Ace snubbed from 2010 WSMT schedule

[AlkyMadness]

Adding more proof to Ace's unstable financial situation, the track is absent from the 2010 Whelen Southern Mod Tour schedule. And the schedule has plenty of room for additional races in April, May and June.

On the other hand, if I were a promoter, would I really want a series that might only bring ten cars? Not only has Ace lost the WSMT, but Lanier, Myrtle Beach, Martinsville and Concord are also off the 2010 schedule.

[team0]

Wow,sounds like the series is in more trouble than Ace.:-|
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[AlkyMadness]

Could be, but it's not because NASCAR is broke, that's for sure.

I'm completely convinced that the only reason NASCAR has a Southern tour is to keep other series away that might compete with the all holy Bowman Gray. In my opinion, their involvement holds this kind of mod racing hostage.

[team0]

Could be, but it's not because NASCAR is broke, that's for sure.

I'm completely convinced that the only reason NASCAR has a Southern tour is to keep other series away that might compete with the all holy Bowman Gray. In my opinion, their involvement holds this kind of mod racing hostage.
You hit the nail on the head,bowban grey get 14,000 to 15,000 people wkly with these mods an the tracks nascar sanctioned an there making money just off that place!All about the $!!!
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[wesleycogdell]

NASCAR has ruined racing around this area i feel like. It cost so much to have a NASCAR license and race on a NASCAR tracks. All NASCAR cares about is the money. Think how much it can hurt a local track when NASCAR runs on a Saturday night. I think the tracks around here can survive without NASCAR however. Keep the expense down for the owner and you will eventually have more cars.

[BigO]

I can't help but think that Ace is off due to the turmoil at the track, and I really can't blame NA$CAR for doing it. Same with pulling dates away from Caraway. Yet adding Tri-County (talk about low car counts, if I'm thinking of the right place), making Martinsville a NORTHERN race (an hour from Greensboro, and it's NORTHERN?!?!), and taking away Myrtle Beach make little sense. As I've said elsewhere, the Charlotte and Atlanta races are a dual-edged sword, as they can be great at promoting the series if done right, or can be PR disaster if its only ten cars running in a train that people on the back stretch can't see.

Bowman Gray, Camping World Trucks, Nationwide Series, and Sprint Cup races on Friday and Saturday nights are going to be a bane from now on for any other track or series out there, NA$CAR sanctioned or not, because they are where the money lies. If you put together a good show, though, people will come to see it. More than once, I've went to the Martinsville late model race and listened to the Sprint Cup race in Kansas, or been at 311 listening to the Sprint Cup race elsewhere.

Ace just has to figure out how to put on a good show, and convince others they can do it consistantly.

[rtmfan]

I can't help but think that Ace is off due to the turmoil at the track, and I really can't blame NA$CAR for doing it. Same with pulling dates away from Caraway. Yet adding Tri-County (talk about low car counts, if I'm thinking of the right place), making Martinsville a NORTHERN race (an hour from Greensboro, and it's NORTHERN?!?!), and taking away Myrtle Beach make little sense. As I've said elsewhere, the Charlotte and Atlanta races are a dual-edged sword, as they can be great at promoting the series if done right, or can be PR disaster if its only ten cars running in a train that people on the back stretch can't see.

Bowman Gray, Camping World Trucks, Nationwide Series, and Sprint Cup races on Friday and Saturday nights are going to be a bane from now on for any other track or series out there, NA$CAR sanctioned or not, because they are where the money lies. If you put together a good show, though, people will come to see it. More than once, I've went to the Martinsville late model race and listened to the Sprint Cup race in Kansas, or been at 311 listening to the Sprint Cup race elsewhere.

Ace just has to figure out how to put on a good show, and convince others they can do it consistantly.

Tricounty will have good car count as it is in NC and right above Hickory. Now taking away Myrtle Beach made perfect sense because none of the guys wanted to go there and there will only be a 100 people in the stands.

As for making Martinsville a northern race it was already 90% northern.Know the southern guys got points for where they finished but really no big deal. The same 10 or so southern guys will still run it.

As for Atlanta and Charlotte think they will have good car counts and attract some guys like Ryan Newman etc.

Now as for adding Langley not sure why maybe the crowd will be good but not so sure again about car counts and guys going there.

[BigO]

I'm a bit confused here - from looking at the websight for Tri-County (in Hudson, NC, correct?) throughout the year, it looks like they didn't have but six regular competitors in the late model (feature) division, averaging about thirteen cars on the track for their feature division, and down into the single digit car counts for the support divisions. I don't call that a good car count. NA$CAR must be seeing something else to take a tour there.

As for Myrtle Beach, it's sad to hear it's getting that bad. While I have never been there, I remember when the teams loved to go there after running a full season at Bowman Gray - call it a working vacation.

[rtmfan]

I'm a bit confused here - from looking at the websight for Tri-County (in Hudson, NC, correct?) throughout the year, it looks like they didn't have but six regular competitors in the late model (feature) division, averaging about thirteen cars on the track for their feature division, and down into the single digit car counts for the support divisions. I don't call that a good car count. NA$CAR must be seeing something else to take a tour there.

As for Myrtle Beach, it's sad to hear it's getting that bad. While I have never been there, I remember when the teams loved to go there after running a full season at Bowman Gray - call it a working vacation.

But this will be touring modifieds not a weekly show. The modified guys will like it being close to home.

As for myrtle beach I think your quote in a way is what hurts the beach, seems like with economy and what the series pays guys just dont want to go far from home (stadium).

[barbecueboy]

But this will be touring modifieds not a weekly show. The modified guys will like it being close to home.

As for myrtle beach I think your quote in a way is what hurts the beach, seems like with economy and what the series pays guys just dont want to go far from home (stadium).
ive lived in or near mb since the 60s..........The speedway used to be great(esp when dirt)...........its not any quotes that hurt mbs.....its the speedway themselves that do absolutly nothing to promote itself.......too bad for the local fans!!!

[rtmfan]

ive lived in or near mb since the 60s..........The speedway used to be great(esp when dirt)...........its not any quotes that hurt mbs.....its the speedway themselves that do absolutly nothing to promote itself.......too bad for the local fans!!!


Oh I totally agree on that as the track doesn nothing anymore to promote races, used to do ads in paper at least. I mean look upcoming this weekend is one of the biggest late model and llm races of the year. People beg for entry list etc. but nothing.

---------- Post added at 11:47 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:45 AM ----------

ive lived in or near mb since the 60s..........The speedway used to be great(esp when dirt)...........its not any quotes that hurt mbs.....its the speedway themselves that do absolutly nothing to promote itself.......too bad for the local fans!!!


Also didnt mean the quotes literally are what hurts the track but when he quoted a lot of guys used to when the stadiums season ended went to the beach. I was just saying in context his quote of guys only going when the stadiums season is over and how much power that place has.

[RACEFACE]

Adding more proof to Ace's unstable financial situation, the track is absent from the 2010 Whelen Southern Mod Tour schedule. And the schedule has plenty of room for additional races in April, May and June.

On the other hand, if I were a promoter, would I really want a series that might only bring ten cars? Not only has Ace lost the WSMT, but Lanier, Myrtle Beach, Martinsville and Concord are also off the 2010 schedule.


Actually I as a fan and I'm sure the Southern Tour drivers are glad to see the MARTINSVILLE race is NOT A COMBO race but a Northern Tour race,to me I think its an insult to pay the Southern drivers less than 1/4 of what the Northern drivers are paid to win (2,000.00 vs. 8,500.00) This race will be one purse now instead of 2 so now any Southern tour driver will be paid the same as a Nothern tour driver.

[juice28]

good point about the purse...tho the southern guys won't get nearly the same money with the contingency money and free hoosier's the northern guys get. The point made earlier about protecting Bowman Grey is absolutely correct. That appears to be the main goal of the southern tour, why else would the Bristol race be a "combined" race and not Martinsville? (the Bristol race is not during BG's season) I know that Motor Mile wanted a date but all NASCAR offered was a race after the stadium quit running not during RACING season. What a shame that they are ruining modified racing in the south...and no I don"t consider what they do at the stadium racing! There are only 2 BG regulars who compete full time on the tour anyway.....

[corey17]

These are all nice replies, and may be very true. But hearing that the track has lost it's NASCAR sanction may be the biggest reason.

[AlkyMadness]

When was this announced? Not that I think it's a bad thing. IMO, NASCAR didn't bring much to the table for it's local short tracks when you consider the sanction fees and the drivers licenses required.

Besides, I don't think that means much to the touring series. Last I knew, Tri-County in Hudson isn't NASCAR sanctioned.

This could be a step in the right direction.

[corey17]

Don't know this for sure, but people on the track payroll (LOL) have told me they think this is very true. I can believe it, they haven't paid for anything else, why would NASCAR be any different? True, some other tracks don't have NASCAR sanction, but they also just didn't screw NASCAR out of money, they hold a grudge when you do that. The rules meeting on Dec. 5th should be very interesting, how much money you wanna bet we pull up to a locked gate?

[rtmfan]

When was this announced? Not that I think it's a bad thing. IMO, NASCAR didn't bring much to the table for it's local short tracks when you consider the sanction fees and the drivers licenses required.

Besides, I don't think that means much to the touring series. Last I knew, Tri-County in Hudson isn't NASCAR sanctioned.

This could be a step in the right direction.

Tri county is nascar sanctioned.

[NCMudcat]

Still haven't seen an announcement officially removing NASCAR sanction from ACE, but saw Caraway will now race with NASCAR sanction on Friday nights, as well as Saturdays.

[NCMudcat]

And now it's official. See speed51.com and race22.com. Not much of an announcement, but apparently it's enough.

[TurnThree]

Just as telling is the fact that there's no denial from the track. And they've had the oppportunity to address this issue for 3 or 4 weeks now, as it's been in question publicly for at least that long.

Trust me, they're out.

Very, very sad time for the place. By far the worst shape it's probably ever been in.:07Sucks:

[RACEFACE]

I've said it once on here and I'll say it again....Larry Rose you are an Idiot,Thanks for ruining one of the best tracks in the Va/NC area.I would hope by now that all of these people who are owed money by the track have spoken with the proper authorities and that Larry Rose (or God knows whatever his real name is) is spending his Christmas in a jail cell.

[ardvark68]

There is a new Go Kart track opening in March 2010 just a few miles from Ace....So, now they can do some or all of the "pick-up races" for all those RWYB, Demo Derby cars and anything else they can find to race on Friday or Saturday, or both. Maybe, even another Bo Show or grow some trees. Quit going to the big track in 2007 went to a couple races in 2008 and none in 2009.

The Go Kart track was ACE's "Golden Egg" but, that opportunity was repeatly abused.
It was a good track at a great facility. Lots of very devoted racers and fans showed up every week and gave their weekly support. I attended every kart race in late 2008 and all but maybe two in 2009. Fully Funded (by drivers) Points fund ???? awaiting on definite word from the track.....Dec. then Jan. and lasts was in Feb.........for points pay out
I seriously doubt that I will be going there any in 2010.
It could have been one of the top kart tracks in NC/VA. :check_flag:

Sad to witness such a good short track, kart track, great race facility, and local attraction being slowly flushed down the drain.:smiley_601:

But, they got their own agenda. They really, don't care what the drivers and fans want to do or see.:turned_down:
"Rules just cost me money" :icon_pimp: ......and that equals no sanctioning body :Whip:like NASCAR next year. Long history of changing the rules to "that's the way we do it at ACE today"..........

[BigO]

Just looked at the website, and they still have the NA$CAR Whelen logo still up, even though they finally took down the expired events (I won't give them grief on that, as it was the holidays). Looks like the January 9 drivers meeting is still on - guess we'll see then. Wish I didn't have to work that day, or I would have went down to find out for myself what is going on.