Mod Tour Race 2008

[Rich Mergl]

Well it's offical, the Pennsylvania 500 is August 3rd 2008 @ Pocono.
Guarantee Riverhead picks August 2nd for the tour race, which will affect the attendance that night. Don't anyone try to say they will not have a choice. I'm sure the Whelen Modified Tour would do every thing possible to avoid that conflict. But watch, they will pick August 2nd for the date.

[RacinRob]

We'll see if Riverhead even has a tour race.

[W. J.]

I'd rather see a tour race at Riverhead than be subjected to the abuse I endured in 10 years of races at Pocono. If you want to go to a good Cup race, go to NHIS or Dover. They know how to treat fans properly.

[RGeeProductions]

Aw, c'mon WJ.
You can't tell me you don't enjoy just barely seeing the roofs of a race car going by at about 200mph and then see dust flecks race in turn 1.......
I'll stick with the WMT @ RHD any day!!!!

[maestri fan 1]

If you want real cup racing go to a race at Lowes Motorspeedway. Words can't describe the greatness of that track.

[Teds Race Tours]

If you want real cup racing go to a race at Lowes Motorspeedway. Words can't describe the greatness of that track.

If you like Charlotte, try Atlanta. 10 times racier than Lowes.


I'd rather see a tour race at Riverhead than be subjected to the abuse I endured in 10 years of races at Pocono. If you want to go to a good Cup race, go to NHIS or Dover. They know how to treat fans properly.

Some people like Pocono. The point being if we do have a Tour race in 08, lets put it on a date where it has the best chance to succeed. In the past 5 years, there always seemed to be one or the other on Dover weekend or Pocono weekend. Even if just a small fraction of folks go away for that weekend, it will hurt the gate, and I for one want this event(s) to have the best possible chance at living from year to year.

[Tower Man]

Traditionally, the August Tour race at Riverhead has been the first Saturday in August. If there is a tour race at Riverhead, and I am not saying there is or is not, more than likely it will be that day.

[W. J.]

I agree, Towerman, people should support their local tracks, because the biggest assault on them is coming from NASCAR itself, scheduling races in conjunction with the TV people that hurt local racing.
As far as Pocono, it is only exciting to watch a race there in person if you've never been to any other Cup track and seen a race. Once you go elsewhere to see a Cup race, the desire to see one at Pocono decreases greatly. Like Rgee said, watching the cars go by and only seeing the roof of each is a real thrill, NOT.

[Teds Race Tours]

I agree, Towerman, people should support their local tracks, because the biggest assault on them is coming from NASCAR itself, scheduling races in conjunction with the TV people that hurt local racing.
As far as Pocono, it is only exciting to watch a race there in person if you've never been to any other Cup track and seen a race. Once you go elsewhere to see a Cup race, the desire to see one at Pocono decreases greatly. Like Rgee said, watching the cars go by and only seeing the roof of each is a real thrill, NOT.

None of that changes the fact that a certain % of modified fans will go to Pocono for the weekend. Our Pocono Bus Trips are more popular than ever. I'd say about 10% of the bus would go to Riverhead for the Tour race if they weren't in Pocono. If that same % holds up for the let's guess 5000 people (probably more) from Long Island who go to Pocono, you are taking 500 potential paid admissions ( about $15000) away from the front gate.

Obviously, none of these numbers are fact, but if I was the track owner, I would want a weekend where there wasn't another big race so close to home where I have to fight for my customers. You want to give your event the best chance to succeed, and in my opinion, running vs a Nextel Cup Weekend less than 200 miles away is not the best scenario for the race.

[intense1]

Mountain Speedway is 25 minutes from Pocono and on a cup weekend, there is NO noticeable difference at the front gate. With 100,000 + race fans just down the road, if we could get 1/10 of 1%, that would be a nice crowd. The fact is that the vast majority of folks that attend Pocono, camp at the track, as there are few area hotels. They get in on Thursday, and don't leave until Monday.
It seems that there are NASCAR(Cup) fans, and there are short track fans, but very few fans of BOTH.
Sad, but true.

[Tracy87BB]

I have received word that the date for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at Riverhead has been slated for August 2. I assume that this will be confirmed with the release of the official schedule.

[Rich Mergl]

I'm shocked.

[Tracy87BB]

For pretty much as long as I can remember, the Tour has run at Riverhead the first weekend in August.
(Oooops, I guess Tower Man already pointed that out)