First Time Visitor to FMR

[Hooligan29]

I live in Northern Virginia (Manassas) and came to see Fork Mountain last weekend. I'd never been there before and I admit (sorry about this) I came to see the Sprint Cars. The Sprint Show was good. I have certainly seen better from the VA Sprints. I usually see them at Winchester, VA.

The real reason I made this post was to say WHAT A TRACK. Good wide turns, smooth surface, way above average lighting and PA system. It is a shame that the car counts were so small. I've been to a lot of the big name dirt tracks and I'll have to say Fork Mountain is better than most of them. Overall, I can't think of a better dirt track in Virginia. Saluda is a pretty facility, but the racing surface is too abrasive, leaving the cars with no tires to make a pass after 10 laps.

I wish I could have seen the track with a really good car count in each class. It must have been something.

I wish the fans well at FMR. For those I talked to last weekend, I really enjoyed your company. I may make another race later in the season. My wife must love me to make the 4 hour drive.

[RACEFACE]

Hey Hooligan........Glad you enjoyed your trip down.....FMR has always been a great track......and the racing has always been great until recently.....the tracks new owner took away our every friday night racing and went to racing on Saturday nights once a month or so......It has left ALOT of the long time track supporters and drivers going other places.....within a 2 hours drive of FMR we have at least 6 or 7 other tracks running on Saturday nights.....unlike Friday nights there is 1 way down in Carolina.......It really hurts me to see this wonderful track with so much potential not being run to its potential......back in its day if you were not here by 6 pm you either sat on the bottom 2 rows and dodged dirts pellets slung from the tires.....or took advantage of the standing room only......I really miss those days......The stands were full of people as well as the track full of cars......And the the new owner came along and what you saw Saturday night is what it is now......I miss it the way it used to be and hundreds and hundreds of other fans do too.......we recently had a very gracious local businessman try to have a Late Model race and was going to put up 800.00 as part of the purse and the new owner turned it down.......We have had one of the wonderful Late Model drivers out of NC try to put a race together and it was declined......I know its Frenchs track and he has the right to run it on any day or in anyway he wants.......But if i was the track owner I'd want the track full of cars full as well as the the stands....not what you saw Saturday.

[durtyjohnny35]

Thanks Hooligan for making the long trip down to watch, and support the sprints, and FMR. Sorry though that you had to witness the way the local folks treat the new kid on the block. Seems change is something most can't deal with, or tolerate. It's a shame, because like you said it is a great track. Just too bad some people can't get over their personal problems, and give the track a chance.

[RACEFACE]

Thanks Hooligan for making the long trip down to watch, and support the sprints, and FMR. Sorry though that you had to witness the way the local folks treat the new kid on the block. Seems change is something most can't deal with, or tolerate. It's a shame, because like you said it is a great track. Just too bad some people can't get over their personal problems, and give the track a chance.

Hey John Rice.......I found your comments quite strange......maybe you can explain more in detail TO US LOCAL FOLKS how we treat the new kid on the block and our personal problems we need to get over?.......Change is good when it is positive......the changes we have seen at FMR are definately not positive......I know you probably haven't attended many races over the years when the track was known as OLR, but US LOCAL FOLKS were used to a track that raced every week, a track that had plenty of competition(good car counts),and plenty of fans that packed the stands......BUT most important someone who knew how to run a track......I'm guessing since there are not alot of Rice's in this area the you are probably kin to Bill Rice driver of #32 of the VSS Sprint .......and I'm sure you are happy because the Sprints have somewhere to race just about every ......See thats the way OLR used to be......racing every week, the track could go out and get sponsors and the local business could yield a return on their sponsorship dollars.....The same goes for the cars......I don't know of too many people around here who want to tie up $20,000 in a late model or $5,000 - $10,000 in a super street just to run just to race 7 times a year.....I don't know of any business that would want to throw any amount of serious sponsorship dollars to sponsor a car with that little bit of return.......now if things were like they were and the track was being ran as a business instead of a hobby and races were being held every week I'm sure things would be different......but they are not. A local businessman who owns a furniture business even offered to put up $800.00 for a late model race and the track owner refused the offer........You never heard of any of this type of conversations on Local Race Chat when the Masons ran the track.......sure fans would be fans and bicker when things happened between the cars they were pulling for......but there was good racing on Friday nights back then and the stands and track were both full, I guess thats why Gary and Alesia saw the demand for a FRIDAY night track, They jumped at the opportunity when they knew there was only 1 other track within a 2 or 3 hour drive as compared to FMR which switched to Saturday nights with 6 or 7 other tracks running with a 2-3 hour drive and their track will be a sucess from day 1.....We THE LOCAL FOLK are the ones losing out at FMR, and I guess it is hard to accept the types of change we have been force to deal with.......but in another month of so WE THE LOCAL FOLK will have a new place to race at Rolling Thunder Raceway. Its just hard to see this wonderful track slipping away......I just hope someone saves it before its another Log Cabin Raceway......I'm sure everyone doesn't agree with my thoughts,and I respect them that......but thats just the way this race fan fills.

[durtyjohnny35]

Hey John Rice.......I found your comments quite strange......maybe you can explain more in detail TO US LOCAL FOLKS how we treat the new kid on the block and our personal problems we need to get over?.......Change is good when it is positive......the changes we have seen at FMR are definately not positive......I know you probably haven't attended many races over the years when the track was known as OLR, but US LOCAL FOLKS were used to a track that raced every week, a track that had plenty of competition(good car counts),and plenty of fans that packed the stands......BUT most important someone who knew how to run a track......I'm guessing since there are not alot of Rice's in this area the you are probably kin to Bill Rice driver of #32 of the VSS Sprint .......and I'm sure you are happy because the Sprints have somewhere to race just about every ......See thats the way OLR used to be......racing every week, the track could go out and get sponsors and the local business could yield a return on their sponsorship dollars.....The same goes for the cars......I don't know of too many people around here who want to tie up $20,000 in a late model or $5,000 - $10,000 in a super street just to run just to race 7 times a year.....I don't know of any business that would want to throw any amount of serious sponsorship dollars to sponsor a car with that little bit of return.......now if things were like they were and the track was being ran as a business instead of a hobby and races were being held every week I'm sure things would be different......but they are not. A local businessman who owns a furniture business even offered to put up $800.00 for a late model race and the track owner refused the offer........You never heard of any of this type of conversations on Local Race Chat when the Masons ran the track.......sure fans would be fans and bicker when things happened between the cars they were pulling for......but there was good racing on Friday nights back then and the stands and track were both full, I guess thats why Gary and Alesia saw the demand for a FRIDAY night track, They jumped at the opportunity when they knew there was only 1 other track within a 2 or 3 hour drive as compared to FMR which switched to Saturday nights with 6 or 7 other tracks running with a 2-3 hour drive and their track will be a sucess from day 1.....We THE LOCAL FOLK are the ones losing out at FMR, and I guess it is hard to accept the types of change we have been force to deal with.......but in another month of so WE THE LOCAL FOLK will have a new place to race at Rolling Thunder Raceway. Its just hard to see this wonderful track slipping away......I just hope someone saves it before its another Log Cabin Raceway......I'm sure everyone doesn't agree with my thoughts,and I respect them that......but thats just the way this race fan fills.
Ok Joe no last name. You are right Bill Rice VSS #32 is my brother, and good to see you do a little research, and look up my bio. However that does not mean you have all your facts straight. FMR runs when they can afford to run. Yes the all mighty dollar dictates that. You really have no idea how many times I have been to the track when it was OLR, so don't even go there. And as far as no Rices living in the area what does that have to do with anything? My remarks were directed towards the folks that have chosen to boycott the track because the promoter has chosen to switch nights, and it is obviously not what some want. So be it. This is the first year for the track, and the promoter, and some things may change, and some won't. Give the track a chance to get up, and running. Let the promoter make his decisions, rules, and mistakes. He is only human. You seem to have all the answers to what will make the track a success, and have full fields, and full stands. Good for you! Now go out, and get yourself a track, and see how easy it is. BTW I'm not ashamed or embarrassed by you calling me by my real name Joe___. Just my opinion as a race fan, crew member, competitor, and member of LRC!:check_flag:

[youngenginefan]

friday Nights Seems To Be What Would Help

[durtyjohnny35]

Sorry Raceface I got called away before I could finish my post. As far as personal problems...Besides not coping with change... Four words, French Grimes,Sprint cars. Now not knowing you, I can only guess you have never really met the man. He has only been active in racing all his life as a competitor, and racing is his lifes passion. So why would he try to destroy, or ruin a race track? He is honest, and direct, and maybe too direct. Now the dreaded sprint cars. What is wrong with any car that races on dirt? Hell I watch all kinds of dirt racing, and enjoy it all. Why the personal hate for sprints? Just another kind of car that races on dirt. Or is it because Dale or Cale, or Junior never ran them? You are certainly entitled to like or dislike anything you want, but just wonder why you feel that way is all.

[RACEFACE]

Well see I guess this is where me and you are going to differ....no one is boycotting FMR........my point all along is there are too many other tracks(6-7 within a 2 hour distance of FMR that run on Saturdays) within FMR's area that people have probably always attended as well as probably some of the other racers raced, Hey I've said all along I want to see ALL local tracks prosper.....I guess you living so far away plus if you go racing with your brother at a different track every week makes you unable to feel the disgust of the hundreds and hundreds of Local race fans and drivers who attended this track on Friday nights, and you being there so many times should know how the place was always packed.....what changed ??? 2 things.....the owners and the race day, Im sure French is a wonderful gentleman which leads me to whole heartedly believe thats its got to be the night he's chosen to race.....now I don't know if that makes sense to you but thats how I perceive things......now what does it take to make any track thrive......fans and the drivers......which brings me back to the point that so many of us who were always there on Fridays often went to other tracks or had other things to do on Saturdays, To me it doesn't really seem that hard of a fix if French truely want it to be. No one hates FMR.....Like Hooligan said its one of the nicest dirt tracks in Va.......I've said this more than once its Frenchs track and he can run it how he wants......its just hard to understand for us locals why its not being ran at its potential.....I know earlier you made the comment that "FMR runs when they can afford to run" wouldn't it be better to have a partner and run every week than to have that much money tied up in the place to only run 7 races a year?

[RACEFACE]

As far as the Sprints issues I have NO problem with them.....I actually have a cousin that raced the smaller ones for years at OLR......my favorite Nascar driver even drove them years ago......I'll tell you straight up the only thing that I dislike right now is the switch from Fridays to Satudays.....Thats why I had RaceJunkie start the poll......alot of people are afraid to speak their minds......and I figured the poll would be a fair way to show what night more fans would or could attend the races at FMR......and although it doesn't speak for everyone out of the 62 people who I thank for voting show that about 4 times more the people would gladly attend on Fridays.....and would probably bring their spouse,kids or possibly their neighbors.......wouldn't everyone be more happy if there was 4 to 6 times the number of people in the stands than there was Saturday night ?

[BOTTOM_DWELLER]

Eventhough this had gotten a little personal between Raceface and DJ35 they both had good points .THEN youngenginefan kicked the dead horse again. Im sure a little Preparation H would help your poor disposition. Nothing positive to say, stay away.:0022spanking:

[durtyjohnny35]

Eventhough this had gotten a little personal between Raceface and DJ35 they both had good points .THEN youngenginefan kicked the dead horse again. Im sure a little Preparation H would help your poor disposition. Nothing positive to say, stay away.:0022spanking:
It did sound a bit personal, and thought there was a reason that we used screen names on here, but heck I could be like so many others, and put in vague info. No harm. I 'm not hiding anything from anyone. Thanks for the insight on the subject Raceface. I enjoyed the "chat", well most of it. Hope something can be worked out for all involved.:thanx:

[RACEFACE]

Hey Bottom Dweller its not personal to me......There are way to many other things going on in life to make either this forum or FMR personal to me....I'm just a person who has saw alot of great races there over the years and hate seeing how things are now.....Just a little afraid once Rolling Thunder starts racing on Friday nights its going to make it even harder for FMR to make it.....maybe i'm wrong......but I definately believe in the old saying " If its not broken don't fix it " I'm very happy with what the new promoter is doing at my Saturday night track.....and even though he has had a 10 times harder job over coming the past dealings with that track than French has had, Richard has it jumping like it did 20 years ago.......All though money is a pretty major factor on running a track, picking the right night as well as treating your fans and drivers right will keep everyone coming back week after week !!!!

[youngenginefan]

i did not kick the dead horse. that is the big deal.

[BOTTOM_DWELLER]

Raceface I appaulde your interest in the local racing scene,but we cant fight change all the time . Id love to see Frank Pennington or Tom Bare cruise around Log Cabin but those days are gone. Mr Grimes made it possible for that track to be open this year maybe not on Fridays but at least the gates are open and theres racing in our backyard.
I believe the only way that track will ever be open on a friday is if the goverment takes saturday off the calendar . Just my opinion.
Hey DJ35 ,called the guy working the trailer sat. those two werent looking for t-shirts just matching thongs!

[youngenginefan]

I like the track.french has done a great job fixing the track.i just say that the saturday seems too be a big deal.don"t need the preparation H

[BOTTOM_DWELLER]

Youngenginefan sorry about that ,just like you wish some happy medium could be reached by all .Over the years seen alot of tracks closed and reopened ,new promoters old promoters, big ideas, big failures . You know tracks struggle enough without contraversay, and it takes alot to turn something around. There may have been racing at OLR last year but I dont think everything was as grand as everyone wants to believe. Im not bashing just my observation .

[youngenginefan]

Youngenginefan sorry about that ,just like you wish some happy medium could be reached by all .Over the years seen alot of tracks closed and reopened ,new promoters old promoters, big ideas, big failures . You know tracks struggle enough without contraversay, and it takes alot to turn something around. There may have been racing at OLR last year but I dont think everything was as grand as everyone wants to believe. Im not bashing just my observation .
thats true last year was joke. we stop racing before the year was up.:animal37:

[BOTTOM_DWELLER]

I think weve wore this topic out for now . LOOK forward to future debates with all of you who have participated. Lets all support the local dirt tracks or there wont be any more.

[Hooligan29]

Sorry, I didn't mean to kick anyone. Nice track anyway.

[dirtslider]

no, you started a nice post and it turned to crap....not your fault....hope you come back to FM soon...THANKS!:check_flag:

[racerwife]

First, I would like to say, thank you very much for making the LONG trip down to see our local track, no matter why you came, you took the time and made the effort. Can someone explain to me how come everytime a person posts a positive remark about FMR there ALWAYS has to be a person stating something negative? FMR is off to a very rocky start and I firmly believe that it will eventually take root and grow. I agree with the post that there are some that have decided to boycott FMR because it has changed, and other than the night that the races are ran, are there anyother complaints? Mr.Grimes isn't made of money, but he is one hell of a businessman. Sit and talk with him like I do on almost a daily basis and you will see that. He doesn't have a problem with paying the 800.00 purse that the Mr.Tatum was going to put up, the problem is that there were many latemodel drivers that told Mr.Grimes that they wouldn't unload for a purse less than a grand. For any of you that don't know him, he doesn't take ultamatums to well and that was what it was. If a lot of the drivers would get there heads out of there ass (sorry) and just see that if they would come to the track and show him they want to run instead of telling him what he is and aint gonna do, then who knows what the purse would be. I haven't heard any of the drivers complain about what they are being paid, and unlike some tracks, he pays all the way back. Maybe it's only 35.00 but when a driver only turns one lap and then still gets paid, I think thats pretty dam good (sorry). As for as young engines, myself and several other people have took it upon ourself to ask drivers and fans alike which day they preferred, (the ones that are actually at the track) and they could care less, they just like the racing. French was actually considering a race on a Friday night this September right up until a driver and his friends told French that the track would close if he didn't run on a Friday, he doesn't like being told what to do, and hell will freeze over first now, so let the Friday thing go, it's not gonna happen. Sorry to unload like that, it just pisses me off to see people keep bringing up the same old thing, let it go.

[driver10]

good then!!!! keep running against the other tracks with your 50 fans it is hurting nobody but fmr and it will soon resemble log cabin with pine trees parked in the infield instead of cars

[fireball]

Why don't all of you FCS and RTR supporters throw your opinions to someone who gives a **** and let us who are serious about trying to help the track FMR a success, race the track come watch some good racing and stop all the mudslinin and as for all the private messages from Mafia Racin' if you want to know who I am I will glady introduce myself when you get balls enough to come back to FMR ( don't guess that'll happen unless you can get Brodie to drive for ya though huh?):yousuck:

[youngenginefan]

Hey fireball how about u buy all the cars and u run for that bull****

[fireball]

I've run at the track from the time it opened with tim Willis runnin it and we never asked or cared what the purse was, we had a car and WANTED to race. They didn't have to pay us to do something that we loved and enjoyed doing. It costs money to hunt fish golf etc. etc, but do you get paid to go out at 5:30 in the morning and kill deer? nope. But you have to invest alot of money to do those things huh? All I'm saying is race or shut up all your bitchn..:smilie_koala2:

[mafia racing]

hey fireball do you know what the payout was for pure stocks and superstreets when tim was running the track.ss paid 600 to win and pure stock 300.fireball if you get your nose out of frenchs butt then maybe you would know a thing or two.the fans and racers arent bashing the track.we tried to give an opinion to help the track be succesful but french wont listen.as far as you being a driver bs.but you can run that mouth alot.i already know who you are and for the record i dont own the car i drive sometimes.the owner can let darrell waltrip drive if he desires.steve brodie is a great driver and the owner wanted someone with experiance to drive the car some.i never claimed to be a driver,but i can sure rattle your cage:lol: :kiss2568:

[fireball]

Hey Mafia haven't heard from you in so long I thought you had given up on us , but I knew you couldn't stay away. You like the fly in the middle of the nite that you just can't seem to get rid of. I'm glad you know who I am but I don't see where that helps your situation of not being able to drive a car any at all though huh? Maybe you should check your facts, because I was racin that track when Tim Willis had it and it didn't pay out that kinda purse.You really should find you a piece of land and build you a race track so you can see just how easy it is. You are so funny!:sign_weird_thread:

[driver10]

Why don't all of you FCS and RTR supporters throw your opinions to someone who gives a **** and let us who are serious about trying to help the track FMR a success, race the track come watch some good racing and stop all the mudslinin and as for all the private messages from Mafia Racin' if you want to know who I am I will glady introduce myself when you get balls enough to come back to FMR ( don't guess that'll happen unless you can get Brodie to drive for ya though huh?):yousuck:
one suggestion you genius fcs runs twice in august and there schedule has been out for a long time and the one race your promoter is going to run is on the same night as them would it have made sense to run one of the nights they were not you people have all this rage at a track that did not change nights and i dont understand it i am a dirt and asphalt fan and am not in to you peoples childish remarks about people who dont race on the track yall attend

[mafia racing]

sorry fireball i know your tender hearted but i will let you be..i wont say anything else about fmr vss track.i cant saying nothing positive about it so when it fails you can say i told you so...

[fireball]

It's not a big deal Mafia, I just want to see the track make it and all the negatives on here are really not very good for any track. Me personally have seen some of the best improvements on and at the track than has ever been made and it seems to be the issue of the saturday nights, if a driver is going to support a track it shouldn't matter what night they race, I mean they make a choice to go to another track, so why not make a choice to come to FMR, as French has said the car count decides the purse and you can't blame him for that, but if all the guys who DECIDE to go to another track came up to FMR then that would be a full field payout wouldn't it? Just trying to get a point across that everyone thats on here complaining about the low purse and car counts, bringem up there and get the full purse money.. Then what would the argument be about? Bad bologna burgers? :smilie12: jmo.

[RACEFACE]

Believe it or not Fireball.....no one is doubting the improvements to the track.....And no one wants the track to fail....Its a wonderful track no matter what division races on it.....The track failing is the last thing any of us want......but if the races we held on a night WE COULD be there we would.....hundreds and hundreds of us.......and like you said the payouts wouldn't be an issue.......We all just have things that make it imposible to be there.......Hope this isn't taken as a negative statement or a complaint.....I think honestly its just how alot of people feel.

[teamracer3]

It's not a big deal Mafia, I just want to see the track make it and all the negatives on here are really not very good for any track. Me personally have seen some of the best improvements on and at the track than has ever been made and it seems to be the issue of the saturday nights, if a driver is going to support a track it shouldn't matter what night they race, I mean they make a choice to go to another track, so why not make a choice to come to FMR, as French has said the car count decides the purse and you can't blame him for that, but if all the guys who DECIDE to go to another track came up to FMR then that would be a full field payout wouldn't it? Just trying to get a point across that everyone thats on here complaining about the low purse and car counts, bringem up there and get the full purse money.. Then what would the argument be about? Bad bologna burgers? :smilie12: jmo.

I think you are making a very good point in what you are saying. If you are going to be a real supporter than you ought to bring your car up there. My husband and his teamates run in the ucar class and they get a good payout every week because they are helping support the track. Everyone says that French has his favorite classes but really in all respects, he doesn't. Like anyone else would, he pays to the ones that support his track guys. U can't expect the man to keep on paying out of his own pocket. I give all my thanks to French for trying. He is a way better man then I could have ever been. I don't know if I could have took all of my life savings and handed it out like that man is doing. Reguardless, I would support his track as just a spectator too. :CAI30RID: THANKS TONS FRENCH!!!!!!

[youngenginefan]

**** that i have 10k ss not running for bull ****

[fireball]

He certainly has followed through with what he said he would, and that's what everyone was complaining about that the other promoters didn't do. He's got a great track to race on.. Hope it's there for many more years we love it..:05Cool:

[AEB_Racing]

I think French is doing a wonderful job at keeping the track in good shape. I have read on other forums about people complaining about holes in the track tearing up their cars, mud flying in the stands so bad that they can't even have a soda without mud getting in it, dust in their eyes. French tries to keep the track smooth. I've seen him working on the track at 3:00 in the morning after the races were over, rolling the track back in and watering it down with the water truck just so he can have a head start on getting it ready for the next race, even though the next race isn't for another month. Keep up the good job French, we appreciate everything u do so we can have our local race track to race on.:thanx: