
Hope your back is better by now. My only complaint is the starting time. Waiting until 3pm to start TT is too late. I ran at Quaker 4 times this season not counting the Halloween race this past weekend. Look at my 1st TT and Rd 1 times: June 4 (TT-3:57pm, Rd 1-10:36pm-rain delay) July 9(TT-5:03PM,Rd1-8:50pm), July 30(TT-4:20pm, Rd1-9:40pm) Sept 10 (TT-2:40pm, Rd1-8:00pm early start time this race) I think you could start the juniors at 10am, get them over by noon-1pm. Bring big cars to the lanes at 1pm for TT. Round 1 should start promptly at 6pm. If you only get 1 TT, then that's all you get. Many times at Norwalk you only get 1 TT. Guess I'm just getting too old to lose Rd 1 at 9pm or Rd 2 at 11pm load and tow over an hour and get home at 1:30am. Most rounds I went this year was on July 9th. Lost Rd 3 at 11:14pm, got home at 1:45am. Also believe spectators that show up would like to see the finish of a race. Wouldn't starting earlier would save on the electric bill? Just my opinion on the starting times. If the car count would hurt starting earlier, then I guess you start later.Overall the track was really good, purse structure was fine, staff worked their *ss off. Looking forward to next year, hope to get out more, but sure wish start times would move up a couple of hours. Just my opinion and I'm only 1 guy.
Bob Jackson xx78 Altered |
| Posts: 715 | Location: canton, ohio usa | Registered: September 17, 2003 |
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DRR S/Pro
| Agree on the time delay, Bob. It did get better was the year went but 3 pm means just that and when you have 250+ cars consistently you either need to get it going early or on time without delays during time runs.
On your car, there are a lot of cars out there making more power and 60's 1.0x's without issue. I know you are fighting no suspension but when I was watching your ride, you got entirely way too much nose weight in that car this weekend. It was unloading the tires as the weight was not staying on the rear. 75lbs is just too much. I would try 30 to start and add 5 at a time. You may need more or less for different tracks. |
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DRR S/Pro
| We will get together this winter when you are working on the car, Bob. We will get that thing figured all out. |
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DRR Trophy
| quote: Originally posted by gkeeton: Quaker went from being one of the best tracks for Street Cars in 2010 to being the worst in 2011, and they lost many racers because of this.
In 2010 all the real race cars had left the property. In 2011 the track saw record car counts...and they didn't have street tires on them. |
| Posts: 150 | Location: Sittin at 660. | Registered: November 04, 2007 |
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DRR Trophy
| quote: Originally posted by bracketgto: Ok got a question . Why do you guys in street feel your getting shorted? You have a class to run on the nights there open just like top and mod. Norm has decided to be open friday ,saturday and some sundays. He has another buisness to run and im sure on nights there not open. He is still doing work for the track. Do you really feel you warrant a extra night of workers, track prep , insurance a ambulance and lighting? This is not a attack on you and I have seen a couple people say the same thing about the street class that you just did. And I wondered why you feel this way. Just enter the class on the nights they run and be happy WE have a track this nice and a owner trying to move forward on inprovments. The more cars that show up street cars or others will only help him which may lead to another night of racing in the future. just my 2 cents Roger
That's just it, there wasn't a class for them to run in on Friday Nights. I don't care how many people say they'll race their 15 second Street Car against a 7 second Dragster with a Delay Box, people want to race cars they feel they're competitive against. Just like when the Street Car Class Guys were upset at the end of the year when the Street Class was eliminated during the Saturday Program, and were thrown into No Box. How many people do you think the track would piss off if they only had ONE class, and everyone ran with the Box Cars? Yes, the Street Cars could run in the No Box Class, but just as a Box Car has an advantage over a No Box Car, most of the Box Cars are Race Cars, and have an advantage over a Street Car. How many times do you think someone wanting to get involved in racing with their Street Car is going to line up against someone with a Race Car, thats in some cases 7 seconds quicker at double the speed with a driver that's been racing for ten years longer than them? Then once they get eliminated in the first round after paying $35, they have to pay another $20 if they want to make any more passes in the TNT lanes. Last year there was a Thursday TNT night with a Trophy Class, and for $20 you could get between 8-12 passes. Then the Friday Night Program HAD a Street Class, and for $25 you could race, then enter the TNT lanes for FREE, like every other track I know of. If nothing changes for 2012 there won't be more Street Cars to lead to another night of racing because they will be racing at other tracks. It's only if there is a Street Class added to Friday Night, and the additional TNT fee is waived will they start to bring back some of the Street Cars they've lost. |
| Posts: 10 | Location: Harmony PA | Registered: October 19, 2010 |
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DRR Trophy
| quote: Originally posted by qcmpobsrvr: In 2010 all the real race cars had left the property. In 2011 the track saw record car counts...and they didn't have street tires on them.
I guess you don't care a whole lot about having a track to race at in the future. The novelty of a new track owner has worn off, and if the track is resurfaced, that novelty will wear off as well. If you think the track will be getting all of their new racers from people running out, and buying tow rigs, and Race Cars, you're pretty stupid. There's a hell of a lot more people wanting to get started in racing that would be willing to take the car they drive to work to the track. If you don't have any way to keep those new racers, that get discouraged easily, by having a class for them to race, you're not bringing in new racers. It's great that the track has had record attendance, but what if that's all they're going to get with attendance decreaseing when new racers don't fill the spots of those that "retire"? I drove 1800+ miles to race at OTHER tracks this year partly due to my displeasure of the changes made in 2011. That's roughly $300 that went into my gas tank, that WOULD HAVE gone into gate fees at Quaker, and I am by no means in the minority. Do the math, if just 10 other racers had the same situation, thats $3000 the track lost, not to mention racers that may NEVER come back. If a few changes are made to better accomodate the Street Cars, the track could easily increase their attendance by 50 to 100 cars WEEKLY. It's pretty sad too beacause the Street Car Crowd is probably the easiest to please, requiring a cheap entrance fee, and small, if any payout. If Mr Fox isn't interested in 50 to 100 more racers to add to his attendance, and possibly create another night of racing were he could possibly get even more, he's a pretty poor business man. |
| Posts: 10 | Location: Harmony PA | Registered: October 19, 2010 |
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