ARCA/CRA Super Series

[toledo47]

So, Has anyone(Andy?) here ever been to one of the CRA Super Series races? Are the races good? Good car counts? Thinking about going June 29-30 for the big ARCA Weekend. They will have the ARCA/CRA Super Series and ARCA Trucks Saturday and ARCA Racing Series on Sunday all at Winchester.

Going this weekend to the final race at one of the few (I think there are only 3 or 4?) half mile ovals in Canada. The Oval at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Mosport Speedway). The new ownership group decided it isnt worth keeping the old oval around, they are going to tear it down to expand their "driver development track". I've seen it before, people can pay to play around in some little open wheel cars, no competitive events are held there. What a waste... Thought they were doing good things with that place, upgrading the facility, bringing in the NASCAR Truck race, but then they do stupid stuff like tear down the nice half mile track.

 

[AndyMarquisLive]

Never been to CRA. Been to the PASS races this year, mostly.

 

[toledo47]

Never been to CRA. Been to the PASS races this year, mostly.

Ah alright, Figured you might have been since you are so into pavement late model racing. I think they cover a pretty wide area, not too sure though anyway.

 

[AndyMarquisLive]

Ah alright, Figured you might have been since you are so into pavement late model racing. I think they cover a pretty wide area, not too sure though anyway.

They don't really come out this way to be honest. ARCA everything is becoming entirely midwest based. It's cool for CRA and for the Midwest Tour but if they keep that attitude up with their stock car series, they'll be extinct in a few years.

 

[toledo47]

They don't really come out this way to be honest. ARCA everything is becoming entirely midwest based. It's cool for CRA and for the Midwest Tour but if they keep that attitude up with their stock car series, they'll be extinct in a few years.

Menards brings the money, the Menard's stores are all in the midwest. They do really well with their ticket promotions (selling cheaper tickets at the Menard's stores in the region of the track). ARCA needs Menard's more than they need to race in the south. Anyway, they did add a new southern event recently, they ran at Mobile for the first time last year.

 

[AndyMarquisLive]

Menards brings the money, the Menard's stores are all in the midwest. They do really well with their ticket promotions (selling cheaper tickets at the Menard's stores in the region of the track). ARCA needs Menard's more they they need to race in the south. Anyway, they did add a new southern event recently, they ran at Mobile for the first time last year.

They need to come to the Carolinas once or twice. I know Rockingham was a failure. Maybe Hickory, Ace or Caraway?

 

[toledo47]

They need to come to the Carolinas once or twice. I know Rockingham was a failure. Maybe Hickory, Ace or Caraway?

I think an ARCA race would be good at Gresham Motorsports Park in Georgia. That is a really great track with nice brand new facilities. I didn't care for Mobile, would like to see them get rid of that one and replace it with pretty much anything else.

 

[AndyMarquisLive]

I think an ARCA race would be good at Gresham Motorsports Park in Georgia. That is a really great track with nice brand new facilities. I didn't care for Mobile, would like to see them get rid of that one and replace it with pretty much anything else.

These other divisions would be smart to enter the Carolinas and Virginia. The only reason NASCAR has a stranglehold on this region is because nobody else wants to race here. They either want to be in the Midwest or the deep south. K&N, UARA and PASS are the only touring divisions that come through here now. And even K&N's starting to travel more to the deep south and midwest.

Follow the money I guess.

Sadly, I really think the sport of stock car racing is in trouble. It's dying in the Carolinas because everyone's willfully leaving this area to "expand". As a result, tracks are closing left and right in this region. I can think of several tracks in the Carolinas that are barely hanging on by a thread. And the problem for all of racing is that, no matter how anyone tries to spin it, an overwhelming majority of the sports' fans are still in this region.

There might be a lot of populated areas in the midwest and west coast but they aren't watching stock car racing in the way people in South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee are.

 

[AndyMarquisLive]

Another problem is that even Late Model racing has become a rich person's game now. Most people don't have that kind of money anymore.

 

[toledo47]

These other divisions would be smart to enter the Carolinas and Virginia. The only reason NASCAR has a stranglehold on this region is because nobody else wants to race here. They either want to be in the Midwest or the deep south. K&N, UARA and PASS are the only touring divisions that come through here now. And even K&N's starting to travel more to the deep south and midwest.

Follow the money I guess.

Sadly, I really think the sport of stock car racing is in trouble. It's dying in the Carolinas because everyone's willfully leaving this area to "expand". As a result, tracks are closing left and right in this region. I can think of several tracks in the Carolinas that are barely hanging on by a thread. And the problem for all of racing is that, no matter how anyone tries to spin it, an overwhelming majority of the sports' fans are still in this region.

There might be a lot of populated areas in the midwest and west coast but they aren't watching stock car racing in the way people in South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee are.

You must have been happy when K&N moved their race from Clearfield PA to crappy VIR since its in the south.
I've seen some K&N races in the south with pretty poor attendance (South Boston, Greenville, Music City Motoplex) and when the tickets are only $15 or $20 that is pathetic. They tend to charge more for tickets at K&N races in the north and get just as good, if not better attendance. One of the more expensive K&N races I was at was Lee, NH. The tickets were $30 or $35 and it was the shortest K&N race I have been to, it was only 125 laps on a 3/8 mile track. They usually run 150 on a half mile. They had a good crowd at Lee...
If they get better attendance and more money per ticket outside of the south, doesn't it make more sense to run outside of the south?
TBH, I don't care where they race. Most of the tracks tend to be about 10 hours away from me, so they arent to bad to go to for myself. I thought the racing at South Boston sucked (I saw 2 K&N races and 2 Modified tour races) so i'm glad they quit going, went to a Rolex race at VIR, thought it sucked so i don't like seeing that K&N is going there. The best K&N race i've been to was at Lee USA Speedway, I wish they were still going there. That would be a much better alternative to sone of the tracks they go to now.

 

[DUN24]

It's frustrating I don't live in a region real supportive of asphalt stock car racing.. Southern California sucks for short track racing. Irwindale is the only track close to me... That I know of. If anyone knows any San Diego County or Riverside County short tracks still operating I am all ears. The only functioning ovals I know of in the region other than Irwindale are Perris, Fontucky, or Stockton(yeah right not even close) LMK!

EDIT: I realize I sound like a pansie when compared to people like Toledo with his travels. I just simply don't have state to state travels in my budget..

 

[toledo47]

It's frustrating I don't live in a region real supportive of asphalt stock car racing.. Southern California sucks for short track racing. Irwindale is the only track close to me... That I know of. If anyone knows any San Diego County or Riverside County short tracks still operating I am all ears. The only functioning ovals I know of in the region other than Irwindale are Perris, Fontucky, or Stockton(yeah right not even close) LMK!

EDIT: I realize I sound like a pansie when compared to people like Toledo with his travels. I just simply don't have state to state travels in my budget..

How about Kern County Speedway? The only California tracks i know anything about are the ones on the K&N Pro Series west schedule. Other than Irwidale the only California short track i have been to was all american speedway in Roseville, that one is really nice but thats up north near Sacramento.

About travel budget, if you are willing to rough it a little its really easy to do it cheaply. I usually dont grab a room, i just sleep in the car, and no i dont have an rv, just a crappy small car. The hotels are really what drains the money. I also almost never eat track food,, i bring a cooler with stuff to make sandwiches, i have a little frying pan i can plug in the car to cook hot dogs. You'd be amazed how cheap a 10 hour race trip can be.

 

[DUN24]

I'm a tent camper. That's right up my alley Toledo. Touché

 

[toledo47]

I'm a tent camper. That's right up my alley Toledo. Touché

I'm a little too lazy to put up a tent, usually just sleep in the car at Walmart, or a truck stop. Some short tracks I know allow sleeping there free, so i do it there, but I prefer the availability of 24 hour restrooms at Walmart, nice to go in and grab a donut in the morning too.