46 replies to this topic

[cwm]

Anyone know what's going on at the 1/2 mile?

[Benny K]

Had heard earlier in the year they didn't plan on running Late Models weekly. Never saw an official release on that though.

[pabandit]

Their website was down last time I checked, schedule has yet to be posted.

[Walt Wimer]

I think the website has been down for a month or more. I was unable to get the Street Stock points for an upcoming column due to such.  Based on what I have heard, things don't look good at Motordrome!!

 

Walt 

[jo73]

DIRT....COVER IT....I for one would love to see that. SLM, CRATES, SPORTSMAN.

[nascarracer28]

I heard Milfi came to the track and collected some personal belongings doesnt sound good.   Promised the world and run it into the ground like other tracks they were involved in.  No late models and not paying racers and hired help not a way to run a track. Hope someone will bring back the motordrome of old , feel sorry for all the racers there they deserve better they have suported the track for many years. Hope for the best maybe Mileys can get it turned around

[tonyp]

Most racers I know who ran there last year are still waiting for multiple purse checks. It's definite, no late models this year, if it opens at all. Really a shame, that place could be a really nice track again but it doesn't look very good at all for 2016.

[The Legend]

So the track attracted fans as such a low rate they can't even pay the purse ??? But yet you say the place could be amazing lol

[flash49]

They would probably do better with a special events only schedule.  There aren't enough asphalt cars in the area to support the weekly shows, and they're also running against Lernerville every week.   I saw the winged Super-Modified cars there a few years ago, and would gladly go back again for such a show.  I think the winner came from the 12th starting spot.  The Whelan Mods would be another great series to see. 

Edited by flash49, 10 March 2016 - 05:12 PM.

[tonyp]

I don't see the word "amazing" anywhere in my post. The facts are it's in a great location, it needs repaved badly but the rest of the facilities are in pretty good shape, if it was managed well it could be viable as a weekly track. They got 14+ late models on a weekly basis only a couple of years ago.

[The Legend]

How the fuk can it justify repaving when it can't even cover the purse ????

[tonyp]

It can't the way it's been running for the past 10 years. To keep it alive someone would need to buy it who would be able to put money into it with very little return for the first few years. You're looking at this as a business that someone runs to make a living off of, that's not going to happen at least not for a very long time. I don't know that anyone can make a living solely from running a weekly track in this area anymore. That track needs a group of people like those who bought Jennerstown. I guess I should have said that before.

[714d]

Lake Erie Speedway is an absolutely beautiful facility in a very strong racing area where multiple dirt tracks are thriving. If it can't stay open, these other tracks (motordrome, jennerstown, and clearfield) don't stand a chance. Let it go. Asphalt racing is dead in Pennsylvania. I'd love to see it thriving, but be real.

[RocketChassis#1]

What Motordrome needs is someone with plenty of money, to buy, not lease the place. It doesn't matter if the track is dirt or asphalt. They need to be in it for the long haul, and ready to lose money for a while. You cannot have people with no cash reserves and trying to make a living running a race track. Just look at all the tracks that have closed recently and you can see the pattern. Second, racers need to know if the track is going to be there next year and after that. Local asphalt racing has been in limbo for years now. Jennerstown was closed, and you never knew if Motordrome was going to race the next week or not. Clearfield was covered with dirt and Lake Erie was in trouble. The local asphalt Late Model guys all are running older equipment, and were afraid of buying anything new, not knowing they would have a place to run next week. 

[dirtstudent2]

I think this is from the internet so it has to be true.

 

Reuters March 3, 2016, New Castle PA:

 

An unnamed western PA racing series has aquired backing to purchase oval pavement racings Motordrome Speedway and Jennerstown Speedway in western PA , along with Erie Speedway in northwestern PA.  The thee tracks are expected to become the northern venue, racing a new Chevrolet, Crate Engine, race car.   It's rumored an eastern Ohio Chevrolet dealer and a Chevrolet dealer in Harrisburg PA have come together to market the new car in the northern portion of the country.  Its appearance will look almost identical to and be similar in size, to NASCAR's next generation race car coming next year.  It's being built by Hendrick Motor Sports in a new plant now under construction behind the museaum at their Complex in Charlotte NC.  Hendricks will market the car in the southeast and southwest.  Drivers racing the car will be the much expected entry level feeder program for NASCAR, with 65% of all NASCAR drivers coming from the new series, within 5 years.  Penske Chevrolet of Cerritos is the Los Angeles Chevrolet, Long Beach and southern California's Premier Dealer, who will market the new pavement car powered by Chevrolet crate racing engines, on the west coast.  Chevrolet offers a variety of sealed factory "crate" racing engines, butt it's not yet known which engine will initially power the new race car.    

[jo73]

Rocket you pretty much hit the nail on the head. I no of a team that started in the stocks on asphalt. They did ok. After a few years in the stocks they moved into the late models. He figured his son would someday take over in the stock. He was happy running his late model and bought a second car. Well, his son has ZERO interest in driving a race car. At 16 he says he can barely get him out of the house because he plays in so many on line video games. With people all over the globe. And, as he says, his son is a straight A student. He now has a street stk. And 2 late models 4 sale that as he has told me. HE CAN'T EVEN GET A PHONE CALL. He has stated the same thing you just made comment on. He has said, nobody wants to buy anything racing related to asphalt tracks because nobody has a clue if there will be anywhere to race at. With that said why would anyone buy a car for asphalt. It's on life support already. Nobody wants to turn the switch off and just let it die.

[cwm]

OK dirtstudent2, you had me going for the first line and a half.

[bezerker]

 

I think this is from the internet so it has to be true.

 

Reuters March 3, 2016, New Castle PA:

 

An unnamed western PA racing series has aquired backing to purchase oval pavement racings Motordrome Speedway and Jennerstown Speedway in western PA , along with Erie Speedway in northwestern PA.  The thee tracks are expected to become the northern venue, racing a new Chevrolet, Crate Engine, race car.   It's rumored an eastern Ohio Chevrolet dealer and a Chevrolet dealer in Harrisburg PA have come together to market the new car in the northern portion of the country.  Its appearance will look almost identical to and be similar in size, to NASCAR's next generation race car coming next year.  It's being built by Hendrick Motor Sports in a new plant now under construction behind the museaum at their Complex in Charlotte NC.  Hendricks will market the car in the southeast and southwest.  Drivers racing the car will be the much expected entry level feeder program for NASCAR, with 65% of all NASCAR drivers coming from the new series, within 5 years.  Penske Chevrolet of Cerritos is the Los Angeles Chevrolet, Long Beach and southern California's Premier Dealer, who will market the new pavement car powered by Chevrolet crate racing engines, on the west coast.  Chevrolet offers a variety of sealed factory "crate" racing engines, butt it's not yet known which engine will initially power the new race car.    

 

This is interesting. Dont believe one bit of this. The asphalt racing in this area can't wait 5 years. And who is going to race if fans lose interest?

Also 65% of racers coming from this series. BS. You have to be Black, Female, Hispanic and not even American to make it in NASCAR anymore, not even talented.

Its a shame because someone is going to get seriously hurt with drivers who know absolutely nothing about racing and no experience.

[jo73]

Blaney and Elliott. Those others that you seem to think have a advantage haven't done anything other than in some cases bring sponsorship dollars. Not one of them are going to be what Ryan and Chase already are.

[BaconBits]

Unlike most of his board, I can get down with asphalt racing from time to time, especially supermodifieds and NASCAR/RoC style modifieds. It's really kind of a shame that asphalt racing doesn't really have any interest in this area. I'd love to see it somehow have a resurgence or something, but even dirt tracks these days find themselves struggling to get fans and cars. I can't see any resurgence happening any time soon.