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View Full Version : Sorry to bring it up again, but.....



Jaykwaz
06-22-2007, 04:42 PM
Sorry about the book. About all the rough riding and all the other BS there is at Riverhead. Most of it has to do with respect these drivers have for each other. I have been going to Riverhead for years and I am glad I have left. As I am sure there are people glad I have left. The racing there has been garbage for years, because some drivers have lost respect for one another and the management. I am not going to name names to incriminate the guilty, but here is my opinion.

Guys are not willing to give up 1 spot on the track to save 5. I have seen guys in every division when they get caught by another car who came from far behind and was dominantly faster, just ride the middle and block. I have seen guys do it for first all the way on back to the teens. Then when the guy who caught him gets upset for being blocked puts a bumper on him, he is now in the wrong. There is almost no possible way to determine the driver's intentions. I have yet to meet a driver who will tell you his true intentions.

Then when someone gets to the outside, they get driven up in the corners or the opposing driver races like he is on the track alone. Yes, it is short track racing. Yes, there will always be controversy. I remember hearing about fist fights from way back in the day. I have been going to the races for as long as I can remember. I have 3 of my closest friends who race there weekly in Bub Turbush, Jarrod Hayes and Chris McGuire. I grew up with Danny Turbush being a second dad to me. And even when we were off this week, I had no ambition to go watch them. So I went out instead, and my daughter loves going to the track. Basically, didn't support guys who are my family because of what this place has become. If you get spun out go to the rear and come back, maybe next week get your revenge and call it even.

Nobody is more guilty of getting angry than me, but that is mostly because of the BS that goes on there. During a red flag, since when are drivers allowed get out of their car and smoke? Whether the track needs more officials or more competent officals, probably both, I don't know. But the drivers can take it upon themselves to improve racing there. Get some old racers back, maybe actually have a full field. I know it is a sport and it is competition, and I am not saying to not race your hardest, just give the faster car the outside once in a while. A real driver, if faster, will go out there. Be more consistent on penalties. Suspend someone if they are truly in the wrong once in a while. I know if I have no punishment coming towards me, I am going to do as I please. Over the last few years the track was let go and left as a circus act. It needs someone to come in and punish everyone who does wrong not a select few. As with Mountains policy, going to the rear if the car in front of you spins if you touch him; while it may be extreme, it is effective. The officials there stick to their guns. There is not 1 set of rules for some drivers, while another set for the other half. No one, as far as I can see, gets any special treatment, no matter what they spend on tires or do for the track after hours. It is a fair race field. If you are cheating, it is all on you, the officials don't know about it nor do they aid you in anyway.

I hope one day we come back to race Riverhead. I grew up here watching My Uncle Eddie, Dynamite Dan, Mark Tooker and all those guys race. I live 2 minutes away from the track and travel 4 hours every weekend to Mountain because I enjoy it more than Riverhead. Maybe there was a fight or 2 afterwards, that happens everywhere. Old ladies argue during bingo. Just need someone to come in and restore order. I know I rambled on and off topics, but I am at work and it's tough to concentrate.

modified_fan
06-22-2007, 05:43 PM
Excellent thoughts Jason.

Thanks for taking the time to show your passion for good racing and good times.

Tower Man
06-23-2007, 01:15 PM
JAYKWAZ,

As you recall I didn't always agree with you and I have had some long standing disagreements with the team you were associated with. But I will say, I couldn't agree with you more.

Over the last 4 plus seasons I have seen car counts diminsh and the number of people in the pit area continually shrink. I have seen one or two drivers in EACH division push and bang there way through the field without repercussion. They even brag about it in Victory Lane.

I have seen blatant rules violations being over looked.

I am not saying I was the best. No. But what I did was hold drivers and teams accountable for their actions. If you took someone out, you received a black flag. If you retaliated, you received the black flag. Jumping starts and restarts put you in the back. If you had some questionable parts, you were DQ'd.

Yes there were times when my hands were tied by the powers to be. I had to once not accept a legitimate protest from my uncle because the powers to be told me I had too.

I know what it is like to travel 3, 4 even 5 hours to go racing.

When I asked Riverhead's PR Department where have all the cars gone? I was told it was the economy. Racing families were taking vacations. Then I would go to Thompson and see 5 or 6 Late Models teams or 3 or 4 Charger teams running there weekly. Or the two or three who went to Stafford. Or the driver who went to Waterford. I can't even count the number of teams that went to Mountain. One hard working team even won a championship at Mountain.

You are 110% correct on the lack of respect on both sides of the fence. I thought it would change over the last couple of weeks, but it didn't.

I felt your passion in your post. It was something I have wanted to say for a long time but couldn't.

latemodel34
06-24-2007, 11:27 AM
I Had To Respond To This One Guys. I've Been Going To Riverhead Since I Think 1986. I Went To Islip And Freeport Also, But Don't Remember That Much, Except The Drivers And The Cars. When You Talk About Other Tracks, It's Hard To Compare Them To Riverhead. It is What It Is, A Bullring That's Tight, And Drivers Get Impatient In 20 Or 35 Lap Segments. One Thing I Never Understood Racing There All These Years, Was The Fact That Guys Just Don't Realize You Pass On The Outside. You Don't Block A Faster Car On The Outside. You Can Pass On The Inside, Sure. But Don't Ever Block Someone From Passing On The Outside. That Should Be Rule Number 1 With The Officials. The Second Rule Should Be No Dumping. ( We All Know When Someone Gets Dumped) We All Spend Too Much Money And Time To Work All Week On The Car Then Go Out And Get Dumped. That Kills 2 Weeks For The Driver And Crew. The Third Rule Should Be Everyone Is Equal, No Favoritism. (very hard To Do,there Will Always Be Pets). But Where And When Do You Start? I'll Tell You Now. You Start Now And Then Maybe All The Drivers Who Have Had Enough Will Hear That. "Hey Listen, Last Week This Guy Dumped That Guy And They Sent Him To The Back. This Guy Wrecked That Guy , And They Suspended Him Until The Other Car Comes Back."
Someone Said Economics, Nah Just The Same Old Guys Running Like They Own The Joint, And Are Owed A Win Because They Show Up Every Week. For Me, It's Only Partly Money, And Building My House, Which I'm Still Doing After 9 Months, And The Fact That I Work A lot Of Saturdays. But Guess What? Even After All These Years Of Going To Riverhead And Knowing Racing People, I Can't Call Maybe More Than 2 That Might Consider Crewing Because They Just Don't Like The Place Anymore. I Love The Place. I Still Get That Same Old Feeling Everytime I Reach The End Of The Expressway And Then See That Gate. It's A Shame I Have A Kickin' Latemodel In My Garage, But Am Always Looking For Help. Also,It's Not Fair To Mention Other Tracks ,especially Bigger Tracks. And Try To Be A Promoter Or An Official Just For One Weekend And See If You Could Do It. Rob Valone, Now The '04 Late Model.

Jeff T
06-24-2007, 01:50 PM
I agree with Jay. The rough riding is way out of hand. Case in point is when the winner of last nights feature was passing the leader at the time on the outside. Instead of completing the pass and then dropping down, he drove the car on the inside into the bumps in turn one. Shame is, he had the fastest car out there last night, and didn't have to push the car on the inside into the bumps. He could have completed the pass easily and still gone on to win the race. The next incident was when the 39 got harpooned going into turn 3. He got used as the brakes for the car behind him. Unfortunately, because of the lack of give and take in this case, he got spun, had 2 other cars plow into him and now has a few thousand dollars worth of damage.
These are just two incidents that I am bringing up because they happened last night, but this has been a weekly ritual for this division. Look at how mant times the 10 car has been sent spinning off of someones front bumper this year. How many times has the the 72 and the 08 have had incidents this year. The Late Model division has their cars so beat up 6 races in that they are looking like they have already run 18 races. You might figure that with 12 regular cars each week that they racing would be a little easier on equipment. Unfortunately,it has not turned out this way. I think that the drivers of the LM division better start driving with their heads, instead of the part of their body that lies about 3 feet below their heads. They can not afford to lose anymore cars in that division either through damage or frustration.

Ace
06-24-2007, 02:07 PM
Correction Jeff T, the 39 DIDN'T get harpooned from behind, he wrecked himself. Whether his spotter said clear or not we don't know, the 8 was on the inside of the 39 as the 39 came down. The 8's front bumper didn't touch the 39, his right front fender did. There is paint on the fender from the 39,come on over and take a look for yourself.
Buddy Turbush

SuperShafts
06-25-2007, 04:42 AM
. Over the last few years the track was let go and left as a circus act. .


Aside for the punishment issues and roughriding issues, which I agree with you guy's, but it's not just in 1 class...
How about redoing the track.... I have been throwing around raising money for just that..bumps in the track from the crete patches and just plain worn.

Latemodel 34 / 04, I could give you a hand at the track here and there if you need it.

Jaykwaz
06-25-2007, 04:48 PM
Jeff T, I wasn't trying to name names here because I don't want this to turn into another arguing, disrespectful thread. Lord knows I could, but don't have enough time to single out everyone's infractions. I wanted it to be where the forum wouldn't be closed. I just want to get stuff out in the open about the track. How people can actually air what they see and believe. Not to put anyone down or cause more problems between drivers and crews. Everyone see's something different. Me and my cousin Keri sit next to each other every week, root for the same friends we share and see something different everytime something happens. It's all about one person's perception. But if the track would show more respect for the competitors and the competitors show more respect for each and the track then things will get better and people will come back. Make a rule and stick to it. Enforce rules evenly across the board. Once a rule is enforced it should be the same for the next guy, and the guy after that, until something is changed in writing and for everyone to see and know about.

Jeff T
06-26-2007, 09:46 AM
Jay, I understand what you are saying. Yes, everyone does see something different. I'm not trying to cause hard feelings with anyone, but just trying to make a point. We only have 12 cars on a regular basis. There is too much rough riding out there that is causing too much damage. Let's face facts, almost every car out there in that division is underfunded. Sooner or later, the more you take out of your budget for crash damage, the less cars you will have showing up on a regular basis. I would just like to see more clean racing than rough riding, that's all.

Turbo
06-27-2007, 06:00 PM
I hope everyone had the chance to check out the late model video and please reply back with your analysis after you check it out.... that video is actually better than the video we have!! So Jeff T, check it out man, and see if we harpooned anyone?!

unowho243
06-27-2007, 06:56 PM
I agree, but I have seen a change for the better over the past few weeks... there is a lot of room for improvement still... I love Riverhead and I personally would do all I could to help improve the quality of the track, I grew up there, I've made many friends there and every Saturday night I have a lot of fun there. I just really hope some old drivers either come back or dig their cars out of the weeds to race!

I know the Late Models are off for 2 weeks, but I would personally like to see some drivers we haven't seen in a while bring their cars back out in the other divisions, even if for just one night.

fisherman
06-27-2007, 07:03 PM
That 8 car must not be liked. When you win, it takes away from some other drivers win totals.

Jeff T
06-27-2007, 10:06 PM
Turbo, Buddy, After seeing the video, I have to agree with you. From where I was standing during the race, it had a whole different look to it. Please accept my apologies. There was no "harpooning" last Saturday, just a case of a racing incident.
Again, please accept my apologies to the Danny and the whole team.

Turbo
06-28-2007, 02:05 PM
It's all right. That view was really good compared to the one we had from our camera, so I even questioned my dad that maybe he coulda prevented it, but seeing that I can't blame him.

ex04bb
07-04-2007, 04:12 PM
Definitely Agree With You Kwaz