The State of OUR sport; Past, Present, and Future

A continuing series of interviews through the eyes of YOU, our Teams, Promoters, Tracks, Sanctioning Bodies, Media and Fans.

With the ultimate goal of ending pictures like these.

Cajon Speedway’s scoreboard in the pits at Orange Show

Intro

Although I have hung out on RacingWest almost since its inception, I didn’t write much until last June when the closing of Mesa [Marin Raceway, located in Bakersfield, California] was announced. It was my “wakeup call”. The recent pictures of Mesa’s demolition might as well have been of MY house, because that is what it meant. That being said, I haven’t been able to stop writing, and recent announcements and events have fueled that fire. My writings have been “rants” mostly so far. Janet kindly offered to give me a place to put them (a Column of sorts, a way too official sounding term).

Rather, I was thinking, let’s do something bigger. I thought it would be interesting to chat with some of our Short Track people on the West Coast that put on the “show” each and every week. Get your opinions on what is going on, and some thoughts to make things better. I think it is more important than ever that we PULL TOGETHER, and that is one of the points of these chats. It is also my hope to create a “pool of knowledge” from all of you out there so we might come to some conclusions and ultimately some solutions to our challenges. My first chat alone brings 50 years of knowledge to the table.  There are some very smart people around this sport, and I’ve seen some fantastic ideas right here on RW. Let’s compile the ideas, and most important………….Apply them.

I am not a writer; don’t expect brilliance (nor good sentence structure…LOL)

I am just a fan (and occasional sponsor for the past 20 years, load the car, do the times, help scale, basically “in the way”...LOL) without an “agenda”. Yes, you’re right, I have no business speaking to any of you.

I'm a fan of all you guys. Racers and teams, tracks and their owners, scorers and race officials. Doesn't matter to me whether you are first or last, waving the green, driving the pace car, working the track crew, just that you're out there. (This means GO EASY on me in the "trailer")

Tracks who somehow pay the bills only being open 28 days a year. (how many businesses can run like that?) Anyone who risks just about everything to build a race track has my respect and admiration. Ok now Racers. You and the teams that are working all week long (sometimes all night) for the fun of putting the car out there……amazing. You put your lives, equipment, and money on the line each and every week. Yes Race Directors and Officials too, who try to keep things under control so we all can come back next week. I can assure you, none of them want to see what's left of your Super Late get loaded into the trailer by Tow 1.

My Goals

This series of chats is my personal effort from someone who has nothing to gain except the satisfaction of knowing I did my one small part to...

1. Keep just one racer……racing,
2. One track to improve and increase their fan base.
3. And most important: to keep any of us from throwing in the towel.

(Tour guys...LaMoure...don’t even think about it...) We need you!

STICK TOGETHER……..I’ll follow.

The Racing Family

I think of the racing community as a family. (I hope you guys don’t mind considering me a small part of that)

That family of racers loaning a part, an engine, a whole car to another team just to have another competitor to run against. One teams crew running over to help their most bitter competitor get back on the track, even during a tight points race. When I first saw that I was blown away. Why in the world would you help another team?  Ray Hooper Sr. explained it to me, and I quickly understood……..“It's all about the racing; the competition”. How cool is it to be a part of that!

WE need to protect that Spirit now more than ever.

We cannot allow “events” that we have no control over to cause us to go our separate ways! That is exactly what they want us to do, give up the influence and power that is in our family, in our numbers. I know you’ve all heard the expression “separate-and-conquer”.  We can no longer afford to protect our separate “Agendas” that won’t mean a thing 10 years from now.

If for no other reason...

Let’s not give them the satisfaction of defeating us.

We decide when the Tour, or any other division, ends.

And of course, the Tour’s spirit will live on no matter what we call it next year. I expect to see every one of you out there in 06 AND 07. Don’t disappoint!...

It’s time to step back, and appreciate what we have. Show everyone what the racing Family can do. Show the world who we are, and why our racing is the BEST there is. Racetracks, promoters, teams, drivers, officials, sponsors, sanctioning, press, fans, and even the kid selling popcorn...

It’s time to pull together as that Family so when that day comes; when that fight becomes necessary for our Racers, our Divisions, our Racetracks; our “Lifestyle”

The Racing Family will step up and say NO MORE!!!

That time is now...

(Thanks much for the “Lifestyle” quote LaMoure!......exactly what I’m talking about!)

The Issues

We will address the issues as written by you, the short track community.  (i.e. Andy will “try” to stop yapping after this endless intro)

This means these are NOT going to be sugar coated politically correct chats, got it?  

If we continue to do what we’re doing, we will continue to get what we’ve been getting.........closure.

I’m frustrated with losing the places I like to go, and the drivers and teams I’ve watched for years. So many of our fine drivers and teams (heroes to your fans) move up the divisions, get hurt financially, and eventually are given no choice but to stop racing.

Or as I don’t have to tell you, many are struggling just trying to maintain their current division,…… and many can’t. Too many of our viable drivers and teams have left, and each takes a piece of our sport with them.

We can’t afford to lose a single team, as each team lost has a disastrous ripple effect down the line. That is NOT acceptable.

The Point of These Chats

1. Appreciate what we’ve got.

   Let’s try to go back to our racetracks this year with a new mind set.

   EVERYONE........Teams, Tracks, Owners, Sanctioning, Officials, and Fans. It’s OUR race track. If we all don’t start seeing it that way there will be no racetrack, or even worse a Housing “Tract”.

2. Appreciate what we’re getting.

   Despite what has been going on, I’d like to show true appreciation and respect to people like the Collins and Destefani families (the New Mesa Marin), ASA/SRL, and the Riverside Motorsports people. These people are putting it all out on the line so we have a place to have FUN Saturday nights. Let’s give them all the support they need and deserve, and we’ll get it back in return. (a Standing O to all you guys from this fan)

3. Find some common ground, put our agendas aside, and look to the future

   Clearly there are dozens of factors already working against us, and we need to pull all our resources together for the good of…… well........US.

   Through these chats, I hope to find some common ground and encourage the Racing Family to do the “right things” for itself.

   Let’s think 10 YEARS down the road instead of what is good just for today, or even this year. We really have massive resources out there when brought together and utilized. It is in the Hundreds of Thousands of people when you really think about it. THAT is our power….Together.

   We can also look to our future by borrowing from our Past. There is A LOT to learn from the “good ole days” as you will see. Bring us back to the glory days of full fields (B and C mains, remember them) and overflowing grandstands.

   Northwest Track Owners.....I’ve been reading what you’ve been doing. I applaud you, and encourage other regions of the West to do the same. That is exactly the point of these series of chats.

The Interview Lineup (So Far)

PART 1

Champion Speedway in Carson City, NV.

No, I didn’t interview the racetrack! (although I’m sure it would have some great stories to tell). But I did want to give us some perspective on our track closure issue, and also give this cool racetrack its due.

PART 2 and 3

A frank interview with Les Kynett promoter of Champion Speedway. Over 50 years in the sport. It’s over an hour in length so we’ll do it in 2 parts.

At the end of each segment we’ll do a little “what have we learned” from this particular source that we will put into a knowledge base.

PART 4 on...

I am working to get together with Mr. Bob Barkhimer. If you haven’t heard of this gentleman, you should. Honestly, I hadn’t heard of him until I spoke with Les of Champion Speedway. Mr. Barkhimer promoted 21 (yes TWENTY ONE) Racetracks up and down the West Coast. We believe three are left. My guess is he will have some sage advice for us. I spoke with him on the phone the Friday before heading out to Phoenix, and was very enthusiastic about doing a chat for us. I understand he is in his 90’s, so I will head up to Northern Cal and visit him in person at the beginning of the season. (also a perfect reason to head over to Altamont for my first visit there)

And following interviews will be with YOU.

Drivers, Crew Chiefs, Team member, Officials, Race Directors, Track Owners, Sanctioning Bodies, Press  (Janet get ready for yours), and whoever else wants to help with our “pool of knowledge” so we might get ourselves back on track. I’m expecting some interviews will be anonymous for obvious reasons. You’ll have to trust me.  

There are many people, yes even promoters as we will see, that just LOVE this sport. Les and I spent another 2 hours I didn’t record just chatting about racing, it was great. And, there are so many of you out there with great ideas. Maybe you will have that one idea to bring us “back to where we were”.  The recent announcements and closures are the perfect opportunity for us to take a step back, readjust our thinking, and look toward a viable future.

The Disclamer

My fear is that this series of chats will discourage someone from building a car, building a racetrack, starting a new series. (in fact I was up till 2am this morning thinking about this) THAT IS NOT THE POINT!! Don’t let the rantings from this one person discourage you....PLEASE.

The first interview is very “discouraging” on the surface. Please, if anything, just take it as a wake up call.  In fact, when you really analyze it, it shows there are some very “encouraging” signs. In fact, I found very interesting what was NOT in my first interview with Les Kynett.

Nothing about Economy, Sanctioning, Web Sites, Teams, Tracks, Race Officials. I thought the tensions and confrontations between officials and teams would be a huge issue, (whining and complaining, you know who you are!!)  but all are NOWHERE to be found. It all really boils down to putting butts in the seats...

The Wrap Up

In the meantime I encourage you to go back to your racetracks this year with a new mindset of cooperation, showing off your cars to every possible person you can, inviting all your friends to your shops and pits who have never been, and start rebuilding our fan base one by one.

Let’s beat our REAL competitors on Saturday Nights

TV, DVD, Movies, Video Games, Restaurants, Internet, Theme Parks, “other” racing on Saturday nights, you fill in the blank. 

Our slogan this season...COME SEE    “OUR SHOW”    THIS SATURDAY !!!

Hope you enjoy the series, rant to follow.

Andy D’Addario
Saugus, CA. 

Comments about my article can be sent to andydadd [at] yahoo.com