48 replies to this topic

[skip]

Never mind just hate to see it end.

Edited by skip, 19 September 2010 - 05:35 PM.

[Need for Speed]

Skip, I tried to quote your post, but you had just edited it............... What you said in that post prior to editing it was completely true, Dean did try a lot of things from a promotional stand point, and like you said, you can't drag people to the track. Dean, thanks for what you did do. You kept WRP going, and you put on some damn enjoyable nights of racing!

Edited by Need for Speed, 19 September 2010 - 05:40 PM.

[DaveG]

What do you guys think it would take to increase the fan base? Obviously the crowd size for the Hewitt Classic was good, same with All Star races and last year's UMP nationals. However, I'm sure it takes $$$$ to bring in the big boys multiple times in one season. The weekly racing with the non wing 410's, compacts and trucks is excellent, so I really don't understand the low fan turnout. Is Waynesfield too close to Limaland, Fremont, Attica and Eldora to pull in enough interest to pack the stands?

[patrickw]

need to get somebody with some cash and let hewitt run the place.

[DaveG]

need to get somebody with some cash and let hewitt run the place.

Wow, that would be awesome. Imagine Tony Stewart's money and Jack Hewitt running the place.............


I guess we can all dream.......

[skip]

Here was my post what else did Dean have to do to get a fan base. The Jack Hewitt classic Jack with his 2 seater giving rides and raffling one off The non wing car counts what a great show. Latemodels The allstars, with Dave blaney Sticking with the minisprints and having a meeting with them at the start of the yr to get the counts up. Some not caring for the compacs but sticking with them and giving the low budget racer a chance The truck class what can you say the counts might of dropped , but put on a good show and a low budget class. The race for the childrens hospital Giving some a test and tune night for set ups, and some getting some seat time. Allowing some to play around after the races are over into the night. Giving away a bunch of tickets to P&G and only getting 10 people. The race for the case giving away some extra money. The 360 maybe they didnt have high car counts but always had a good race and brought a following. Kyle conaway and others throwing things into the stands for the fans. The mods they always put on a good show. Dean gave out a lot a VIP pass,s to treat people right What else can you say ,people knew where WRP was . Dean gave it his best shot.

Edited by skip, 19 September 2010 - 07:16 PM.

[compact racer]

Here was my post what else did Dean have to do to get a fan base.

The Jack Hewitt classic
Jack with his 2 seater giving rides and raffling one off
The non wing car counts what a great show.
Latemodels
The allstars, with Dave blaney
Sticking with the minisprints and having a meeting with them at the start of the yr to get the counts up.
Some not caring for the compacs but sticking with them and giving the low budget racer a chance
The truck class what can you say the counts might of dropped , but put on a good show and a low budget class.
The race for the childrens hospital
Giving some a test and tune night for set ups, and some getting some seat time.
Allowing some to play around after the races are over into the night.
Giving away a bunch of tickets to P&G and only getting 10 people.
The race for the case giving away some extra money.
The 360 maybe they didnt have high car counts but always had a good race and brought a following.
Kyle conaway and others throwing things into the stands for the fans.
The mods they always put on a good show.
Dean gave out a lot a VIP pass,s to treat people right

What else can you say ,people knew where WRP was . Dean gave it his best shot.

Skip your right on all your points and I don't think it was a lack of effort at all. I thought I heard Dean say it was the fact he was losing money. Only he could tell us when and where but my guese is on the big shows as this weekend ended it. I hope who ever gets it piccks 4 or 5 classes and runs a steady weekly program with them. (hopeing we're one of them) Just don't think the local crowd base can support 2 day shows and are going to bebig enough too cover big shows. I know everyone wants them but is it feasable? I don't know.

[skip]

I to was not a big fan of a 2 night show, most fans are good for one night of racing. Here is a point Kenny told me about. Eldora has the ump nationals with 2 grand to win and get 70 cars. Dean has a 5 grand to win and gets 39 cars. I just dont get it.

[hoosier race fan]

HRF,
What I was trying to say in my post is "we" can't have it both ways. I commend you for your efforts in doing what you can to bring people to support "your" tracks. And I have to say shame on "us" (wrp) for not not doing more of the same. But it seems everyone gets bashed for supporting racing. Isn't that backwards thinking? That's what is great about our country is we have the choice to go to whatever track we want and the freedom of speech to support those tracks. But people prefer to use those freedoms to cause more harm then good. We will never live in a perfect world so racetracks will always compete for cars and fans. If "we" would stop trying to tear eachother down, maybe we could make some progress. After all "we" are the fans, we need to get together to get the sport to grow. If just one guy goes to a promoter to make a suggest it will be blown off. But if a group of people approach a promoter with a suggestion for the greater good of racing, well you may stand a chance. But I don't think just one track has to make sacrifices. Has to be give and take.

That is true, and I agree it has to be give and take with tracks. I've seen my local tracks (MMS and GC I-69) work together very well year after year, which is why I found it frustrating to see MMS and WRP not doing the same thing. I don't mean to sound like I'm trying to tear other tracks down, and you are right, "we" need to try to benefit racing everywhere. With the current economic impact on the sport that has affected every track, maybe next season a greater emphasis will be placed on what you just described.

[skip]

When it comes to non wing at WRP i dont think they need to worry about other tracks ,they had a good car count about when ever they ran , almost always about 30 cars. When it came to the Hewitt classic it was proably hard to see what was running else where. I think the 360,s would of been a good class to double up with lima. Not to many places in ohio were running 360,s. Most of the cars were out of ohio. Eldora hardly ever ran them except when Stewart wanted to run with them. You need to use those 2 groups as your head liners ever other week and mods with them. Then fill in with yr other class. Its easy for some and even me to sit back and say what should of been but we were not in Deans shoes. I dont think any one of us watched a bad show on any given night.

Edited by skip, 19 September 2010 - 08:40 PM.

[double checkered]

HRF, I tell ya what. I'm going to throw out the welcome mat. If WRP races next year I'd really like you to join us. I have 2 tickets with your name on them. Just let me know when and ill make sure arraignments are made. On a side note, now that our season is done I'm sure ill be crossing the boarder west to watch a few more weeks of racing. Gosh I hate the winter.

[patrickw]

who ever takes the track over needs to pimp the track more newspaper ads and a sign on the side of the interstate on the exit to the track might help potential fans no that there is a track there. id run non wing mostly, 360s and maybe throw in a couple 410 wing shows. and run mods every week with two smaller support classes. i would also drop the allstar show to expensive with the sanction fee. adding a usac sprint car race would help with non wing fans around the ohio and indiana area who have been hesitant to come you would probably get a lot of return customers from them. sorry just rambling lol.

[goober25g]

I hope whoever runs the track next year gives WRP fans and racers the opportunity to give sugestions. Dean did some good things for the track. I cant even count how many times I would hear about how fast the night was run. Hope to see everyone again next year at the "field".

[skip]

who ever takes the track over needs to pimp the track more newspaper ads and a sign on the side of the interstate on the exit to the track might help potential fans no that there is a track there. id run non wing mostly, 360s and maybe throw in a couple 410 wing shows. and run mods every week with two smaller support classes. i would also drop the allstar show to expensive with the sanction fee. adding a usac sprint car race would help with non wing fans around the ohio and indiana area who have been hesitant to come you would probably get a lot of return customers from them. sorry just rambling lol.

Thats why lima dropped usac besides having to pay their own ins on a given night they also had to pay usac ins. They said it was to much to pass off on the fans, Thats just what i heard. most usac shows the car counts are a little down. Any one who has went to WRP they only had 3 non wing cars when they started. I think it was Andy conley, cub and some one else cant remember. look at running them on a regular basis how it has grown.

[intimidator 1]

What killed the track is no advertisement, if he's the owner of the mid american then he should of got it there with WRP all over it. Heck free advertisement on the internet, i didn't see anything on the racing sites about the big dawg. you got to get it out there put in peoples faces then let word of mouth start. Just my thoughts.

[DaveG]

What killed the track is no advertisement, if he's the owner of the mid american then he should of got it there with WRP all over it. Heck free advertisement on the internet, i didn't see anything on the racing sites about the big dawg. you got to get it out there put in peoples faces then let word of mouth start.
Just my thoughts.

I think it's too soon to say that the track is dead. I agree that there did seem to be a lack of advertisement, but us on the outside have no idea what kind of budget Dean was working with. Yes, he could have plastered news all over the Mid American and also on every racing site in our region, but I still would be hesitant to say that would have brought in more folks. Mod racers knew that the Big Dawg was last weekend, and "only" 39 showed up. There is honestly no explanation for why WRP struggles with attendance. I really don't want to see them resort to clown shows (figure 8 bus races, trailer races, etc) to try and get fans, but if the racing can't bring people, what will?

Edited by DaveG, 20 September 2010 - 06:13 PM.

[skip]

People know that WRP is there , you cant tell me that word of mouth about 5 grand to win didnt get around. None of us have walked in Deans shoes as to running a track. Every one has ideas as how to do it but after 9 yrs people knew there was a track here. The internet is the best way to get out info on a race almost every one has one and it doesnt cost that much. I havent seen info on my tv or any other info for attica ,fremont or eldora telling about their big shows . I know the Lima news some times puts info in their paper for Lima Eldora and waynesfield. We are looking at a bad economy right now and its hard to draw fans for 2 nights of racing. All and all its over for this yr, All we can do is sit back thru a long winter and wait to see what happens next.

[compact racer]

People know that WRP is there , you cant tell me that word of mouth about 5 grand to win didnt get around. None of us have walked in Deans shoes as to running a track. Every one has ideas as how to do it but after 9 yrs people knew there was a track here. The internet is the best way to get out info on a race almost every one has one and it doesnt cost that much. I havent seen info on my tv or any other info for attica ,fremont or eldora telling about their big shows . I know the Lima news some times puts info in their paper for Lima Eldora and waynesfield. We are looking at a bad economy right now and its hard to draw fans for 2 nights of racing. All and all its over for this yr, All we can do is sit back thru a long winter and wait to see what happens next.

Your right again Skip and nothing is worse then waiting to see. The guys with the trucks and compacts are in the worse shape. Without WRP having us we're hung out to dry.

[shady_bucks]

Skip i see newspaper advertisements for LMP and Eldora all the time every week (that they run) they have an ad in the evening leader (st.marys newspaper) and thats about 40 minutes away from both tracks. I have never seen one for WRP. The main problem for WRP is theres no history yet and ive said it before the inconsistent schedule hurts a lot also

[patrickw]

any word on possible new promoters.