85 replies to this topic

[714d]

I think what we are all hoping for, and some of us working hard to achieve, is two and three deep parking on the hill like when Jimmer, Clate, Gault, Awtey and company battled door to door in the late 90's.

I ran an Iceman race (actually wrecked...) in 1999 and it was absolutely packed.

I was there for those races, and LOVED them. Still WAY more people at the outlaws show couple years ago and they were paying double the admission price. If I'm in it to make money it's a no-brainer. Even if I loved Burger King, I'd rather own a mcdonalds if it was going to make me significantly more money. You can always take your profits and eat at some other suckers Burger King.

[plymouth-man]

Here is a video of when the cars were backed up 3 miles to get in, look at the stands, absolutely packed. video

Edited by plymouth-man, 21 October 2013 - 08:47 AM.

[Walt Wimer]

Ramey......no results on your website!! How about posting them here or there!!!

[racer111]

Ramey is absolutely correct...back when it was asphalt, when they had special shows, and even on a regular Saturday night when Ferd was at the helm, there were a LOT of people at that track...the hill was packed every weekend, and the stands were always about 1/2 full...only 1/2 you say? Remember those stands hold I believe 5000, so half full is 2500, plus another 500 on the hill...gives you more than the Bird, AMP, Clinton County and probably a couple of others put together...best racing up there was asphalt, back in the day...Can they get back to that? Sure they can, they will need checking accounts with a lot of $$$, an association with NASCAR, and some others...Oh, and I WOULD NOT run Saturday up against the other tracks...I would most definitely switch to Friday or Sunday afternoon. What we DON'T need around here is another dirt track.

[gofast05]

what we need around here is another dirt track. but one with the facilities to hold WoO shows, Lucas Oil shows, Big specials, of any kind. That place has the facility to do just that. and did do just that a few years ago when WoO was there, bloomquist was there, hell even just for the yankee doodle there were BIG names showing up. and traffic backed halfway up rockton mountain to get in. i have somewhat of a biased opinion, i don't like asphalt. but if its successful and brings in crowds then great, but so far, it hasnt brought Central PA Speedway Crowds.

[racer111]

Back in the glory days of asphalt, people were there, maybe you didn't attend back then because you don't like asphalt...but believe me there were a LOT of people there on an every week basis... If you want to see the WOO it's not that far of a drive to Lernerville or The Grove.

[gofast05]

Back in the glory days of asphalt, people were there, maybe you didn't attend back then because you don't like asphalt...but believe me there were a LOT of people there on an every week basis...

If you want to see the WOO it's not that far of a drive to Lernerville or The Grove.

i was around then. but since then, it seems like dirt track racing has gotten much more popular. i've been around racing my whole life, and over the past decade or so, it seems dirt has blown up with all the different series, woo, fastrak, rush, ulms, lucas, all those modified series, and sprints, can't tell you what half of those are called but i dont follow them that much. i'm not saying i'd go to these guys and try to tell them how to run their venue. it's up to them, but opinions are up to everyone. there was great racing on the dirt track. watched Clanton come from the back to win a yankee doodle. before it was paved to begin with it had some of the best dirt track racing in the state (from what i'm told) i wasn't around then. i know hundreds if not thousands of people would like to see it back to dirt, full length, and bringing in huge names and races.

[ramey36]

Hey Walt. Working on a press release as we speak. ramey

[snooky]

There was a time when the asphalt drew big crowds. However, there was no Hummingbird or Hidden Valley (AMP) running then. They are crazy if they think they will get crowds on Sat. Nites.

[suhoney18]

They are crazy if they think they will get crowds on Sat. Nites.

yup...worst possible choice they could have made

[ramsey31]

One thing we can agree on is that times have changed. When the asphalt track was in its prime, jennerstown and motordrome were also in their prime, money flowed, every big coal company or business backed a car, and life was good. Asphalt is expensive to race on, and small wrecks can total cars. I honestly hope it does well, hey why not. It's such a double edged sword that the only thing that is a must is track commitment. Lets be frank, a majority of the fans in the stands are in support of a car or couple cars. So thus you are already fighting an uphill battle filling the stands due to the lack of local cars. So the goal is to add local cars. That takes deep pockets and huge commitment on both a racer and tracks part. No one wants to invest 10-20grand in a car only to have no where to run it, and the teams who can afford to pull 4-5 hours away are thinning. The remaining big name asphalt guts have either converted or retired. I am glad that someone is up to this challenge, but with the fate motordrome is seeing, and with jennerstown closed, I really don't see how any support classes would ever survive. People don't have the money to build new cars on a gamble. The bubble burst a little too long ago.

[racer111]

Unfortunately what you say is true. I believe that the asphalt track will only survive if they run specials, we watch the NASCAR trucks on TV, ARCA on TV...I believe that people would fill the place for races such as that...however that will take money, I'm not sure how much money the new owners have...I actually totally agree with the Saturday night thing...no worse choice could have been made...and I'm not sure what they are thinking with that choice...maybe that the motordrome guys will come up? I honestly think they would do well if they ran Sunday afternoon...why not? NASCAR does it, and that's really the only choice they have is Sundays...

[ProDirt]

Ramey is absolutely correct...back when it was asphalt, when they had special shows, and even on a regular Saturday night when Ferd was at the helm, there were a LOT of people at that track...the hill was packed every weekend, and the stands were always about 1/2 full...only 1/2 you say? Remember those stands hold I believe 5000, so half full is 2500, plus another 500 on the hill...gives you more than the Bird, AMP, Clinton County and probably a couple of others put together...best racing up there was asphalt, back in the day...Can they get back to that? Sure they can, they will need checking accounts with a lot of $$$, an association with NASCAR, and some others...Oh, and I WOULD NOT run Saturday up against the other tracks...I would most definitely switch to Friday or Sunday afternoon.

What we DON'T need around here is another dirt track.

Back in " the day " the asphalt track was new to this area and people were attracted to it because of that reason. Nascar was bigger than ever back then and Ferd took advantage of that situation and made out quite well. Even though the track was nascar sanctioned, I remember 3 top running nascar drivers coming to check the place out and would not even unload their cars to race on it.
That track was , and always will be, a better dirt track. When they took the clay back off they should have dropped the blade another 6 inches and went around it again.
Racing in general in this economy could be in great danger .......dirt or asphalt. I personally would not attempt to start up a asphalt track in clearfield today. We really don't need another dirt track either, survival of the fittest I guess.

[BaconBits]

There was a time when the asphalt drew big crowds. However, there was no Hummingbird or Hidden Valley (AMP) running then. They are crazy if they think they will get crowds on Sat. Nites.

There were huge crowds at Motordrome this season up against Lernerville and Dog Hollow before it closed. If a quarter to half those people decide they want a Saturday night fix and trek up to Clearfield, CNB will make money.

[plymouth-man]

Some good 3 wide racing at Clearfield as Glen Gault comes from the back!! race

[race ace]

wasn't motordrome giving away free passes to get a crowd in hope of making money off the vending booths????

[gofast05]

wasn't motordrome giving away free passes to get a crowd in hope of making money off the vending booths????

Bingo.

[gofast05]

what he^ said, no that wasn't me hah

Edited by gofast05, 22 October 2013 - 03:15 PM.

[BaconBits]

wasn't motordrome giving away free passes to get a crowd in hope of making money off the vending booths????

Yeah, they gave away some passes, but it wasn't as many as people think.

Admission was only ten bucks. The largest percent of the massive crowds they had paid to get in.

There is no need for another dirt track in Clearfield now that Gamblers/AMP reopened. None of the "CNB needs to go dirt" crowd understands that.

Edited by BaconBits, 22 October 2013 - 07:55 PM.

[714d]

I actually enjoy asphalt. Best thing would be a switch. Make the big track a specials only dirt track. Make AMP a tight little bullring paved track. That would be a dream come true!