Alabama State Champion
01-28-2009, 06:13 AM
#2
We had that same thing pretty much for two years. It was called the Alabama Border Wars. In the start it worked well because it gace racers a chance to race with 60 plus racers on a club race. But more tracks popped up and schedules conflicted. Turnouts dropped.
A series(alabama) is just not real good right now for us. It takes up a lot of the race season and makes racers feel like they have to stay in it since they started it. It takes a lot of money for your average racer to make in this case a 7 race series.
Another big problem we have in Alabama is way to many tracks and only a few active racers. I love racing all the different tracks but when you have 150 active racers and 15 tracks the numbers just don't play out. More than half of the active racers live in the Birmingham or surrounding areas. This leaves about 20 racers per track if that for some.These are numbers tracks can expect to see this year. Schedules overlap, some tracks take racers from other tracks, the fastest guys race where the majority of the crowds are, etc.. Not to mention a track needs steady and healthy numbers to keep it up and going. When you think about it a "legit" track has lights, water, power, dirt expense, maintnace fees, time invested, food, bathrooms, etc... It just all cost a little money.
I remember when we needed a couple more tracks but we got too many at this point.
Whats your local track?
A series(alabama) is just not real good right now for us. It takes up a lot of the race season and makes racers feel like they have to stay in it since they started it. It takes a lot of money for your average racer to make in this case a 7 race series.
Another big problem we have in Alabama is way to many tracks and only a few active racers. I love racing all the different tracks but when you have 150 active racers and 15 tracks the numbers just don't play out. More than half of the active racers live in the Birmingham or surrounding areas. This leaves about 20 racers per track if that for some.These are numbers tracks can expect to see this year. Schedules overlap, some tracks take racers from other tracks, the fastest guys race where the majority of the crowds are, etc.. Not to mention a track needs steady and healthy numbers to keep it up and going. When you think about it a "legit" track has lights, water, power, dirt expense, maintnace fees, time invested, food, bathrooms, etc... It just all cost a little money.
I remember when we needed a couple more tracks but we got too many at this point.
Whats your local track?
01-28-2009, 06:41 AM
#4
Well thanks Alan...My local track is LA Thunder Raceway...well some people were talking about maybe wanting this since alot of states have this...we were thinking maybe getting about 6 or 7 tracks to go in and make one race a month or so...you could make it where the points from your best five races count. that way if something came up and you had to miss one or two races it wouldn't hurt you all that bad...i know LA Thunder would be willing to adjust our race schedule so that this could happen if enough people were interested...
01-28-2009, 09:53 AM
#8
It may workout, by all means I'm not saying it will not, just speaking of what happened with us.
We had several tracks, every month, points system, etc...
We did not draw guys in your area, so most likely the series would draw only guys around the certain tracks. Our first year we had about 50 average per race, the second year was about 30-35 per race. The largest races were in central bham as thats where the crowd is. When it went north to Huntsville the crowd was small.
All the tracks have to agree, all have to agree on the money, etc. In the end the racers need to get some incentive for joining a series.
Again, problem with North versus South...Alabama just don;t have the racers needed to support such a wide spread series. In terms of racers we are one of the lowest states in the region in offroad.
We need to focus on getting more new people into the hobby really bad.
We had several tracks, every month, points system, etc...
We did not draw guys in your area, so most likely the series would draw only guys around the certain tracks. Our first year we had about 50 average per race, the second year was about 30-35 per race. The largest races were in central bham as thats where the crowd is. When it went north to Huntsville the crowd was small.
All the tracks have to agree, all have to agree on the money, etc. In the end the racers need to get some incentive for joining a series.
Again, problem with North versus South...Alabama just don;t have the racers needed to support such a wide spread series. In terms of racers we are one of the lowest states in the region in offroad.
We need to focus on getting more new people into the hobby really bad.
01-28-2009, 03:24 PM
#10
How about one good 'ole "State Race" like we used to do under Roar...?
I agree with Alan as far as having a need to get people in the hobby. However as he knows and I have observed, some of our local shops in the Bham area aren't exactly the kindest when it comes to actually helping people or supporting racers.
As far as having too many tracks, that has somewhat cropped up from racers wanting somewhere "local" to race and not have to travel just to race. I know I get tired of driving an hour (or better) to race when I have a nice track under my nose (but I understand they like to travel and race themselves; but I'd love to see them hold more races).
I agree with Alan as far as having a need to get people in the hobby. However as he knows and I have observed, some of our local shops in the Bham area aren't exactly the kindest when it comes to actually helping people or supporting racers.
As far as having too many tracks, that has somewhat cropped up from racers wanting somewhere "local" to race and not have to travel just to race. I know I get tired of driving an hour (or better) to race when I have a nice track under my nose (but I understand they like to travel and race themselves; but I'd love to see them hold more races).
01-28-2009, 03:46 PM
#11
How about one good 'ole "State Race" like we used to do under Roar...?
I agree with Alan as far as having a need to get people in the hobby. However as he knows and I have observed, some of our local shops in the Bham area aren't exactly the kindest when it comes to actually helping people or supporting racers.
As far as having too many tracks, that has somewhat cropped up from racers wanting somewhere "local" to race and not have to travel just to race. I know I get tired of driving an hour (or better) to race when I have a nice track under my nose (but I understand they like to travel and race themselves; but I'd love to see them hold more races).
I agree with Alan as far as having a need to get people in the hobby. However as he knows and I have observed, some of our local shops in the Bham area aren't exactly the kindest when it comes to actually helping people or supporting racers.
As far as having too many tracks, that has somewhat cropped up from racers wanting somewhere "local" to race and not have to travel just to race. I know I get tired of driving an hour (or better) to race when I have a nice track under my nose (but I understand they like to travel and race themselves; but I'd love to see them hold more races).
You never should have said that to Alan. LOL
01-28-2009, 06:43 PM
#12
Thanks everyone for stating your opinion on this. maybe later we can get something worked out. i am new to the hobby i started last march and i love every minute of it...we built an dirt oval track at LA Thunder Raceways and we have some new guys that are joining the hobby on the oval...now that we have the off-road track these guys are talking about getting off-road cars so maybe our crowds will grow...i think having races like the Wiregrass Indoor Nationals well help our hobby grow! Look forward to talking and racing with evryone soon!
01-28-2009, 06:48 PM
#13
Just set up a series in which you get one point for every person you finish in front of at what every track your racing at. Then at the end of the season hold a big race for double points.
01-28-2009, 06:59 PM
#14
Well I wasn't saying that *he* wasn't supportive of racers; just that the shops in the immediate Bham area generally aren't conducive to helping core racers.
If there's a shop I don't know about supporting racers now; let me know because we're basically down to three around here to the best of my knowledge.
Alan has always been helping folks
If there's a shop I don't know about supporting racers now; let me know because we're basically down to three around here to the best of my knowledge.
Alan has always been helping folks
