This isn’t a knock on PPMS but they’ve survived the last 20 ish years (since the peak of dirt racing in the mid 90s) with a few hundred people in the stands weekly and slightly bigger crowds for special events. They’re obviously surviving on back gate and the few special nights a year (ELM, Jook, Herb Scott, RMR) that bring the higher fan and car counts. They’re going on 30 years now and never bounced a check to the racers so I’m not going to question it. It’s obviously working.
Pittsburgher 100
Started by MeXican_BOB, Sep 09 2019 08:19 PM
122 replies to this topic
#102
Posted 18 September 2019 - 05:51 PM
I would have to have a lot of money on hand to afford this and to invest in my venture. Hire good honest personal, stay focused. Research the area have a good promoter who can rent billboard space for their advertising. Do your homework and see who would race at your track and what classes. Get out into the community and let people know who you are and help that community. Buy time on radio and tv to promote the track, even do billboards on major highways. You have to invest. As for rules, you and you personal along with owners and drivers meet and set the rules. Once the rules are in place keep them that way any changes will be for the following year. MAIN THING DO NOT GET GREEDY. Sound impossible to do not really Don Martin did it. Sometimes you just have to take a page from someone who made it. Next.
#103
Posted 18 September 2019 - 09:59 PM
I would have to have a lot of money on hand to afford this and to invest in my venture. Hire good honest personal, stay focused. Research the area have a good promoter who can rent billboard space for their advertising. Do your homework and see who would race at your track and what classes. Get out into the community and let people know who you are and help that community. Buy time on radio and tv to promote the track, even do billboards on major highways. You have to invest. As for rules, you and you personal along with owners and drivers meet and set the rules. Once the rules are in place keep them that way any changes will be for the following year. MAIN THING DO NOT GET GREEDY. Sound impossible to do not really Don Martin did it. Sometimes you just have to take a page from someone who made it. Next.
Don lost money on the track for a lot of years too, but in the end he built a world-class facility in the middle of a no name farm town. The track is still operating on the momentum of what he built. Here's the dose of reality though, he and North Hills did much of the same things, and North Hills didn't do well at all, even though the drivers liked the track and it was spitting distance to downtown.
Edited by FanJim24, 18 September 2019 - 09:59 PM.
My dad drove late models in the early 70's at North Hills, Butler, Mercer, Blanket Hill, and occasionally Tri City. We won the last late model track championship at Blanket Hill.
#104
Posted 19 September 2019 - 06:15 AM
Let's also remember north hills was a Thursday night track. Guys having to work on Friday mornings hurt them a lot.
#105
Posted 19 September 2019 - 07:14 AM
We have a lot race smart people on this site, and some smart asses also. My question is if you were a track owner and you faced these problems what would you do?
i know what i would not do.....ride around the pits with my nose in the air. the man talks to nobody.
#106
Posted 19 September 2019 - 09:08 AM
He talks to mei know what i would not do.....ride around the pits with my nose in the air. the man talks to nobody.
Asked me if I paid my pittpass when we're were there real early
#107
Posted 19 September 2019 - 09:27 AM
Don put a lot of investments in the track and built a good relationship with the community. There are some good owners who are trying to make it work and doing with what they have to make it better. North Hills was a fun track to race on and the trick was to stay on the track and not end up in the creek, but they did have some problems. All track have problems but a real owner tries to fix the problems. And some owners could care less what you or anyone else thinks.
#108
Posted 19 September 2019 - 09:40 AM
old man d.........I can think of several!!!
#109
Posted 19 September 2019 - 09:49 AM
He talks to me
Asked me if I paid my pittpass when we're were there real early
thats about the size of it.
#111
Posted 19 September 2019 - 01:39 PM
...the trick was to stay on the track and not end up in the creek...
Yeah, Dad was on his head in the creek. Couldn't figure out how to get out of his belts without falling in the water.
Edited by FanJim24, 19 September 2019 - 01:40 PM.
My dad drove late models in the early 70's at North Hills, Butler, Mercer, Blanket Hill, and occasionally Tri City. We won the last late model track championship at Blanket Hill.
#112
Posted 19 September 2019 - 01:43 PM
I do remember one day getting home after midnight and going to school the next day, but Jim Magill was a teacher there, and everyone knew we had a car, so the teachers were a bit understanding.
My dad drove late models in the early 70's at North Hills, Butler, Mercer, Blanket Hill, and occasionally Tri City. We won the last late model track championship at Blanket Hill.
#113
Posted 19 September 2019 - 02:01 PM
Jim I do remember of some drivers going in so your Dad could one of them, we were lucky enough to stay on the track. A lot of fun times back then!
#114
Posted 19 September 2019 - 03:22 PM
Got a good car & driver , still not sure if racing this race , got to finish probably 6th or 7th to break even , but guess that doesn't matter, might take the kids mini-golfing instead,.,.
#115
Posted 19 September 2019 - 03:41 PM
Jim I do remember of some drivers going in so your Dad could one of them, we were lucky enough to stay on the track. A lot of fun times back then!
^ Bill Coester, our car was numbered 24 for 2 years then 11. I'm not sure we went over in our own car.
My dad drove late models in the early 70's at North Hills, Butler, Mercer, Blanket Hill, and occasionally Tri City. We won the last late model track championship at Blanket Hill.
#116
Posted 19 September 2019 - 04:10 PM
The name sounds familiar but not sure, been a long time. Our numbers were 39 and 80. One of the last cars we raced was a Cuda, North Hills and Lernerville.
#117
Posted 19 September 2019 - 04:17 PM
The name sounds familiar but not sure, been a long time. Our numbers were 39 and 80. One of the last cars we raced was a Cuda, North Hills and Lernerville.
You had to have crossed paths. He hated Lernerville for shutting down Butler, but he ran there anyway. He liked North Hills. Hung around with the Wexford/Warrendale/Cranberry bunch--Irvines/Kesslers/Wearing.
Edited by FanJim24, 19 September 2019 - 04:33 PM.
My dad drove late models in the early 70's at North Hills, Butler, Mercer, Blanket Hill, and occasionally Tri City. We won the last late model track championship at Blanket Hill.
#118
Posted 19 September 2019 - 05:18 PM
Yep, agree we must have crossed paths. Know who you talking about good bunch of guys. Thanks for bring all that back. The comment about Lernerville and Butler made me laugh. I have a friend who still hates lernerville because of Butler that was his place to race. He raced there once and never went back
#119
Posted 19 September 2019 - 06:04 PM
The people who stand out at Pittsburgh are many !
Like was said the super snuffers are top notch Bill and Gary and Bob a couple I know and the track is freaking awsome
I dealt with Judy Gower and Red when we had Buss trips and she was just super woman in my eyes
And ya the big man is short and tough but he got beat up his whole life by TY so you gotta understand
And Mom was the sweetest lady too
Ya they patch it together each and every week to keep it going but so do some race teams !
They are Racers and there isn't anybody on this board that wants be be at a racetrack Saturday night more than them
And there are more behind the scenes you don't always see or point at for the complaints
Like he said
They have been pulling it off for 30 years THEIR way and it will go untill somebody hands them a Big Fat Check for their aggravation of running it all those years
And PS
Me personally never was shorted or felt like I didn't get my money's worth coming in that back gate
Like was said the super snuffers are top notch Bill and Gary and Bob a couple I know and the track is freaking awsome
I dealt with Judy Gower and Red when we had Buss trips and she was just super woman in my eyes
And ya the big man is short and tough but he got beat up his whole life by TY so you gotta understand
And Mom was the sweetest lady too
Ya they patch it together each and every week to keep it going but so do some race teams !
They are Racers and there isn't anybody on this board that wants be be at a racetrack Saturday night more than them
And there are more behind the scenes you don't always see or point at for the complaints
Like he said
They have been pulling it off for 30 years THEIR way and it will go untill somebody hands them a Big Fat Check for their aggravation of running it all those years
And PS
Me personally never was shorted or felt like I didn't get my money's worth coming in that back gate
Edited by DavyLee2, 19 September 2019 - 06:05 PM.
#120
Posted 19 September 2019 - 06:36 PM
DavyLee2, watching you race gave us our moneys worth, and betting was fun on how laps it took you to pass the field. What was it 12 straight features. And I know you tried your best in the 39 car.
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