Race Track Food

There are a lot of things that can be said about race track food. It all depends on the race track, and how good the food is. Most race tracks on average have ok food. It isn't your first choice, but it isn't terrible either. Some tracks do have better food than others. I myself can attest to that fact.
Certain race tracks are/were known for their food. Macon Speedway was known for a long time for their jumbo pork tenderloin sandwiches. Eldora Speedway is known for the pizza burger and the cheddarwurst. Martinsville Speedway is known for it's hot dogs. East Bay Raceway Park is known for its strawberry cheesecake. I can go on an on, but the mere thought of all of this is making me quite hungry. My suggestion on race track food is this. Ask other fans what they think about it, if it's any good, and so on, and don't be afraid to try it yourself. If there is a line at the stand, either service is slow, the food is really good, or a combination of the two. ENJOY!!

Racing and Friendship

Racing is more than a sport we watch for excitement. In a lot of cases, it is a time where we get together with fellow fans whom we have met at the track and became friends with. I have met many wonderful fans at the racetrack, who I became good friends with. They mean a lot to me. Just like all of my friends do. The same goes with drivers who I have met. I know and am friends with numerous drivers as well. We fans will help another out in many ways. If one has car trouble, we are willing to help. We save each other seats in some cases. We are willing to make the beer or concession stand run for our friends so everyone doesn't have to miss out on the racing going on. We get together, enjoy the races, as well as the company of friends as well. It just makes the experience that much more fun. So when you are at the track and don't know your neighbor, don't be afraid to say hello. You might just make a new friend.

Sponsorship in racing

Sponsorship is one of the key things that makes the racing world go round. Whether it be tracks, series, or drivers, sponsors are key in helping fund any of these. Tracks use sponsorships in many ways to help keep things profitable on their part. They can range from money sponsoring a division that is racing to food companies cutting promoters breaks on pricing in return for getting their name out there to the fans. They also help to pay point funds to the drivers at the end of the year. Driver sponsorship dollars go a very long way, especially at the local level, all the way up to the touring series, to helping keep the operation afloat. They aren't strictly just names on the car, this is $$ that buys things such as tires, motors, spare parts, and so on. Touring series use $$ nowadays to pay points funds, purchase television time so the series can get noticed in the national market, and to pay the daily expenses associated with running a series.
At the national and global level, sponsorship doesn't change much in principal. The idea is still the same. The $$ goes to support drivers, series, and tracks to help pay the bills. The big difference is the amount of money sponsors pay out. In NASCAR for example, an average sponsorship per year for a large corporation can range from $20-45 million. In Formula 1, a sponsorship can be $150 million or more. These companies don't pay this out just to help people out. This is a form of global advertising to them. They hope and expect to see returns on their investments.
We as fans come into the equation in this way. We have a driver we like. To support him, we buy products from their sponsors. We know those sponsors are helping keep our driver on the track. This is why sponsors use racing to advertise. They realize we are willing to buy products if they support our favorite drivers. For them, as well as the driver, it is a win-win situation.

Track Preparation at the Dirt Track

In dirt track racing, track preparation is probably the single most important thing in the eyes of a driver outside of making sure the purse money is paid. Track prep can make the difference in a track that is racy, multi-grooved, wet, and smooth, and one that is rough, dry, and one grooved. Tracks can end up in a combination of those listed above. Last night was an example of mixed track conditions at Macon. It rained a lot, so it was plenty wet. It kept getting quite choppy in spots, so it was rough. Drivers had more than one place to run, so it was at least partially multiple grooved. The promoter, Bob Sargent, did everything he possibly could to make the race track smooth. It kept tearing out in turns 1 and 3, and made for quite a rough racetrack for the drivers. I heard that from a couple of them I know, and even one of the feature winners said that in his interview. This promoter is known for having good race tracks, and working to fix ones that aren't. Rain, plus new dirt helped contribute to what happened there. He literally did everything he could, grading multiple times and using a harrow behind a tractor to try and tear it up so it would pack, then come back up smooth. It just wouldn't come back up smooth. It was smooth for practice on the Wednesday before, so I don't expect this to be a recurring thing. Every track can have an off night. This wasn't as bad as another track in Ohio, Eldora Speedway, known to many as the Big E. The track literally got so bad, they canceled the show after hot laps, due to track conditions. It was very dusty and rutted, and it was deemed unsafe to race on by track and USAC series officials. Eldora is going to be dusty regardless due to the sandy clay that is native to that area of the country. The degree to how dusty it is varies. Track preparation is something that it is easy to see if the effort has been put in by a promoter. A good track promoter will be out working on the track throughout the week, as well as on race day. When you get to the track early in the morning for a big show and the promoter is out on the grader or out watering, doing some form of track prep, odds are the fans and racers will be rewarded with a quality racing surface that night. When you get there at 1, and the promoter doesn't go out until 2:30 to even start on track prep, odds are it could be smooth, but it may be quite dry and possibly even dusty. Just remember, if the track isn't perfect, and the promoter gives it their best effort to fix it, that is all we as fans can ask. If the track is in great shape, thank the promoter for a good track that night if you see them. HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!

Time management at the race track

I know I am not alone here. It is annoying to see a show drag on way longer than it should. Whether it be because races aren't lined up, caution flag periods that take entirely too long, to delays due to preventable problems, and even intermissions that are drug out. There is no excuse to drag a show on past 11:00 PM. One Friday night I went to Paducah International Raceway in Paducah, Kentucky with some friends of mine to the first NASCAR Night they had. It was a new track to me and was run by people I knew so I went. The entire program, featuring 4 classes, was done by 10:15 PM. I was back home in Decatur, Illinois by 3:45. There were race cars coming back from my local Friday night track, Farmer City Raceway in Farmer City, Illinois. They FINISHED at 3:00 AM that time. There is absolutely no excuse for that. There are some tracks you plan ahead knowing it will be a long night. It is sad, but a fact of life in the racing world. It is things like this that keep families, especially with kids, away from the track. It also keeps die hards away as well. Time management is something all promoters should work on perfecting. Will things out of your control happen sometimes? Of course. It is understandable. It is stupid, preventable and controllable things that drag on a show that really irks me. I appreciate a well ran show, as I hope and think that many other fans do as well.

Just like baseball, opening night is fast approaching for many tracks in Central Illinois

It is officially Spring. It is time to start smelling the wonderful smell of race fuel in the air, hear the wonderful sound of racing engines at full song, and start slingin' some dirt. We will have our questions answered as to who is running in what class or classes this year. We will get to see all of the new paint schemes and vinyl wrap jobs on the cars. Some tracks farther south, like Belle-Clair Speedway and I-55 Raceway which is in Pevely, Missouri. Other tracks that open this week include Lincoln Speedway, Peoria Speedway and Macon Speedway. Lincoln will run Friday and Saturday nights. Peoria and Macon will both run Saturday night. As of now it looks like I will go to Lincoln and Macon this weekend. It is that time of year for fans here in Central Illinois. Winter has been here way too long and Spring is finally here. LET'S GO RACING!!

Local Racing Still A Great Bargin

We all know how much the price of movie tickets have increased. It's now about $7.50 to watch a 2 hour movie. Tickets to large sporting events can be $35 up for bad seats. NASCAR, it depends on the track. Most cheap seats don't have a good view. When it comes to your local dirt or asphalt track, there isn't a better bargain. My local Saturday night dirt track, Macon Speedway in Macon, Illinois, still charges $10 general admission on a regular show. It has been that price since I started going at age 5. There are many other tracks that still charge this price to this day as well. I know Fairbury American Legion Speedway in Fairbury, Illinois is another. There are many examples nationwide, but for the sake of time, I can't list them all. Other tracks are a bit higher. Farmer City Raceway in Farmer City, Illinois is going to charge $12 general admission this year. Shepp's Speedway in Alexander, Illinois as well as Belle-Clair Speedway in Belleville, Illinois both charge $12 general admission. At most local tracks, hot laps start at 6:30. Most shows are done anywhere from 10 to 11 PM on a regular night if run efficiently. Let's say a movie is $7.50 and runs 2 hours. $7.50/2hr=$3.75 per hour. At a local track that runs from 6:30-10:30 PM, 4 hours, $10/4=$2.50 per hour. This shows that a regular show at the race track is a better bargain than the new Hollywood blockbuster that will be out on DVD in less than a year. Also, you can stand up and shout and root for your heroes at the track, whereas in a movie theater may kick you out for it. This shows why local racing is STILL a great bargain. That my friends is no April Fool's Day joke either. Support your local track!!