18 replies to this topic

[RacingSidekick]

Rick Jones will be promoting Hagerstown with Ernie Davis as well as continuing to promote Roaring Knob. Rick and Ernie sat down with Mike Donald for an exclusive video. Watch is on www.ontrackwithmike.com

[1rman]

Well there goes Hagerstown! Cumberland went to s--t roaring knob headed there

[dirtguy200948]

Well there goes Hagerstown! Cumberland went to s--t roaring knob headed there

been the the knob 2 times and both times track prep sucked!

[RJO]

Well there goes Hagerstown! Cumberland went to s--t roaring knob headed there

I hate to bust you bubble but Rick Jones will not be doing the track prep at Hagerstown, he is just part of the new promotion team that is going to be in place next year. The good news is that Randy Grove will be back at Hagerstown next year helping with the track prep, if you don't remember Randy he is the guy that did the track prep years back went Hagerstown was the place to be, he could do magic with the surface. So lets hope that they put some new clay down and Randy works his magic and the new group of promoters bring Hagerstown back to the way it was years ago.

[pabandit]

Well there goes Hagerstown! Cumberland went to s--t roaring knob headed there

Cumberland started in a downward spiral after Ben Evans left... long before Jones took it over, and i don't recall any other promotional suitors beating down the Fair board's door to promote the place after Bob Salathe walked away. The Knob, while it's not lernerville, Hagerstown, or Virginia motor speedway, it's in far better shape than some of it's contemporaries. Jones basically put the place on the map, bringing in LUCAS OIL, NDRL, FASTRAK, and now RUSH. Roaring Knob is far from perfect, but more often than not, they run a decent program and most importantly....they're still open! the same cannot be said for Dog hollow and Thunder Valley!

Edited by pabandit, 12 November 2013 - 11:38 AM.

[flash49]

I hate to bust you bubble but Rick Jones will not be doing the track prep at Hagerstown, he is just part of the new promotion team that is going to be in place next year. The good news is that Randy Grove will be back at Hagerstown next year helping with the track prep, if you don't remember Randy he is the guy that did the track prep years back went Hagerstown was the place to be, he could do magic with the surface. So lets hope that they put some new clay down and Randy works his magic and the new group of promoters bring Hagerstown back to the way it was years ago.

Glad to hear Randy Grove is coming back. The track surface has not been the same since he left. Hope they give him free rein to do the job right.

[1rman]

Wow been almost a year since last post on this subject. How's Hagerstown and Rick jones doin now ?????????????? And the knob has hit rock bottom. Just wanted to get this out before the last race of 2014 happens this weekend which was squeezed into a one day show and someone wanted to stick up for jones or praise him for wat he hase done for our sport. I'll check back in the spring , probably with an I told u so . Rick jones has never and will never do anything for our sport but run it in the dirt thanks dick

[cumminsman08]

i will make a comment on this because i have been around his managed tracks as well over the years, and I agree 1rman 100% on your post.. Added to the promoting part it seems in that area tracks are forced to work with the fair board bedford/cumberland to name a few ive traveled too, Promoting with your hands tied by the fair board has to be tough on its own then put on top trying to run a track as a business as i feel Rick has been trying to do takes away from how good a track/facility should be for us racers/fans/crewman etc... When he started out with Roaring Knob it went pretty well then i think he seen the $$$$ he could possibly make got greedy cared less about the racers/fans( most important part of racing) and lost sight of managing a great facility.. Now comes time to update and fix problems just like any race track will any changes be made to help out time will tell... Thats just my opinion from traveling to that area and taking things in not really as local as many to that area so maybe im way off..
On another note can we bash someone that is keeping the doors open of a prospective track that has potential, and i dont see to many people out there willing to take on a track as a hobby, unless you know how to run a business and succeed your typical business man will not do well going into buying a track and paying the cheapest staff possible to run a dirt track on top of track prep, maybe a gokart track but not your weekly dirt track....

[pabandit]

The Knob's Small Car Nationals probably should have been a one day show to begin with. A lot of these two day shows with qualifying on one day and features  the next are absolute rip-offs. If you're going to run them, i would much rather see 2- day formats  like Winchester's Fall Classic, with two complete programs.

[1rman]

Try the knob website as of this afternoon he says any chargers that want to run have to race with the street stocks how's that fair he's a greedy dick he's on his way out I'd bet he don't even have a banquet for the champs that stayed loyal to the track all year I could be wrong but think not

[tireguy9910]

Been to the knob 3 times and everytime it was dusty as hell, hug the bottom. Will not go back.

[4FUN]

And he dropped the Street stocks from $1500 to win to $1000 to win.
And the entry form I have states a $100/car entry fee....

Shit... PPMS had a lower fee for late model specials...

[CHEVY1A]

Is it true he has a lump sum payment coming due to  prev. owner and if he doesnt pay it the track goes back to the previous owner?

[1rman]

That's wat I'm hearing. He's trying to sell to motorcross track for 1.5 bob arsenberger and the other owners r good guys they r racers the best thing that could happen to the knob is those guys get it back then they can decide wat to do with it or who to sell to. When merchat first opened the knob it was a nice track he took care of the racers and always did stuff for the kids I'm thankful that jones kept it goin for the last few years giving the local people some where to go see racing but it's definitely time for a change his car count sucks and the stands r bare he's ruined it

[Express Man]

Is it true he has a lump sum payment coming due to  prev. owner and if he doesnt pay it the track goes back to the previous owner?

The best guarded secret in Racing!  I have been hearing for two years that this Balloon payment is due?????  It was Due last year according to what was being said.  Then it was due by June of this year??????  He is still there!  The whole deal with him there has been the best kept secret I have ever seen!  Anybody have any info?

[Street Stocker]

The former owners at Roaring Knob ran a tight ship and had a great business.   If it goes back to them, it has definitely been devalued by the recent years of mismanagement and the loss of the crowd and racers that once attended there on a regular basis.    It's definitely not worth what it sold for several years ago.

[4FUN]

The former owners at Roaring Knob ran a tight ship and had a great business.   If it goes back to them, it has definitely been devalued by the recent years of mismanagement and the loss of the crowd and racers that once attended there on a regular basis.    It's definitely not worth what it sold for several years ago.

[4FUN]

Funny thing is that that same thing happened when the same group sold Motordrome..... Enforce rules and treat drivers and fans the way you would want to be treated....

[pabandit]

That's wat I'm hearing. He's trying to sell to motorcross track for 1.5 bob arsenberger and the other owners r good guys they r racers the best thing that could happen to the knob is those guys get it back then they can decide wat to do with it or who to sell to. When merchat first opened the knob it was a nice track he took care of the racers and always did stuff for the kids I'm thankful that jones kept it goin for the last few years giving the local people some where to go see racing but it's definitely time for a change his car count sucks and the stands r bare he's ruined it

Keep in mind, that Arsenberger's Group was planning to let the Knob sit Idle the year Jones bought the track. If the track goes back to them, don't expect them to do anything other than put a  "FOR SALE" on it,  and in this economy, I doubt they'll be any takers that plan to use it as a racetrack.