When was the last time......
 

With all the talk about increased $ costs and the bad service going on, I was wondering when was the last time you were thanked for coming out?

I've raced alot locally this year and only a few NHRA events, the ONLY time I was thanked was at the Vegas LODRS, and it was by the guy working security at the gate as I was leaving, not a NHRA employee. I've raced several tracks for the Summit Series, the Arizona State Championship Series, and another local series and wasn't thanked once for coming out and spending my money with them., except at the monthly meeting for the local series.

What tracks have it figured out? Thanked you for coming out? Make you feel welcomed? Want your business? Will you go to them again? We can park the cars, spend money elsewhere, but they just expect us to show up and not treat us like customers.... I would think now is the time that they (the tracks) would want to be extra nice. OK done ranting......

Rick

Re: When was the last time......
 

Listen up... Alan R thanks us over the p.a. at all races...

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No Problem, Earlville, Norwalk, Bowling Green, Douglas WY
John Bandimere in the past, but something has gone wrong there, at least for SS

Joliet, Topeka, Dallas pretty cold...corporate stuff

Topper made life miserable back in the day, anywhere

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Ron Brunet - Napierville Dragway

Does the parking, writes the $10,000 cheque, and thanks everyone over and over

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Always at Cedar Falls...in the lanes and again at the gate when leaving. Brainerd is getting better.

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Napierville dragway, and a few times at the IHRA National in Epping.

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Silver Dollar in reynolds GA is the friendliest on the div 2 schedule. They are always at the gate to get you parked until late in the evening and usually have a goodie bag for each rig comong in to the race. Orlando Speed World is usually very user friendly and supports the Southern Stock/ Super Stock Assn. I wish we still had the points race there before the Gators. Maybe now that the alchohol cars are not going to be at all of the points races they might have a points race there again.

Re: When was the last time......
 

Firebird Raceway in Boise ... been there a few times , and always get a personal Thank You from a member of the New family .. a true class act. These people know how to operate a track and run a race.

MP 6688

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Re: When was the last time......
 

Beaver Bob @ Beaver Springs - especially if you drive a Ford!.....or know Professor Nees.

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I only know of 2- Reynolds, and NoProblem, every time I've been to either one.
I left NP, at the end of my first trip there, and no less than 5 different people said thanks for being there. Ed and Dot always greet you with a smile, and goodies and tell you goodbye.

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Byron,Cordova and Earlville. But the manager owner at Cedar Falls shook everybodys hand in staging before first round both days. First time for that. I live 15 minutes from Route 66 and you feel like WTF are you doing here!

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hmmmmmm seems to me it's tracks that are in the middle of the country or on the eastern side of the country........

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David Glidewell, Jackson Dragway, Jackson TN, Sunday for the combo race. As well as the announcer.

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Not so fast,,,Rick. I make it a point to always thank the "fans in the stands" whenever I'm on the mic at Bremerton Raceway. With all the water we're surrounded by, many people spend their time and money on boats, so when I see an unusually larger crowd than normal, I'll also throw in a little shot at the boaters for coming out to see us too.
If a name comes up on my screen that I'm not familiar with or has traveled a long way to get here, I try to make note of that to everyone also.
Throughout the season we'll have different groups or associations come in to race and put on a show, and we'll always give them a shout out.
Of course, if I'm going rounds, I can't be responsible for what comes out of the other announcer's mouth,, but once I get my ***** handed to me, I go up to the "penalty box" and fill out the day, educating the fans and spectators.
Danny Durham

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I dont know about anyone else's expieriences with these tracks but ,Mission raceway park, Ashcroft eagle motorplex, Medicine hat, and Saskatoon international raceway, have consistently expressed gratitude to me as a 'customer' on many occasions. Medicine hat's national open includes a big racers feast, Saskatoon has a combo race for their season final which Div 6's tech director Dave Schaffel coordinates and he comes to your trailer and hands you the cash payout with a big 'thank you for coming'. This years Pro-am series at Edmonton had the Ihra guys coming to your trailer for tech and they remembered the cars and the people and also said their thanx for participating. Heard lots of good things about Boise's track but have not competed there yet, maybe this comig April

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The IHRA crew at the Ashcroft Pro Am made us feel very welcome and made it know they appreciated all the racers that made the trip to race there. They were also nice enough to give us back the entry money for Kellys car when it hurt the transmission on Friday. Looking forward to returning next year, Hopefully with 2 cars that actually work.lol

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well, there are some good tracks out on the west coast.... hadn't heard anyone chime in yet so it looked like all east coast and midwestern.

as a former announcer (can you ever be a former announcer) I try to educate many of the fans!! I watched the Arizona Nationals from the suites behind the tower. When the super classes came up and the cars went on the stop everyone groaned like it broke, then "yeah" when it came off the stop, so I held class and explained that. When the Stock and Super Stock classes came up I again had to explain as many people looked at me for help. BTW I had everyone rooting for our little brown Horizon against the Big Bad Mustang. No offense to the mustang, but everyone loves the underdog. Many people loved the Stock and SuperStock classes as they related to them, I even heard one guy say, "I bet my camaro can do that" I said "bring it out, give it a try" I think educating people(then they will bring their friends next time) will bring them to the seats in the stands or better yet, in the lanes. It's getting the tracks to see that, and the announcers to see that. If you have an announcer that makes up names for classes it doesn't help. As a racer, go to the tower, help the announcer out, show some pride, make the fans want to see the cars.

Re: When was the last time......
 

Boise treats us very well, the only reason I drive all the way to the middle of nowhere, Mission is great, Woodburn makes me feel like John Force racing, and Bremerton Raceway makes me feel like my parents did when I came home from college for Xmas.

Chris Barnes
Wagons of Steel
Stock 6621

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The few times I've been there Royce at MIR usually stops by and thanks everyone or does come by and chat with you about whats going on. Also the Dimino's at Numidia come by and Thanks you for showing up along with a few jokes to get you rolling on the floor.

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Immokalee Regional Raceway is also one of the tracks that make you feel welcome and thank you for supporting their events. Its one of the stops on the spring tour in Florida.

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I would have to agree with Dion and Phillip the IHRA crew did a great job with the Pro Am series, unfortunately it may be changed for 2012 due to low car counts, i will start another thread about this. Dion is correct with the small tracks in our area do a great job of making you feel welcome, the Saskatoon event is very fun as we are the headliners and are treated especially good by Dave and the whole Saskatoon gang.

Darcy Clarke
6254 AA/SA SS/JA

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"Bremerton Raceway makes me feel like my parents did when I came home from college for Xmas." Chris is that a good thing or a bad thing?? I guess it depends if you brought a lot of dirty laundry home for your mom to wash,,, or,, if you asked your dad for more money. I'm hoping you've been treated alright at Bremerton. Take care.
Danny Durham

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Royce Miller at MIR for Ihra's Sportsman Spectacular in July. Class act and very well run facility.

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A few come to mind.
1) Spring Fling bracket race at Bristol. Peter and Kyle walked the staging lanes before first rd thanking everyone for coming. That race had a different atmosphere than a lot I've been too.

2) IHRA Sportsman Spectacular at MIR and VMP. Both places thanked us.

3) Piedmont Dragway Door Car Nationals - Satch Gragg and Gilmer Hinshaw both Thanked us for being there.

4) Everytime at a Anthony Walton promotion event.

5) Billy Wilson at Darlington IHRA race, The Miles family at Carolina Dragway, Tony Brown at Mooresville

6) Steve Earwood at the Memorial day bracket races and the Bracket finals.

There are a lot more but the thanking has to be a 2 - way street. I try to find the promoter of the event and Thank them for having us there, especially if it is a bad weekend for them.

Chip Johnson

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Ditto on Ralph and Thomas at Immokolee.
The entire IHRA staff at all their events.
Dunn-Benson Dragstrip. A local 1/8th mile track in North Carolina. Ms. Loretta at the gate is the best.
I've been to so many places this year just trying to think of them all. Sorry if i left anyone out.
Chip Johnson

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Irwindale. We raced the Summit Series the last several seasons, and Bob and the rest of the track pesonnel have treated us really well. They appreciated us, and we appreciated them. Also,Div.7 official staging lanes perpetual mascot, Harold Owens, helps make these races what they are.Wouldn't be the same without him!