[fiestyredhead269]

Does anyone know when the meetings for the drivers are going to be? we would like to go. someone please let me know when and where.

[61SSracer]

They have already had any/all meetings for the drivers that i'm aware of, they had them back in Nov.

CHUCK

[lansingsportsrage.com]

I don't know what the track has done historically, but it seemed to me that the late February Drivers Meeting held for Springport last year really energized the group and gave the track a great opportunity to set expectations and define the course of action.

Its one thing to have after season meetings to have an open discussion to talk about possibilities.. Its another thing to have a meeting as the season approaches to say.. this is what were doing and this is the way its going to be.

Also give the track a great opportunity to collect registrations.

[todd metz sr.]

Seems like a spring preseason meeting would be good for the racers and crews to visit with the officials and ask any questions they may have.

Would be good to have for both tracks possibly at one of the tracks or somewhere a little warmer...... Florida????
Daytona sounds good if someone besides me will pay for the trip.......

Anyone wanna pay for Daytona for about 125 people and write it off as a business tax expense ?????
_________________
"Yogi"
2008 Springport Speedway Rookie of the Year
2008 Springport Speedway Track Champion
1st and only automatic pony in the 15's
Team Never Dead Racing Team Beacon
If you are not having fun while racing, Adjustments are definitely needed !!!!!

[Dennis ONeil]

Patrick said,

[Sortabigg]

Dennis, I think you hit it right on the head. There was excitement last year. Wanting to be a part of some thing that was ground breaking and innovative was what got alot of us excited about SMS. The excitement about SMS has been lost a little in the changing of hands. I know personally I really enjoyed doing the things that April and I did suring the season. Whether it came passing out popcicles on fan apprecation night..that we bought of course, we did it for maurice just as much as the fans. We almost always came to the races whether I was racing or not. We enjoyed the atmosphere that maurice and others had brought to the place. I know you Dennis, had to feel some sort of accomplishment in what happened at SMS last year. You and a few others (you know who you are) you did alot to make this fly, I'm sure things no one knows about. And in a way we feel like we had a little part in it as well. We did a few little things, maurice asked us to do a few things and we were happy too. I guess my point is, last year i wanted people to come to SMS to race and watch. Now, it just seems like any other track. I had some personal feeling about 2007 SMS. Those feelings are gone.
BUT MY FEELINGS ABOUT RACING!!!! NOT GONE!!!
I will be racing somewhere, probably SMS still, but may go to Owosso, Spartan more this season.
_________________
~~~~Steve "Big Daddy" Orta~~~~
She is gone but not forgotten.
And her sister is here!

[schinde]

Somehow, I'm thinking the promoter is being vilified before the season has even begun.

And wrongly so.

He has made a commitment to keeping this track open. For whatever reasons that most of us are not privy to, Jim and Maurice were unable to make things work for this upcoming season with Maurice at the helm again. I note here that Maurice is not vilifying Jim.

I also note that he has made a commitment to a guaranteed purse for Springport for all classes, and has made a good faith effort to bring the back mods in to Springport, which will be welcomed by many mod drivers I am sure. I know it will be for me provided my band schedule will allow me to visit the track as often as I can this year.

The Springport Motor Speedway will be exactly what the drivers want it to be, just another track, with just another race program, or a fun environment with the same energy that Maurice created last year.

Many of us are very pleased by, and proud of what Maurice was able to do last season, it was a gamble on his part and he deserves our thanks and congratulations for a good season to help with the revival of this top notch facility.

I think that Jim, Paul and the rest of the crew that will be running this operation this year deserve the same.

Positive energy and vibes folks, we can provide it, and the fans can provide it.

Were it not for a desire to see that track survive and thrive, a core group of us would not be holding R&R IV this year.

Lets work to make that one bigger and better, and work this season to make Springport the top 3/8 mile track in mid-Michigan.

The way it deserves to be.

Time for carping is over, time for progressing is here.

have a good day,

schinde
_________________
Short track racing is more fun than a human being ought to be allowed to have!

[lansingsportsrage.com]

I don't think the "Warehouse" sessions were that bad.. the one last fall seemed a little loose, but then it was an information gathering session and the structure of the meeting was more free form.

Last Winter's Driver's Meeting seemed productive, even if everyone didn't hear exactly what they wanted to hear.

Springport's meeting in February was probably the most energetic because those in attendance were the most committed to the project.

I don't think there was a person at the Charlotte meeting that didn't end up spending the season supporting SMS.

Jim's not Maurice. He is probably never going to be as well liked. Maurice has a burning passion for the sport, he wanted to be a racer from the time he knew what a racer was. Just look at the bright eyed photos of him chasing autographs at MIS from the biggest names in the sport. Not to mention he drove in "the show" and every single short track racer can look into Maurice's eyes and live the dream through him. Maurice has that and Jim doesn't and never will.

But that doesn't make him less dedicated or interested in making the track a success. Jim inherited (so to speak) Spartan.. but he bought Springport. In my opinion, Jim's legacy will be based on Springport's success.. not Spartan's. I think Jim really wants Springport to succeed. I'm sure not everyone believes that.. I don't know if I even did on Nov 1st, 2007. But I do now.

I think if the track had a meeting in Eaton Rapids, maybe at the Old Mill.. and invited everyone, handed out the rules and talked enthusiastically about the upcoming season and laid out the plan and the path forward, positive energy would be created and some momentum might be built.

Jim's going to have to gain some people's trust, but he should already have everyone's respect. And that's a two way street which only time will tell, but hopefully every week will be better then the last and at the end of the day the bridge will be gapped.

I know, I know.. I'm a suck up and kiss ass now right ?

[Dennis ONeil]

Matt,
I did not intend to vilify Jim, Patrick maybe but not Jim.
There is nothing to vilify Jim about. Of course he wants SMS to succeed. A promoter would be considered retarded if he wanted his track to fail.
However, I think that it is a fair statement to say that if you continue to do what you have always done, you should probably expect the same results.
The only difference in the pay is that the starting money is lower than it was last year, the winners pay averages about the same. In all fairness if it is based on the expectation of 9 or less cars a night then the pay is about the same.
As far as the mods returning I am happy for you as a mod driver.
I can appreciate the commitment and work that you put into R&R.
Last season the base classes suffered as a result of R&R. At R&R we had above average attendance in all base classes. The ponies had 22 cars, a season high. However to make the payout and bonuses guaranteed to the 9 late models and 14 mods the bases classes pay was much lower than normal. The week after R&R there were 7 ponies (4 from our stable) and only 28 cars total in all classes. Lets hope we can treat all the base classes special at R&RIV and build all the base classes including the mods this year as that is what will keep the track open on a week to week basis.
I simply don't know if fan support will be enough to cover the additional payout, let's hope for the best.
Last year was last year it's over.
I intend to race at SMS this year wholeheartedly. I currently have ownership interest in 5 ponies and sponsorship interest in 7-9 more. That’s 12-14 cars in one class. 4 new rookies last year and 5-6 more so far this coming season.
That is commitment not vilification.
I am firmly committed to bringing new blood into our sport before it dies out in our locale.
The point that was made earlier in this thread is that several people made it possible for SMS to be open last year.
Any one of those several people being less than committed would have caused SMS to fail last year.
I am hoping that Jim can bring himself to seek out advice from other successful promoters instead of only relying on racers to help guide him through unfamiliar territory.
I would imagine that there is a dirt track promoter he could talk to since pavement is not direct competition to them.
_________________
Thanks
Dennis ONeil
www.oneilsauto.com

"A MIND IS LIKE A PARACHUTE.............WORKS BETTER WHEN OPEN"

[Dennis ONeil]

[schinde]

Dennis said:

"I intend to race at SMS this year wholeheartedly. I currently have ownership interest in 5 ponies and sponsorship interest in 7-9 more. That’s 12-14 cars in one class. 4 new rookies last year and 5-6 more so far this coming season.
That is commitment not vilification.
I am firmly committed to bringing new blood into our sport before it dies out in our locale."

Which is a correct statement. You are without a doubt doing what you can to add to this sport, and to help that track.

I likely could have posted what I said in another thread, or some other threads.

My point remains the same.

Too many have already cast aspersions for the upcoming season, without it even getting off the ground. Too many are already suspicious, and speaking the litany of "same old promoter who doesn't care". I am asking for it to stop. Too many do not know how badly Jim wants this to suceed, and Bill, and Paul, and Big Ed, and Jim B, and many, many others who work both tracks.

Jim Leasure does not do anything without significant thought and a sound business plan behind him. That is why he has been successful in his life.

Way too often, successful men and women are villified. And often misunderstood.

Let us all work to make this season a success. (and give the man his due)

have a good day,

schinde
_________________
Short track racing is more fun than a human being ought to be allowed to have!

[Bardenracing42]

I think if there were to be any meetings at this point, they should be strictly nothing more than an opportunity for the racers to get together, shoot some bull and just hang out. This may do more to generate some excitement about the upcoming season than trying to hash out/debate rules and so on.

Last year Maurice was able to get everyone together at a meeting in Charlotte that set the season off on the right foot because everyone decided to be optimistic and hopeful. An attitude that carried on pretty much through the whole season.

I understand people's feelings on the change in management for this year, but want everyone to understand this: It is us, the racers, who possess the ability to generate the same excitement this year as we did last year. It really doesn't matter to who is running the track as long as each and every one of us commit to making this season as great as the last. It will only fall apart if many people bail out because of personal feelings toward Jim.

So if people still feel the need to have a meeting I would propose the following;

1. Find a building/hall large enought to host such a meeting.
2. Rent a large T.V.
3. Everyone bring food, drinks, etc.
4. Throw a big Daytona 500 party and let everyone just hang out watch the race and starting talking about the upcoming season. No rules talks, no complaining about the management, just generating some excitement for 2008.

I doubt this will happen, but Dennis is right. Everything as far as rules, schedules, and all that is set. There is no need to keep hashing it over and over. But if everyone wants to get together, then just get together. It is a long off-season in Michigan after all.

[markmantyla]

I am sure that some have the same feelings that I have but didn't want to post for one reason or another.....

I keep hearing how you can't take it out on the new management already.....i don't totally agree. let me put it this way

you stop at the same speedway for years EVERY morning to get your cup of coffee. then one day a new manager comes in and is NOT very personable...or treat people the way they as a customer should be treated. what do you do? you go somewhere else to get your coffee.

things are great until that "one day" you walk in and see that same manager. you already had your bad experience and guess what? time for a new coffee shop again.

I personally have only one interaction with jim....just this is the feeling I get from others on here. I hope like hell that sringport makes a HUGE comeback......there just may be too many places for a cup of coffee.

[Big Ed]

[quote="markmantyla"]
I keep hearing how you can't take it out on the new management already.....i don't totally agree. let me put it this way
[/quote]

This isn't NEW management.

Even last year when Maurice LEASED the facility, Jim was around, running the concessions. Maurice did it the way he did because he HAD to, there was no other way for it to work. And thank God he had great racers, and people like the ones posting here, that made this all work and be successful.

Jim never wanted what happened to him, and the tracks to happen in 2006. No one did. When Jim purchased the facility, he had a plan. That plan got interuppted by what happened in 2006, when Springport was closed in August. He is trying to pick up where he was forced to stop. He wants SUCCESS for the facility, and truly believes WE can do it.

I can understand all the support for Maurice, I am one of those supporters also. But I will NOT just sit here and read how little faith or trust everyone has in Jim because he supposively took away Maurice's playground!!!! I cannot just allow him to be thrown under the bus here when he trying to do the same thing Maurice's intentions were, and that is to keep Springport not only open, but alive, healthy, and successful.

Please folks, negative commentary isn't going to do any of us any good at all. Would you all defend Maurice if was spoke of this way???

Big Ed

[Mopar93]

Everybody should lighten up a little...

It was a real blow when I found out I couldn't lease the track for the 2008 season. But there's nothing I can do about it, it's not my track, it's Jim's track (not sure about Paul anymore). Jim wants to run the show this year. Jim didn't boot me out, he wanted me to continue working at Springport (as well as at Spartan), but for me, it just wouldn't be the same as it was last year. So, I chose to quit altogether.

I don't think drivers came last year to Springport just because I was running the show. I think most of them came because they wanted to race and they wanted to race at Springport. With the pay being based on the front gate and with the crowd count not being up to expectations, the purses were never very good, not what I had hoped for. I think that fact kept many drivers from racing on a regular basis. For those who could afford it, I think I had a hand in being able to keep most of them coming back to the track all season long as well as being able to get a few newcomers. But it wasn't as easy as it sounds. It took the whole season to get the car count up to a reasonable figure. But I believe the decent car count at the end of the season was also due to drivers wanting to get out and race before the season ended.

The economy is not good right now and it isn't going to get any better. It's even worse than it was last year. Last year, there were many drivers who just stayed home rather than coming to the track to race. It's very expensive to go racing. There is only a handful of drivers who can afford to go racing each and every week.

Who knows, maybe this is a blessing in disguise for me this year. Maybe things would have been way too tough financially for me, maybe even worse than last year. Jim can afford to operate the track and lose money on occasion. I can't.

For anyone who attends the races at Springport and Spartan this year, you'll still see me there a few times. I'll be driving for Tim Phillips and TnT Motorsports in the #93 red and green Dodge Super Mini Cup on the dates that the Mini Cups are there.

-Maurice