zacharygirl19
06-02-2007, 11:23 AM
Someone on the fascar board mentioned an article posted in the madison messenger so I found it and put on here in case anyone wants to read it. Enjoy!:Toothless:
311 Speedway making a name for itself
By Brett Knight
Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Bobby Lamb's dream of building a racetrack actually started in Maysville. He had every intention of bringing racing to that area of eastern North Carolina - until his partner failed to come up with the rest of the money.
The track is still there, unfinished, but Lamb's focus for the 1½ years has been on the 311 Speedway.
Although he didn't build the track, better known as the "Daytona of Dirt," its current owner has made his mark on the half-mile clay oval outside Madison. He has brought both big-name races and drivers to 311, and he doesn't plan to stop.
"This is a racing community, but you have a lot of people going to Bowman Gray (in Winston-Salem)," said Lamb, who has been involved in racing for more than 50 years, including 25 to 30 years as a driver on asphalt and dirt. "We need to get some people here. You get 10- to 12-thousand people there, but this is too nice of a facility to sit here for what is coming in here now."
Since buying the track with Jacque Hedge**** in August 2005, Lamb has stayed true to his word on bringing in more racing. Just this season, Nextel Cup drivers Carl Edwards, Casey Mears, Ken Schrader, Clint Bowyer, along with Nextel Cup All-Star race and Daytona 500 winner Kevin Harvick have made appearances at the track.
"I'm really impressed with this track, said Harvick. "The lighting is great for a track like this. People really like this. Racing is racing though no matter is it asphalt or dirt."
Edwards, Mears, Schrader and Bowyer came to the track, which actually is in Pine Hall, on April 1 to compete in the Late Model race the night before the Goody's Cool Orange 500 in Martinsville. Harvick and Bowyer were at 311 on May 16 and 17 getting in some practice laps before the all-star race in Concord. Lamb also hopes to bring NASCAR's most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., to the track in the near future.
The previous two owners - Jerry Friddle, David Dick - intended to improve the track and lure some popular racing divisions to 311. But the Carolina Clash averaged about two visits a year to Pine Hall. With Lamb at the helm, the Carolina Super Series (traveling racing division) makes visits every three to four weeks during the year and will make a total of 11 appearances. The last visit was April 18, and the series will be back Saturday.
The Carolina drivers have made quite an impression, breaking the track record for speed twice within the past four weeks. Chris Madden set the record four weeks ago with 16.4 seconds (one lap around the track) and Austin Dillon (grandson of car owner Richard Childress) broke it this past Friday at 16.2. The record stood for close to 10 years prior to Madden's record-setting lap.
"I've been in racing my whole life and I know roughly what it takes to have a successful track," Lamb said. "I know you can't run people off. It is a lot harder to get them back than it is to keep them."
Lamb hopes for more fans to fill the stands every time there is a race at 311. Between 600 and 700 fans show up at the track on a weekly basis to watch several racing divisions, including Late Model, Super Streets, Stock Four, U-Cars, Jr. U-Cars (9- to 15-year-olds) and Hobby.
And more than 1,200 fans venture to the 4,800-seat facility when the Carolina Super Series comes to town.
The track has been packed when the Lucas Oil Series raced at 311 many years ago. Those events were standing-room-only, and Lamb hopes it can be that way again.
"I want what they have at the Martinsville races," he said.
Having raced in the past with the likes of Junior Johnson and Bobby Allison, Lamb has connections in the world of racing.
"It helps," Lamb said. "Knowing some of the big names in racing, you can get well-known drivers to come. That is really big, especially at a place like this."
Lamb was quick to say he made some changes when he took over at 311. One included the staff. He cut the number of workers in half.
A track can have too many employees, especially in the pit area, he said.
"I know everything there is to know about a race track. When I got here I cut a lot of employees. They had helpers helping helpers. There were too many people here that we didn't need."
The New 311 Speedway has had new dirt placed onto the track since Johns took over. He also hopes to put in an irrigation system in the neat future.
The hard work is being recognized, particularly on Saturday nights, when the cars' engines can be heard for miles around the track.
"When he runs big shows here, they do have a big turnout," said veteran driver Gary East, who has been racing at 311 for more than 20 years. "Everybody around here wants to race here."
Track workers, both veterans and rookies, have noticed a difference between Lamb and the previous owners. According to Robbie Wall and John Smith, Lamb is getting the word about 311 to drivers, not only in the county but throughout the state and the Southeast.
"He is a real business man," said Wall, who has worked at the track for four years, helping to water the racing surface and driving the pace car. "He's brought big-time races here and NASCAR drivers here. He is getting the 311 name out there. He is wanting this to be the best track on the East Coast."
Smith is relatively new to the track, having worked there for only a month. But he's impressed with the owner's attitude and ambition.
"He's a good promoter," Smith said. "He's done more for this track than some of the past owners.
Smith mentioned that some of Lamb's new ideas include a powder-puff race, in which women will go head-to-head in the dirt cars.
Lamb has 15 "big races" that will be showcased in the 2007 season, which ends in October.
Everything from the Carolina Super Series, Sprint Cars and the Old-Timers will race. He's also thinking about bringing in the monster trucks and dirt bikes.
"People like the big races and I saw that last year when I started the Carolina Super Series," said Lamb. "I believe the fans will start coming. We struggled at first and had a few obstacles, but it has gotten better and it is going to get better."
311 Speedway making a name for itself
By Brett Knight
Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Bobby Lamb's dream of building a racetrack actually started in Maysville. He had every intention of bringing racing to that area of eastern North Carolina - until his partner failed to come up with the rest of the money.
The track is still there, unfinished, but Lamb's focus for the 1½ years has been on the 311 Speedway.
Although he didn't build the track, better known as the "Daytona of Dirt," its current owner has made his mark on the half-mile clay oval outside Madison. He has brought both big-name races and drivers to 311, and he doesn't plan to stop.
"This is a racing community, but you have a lot of people going to Bowman Gray (in Winston-Salem)," said Lamb, who has been involved in racing for more than 50 years, including 25 to 30 years as a driver on asphalt and dirt. "We need to get some people here. You get 10- to 12-thousand people there, but this is too nice of a facility to sit here for what is coming in here now."
Since buying the track with Jacque Hedge**** in August 2005, Lamb has stayed true to his word on bringing in more racing. Just this season, Nextel Cup drivers Carl Edwards, Casey Mears, Ken Schrader, Clint Bowyer, along with Nextel Cup All-Star race and Daytona 500 winner Kevin Harvick have made appearances at the track.
"I'm really impressed with this track, said Harvick. "The lighting is great for a track like this. People really like this. Racing is racing though no matter is it asphalt or dirt."
Edwards, Mears, Schrader and Bowyer came to the track, which actually is in Pine Hall, on April 1 to compete in the Late Model race the night before the Goody's Cool Orange 500 in Martinsville. Harvick and Bowyer were at 311 on May 16 and 17 getting in some practice laps before the all-star race in Concord. Lamb also hopes to bring NASCAR's most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., to the track in the near future.
The previous two owners - Jerry Friddle, David Dick - intended to improve the track and lure some popular racing divisions to 311. But the Carolina Clash averaged about two visits a year to Pine Hall. With Lamb at the helm, the Carolina Super Series (traveling racing division) makes visits every three to four weeks during the year and will make a total of 11 appearances. The last visit was April 18, and the series will be back Saturday.
The Carolina drivers have made quite an impression, breaking the track record for speed twice within the past four weeks. Chris Madden set the record four weeks ago with 16.4 seconds (one lap around the track) and Austin Dillon (grandson of car owner Richard Childress) broke it this past Friday at 16.2. The record stood for close to 10 years prior to Madden's record-setting lap.
"I've been in racing my whole life and I know roughly what it takes to have a successful track," Lamb said. "I know you can't run people off. It is a lot harder to get them back than it is to keep them."
Lamb hopes for more fans to fill the stands every time there is a race at 311. Between 600 and 700 fans show up at the track on a weekly basis to watch several racing divisions, including Late Model, Super Streets, Stock Four, U-Cars, Jr. U-Cars (9- to 15-year-olds) and Hobby.
And more than 1,200 fans venture to the 4,800-seat facility when the Carolina Super Series comes to town.
The track has been packed when the Lucas Oil Series raced at 311 many years ago. Those events were standing-room-only, and Lamb hopes it can be that way again.
"I want what they have at the Martinsville races," he said.
Having raced in the past with the likes of Junior Johnson and Bobby Allison, Lamb has connections in the world of racing.
"It helps," Lamb said. "Knowing some of the big names in racing, you can get well-known drivers to come. That is really big, especially at a place like this."
Lamb was quick to say he made some changes when he took over at 311. One included the staff. He cut the number of workers in half.
A track can have too many employees, especially in the pit area, he said.
"I know everything there is to know about a race track. When I got here I cut a lot of employees. They had helpers helping helpers. There were too many people here that we didn't need."
The New 311 Speedway has had new dirt placed onto the track since Johns took over. He also hopes to put in an irrigation system in the neat future.
The hard work is being recognized, particularly on Saturday nights, when the cars' engines can be heard for miles around the track.
"When he runs big shows here, they do have a big turnout," said veteran driver Gary East, who has been racing at 311 for more than 20 years. "Everybody around here wants to race here."
Track workers, both veterans and rookies, have noticed a difference between Lamb and the previous owners. According to Robbie Wall and John Smith, Lamb is getting the word about 311 to drivers, not only in the county but throughout the state and the Southeast.
"He is a real business man," said Wall, who has worked at the track for four years, helping to water the racing surface and driving the pace car. "He's brought big-time races here and NASCAR drivers here. He is getting the 311 name out there. He is wanting this to be the best track on the East Coast."
Smith is relatively new to the track, having worked there for only a month. But he's impressed with the owner's attitude and ambition.
"He's a good promoter," Smith said. "He's done more for this track than some of the past owners.
Smith mentioned that some of Lamb's new ideas include a powder-puff race, in which women will go head-to-head in the dirt cars.
Lamb has 15 "big races" that will be showcased in the 2007 season, which ends in October.
Everything from the Carolina Super Series, Sprint Cars and the Old-Timers will race. He's also thinking about bringing in the monster trucks and dirt bikes.
"People like the big races and I saw that last year when I started the Carolina Super Series," said Lamb. "I believe the fans will start coming. We struggled at first and had a few obstacles, but it has gotten better and it is going to get better."