North - South Shootout

[Racer1_NC]

I'm guessing this will be the final year for the once great event. While media covering the event hasn't actually hidden the fact that only 15 modifieds took time yesterday, there has been no column analyzing or decrying the decline of the event either. The reason has to be not to cripple sales of the PPV feed for those outside a 200 mile radius.

Thank you Charles Kepley and Josh Jenkins for making your dreams a reality complete with memories of a great modified show at a fair price. I'm sorry that those dreams died when the both of you did.

Caraway Speedway...you've showed just how good you are at taking a successful event and keeping it going....which is to say, not at all. I'm sure there will be a long list of excuses but the results are there for all to see, a once thriving, well attended modified event reduced to 15 cars and a PASS race. You've failed horribly. Own it.

For the first time I'll not be attending this event and I am not alone in saying "40 bucks for 15 modifieds at Caraway? No way!" PASS fans.....enjoy what has become your race. I'm out.

[CASHCAD45]

I'm guessing this will be the final year for the once great event. While media covering the event hasn't actually hidden the fact that only 15 modifieds took time yesterday, there has been no column analyzing or decrying the decline of the event either. The reason has to be not to cripple sales of the PPV feed for those outside a 200 mile radius.

Thank you Charles Kepley and Josh Jenkins for making your dreams a reality complete with memories of a great modified show at a fair price. I'm sorry that those dreams died when the both of you did.

Caraway Speedway...you've showed just how good you are at taking a successful event and keeping it going....which is to say, not at all. I'm sure there will be a long list of excuses but the results are there for all to see, a once thriving, well attended modified event reduced to 15 cars and a PASS race. You've failed horribly. Own it.

For the first time I'll not be attending this event and I am not alone in saying "40 bucks for 15 modifieds at Caraway? No way!" PASS fans.....enjoy what has become your race. I'm out.

Before we go to far in bashing Caraway lets think back a bit . After Mr. Kepley passed I had several conversations with Dale Wolbrink who was pitching in to try and save the event . At the time Caraway was the ONLY facility that stepped up and offer a place to run the event at a price that made it feasible.Pretty safe to say this event would have died then if weren't for the folks at Caraway.

[Racer1_NC]

I am aware of how the race ended up where it did. In fact it wasn't going to stay at Concord even if Charles had lived...he was working on moving it somewhere else.

Quite honestly it may have been better to have ended it when Kepley passed than to end up like it has. I'm sorry, I watched the tremendous effort that was put in to this event to make it a success. To have it end up like this is at the very least a damn shame and I have no problem in placing the blame where it belongs.

[CASHCAD45]

I am aware of how the race ended up where it did. In fact it wasn't going to stay at Concord even if Charles had lived...he was working on moving it somewhere else.

Quite honestly it may have been better to have ended it when Kepley passed than to end up like it has. I'm sorry, I watched the tremendous effort that was put in to this event to make it a success. To have it end up like this is at the very least a damn shame and I have no problem in placing the blame where it belongs.

Sounds like a vendetta to me. fact is no one else stepped up to the plate. Bad mouthing any facility willing to hold any race hurts us all! we are losing tracks to quilckly and if we don't watch out all short tracks will be extinct befor we know it!

[Racer1_NC]

Vendetta? Hardly.

I'm sorry, I watched the tremendous effort that was put in to this event to make it a success. To have it end up like this is at the very least a damn shame...

THIS Sir is what it's about.

Just so I understand your point....no matter what a local track does, no one should voice an negative opinion about them or their actions for fear they will fold?

[Gil]

Could never understand why they left Concord in the first place as the NS Shootout seemed to being doing good there. If Caraway isn't getting it done, why not go back to Concord?

[HoosierDaddy1]

It is really sad the course this race has taken over the last few years. However, I don't blame the venue. Nobody picked up the ball and ran with it after it went to Caraway. From what I can see since it went there, it appears it could have used more promotion up and down the eastern seaboard. Also, numbers were down at the last race at Concord in 2010 (however, still quite strong). The car numbers were really strong in the first seven years. And the majority (high percentage) were cars that had NASCAR tour legal engines. In other words the NASCAR modified teams can be given credit for being the major supporter of this race. Now, toward the end of the time at Concord, more and more of the cars from the ROC and other non NASCAR venues (where engine rules and tech are pretty much non-existant) start showing up. So the engines with the hogged out cylinders, bloated compression ratios, and gutted carbs would dominate (hence one ROC driver winning so many). Now this year, making the NASCAR tour engine rules the only option, I say a little too late to put this rule in place. After the first four or five of the North-South Shootouts, and seeing who the majority of your teams came from (NASCAR), they should have instituted the NASCAR engine rule right then. Why do you think the ROC has all but died, to the point that Harpell has to let two barrel carb sportsman cars run (no tech, and no significant engine rules). Could you imagine the car counts at the NASCAR tour races if SKs were allowed? Nope, I am a firm believer that allowing anything but NASCAR tour legal engines were a big reason for the demise of this race, along with little or no promotion. The closest thing to a North South Shootout now, is the race at Bristol in August.

JMO
J.R. "Jim" McG

[CASHCAD45]

Vendetta? Hardly.

THIS Sir is what it's about.

Just so I understand your point....no matter what a local track does, no one should voice an negative opinion about them or their actions for fear they will fold?

EXACTLY now you get it! Dirty laundry should be kept un the family not on social media. if your unhappy call the track and voice your concerns or pitch in to help promoteor find a venue and start your own race (or races) like Jim did. Cutting down the track helps NO one!

[Gary66]

Concord is not an option, that track is closed. They have not held a race there in two years. They only run Legends and Bandelaros on the 1/4 mile track behind turn one.

[Racer1_NC]

It is really sad the course this race has taken over the last few years. However, I don't blame the venue. Nobody picked up the ball and ran with it after it went to Caraway. From what I can see since it went there, it appears it could have used more promotion up and down the eastern seaboard. Also, numbers were down at the last race at Concord in 2010 (however, still quite strong). The car numbers were really strong in the first seven years. And the majority (high percentage) were cars that had NASCAR tour legal engines. In other words the NASCAR modified teams can be given credit for being the major supporter of this race. Now, toward the end of the time at Concord, more and more of the cars from the ROC and other non NASCAR venues (where engine rules and tech are pretty much non-existant) start showing up. So the engines with the hogged out cylinders, bloated compression ratios, and gutted carbs would dominate (hence one ROC driver winning so many). Now this year, making the NASCAR tour engine rules the only option, I say a little too late to put this rule in place. After the first four or five of the North-South Shootouts, and seeing who the majority of your teams came from (NASCAR), they should have instituted the NASCAR engine rule right then. Why do you think the ROC has all but died, to the point that Harpell has to let two barrel carb sportsman cars run (no tech, and no significant engine rules). Could you imagine the car counts at the NASCAR tour races if SKs were allowed? Nope, I am a firm believer that allowing anything but NASCAR tour legal engines were a big reason for the demise of this race, along with little or no promotion. The closest thing to a North South Shootout now, is the race at Bristol in August.

JMO
J.R. "Jim" McG

Good post.....engine rules or lack there of hurt I'm sure. In the begining they wanted to attract teams from all the series.....but I agree, using the NASCAR rule book as time went on would have probably been the way to go. This type of thing is the very reason I take issue with so many different rules between series.

The promotion side of the event is what I was taking the most issue with. With the exception of the dates being on the track schedule, no promotion at all was done that I'm aware of before the begining of October. Fans that I have spoken to during the tour season didn't even know the event was being held this year. In the Kepley years the event was pumped up most of the summer. A guaranteed start for winning certain races.....etc.

I remember speaking with another long time attendee after last years race who summed it up about as well as I've heard. "Ya know the NSS used to be an EVENT. Something you knew that you had to attend. Now...it's just another race at Caraway."

[Racer1_NC]

EXACTLY now you get it! Dirty laundry should be kept un the family not on social media. if your unhappy call the track and voice your concerns or pitch in to help promoteor find a venue and start your own race (or races) like Jim did. Cutting down the track helps NO one!

Dirty laundry? Family? I'm sorry. We aren't talking about crazy Uncle Fred here. I brought up a topic that deserves to be discussed. Where better than a modified specific forum that's been around for years? I'm not on Facebook or Twitter organizing a boycott of the race or the track, I'm expressing my lament that a great modified show is no longer and what I see as the reasons why.

If you feel the "Emperor has no clothes" approach is best, then by all means have at it.

[NC Mudcat]

Racer1_NC is right on this one. These aren't promoters you just call and voice your opinion to. The track did step up and take the race when it needed a home; since then, what has been done to help it succeed? It is a real shame that PASS can draw the number of cars they do for less purse, and it's not like the PASS cars run there weekly and rely on the regulars, because that is not the case. You know your modified event has failed when the guys that live right down the road won't support it. Blame it on whatever you want, but folks aren't going to spend $40 in today's economy to see 15 cars in the main event. That same cost next weekend at Charlotte will get you 3 main events with over a hundred drivers total. At the end of the day, place your blame as you will, but place your bets as well; unless something is done (Concord is scheduling races next year!) this race is done. RIP.

[uticamike]

It is really sad the course this race has taken over the last few years. However, I don't blame the venue. Nobody picked up the ball and ran with it after it went to Caraway. From what I can see since it went there, it appears it could have used more promotion up and down the eastern seaboard. Also, numbers were down at the last race at Concord in 2010 (however, still quite strong). The car numbers were really strong in the first seven years. And the majority (high percentage) were cars that had NASCAR tour legal engines. In other words the NASCAR modified teams can be given credit for being the major supporter of this race. Now, toward the end of the time at Concord, more and more of the cars from the ROC and other non NASCAR venues (where engine rules and tech are pretty much non-existant) start showing up. So the engines with the hogged out cylinders, bloated compression ratios, and gutted carbs would dominate (hence one ROC driver winning so many). Now this year, making the NASCAR tour engine rules the only option, I say a little too late to put this rule in place. After the first four or five of the North-South Shootouts, and seeing who the majority of your teams came from (NASCAR), they should have instituted the NASCAR engine rule right then. Why do you think the ROC has all but died, to the point that Harpell has to let two barrel carb sportsman cars run (no tech, and no significant engine rules). Could you imagine the car counts at the NASCAR tour races if SKs were allowed? Nope, I am a firm believer that allowing anything but NASCAR tour legal engines were a big reason for the demise of this race, along with little or no promotion. The closest thing to a North South Shootout now, is the race at Bristol in August.

JMO
J.R. "Jim" McG

No more 2bbl on the ROC, a one year experiment, didn't work out, you know that but keep beating a dead horse.
( the author has personal vendetta against Andy Harpell thus the bias).

How did the those "cheating" ROC guys do yesterday against your Tour stars? They were first, 7th, 12th and 13th in qualifying .....ooooh scary those " engines with the hogged out cylinders, bloated compression ratios, and gutted carbs". The race finish ? 2, 6, 11, 12 Hmmm looks like they need even bigger cylinders, compression and carbs!! What jive. The southern boys squawked and got the Tour "only" engines and they were the ones that stiffed Caraway. The 60 ran thru the same pre and post race tech that the 6 and 15 did and passed without issue but that makes no difference to HoosierMommy and his agenda.

Take up your beef with Brooks, Fox and Keator.

Sorry Ron...no one is buying your bull.

[HoosierDaddy1]

I have to apologize on behalf of New York State. The previous post is pretty much mirrors what he posts over on Race NY. He dislikes anything that has NASCAR tagged to it, and it shows. He never is seen at any NWMT show, but curses them constantly. If he doesn't like what he reads, he starts name calling. Again, I am sorry on behalf of New York State (there are a few of us that still know what modified racing is about).

James "Jim" R. McGillicutty
Mattydale, New York

[Racer1_NC]

The southern boys squawked and got the Tour "only" engines and they were the ones that stiffed Caraway.

The place wasn't exactly overrun by teams from north of the Mason-Dixon line. By my count it was 9n to 6s hardly an impressive turnout from either region.