Hard to believe we are already in the middle of June. It seems as if spring has just arrived. We closely track attendance at our races and have seen a trend for Saturday races. The counts have been low on good weather days and bad weather days. This goes for Bracket Racing and Quick 16 programs. With that being said we are going to cancel the Super Saturday program and the Quick 16 series. We will still hold gamblers bracket races for a $35 entry for Box and No Box, Test & Tune, and Jr. Dragsters (at select events). For Box and No Box classes, if there are less than 35 cars in a class, the payout will be 70% of the entry fee. The breakdown is listed below.

 

 

 Dates affected and changes

 

With the costs of everything going up and employment going down we hope this is just a temporary trend. We appreciate all of your support and apologize for the changes. Hopefully things will turn around in the near future.

Chris Baxter
Race Director

Why not try to leave the Q16 and run the Dragsters and Door cars together like we did when we first started the class?

Will this change or speed up the starting time for the Box/no box cars? I think waiting for the juniors to race is part of the car count equation on Saturday. It would be great if you guys could make a separate track with and parking area for juniors. All they really need is a 1/8 mile of track in the back 40 area.

Then you could start the box/no box class at 10 am so that everybody ends their work/race day early. I know it is a big risky investment to build the juniors their own track off to the side, but maybe it would be a good pay off in the long run.

What time do the cars start time trials on Saturday?

Thanks
Jeff

Jeff, seems you dont read very well, they are replacing the quick 16 with jr. dragsters, kinda makes me smile! they cut our program this year because you all whine about the jrs. now you whiners are not coming to the track, so they are adding more races for jrs. because we show up to race rain or shine, we pay the same entry fee as anyone else, never oil down the track for hours , never put them in the sand , and dont whine when you guys do it , and most of these jr. dragsters are worth as much as 50% of the cars that show up to race on a weekly basis, we are paying customers just like you, so stop crying and race.

Jeff, can't you read Milan is cancelling the races that there is no juniors at because the big cars didn't want us there, and now they are adding us to those days to get more cars there. These junior families have a lot invested in there cars (some cost more than a big car), we are paying customers just like you and we deserve to race just like anybody else, and are kids deserve the same respect as an adult racer and shouldn't have to here bad comments made about them in the staging lanes.

Maybe they can make a kitty litter race track in the back 40 for your oil puking, diaper wearing cars that way the juniors can race all day. p.s. we would love our own parking area. Doesn't feel so good when it's aimed at you, does it?

Just my 2 cents. Tom Bormann

Sounds like both of you two clowns don't get it. A race track is a business. You have to make money to stay in business. Paying 1000 to win when 30 cars show up isn't getting it right now. I don't complain about jrs, Allot of good racers have come out of that program, just look at the points for top and mod. Its a good steping stone to keep the sport going. From what I see this is an economic decision only. Poor car count do to poor economy. Sad.

Matt Luttrell

Q -16 was better on sun !thx bill

Dang Tom you sure are anal for a junior.
If I was a junior, I would be happy if Milan provided me a parking area with my own special track to suit my junior needs. I meant no disrespect, and Tom I can read very well. I am aware that Q- 16 was cancelled, and I am bummed out because now a couple of my friends will not be racing on Saturday. You are right; they just do not want to wait all day for the juniors. Just because others complain does not mean I complain. Waiting will always be part of drag racing

I think Milan jumped the gun on cutting the Q-16 class because the weather has been questionable( possible rain) on the last Saturday when the Q-16 was held and its been questionable on other Saturdays for box/no box. I know because I have an open trailer and if it looks like it mite rain its not worth the risk. I have only been able to go one Saturday so far this year because all the other Saturdays have had a chance of rain.
I just think a better solution to reduce the waiting time is giving juniors their own track. Why do you assume it would be a bad deal? I only made a suggestion that possibly could make things better for everyone. I just wanted to know when the cars would start time trials so I know when to arrive.

So relax Tom

Jeff

Hey we all better put our heads together and help get the car counts up or bring in new programs and or sponsors. If you look at the tracks that have larger car counts they are the ones that are doing extra programs or track updates to make the racers show up and if you want Milan to move forward you must support them. Car counts are down at most tracks but not all so this tells me the racers are taking alot more time thinking how they will spend there cash. Milan has taken away alot of stuff if you look at what we had 1 year ago so the only way we can work to get back what we had in 07 is to help with sponsors and let the track know how we feel about having (example) Jet cars/ super chevy show/ import races/ whatever. If you think it will sell tech cards or fill the stands send them a email and keep the emails in good taste.
If races go to another track as there home track or quit racing we all lose the track loses and the sponsors lose. I have been racing since 1980 every week and I have seen alot of ups and downs but this is the worst its been at Milan and 07 was near the best its been thats only one year apart.

I agree 100%. Does anyone have any ideas (within reason) that would increase car count? Maybe offering some type of incentives...larger payouts, free gas cards to the winners, racer discounts on food and beverages....etc. May need to think outside the box on this one.

We all need to work together. Bashing each other is not going to work. Bottom line is, big cars & juniors will have to depend on each other in order to keep the remaining programs.

Thanks,
JE2

I agree with Kirby. We all need to support the track and if you have suggestions present them in a constructive manner. We have all seen tracks fall by the wayside, even in more prosperous economic times. We (Track, Racers and Spectators) are all feeling the economic pressure.

I for one do not want to lose Saturdays at Milan. It is nice to make one tow and potentially race three days in a row. Not to mention Milan has buybacks so technically you get five chances to win money.

Oh and by the way stop complaining about Juniors, they are the future of OUR sport! I only wish I had the opportunity to drive one when I was a kid.

Dave

i dont think sundays are doing bad at all. conserding the high gas prices and less stuff to run off for at the end of the year car counts arnt off that mutch. usley early in the year there is a weekend or two that the weather is verry good and the place is packed and this year we havent had a day or weekend like that. realy saterdays are the only day thats off and weather has a lot to do with that. the one that was really good and was a supper sat the car count was still down and wile i wanted to go it was my sisters grad party (allthough i still rather have went racing) so there my excuse whats all yours? the place was still full the next day and i would think that getting to race twice for one trip would make the car count better. me and my dad got a bigger traler so we could put 2 cars in it to save on gas and thats the only reason we can go to norwalk at all if it was up to me and i wosent splitting the gas with dad i would be at milan every sat and still plan on running sat whinever i can.

See you in the final, Wes
2007 I.H.R.A. div. 5 Modifed Champion
2006 Milan Dragway Mod Champion
2005 Norwalk Raceway Park Mod Champion

Kirby’s message is correct. If can’t afford to race, be a spectator, bring a friend. Come out & crew for a friend.

We should also understand Chris (& every good business man) needs to take action to control cost when attendance/income is down.

Support local tracks, or they could go the way of Detroit Dragway, Ubly Dragway, (or even Motor City, for you old folks)

Ok, I'll get off my soap box & shut up now. SS

Chris,

Any thought to running a Saturday points series similar to Sunday's program? Sunday has a pretty good car count, maybe it would carry over to Sat.

Thanks,
JE2

I'm hearing a genuine concern for the the future of Saturday racing and Drag Racing in general. As a racer and a sponsor, I need people to see and hear my advertising, and to buy my products. We as racers need to support the sponsors whoever they are. In addition, we need to be ambassadors for the sport. As Kirby said, encourage your friends, family and customers to come out and see drag racing. Not just the special events, but on any given weekend. We have all heard racers complain about juniors take to much time, and street cars tear up the track. I'm sure that I have made comments myself. But realize that most of us started racing "street cars" and moved on to slick tire. The junior program have brought us some pretty good racers, (Jessie Kerns, Justin Hardy, Chris Cadle to name a few). But we need to support them. I suggested that consideration be given to making the Spectator side of the track FREE every Saturday. I attended the NMRA race last Saturday, which was a Free Fan Day and saw a fairly good crowd. The track could charge $5 - $10 to cross over and sell concessions to earn money. We, as racers would be responsible for telling everyone "Come Watch" it's free! How many of you were a "Spectator" before you were a racer?
"Spectator on Saturday / Racer on Sunday"


Thanks

Wayne
Line-X Racing

Yes we all need to help support the dragstrips that are open in Michigan, Milan, Lapeer, Ubly, MMM, Northern and Martin. Because we all know if any close for any reason or lenght of time they will not be anle to reopen!!

More talk and misc. I think we need new racers so lets build the jr class bigger reach out to schools cub scouts youth groups and let some groups in free on a jr day also on wed and fri test days track rentals ect give out passes to race on the weekends. I dont see where you can lose $ letting someone in free if they were not going to go anyway. Get them hooked and they will return. Sponsors> cash is needed also from sponsors to support the track but just as much is needed to support events like points payouts /weekly payouts/ Big buck races/ A sponsor can trade off product like in 07 when we had the tool box/ engine/ dragster/ trailer ect and the car count was way up but I know it would be somewhat lower this year due to the cost of fuel. I think it is wrong to remove programs from the any racetrack and tracks should insted focus on building larger car counts to offset the losses. If car count goes up the sponsors will follow. More time should be spent speaking to other tracks to work together so there racers will travel. Milan has one of the better tracks and if other racers check it out i think they would return more often. I have not looked this year but I did the last 2 years at the number of racers that raced all the points races and 06 was real poor and o7 was way up. Take the time to look at the number that have been to all the races on the points post. Remember it still early so alot more will miss races. I try hard to help all the tracks I attend because in the long run we all will lose if car count falls away and mark my words look at it so far.

Bad economy has large affect on bracket racing, but fuel costs are absolutely going to cripple Bracket racing, Im only 1.5 hrs from milan and it costs me over $100.00 in tow fuel round trip. to race weekly thats $400.00 on tow fuel a month. Every business has to get creative to stay afloat in these tough times. I feel bracket racing will survive, but huge changes will happen. I feel racetracks will be run more like campgrounds, where you pay yearly for a site and leave your rig at the track and drive your small, good fuel mileage car back and forth to the races. I feel some racetracks that cannot think outside of the box will struggle, when other tracks that are willing to adapt will do well. Lets face it were in an energy crisis.

Kirby's ideas are dead on about attracting new racers and spectators to the facility.

"Get them hooked and they will return." That is how everyone of us got into this. Someone got us out to the track...and that is all it took...it might not have been the next week, but in time you were back.

Milan has a great chance to get some new folks to come on a bracket racing and/or junior weekend. 1320X is going to bring a lot of race fans and curious newcomers along with their kids to the track. What harm would there be in giving every paid spectator comming in the spectator gate a free pass to a bracket racing weekend? For the race days that have juniors...make it include a kid or two along with the adult.

Most people have no idea what happens at Milan on a weekly basis. Many think all race tracks operates like MIS, and are only open a couple times a year for the "big race". Give them an opportunity to see what the track has to offer them as a participant and not just a spectator.

How about 2 classes SLICKS or NO SLICKS 500 stagerd pro tree, with blinders, then no one has any advantage on the tree running a box or not, footbrake, transbrake etc. You are only racing the tree at that point anyway not the driver in the other lane.
You race the driver in the other lane at 1000', spray, dump, don't dump etc.
Just a thought
Dave Gotts

charge 5-10 buck spectators,top dragsters and top sportsman-some of the best racing happening !!

Why not add the foot brake class like suggested by Louis? It seems that this would up the car count on saturdays.