Low Car Count
- Thread starter REPSUP
- Start date
SamIam67
"Greetings & Salutations"
MCS is the farthest-west sanctioned UMP track. This fact doesn't effect the a-mod type cars as much as it does the LMs. Further out my direction you run into multiple series that just do not "co-exist" well with UMP, mostly because of the tire rule situation. MLRA, TORA, MARS, and IMCA-type Late Models typically don't mingle too well with UMP. I think it's great that UMP is expanding further out, but it may take quite some time to increase the LM car count at MCS. The number of tracks also has a lot to do with it. Pevely is the mainstay Saturday night track for the Stl area, pulling in 20 to 25 per night, plus you have Highland and Mt. Vernon with car counts in the teens running the UMP sanction. Also now you have to add Poplar Bluff and a couple others down south into the mix where some of the cars "travel" to when they want. Western MO Saturday night tracks include I-44 Lebanon and Wheatland. These tracks pull in some of the central MO or around-the-lakes region MO late model drivers, who otherwise might go UMP racing at Montgomery County. MCS is a cool track, especially to see the LMs stand on it and not let off, like Dixon and Melvin did last year for the special 2K to win race they had there. Hopefully the LMs will survive...to be continued...
smokingjoe
Owner RAMS 65 & 652
Wow an inteligent reply Sam good job!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brandon Paul
Free agent score guy
It should be remembered that Granite also only had 9 LMs Saturday.(Of course, low car counts TCS doesn't affect UMP points like at MCS) It should also be noted that MCS had over 50 combined a & b mods last week.
I suppose one couldn't blame Mel if he dropped the LMs next year, but perhaps patience is the key here--I recall TCS only averaged 6-10 360ci sprints the first few years they ran them, but the car count eventually got into the 15-20 range. While I don't know if MCS will ever be able to average 20 cars out there, perhaps things will improve in time. Increasing the minimum purse to $750 to win at MCS was possibly a good start....
I suppose one couldn't blame Mel if he dropped the LMs next year, but perhaps patience is the key here--I recall TCS only averaged 6-10 360ci sprints the first few years they ran them, but the car count eventually got into the 15-20 range. While I don't know if MCS will ever be able to average 20 cars out there, perhaps things will improve in time. Increasing the minimum purse to $750 to win at MCS was possibly a good start....
SmokingJoe,
You’re an idiot… How could you possibly believe Sam’s post was any good…? It was missing EVRYTHING, you’re a moron! There wasn’t a single potshot taken at anyone. Not a single negative comment… Darn, not even a single smart arse comment. He put THOUGHT into the response, BEFORE posting. Not one single time did he offer up some wild arse answer to a problem that didn’t make any sense. My god, man… not a single thing was bashed!!! That post of Sam’s was completely unacceptable! I can not believe you would encourage him!!!
Seriously… I put a very similar question to someone that’s been around and involved in racing for a lot longer than I. His response was “there isn’t any (Late Models.) Not as many guys have them any more.” My thought when he said that was “Duh, why didn’t I think of that.”
A UMP Late Model (or competitive equivalent) is a high-tech, high-dollar piece of equipment, nowadays. The number of folks that are willing or able to put that kind-a money into a racecar is just not the same as it once was. Whether it be the spending in the class has out paced the out of pocket racers, or the slight downturn in the economy has caused extra expendable money to dry up. Both by my guess… The total number of late models is just not the same as it was a few years back. Factor in the fact that there are more tracks trying to draw from a decreasing pool of cars, on Saturday night; you see the results on the car counts everywhere. As SamIam67 pointed out, MCS is on the edge geographically of the UMP dominated area. Also the newest in the area, so quite possibly that is why you see them the hardest hit by the late model drought.
I wonder if any statistic junkies out there would know how many LM’s there were at STL area tracks over all, 5 years ago and 10 years ago… and how that compares to today.
You’re an idiot… How could you possibly believe Sam’s post was any good…? It was missing EVRYTHING, you’re a moron! There wasn’t a single potshot taken at anyone. Not a single negative comment… Darn, not even a single smart arse comment. He put THOUGHT into the response, BEFORE posting. Not one single time did he offer up some wild arse answer to a problem that didn’t make any sense. My god, man… not a single thing was bashed!!! That post of Sam’s was completely unacceptable! I can not believe you would encourage him!!!
Seriously… I put a very similar question to someone that’s been around and involved in racing for a lot longer than I. His response was “there isn’t any (Late Models.) Not as many guys have them any more.” My thought when he said that was “Duh, why didn’t I think of that.”
A UMP Late Model (or competitive equivalent) is a high-tech, high-dollar piece of equipment, nowadays. The number of folks that are willing or able to put that kind-a money into a racecar is just not the same as it once was. Whether it be the spending in the class has out paced the out of pocket racers, or the slight downturn in the economy has caused extra expendable money to dry up. Both by my guess… The total number of late models is just not the same as it was a few years back. Factor in the fact that there are more tracks trying to draw from a decreasing pool of cars, on Saturday night; you see the results on the car counts everywhere. As SamIam67 pointed out, MCS is on the edge geographically of the UMP dominated area. Also the newest in the area, so quite possibly that is why you see them the hardest hit by the late model drought.
I wonder if any statistic junkies out there would know how many LM’s there were at STL area tracks over all, 5 years ago and 10 years ago… and how that compares to today.
Brandon Paul
Free agent score guy
cngracin, I don't exactly have precise raw data here, but I know that a decade ago Godfrey was lucky to get more than 9 or 10 LMs most nights.
smokingjoe
Owner RAMS 65 & 652
I think MCS just needs more time you have to remember MCS is still a brand new track. 3 years is nothing compared to time for all the other tracks its hard to compare MCS to tracks thats been around for decades!!!!!!!! If you think how many new(less the 10 years) tracks in the St. Louis area are there???? I told Mell if he gets *****ed about compared to I55 hes doing good are they not the bench mark for st. louis racing? Mell is a 1 man show with a low budget to work with but continues to work and improve everyday. Just spent a fortune for more land to make the pits bigger! It will come in time racers are tried and true takes time to change MCS is a great facility remember if you build it they will come! Lets just be thankfull everone here has 1 more option for racing. Its easy to ***** its hard to build run and promote a track!!!!
westlingracing
Race or Die
I was talking to Mel last week at the races and he said he expected to have to only be at the track a couple days a week. He is there nearly all seven days. Its hard! Talk to any of the track promoters. Its not easy and not very fun. Mel is a great track owner, he learnes every week what it takes to improve. I just hope he doesnt give up.
I am not absolutly sure but is Mel the only Owner/Promoter in the area? What I mean by owner is he actually owns the land, most lease the land and own the equipment at most. Twenty years from now This place could be the premier track near StLouis.
Most big cities lose tracks becaue of development. Just talk to any dirt racer in Denver, after this year they will have to drive 90+miles one way to a dirt racetrack. It could happen here, believe me I didnt think it could happen in Denver but it is. Mel has the biggest advantage He actually OWNS the land and the equipment. Money talks and so do non-race supporters like environmentalists, who believe the fuel, oil, dirt are dangerous for all the little creatures on this earth. I came from that environment in Boulder Colorado and those people feel a mouse is worth more than human life. They have infiltrated our government and If they get their way none of us would have a place to race even if it is a hundred miles away from civilization.
OOOps sorry I got a little carried away, Im just happy I moved to mid Missouri 5 years ago. And realize what most of you dont understand what you have. We have no rights just opportunities. Dont criticize the opportunity of having so many options. If you dont like a place go elsewhere. What I have found over the years is the ones that complain all the time about one track usually complains about all the tracks. Maybe they need to find a new activity? Or open their own track!
Mel did!
And he is fine in my book.
I am not absolutly sure but is Mel the only Owner/Promoter in the area? What I mean by owner is he actually owns the land, most lease the land and own the equipment at most. Twenty years from now This place could be the premier track near StLouis.
Most big cities lose tracks becaue of development. Just talk to any dirt racer in Denver, after this year they will have to drive 90+miles one way to a dirt racetrack. It could happen here, believe me I didnt think it could happen in Denver but it is. Mel has the biggest advantage He actually OWNS the land and the equipment. Money talks and so do non-race supporters like environmentalists, who believe the fuel, oil, dirt are dangerous for all the little creatures on this earth. I came from that environment in Boulder Colorado and those people feel a mouse is worth more than human life. They have infiltrated our government and If they get their way none of us would have a place to race even if it is a hundred miles away from civilization.
OOOps sorry I got a little carried away, Im just happy I moved to mid Missouri 5 years ago. And realize what most of you dont understand what you have. We have no rights just opportunities. Dont criticize the opportunity of having so many options. If you dont like a place go elsewhere. What I have found over the years is the ones that complain all the time about one track usually complains about all the tracks. Maybe they need to find a new activity? Or open their own track!
Mel did!
And he is fine in my book.
Dean
Racer
Ray Marler and Kenny Schrader own the I-55 speedway, I am not sure how many years they leased it before finally purchasing, but they own it. I don't know about TCS, if Wente owns or leases. Mnt Vernon is a little out of Stl, but I think a group of three own and run it. SFCR is leased from a fair board as is Belleville, and Highland. No other Stl area tracks are currently on a path that could cause them to replace I-55 as the Stl area premeir track, the promoters can all keep trying to do better, and maybe someday, but not how they are doing it know.
westlingracing
Race or Die
Great thanks Dean. I wasnt sure I could believe the source about all the other tracks leasing their land. I just dont want to hear all the anger towards these tracks. The owners do listen. Mel does regardless of what anyone says. I have seen results of constructive criticism there. Decisions were made and the ones that didnt like the changes left. If the changes had been the other way others would have left. I had a huge response and lost my connection, Probably better off anyway. Would have been better to post it on the Thread about the complaints about MCS. This one is More of a question Thread.
FIREBALL
Well-Known Member
BELLVILLE and highland are run by both respective fairboards,they hire exprenced people to run the weekly shows,,they do lease them for special shows,wente owns TCS ...a lot of good racers get into the late model game by dumping a bunch of money into a car and equipment only to have dissapointing results,,thats when racing seases to be FUN,,and thats when the car counts drop,,like KING RICHARD said ""I LIVE TO RACE,NOT RACE TO LIVE""
another thing that causes low car counts,no matter what class you run,is drivers making highly risky and most of the time unnecessary moves that ends up causing a crash which usually collects more drivers than the ones 0riginally involved. That means tore up equipment and costly repairs. Lms might be the fastest but they are also the most costly to repair, lower car counts.Drivers in all classes need to respect their competitors and their equipment. the only lap that a pass is going to win you the race is the last one. Until then drive smooth and pass. I know things happen and we all have our little moments but believe me you can race alot more and more often when you dont have to budget to repair torn up equipment. Ive seen alot of drivers seasons and some carrears end because of destroyed race cars.
