Working Together...Or Not

I know, I know.  It's an old, worn out theme that's been beat to death over and over again.  For years everyone has been saying that tracks have to start working together in order to survive.  Some have listened.  Others?  Not so much.

Case in point:  This Friday, there are three Modified specials all within a few hours of each other.  Limaland Motorsports Park (Lima, OH) is hosting their annual Memorial Cup which pays $1500 to win for the UMP Mods.  150 miles south, Moler Raceway Park (Williamsburg, OH) is having the Cannonball Run for the UMP Modifieds paying $2500 to win.  And then, just an hour and a half east of Moler, Jackson County Speedway (Jackson, OH) is their 2nd Annual Modified Mayhem for the AMRA Road Warrior Tour paying $3000 to win.

UMP Modifieds go three-wide at Limaland Motorsports Park.

I honestly don't know whose schedule was released first, but I do know this.  If I'm a track promoter working on my schedule in October/November/December and I'm thinking about having a big race for ANY class, one of the first things I'm going to do is call the other promoters in my region to see what they have going on that night.

I mean, am I out of line in thinking this?

Now, in all reality, each track is most likely going to do just fine.  And each track will have a strong field of cars.  And really, there is very little overlap (if any) among these three tracks.

But the point is, we have got to be aware of our surroundings.  We have to know what other tracks are doing.  We have to think about the fans and drivers that live in between these tracks - the ones that do make a choice as to where they go.  

Scheduling on top of each other hurts everyone.  Let's start using our heads - and common sense... and start working together.