Dirt Track Available
General
Jim the idea could work! It's totally new and uncharted territory, Lots of details to solve, but it could work. One thing's for sure, but the age-old racing 'business model' has sure created a lot of ghost tracks.
Forum Activity for @bobby-williamson
General
Dirt Track Available
General
Dublin Motor Speedway, 4/10 mile dirt track near Fayetteville, NC is available for lease for the 2012 season. http://www.dublinspeedway.net/
updated by @bobby-williamson: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM
Creating New Race Fans - The Old Ways Still Work
General
I too agree with everything that's been posted here, and I've tried to implement this very concept with local media. Their (Myrtle Beach Sun and the Wilmington Star News)reactionwas very surprising. In both cases, both papers were almost offended. They instantly reminded me this track's location (Dublin, NC) was "not in their neighborhood..........or reader-ship market" Acknowledging the validity of such technical/physical facts, I pointed out that both of these papers had active participants at this race track, and as such, had an existing niche with potential for growth. My logic fell on deaf ears, and both indicated they would possibly have a superior give me a call. Right, never happened. But, it does make one wonder why this prospect was not even considered.
Such a response is additional evidence of stock car racing's lost generation. While the sport's top level has been trying to re-define itself by capturing a 'new' audience, its abandonment of the grass-roots level has inflicted the greatest damage. Accordingly, the sport's connectivity with the greater population has plummeted. Contemporary sports writers are stick-and-ballers and, other than NASCAR, know very little of the racing's lower levels.
I was recently approached by the sports editor of Southport, NC's State Port Pilot. Although the entire subject was foreign (to him), he'd heard bits and pieces of an old local track, the Leland (NC) Raceway, and was fascinated. Somewhere along the way, he was told to contact me. I provided enough info, and other pertinent sources, he was able to develop a multi-page sports feature article. Thinking I was establishing a foothold, I reminded my editor-friend of the possibility of future articles......there's a treasure-trove of such info, if he was interested. I've never heard from him again, except, to say the article was a smashing success and another recent email thanking me for my help........as he was awarded some type of yearly journalism award from the NC Journalistic society (or some such group).........for his article on Leland Raceway.
Is print media the same as it once was? Will the traditional newspaper even survive? Who's the sports writers now,anyway? We are in a period of transition, and it appears the information conduit has already changed. Venues such as this (racers reunion.com) are powerful, and will be one of the techniques for saving the sport. True, it's different, it's not the 'main-stream' media, but it's effective. Can you say Historic Cleveland County Speedway, Columbia Speedway, Middle Georgia Raceway.......? I know I can. Welcome to the future!
RACIN' THROUGH HISTORY aka THE GOAT RODEO
-RacersReunion® RADIO
Big Daddy's got them goats line up like aonion patch!!!!
SHELBY - Can we connect with this $6.5 Million Venture?
General
Dave, that's certainly something to consider. Cleveland county's stock car heritage is without question. With the rebirth of the speedway, the timing is perfect,
Capella Speedway - A Short-Lived And Forgotten NC Half-Miler **UPDATE** (Aerials Found)
Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks
Robert, over the years, Fayetteville has had several different tracks.....Champion Speedway, Fayetteville Speedway, Cumberland Int'l Speedway aka Fayetteville Motor Speedway. Not sure if this is the complete list, but of this group, the Champion Speedway is the oldest and was operating in the 1950's, even hosting a few NASCAR GN events. The host track for this 1948 event, if it was Fayetteville's first stock car race, may have been a converted fairgrounds/horse track, common to many early NASCAR venues.
Capella Speedway - A Short-Lived And Forgotten NC Half-Miler **UPDATE** (Aerials Found)
Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks
Robert, do you have a date for the Fayetteville article/race? Racing's always had a pretty good foothold in Cumberland co. and this looks to be its beginning.
Capella Speedway - A Short-Lived And Forgotten NC Half-Miler **UPDATE** (Aerials Found)
Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks
Robert, great job!! Thanks for sharing.