I see a tough road ahead for Mercer this year

After quickly reviewing Sharon's schedule I think it's going to be a tough year for Mercer who has yet to post a schedule.

I very much enjoy being at and watching races at Mercer even more than Sharon.  But with what Sharon has on their plate it's going to be a tough viewing year, because of what's being presented for the "Show" at Sharon.

Again i'm offering the idea for Mercer to survive without cash input from owners they must go to Sunday racing. 

If they cannot I sadly think unless they become even more a back gate track their done.  I also think being a back gate track is becoming more and more a loosing proposition because of front gate customers tiring of watching multiple lower tier classes over run and done top shelf classes.  Big Blocks and if they can get a Super Late car count may help but in general even Big Blocks and Super Lates are not going to pull front gate customers away from the "Show" at Sharon.

In my opinion Mercer if you can possibly run on Sundays, you'll pack the house.

I also think if presented to the community, some noise from the track will be better handled Sunday afternoon and into a little bit later, than all of Saturday evening.  

I'd sure like to be able to attend weekly Lernerville on Fridays, Sharon on Saturdays followed by Mercer on Sunday.

Edited by dirtstudent2, 14 January 2020 - 10:29 AM.

And compete against Tri City on Sundays ????   Perhaps you should present your input to Mr Michaels and see if you can help them out ??

And compete against Tri City on Sundays ????   Perhaps you should present your input to Mr Michaels and see if you can help them out ??

I think writing on this site does likely present it to them.

I had not thought about Tri City when writing nor Eriez.

When we see both their schedules we will both have a better idea of which "Show" to go watch.   I'm looking forward to being at Tri City with them running sprints and that does for me anyway put a damper on the idea of Mercer racing on Sunday.   But all's a guess without either track posting schedules. 

We all need more front gate fans and less bickering.

Are you saying Mercer would have no chance being successful on Sundays because of Tri City opening up?

I had not considered it.  Is that what your at least suggesting?  I think you just offered the idea to Mr Michaels.

What we need are 4 day weekends. 

And compete against Tri City on Sundays ????   Perhaps you should present your input to Mr Michaels and see if you can help them out ??

I think you may be right in that I can easily see the three western pa and eastern ohio weekend premier tracks being Lernerville, Sharon and Tri City.

All three have the curb appeal now to become modern National Caliber tracks attracting both new and old fans.  But time will tell and I don't want any to fail.  

I'm sorry I even started this thread.  No matter what the outcome it has potential to not be good. 

I guess all I'm doing is wondering where I'll spend my money watching racing this year and I hope all area tracks are profitable.  

I have no idea what the current situation is with the borough of Mercer, but quite sure they would not look favorably at Sunday racing!!!  Years back there were a couple of times that Mercer used Sunday as a rain date and such never really worked out!!   Sharon has a great schedule, especially if you are a Sprint Car fan!!  However, not all race fans are Sprint Car fans,  and some fans that live closer to Mercer would not likely drive that extra half-hour to Sharon unless they were big Sprint Car fans.  Mercer and Sharon have run against each other for decades and I think such will continue with minor effect on Mercer!!

GOOD RACING TO ALL!!!

Walt 

Walt I think the track is in the township and not the borough of Mercer but I think they have always tried to be a good neighbor at Michaels Mercer Raceway and tried to cooperate with Mecer I think when Vicky owned the track they had a midnight curfew.

I don't see this being a dire circumstance. As Walt said they ran against each other for years, and that was running the same classes. Now they really only compete for the Crate Mods. Sharon has 1 Big Block Mod race on the schedule. Mercer can continue to grow their Mod class, and Sharon has several shows without 410s and are headlined by E mods.

Walt I think the track is in the township and not the borough of Mercer but I think they have always tried to be a good neighbor at Michaels Mercer Raceway and tried to cooperate with Mecer I think when Vicky owned the track they had a midnight curfew.

Edited by 3799, 18 January 2020 - 06:30 PM.

There are still a great deal of Modified fans in W. Pa. Hell, I got to see Ryan Watt race there last year. MRP is still worth at least three trips a year for me.

Thanks Mike for the curfew comment I thought the track was in the township you worked there long enough to know how things were thanks again hope all is well with you and yours.

Knew it was in the township, was just meaning residents in general would not be happy with Sunday racing!!   Mercer is one of the closest "in town" tracks in our area. And we all know ho residents can bitch about the noise, even if they moved there years after the track had been here!!

GOOD RACING TO ALL!!

Walt

Knew it was in the township, was just meaning residents in general would not be happy with Sunday racing!!   Mercer is one of the closest "in town" tracks in our area. And we all know ho residents can bitch about the noise, even if they moved there years after the track had been here!!

 

GOOD RACING TO ALL!!

 

Walt

Like the people who buy a house at the end of a runway and complain about the noise. :\

Walt please correct me if i"m wrong. But didn"t Lernerville have some problems with home owners when they built the housing plain down from the track.

Thank You.

I live in Mercer, my dad worked for the Kristyak race team in the 60's.

I go to the races at Mercer and I can tell you this:  In the borough of Mercer there are two types of people; Those who like the race track and those who hate it.  The track sits right against the town even though it's in Findlay Township

If MMR went Sunday racing, it would be an abject failure as the citizens of Mercer would absolutley scream about it and sadly, they would be right because it is after all Sunday night.

The notion that Mercer should go Sunday racing in order to survive is preposterous.  Mercer closed one year due to poor management  from Mr Altman, not because of what any other track did.  Sharon, due to their financial ties could have buried Mercer years ago, one could argue they tried, but pulled back, but that's an opinion for another day.  If you do not count 2018, Mercer has survived "rival" tracks switching to Saturdays and running opposite and/or "rival" tracks adding headline divisions that had already been on the card at Mercer for years.  

Mercer has endured every attempt by several other tracks to kill them for decades.  Why? Well you can argue several points maybe it's location, tradition, the unique shape of the track, whatever.

If you like big dollar sprints, go to Sharon.  If you like modifieds go to Mercer.  If both tracks continue to work WITH each other like this and not against each other, then race fans will will benefit.  I truly hope they continue to do so.

Edited by DonKing26Zfan, 22 January 2020 - 12:41 PM.

Thanks for the comments DonKing26Zfan Mercer has always been a favorite track for me the shape of it lends to great racing and is a real drivers track it takes awhile to get used to the turn 4 configuration. I have seen some great races there I like the family atmosphere in 2018 we had to go to Sharon it's a com[pletely different atmosphere there I much preferred Sharon when Chutz's ran the big half mile on Friday nights over the new three eights track on Saturdays.

Tracks got greedy over the years trying to pull cars and fans.. Look at how the weekly line ups used to be 20 years ago. 

Raceway 7 Friday LM, LLM, Emod and Stocks

Lernerville Friday Sprints, LM, BB mod, stocks

Mercer Saturday Sprints, BB mod, 358 mod and stocks

PPMS Saturday  LM, LLM, Emod, stocks

Sportsmans Saturday Sprints, 358 mods, stocks, Micros

Hickory Saturday 305 Sprints, Emod, stocks, Micros

Tri City Sunday Sprints, BB mod, Emod, Stocks

Now tracks have 2-3 crate sanctions to share cars, limited headliner class schedules and back gate filler classes forcing teams to choose between rules packages, pay and travel.

Up here in Michigan, rules are pretty even across the board and car counts thrive at most places.

MSPA Late model Tracks (SLM/LLM/Crate legal) American Racer 56 tire: Winston(FRI), Thunderbird (SAT), Crystal (SAT), Mid Michigan (SAT), I-96 (FRI)

UMP Late model Tracks :Hoosier LM20,30 or 40 tires: Merritt (SAT), Tri City(FRI)

IMCA Modified Tracks: Crystal (SAT), Tri City(FRI), Silver Bullet (SAT), I-96(FRI), Winston (FRI), Thunderbird(SAT)

B-mod (Unsanctioned IMCA rules) Merritt Speedway (SAT), Mt Pleasant (FRI)

UMP Modified: Merritt Speedway (SAT), Hartford Speedway(FRI), Butler Speedway(SAT)

410/360 Sprints I-96 (Specials FRI) Butler (SAT)

MSPA Street Stocks/Factory Stocks (American Racer 245-70-15) FridayTracks Winston, Mt Pleasant, I-96, Tri City..Saturday Tracks Crystal, Thunderbird, Mid Michigan, Merritt (Allows Hoosiers), Butler, Silver Bullet

Pro Stock/Truck (Fri) Tri City, (Sat) Silver Bullet (Crate LM allowed), (Sat) Merritt, (Sat) Crystal (Splits Truck and stocks) (Sat) Mid Michigan

4 Cylinders (Cyber stock, Warriors, young guns, FWD/RWD)  just about every track in the state runs them dirt and asphalt

Mini Wedge, Karts, Lawn mowers, Mini Sprints, Lightning sprints, Legends, M.O.R.A mini outlaws  all run specials around the state.

There is no Sunday Tracks in the state, so tracks work together to share cars by keeping the rules similar or having off nights for classes so they can travel to big shows or other tracks specials.

Tracks got greedy over the years trying to pull cars and fans.. Look at how the weekly line ups used to be 20 years ago. 

 

Raceway 7 Friday LM, LLM, Emod and Stocks

Lernerville Friday Sprints, LM, BB mod, stocks

Mercer Saturday Sprints, BB mod, 358 mod and stocks

PPMS Saturday  LM, LLM, Emod, stocks

Sportsmans Saturday Sprints, 358 mods, stocks, Micros

Hickory Saturday 305 Sprints, Emod, stocks, Micros

Tri City Sunday Sprints, BB mod, Emod, Stocks

 

Now tracks have 2-3 crate sanctions to share cars, limited headliner class schedules and back gate filler classes forcing teams to choose between rules packages, pay and travel.

 

Up here in Michigan, rules are pretty even across the board and car counts thrive at most places.

 

MSPA Late model Tracks (SLM/LLM/Crate legal) American Racer 56 tire: Winston(FRI), Thunderbird (SAT), Crystal (SAT), Mid Michigan (SAT), I-96 (FRI)

 

UMP Late model Tracks :Hoosier LM20,30 or 40 tires: Merritt (SAT), Tri City(FRI)

 

IMCA Modified Tracks: Crystal (SAT), Tri City(FRI), Silver Bullet (SAT), I-96(FRI), Winston (FRI), Thunderbird(SAT)

 

B-mod (Unsanctioned IMCA rules) Merritt Speedway (SAT), Mt Pleasant (FRI)

 

UMP Modified: Merritt Speedway (SAT), Hartford Speedway(FRI), Butler Speedway(SAT)

 

410/360 Sprints I-96 (Specials FRI) Butler (SAT)

 

MSPA Street Stocks/Factory Stocks (American Racer 245-70-15) FridayTracks Winston, Mt Pleasant, I-96, Tri City..Saturday Tracks Crystal, Thunderbird, Mid Michigan, Merritt (Allows Hoosiers), Butler, Silver Bullet

 

Pro Stock/Truck (Fri) Tri City, (Sat) Silver Bullet (Crate LM allowed), (Sat) Merritt, (Sat) Crystal (Splits Truck and stocks) (Sat) Mid Michigan

 

4 Cylinders (Cyber stock, Warriors, young guns, FWD/RWD)  just about every track in the state runs them dirt and asphalt

 

Mini Wedge, Karts, Lawn mowers, Mini Sprints, Lightning sprints, Legends, M.O.R.A mini outlaws  all run specials around the state.

 

There is no Sunday Tracks in the state, so tracks work together to share cars by keeping the rules similar or having off nights for classes so they can travel to big shows or other tracks specials.

 

 

 

 

 

For open wheel fans, W.Pa. has turned in to a black hole. Too much catering to the back gate buck.