Highland Updates 4/2/16

Did highland even have 3 nights last year with less than 15 lm . 2 weeks ago what 21 lm to i55 15
 
Only class i believe that had as many b mains throughout the year as lm would have been bmods. If they had 40 lm last week with the low count in stands how would that have helped ?they would have a lot more cars to pay with low attendance
 
Here you go .. some accurate information to digest. I've listed if it was some sort of special.

Here are all the LM counts from Highland, I-55, Tri City and Belleville for 2015.

2015 Highland
Date
3/21/2015 Op Night 14
4/4/2015 Lucky 40 20
4/11/2015 17
4/18/2015 24
5/2/2015 23
5/16/2015 30
5/23/2015 23
6/6/2015 19
6/13/2015 19
7/4/2015 SN 37
7/11/2015 26
7/25/2015 Fair Race 25
8/1/2015 18
8/8/2015 16
8/15/2015 21
8/29/2015 18

2015 I55
Date
4/4/2015 Op Night 20
4/11/2015 20
4/18/2015 17
5/23/2015 25
6/6/2015 17
6/13/2015 14
7/18/2015 16
7/25/2015 18
8/1/2015 14
8/15/2015 18
8/29/2015 MARS 33
9/5/2015 14
9/12/2015 20
9/19/2015 $5000 LM 20

2015 Tri City Speedway
Date
4/17/2015 Deuces Wild 30
4/24/2015 20
5/1/2015 LO 45
5/22/2015 34
6/5/2015 16
7/17/2015 20
7/31/2015 25
8/14/2015 22
8/21/2015 26
8/28/2015 MARS 41
9/18/2015 LM $5000 32
9/24/2015 Mod Mania 27
9/25/2015 Mod Mania 29
9/26/2015 Mod Mania 30
10/2/2015 24

2015 Belleville
Date
4/10/2015 17
4/24/2015 Klein Klassic "28" 17
6/24/2015 SN @ Belleclair 40
8/7/2015 Fair Don Klein 100 Lapper 25
9/4/2015 28
 
So with that info they had 14 cars one night last year while i55 had that car count 3 times yet highland is the one that should quit running supers. Thanks for the stats racer 49
 
Just for conversation purposes If you owned Highland speedway what classes would you run? I see what you are saying Kevin, but I think you are in the minority.
My personal opinion is that all classes could use a shot in the arm when it comes to car counts. More cars running means more pit crew, and more fans who are family,friends, and neighbors of the racers and pit crew members. Lets face it 75-80% of the people in the stands go because they have a personal connection with someone on the track. Especially here at the local level.
 
faustfan2 said:
Finally someone agrees with me on this matter! Look back at some other post and I said the same thing! But watch what you say...they damn near crucified me for saying this exact same thing. These people keep saying it's early it's early. Guys go back and look at last year's car counts at Highland. Last night's car count isn't far off from what all of last year was other than special shows as last week was! Cold weather did play a part in last night but it wasn't the major factor in why the late model car counts are down!
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i also agree with this i ve been saying this for years i have noticed tracks like lincon and macon have at least 2 practices before the season starts and this upcoming weekend is there first practice which is more than just 4 hours they are having them for almost the whole day 2 weeks in a row and then they are starting there season. i wish our tracks around here did this it would make it easier on us racers at least it would us in know. it gives us more time to get the cars ready and more time to get them lined out. which would most likely result it less cautions in the beginning of the season because more the cars will be set and ready to roll. sorry but 1 4 hours practices isn't enough to do anything but make sure everything was bolted down all of the way
 
most of you might not remember this but back in the mid 80's the street stock class use to have the biggest car counts because it the most affordable class to run as a racer. highland use to take the 50/50 and use it as the pot for the ss class and the turnouts where huge. i dont know why the class died off but it use to be huge. but then again this i back when you built the cars from an old junk car instead of ordering a kit or frame ( not saying its a bad thing just how times have changed)
 
I've thought for about the last 5-10 years that if a track were to run B mods as their top division and pay them a little more than they get anywhere else, then run a street stock class similar to TCS, then a "strictly stock" bomber class (cage, remove glass, racing seat, fuel cell, and a stock fresh 350, rochester 2 barrel, no racing shocks, street tires, etc.) then a hotrod 4 cylinder class and then a strictly stock 4 cylinder class (remove the glass, put a racing seat and cage in 4 cylinder class, maybe even make it one make, something really common) and pay nothing to the stock bomber and stock 4 cylinder class, you could probably build up a pretty big car count and put a lot of butts in the stands of their family and friends.

All this on a much lower budget than running A mods and Supers or Crates and paying that purse. I think there is a place for supers and A mods and crates, but let the tracks with the finances behind them to afford those classes on the off weeks run them every week and maybe just have a special one night for them.

Sure, it isn't going to draw the A Mod and LM fans, but if you work off the premise of trying to do something that fits into today's economy for all the people out there, especially young folks under 25 with a need for speed who would love to just get out there in something cheap to build and have some fun, it's time to think outside what the current game plan is for a track and try something new.

It may be the laughingstock track to everyone who thinks Supers and A mods are racing and everything else is filler, but I wouldn't care as long as my stands were full, my pits were full and my bank balance grew instead of shrank most weeks. I think there is a huge potential market out there for someone in the right location with the ability to do it.

When I look at those LM counts, all I see is a money pit for promoters, yet most promoters are just absolutely convinced they have to have them to draw fans. I disagree. I think someone with the right ability and some finances to back them, in the right location could grow their own program from the ground up catering to people who can't afford the LM budget.
 
Kermit the Frog said:
Tnie the doe run raceway was pretty much exactly what you are describing
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Was/Is Doe Run in the right location? I seem to recall it doing fairly well with the RAMS mini stocks for awhile. Never did know much about that place though, where it was, what the local catchment area was like. Location has a lot to do with whether or not it would work. Too few people, may as well put some cones in a field and sell hot dogs off your grill and sodas out of a cooler. Too many people and they will all flock to the likes of TCS to see the big names run. I think Route 45 raceway, or Mt Vernon would be good locations, but Mt Vernon is really not ever going to be a race track again from what I see. I think they were tearing it down the last time I was near there, at least it looked like they might be from the Highway.

Maybe even Brownstown with Vandalia and Effingham close enough to draw from.
 
faustfan2 said:
I can see the ol dumb poster CG4518 is at it again! This guy cracks me up! He thinks he's getting under my skin but he's really just showing his true intelligence and the fact that he is so infatuated with me he can't stand it!! Good day there little Twinkle toes Chuck Goodman
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Weather doesn't look that good for this weekend. Fans won't go and sit in the cold, give it time.When it warms the fans will show up, don't worry. Some drivers don't have their cars ready yet, some are trying their cars at different tracks to see how they match up with other racers. Don't bash a track because it doesn't do what you want, go to a track that does. Enjoy what you got, it could be gone sooner than you think!
 
Don't bash a track because it doesn't do what you want, go to a track that does. Enjoy what you got, it could be gone sooner than you think!


Gator.... very well said.

It is just amazing how much better we have it here in the Midwest with all our tracks and the top notch racers in the area.


Stop complaining and enjoy it!!!
 
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