Conversation Mom: "son when can i go out to Napa Speedway and watch you race again?" Toy: "Sorry Mom but you can't They Threatened to Ban me from the track" Mom: "BANNED!?, what for?" Toy: "We'll mom I went on OvalRacin's Message board and complained about the track not teching us And keeping things fair." Mom: "and they banned you for that?" Toy: "We'll not exactly, but I am not going to be told I can't voice my opinion especially when I was telling the truth!!!!!"
Okay so I've had time to calm down and take some emotions out of my response. I am sure by now a lot of people know that I went on ovalracin messageboard and gave my opinion about the tech, at our track, ( Napa speedway.) I would like to make this perfectly clear I'm not insinuating any driver, tech person or anybody that works at the track as an employee or volunteer is doing anything wrong are Illegal. In fact they are all doing a very "positively" good job and the track is the best track in albuquerque. Now because I went on oval racin and posted my opinion about what was going on at the track as far as tech is concerned Charlie Fagan called me aside on August 3rd And literally threatened me with an ultimatum. I was told by Charlie that if I Did not find and apologize to Bill, our head tech Official. That I was too load my car and leave the track and not come back. Furthermore, if I was to go here on ovalracin and say something negative about the track again I was not to come back. My first response was to tell him to shove it up his ??? And go $&@" him self. But like always I had brought out several fans, friends, and Family to help support the track. Now I think if Charlie would have approached me in a different manner. Maybe asked me not to go on ovalracin and maybe said something like hey you really upset Bill, do you think you can make it right with him. This would be a whole different story. But he did not. in fact he gave me little to no respect at all. And this not quoted exactly but what i got out of the conversation, He Explained that Bill was new at this and did not know what he was doing but, was learning. He also told me that tech equipment had been stolen and that it wasn't important enough to him, to go out and replace it right away. He even tried to give me a lesson on business management. I don't have a degree in business but I would like to take a stab at something. There are two types of customer--- inside and outside. What I mean by this is the inside customers are the ones like us the racers. We pay the track to use there facility and there employees so that we can have some fun. We expect certain things from him such as up holding the rule, providing safety, making sure every one plays nice etc.. etc.....However, we are also apart of the business by providing the entertainment to the outside customers who come to watch. With out us, there is no show. Now as once a business owner myself and after working directly with many business owners it is all about keeping your customers happy and coming back. And when you have a unhappy customer you try to figure out what you can do to make them happy and to keep them as your customer. Now this can not always be done and sometimes you have to fire a customer. But you at least attempt to save them first. Now I am not unreasonable and I do understand the bigger picture I want to see the track succeed, I have always been a supporter of the track. Been to many and I do mean many events to help promote the track. I have also been on ovalracin giving both positive and as I like to see it constructive criticism. So I offer this, Charlie you know how to get a hold of me if you would like to call me and have a respectful conversation I would be happy to try and work this out for the sake of the track and what you are trying to accomplish. Sorry to all that this so long and drawn out. And I know some of you think I am just being a crybaby, but there are a lot of people out there that agree with my stand and I have and will always be Me. And I will alway stand up for what I believe in. Toy
Toy, If it makes you feel any better... You're not the only one Mr.Fegan has swung the old "ban Hammer" at. Seems to be becoming a common occurance...these days. Last year Royal and I were talking about banning people from tracks.. He told me he hated doing it and basically short of attempted murder...he wouldn't do it. Reason being...it cost him money. National ave. per car thru his back gate was bringing in $100.00 to $125.00 per car. This includes pit passes,concessions,fans etc. 1 driver banned adds up to min. of a thousand dollars in a ten week span In addition... There is a domino effect,One guy gets banned and more often than not an additional driver,parks in support of his friend. ...it begins to add up,and car counts start to drop,attendance begins to wane...etc,etc. Domino effect....kills tracks. The tech deal is an ISSUE,and it's starting to affect car counts. Last week the X mods had their lowest car count of the season..20 cars. People are crying about so and so cheating and the accusations are getting louder.
The reason Kevin& I put the "Bonesteel bounty" on hiatus,is due to NO TECH. We have people wanting to contribute to it,and we're telling them save their cash. ...I've had Las Cruces X mod guys asking me when we will re-implement it,because they want to come up and race for the bounty. ...which by the way would be WELL over $1000.00 by now if we had continued to accept money.
I'm not saying the wheels have fallen off... But, They're starting to wobble pretty bad.
I think I figured it out. The key here is Tech. That's it; obviously drivers want more of it, harder tech, and a little respect from the management team. I think the idea that the track is really the one being robbed by an illegal car is being lost here. Sure the drivers are cheated out of a better finishing spot by an illegal car, but it's the track that loses the money to them. They are paying for a good show not for lip-syncing! No one was willing to pay to see Millie Vanillie after they realized it was all a lie and they couldn’t sing, likewise why would anyone want to pay to see a cheater win? So now that we all agree that the cheater hurts everyone, what are we going to do about it? Likewise I agree with Charlie and his rule book, which anyone could be banned from the track for any reason Charlie deems, he paid for that right by taking on the lease, whether I agree with it or not he owns it for lack of a better word. But yet again banning someone hurts him as much as the track, and the rest of us drivers and fans alike. It’s his money to make or loose as he sees fit bottom line. I agree that Charlie can have an attitude, but I have only seen it when you talk bad to or about his people, even if it was just a misunderstanding, he protects his people. To a fault perhaps but that is a good management style. Now being as respect is a two way street, drivers give it by showing up and by not fighting & arguing with the staff, the track needs to return it by taking tech more seriously, simply providing a track is not enough, that is your business to provide a safe track, the better the track the better the crowd on both sides of the fence, that equals more money for everyone. Respect for the drivers is a quality control measure so when I leave I know I was beat by a better driver, a better set-up, or just plain out a better car, but one that is legal. That is really the bottom line, drivers feel they are not getting the respect returned with the current tech, nothing against any one person, just as a whole, we want things measured, weighed, valve covers pulled, air cleaners removed, we want to be considered illegal until proven by tech that we are legal.
I do agree with both of you. Gary you alway have a way at looking at thing and putting into prospective. I can admitt that when I came on here and complained about tech last time. It wasn't done in a nice way. And maybe if I would have done it different the out come may have been better. I really don't want anybody to get cought cheating and be D-Qed. In fact if tech was being done all along then people would be playing fare. where as now I think driver are trying to get that edge and catch the fast cars ( thinking they must be cheating and nothing's being done about it so I might as well cheat too). Well anyway thanks you guys for your comments.
Mario I think it is great that they are finally doing something, but it took something like what I did to make it happen. I reaaly am happy to hear that they are at least doing something. Hopefully they are teching good and not just another smoke screen just to satisfy drivers.
Re: BANNED FROM THE TRACK
Posted by Curtis Berry on August 26, 2013, 4:25 pm, in reply to "BANNED FROM THE TRACK"
Just don't complain about the 17.00 entrance fee without the napa flyer or you'll be banned for sure
on August 26, 2013, 9:41 am