The secret to success at Painesville Speedway is not that secret.  But has apparently eluded the current management for some time now.    They are certainly not DUMB, I realize in order to put yourself in a position to purchase the speedway, they must be intelligent businessmen.  In my humble opinion mistakes are just that mistakes, if one learns from them, they will make a better person out of you.  One that recognizes what went wrong and makes the necessary corrections to prevent the same outcome.   The definition of INSANITY is-- doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.   STOP doing the same thing!!!!!!    

1. Admit your mistakes

2.Decide if you truly want to be in the Race World

3. (this one maybe tough) Be Honest!!!  Be fare,  be firm

4. get to know your clientele, drivers, crews, fans

5. appreciate what they bring to the table IE. heart, dedication, desire,  family!!!

6. DO NOT i repeat DO NOT talk down to anyone, they are not beneath you (the balance in there checking account has no bearing on there character)

7. get some rules,   make them clear, stick to them!!!

8. Maintain your facility,  if you expect folks to be proud of racing at your track,  SHOW some pride yourself!

9. accept constructive criticism,   with a smile    not  "if you don't like it you can load your shit and go"

10. lastly make your apologies, (lord knows they are owed) ask for forgiveness   and move forward!!!  I humble man is a smart man  

Painesville Speedway can and will be full to capacity every weekend.  If and only IF management  truly wants it to be.    The drivers, crews as well as the fans of PS,  in my experience, are truly some of the finest people i have ever had the privilege of knowing.             get to know them!!!!!!!!!!!!!      you just might like them.

HONESTY will breed respect,  without  respect you will fail  garanteed!!!

 

 

 

 

 

GREAT question Drew.  I've been going to Painesville Speedway for as long as I can remember.  As a kid, my brother and I would play Figure 8 with our hotwheels CONSTANTLY.  We would even melt our model cars with a candle to make them look smashed.  Growing up in Grand River you had racecars everywhere you went, so I guess it was engrained in me at a very early age.  When I was in high school I always took a new girlfriend on a date to the track within our first 2 or 3 weeks of going out.  If she loved it I would keep her around.  It wasn't soon after high school that I had my first Figure 8 car and the rest is history.

As far as influences and favorite drivers go, the list would be impressive.  As a youngster, I was a huge fan of #01 Kyle Matteson.  He was always charging thru the pack and fighting for the lead by the end of the race.  I still have a button with a picture of him and his car that I wore every week in the early '80s.  As I got older I really started to become a fan of Herb Reynolds, #93.  He was a very competetive driver who always managed to do a lot with a little.  In my opinion, Herb was one of the most exciting drivers to watch.  I am fortunate to have bought the car, that I currently race, off of him a number of years ago.  The list wouldn't be right if I didn't say that Joe March, THE #21, hasn't been a huge influence on Figure 8 drivers, including myself.  Joe March... What else can you say?  Once I began racing, I would say that by watching, and trying to stay with, both of the Marvin Brothers was a experience in and of itself.  Both of them could wheel ANYTHING that you put them in.  TRUST ME.  I take a lot of pride in the fact that I had, or still have, the opportunity to have raced with most of these drivers.  This list would go on, but I'm just posting a blog, not writing a book.  I believe that I learned from some of the best in the 'School of Hard Knocks'.

Well, the question was 'who was your favorite driver?'  For me this was easy... This guy epitomised SHOWMAN on and off the track.  He was the first to wave to the kids from his famous 'White Whale', and sign an autograph for a fan without rushing you thru.  To this day, I still have a 1984 Painesville Speedway program with his autograph in it.  I don't even have to look at it because I have it memorized.  It reads "To Chad, Good Luck and God Bless, Augie 'The Dog' Landsmann.

 

 

Just so everyone knows - Old School 88 - is not Billy "The Kid" Roberts - while everyone jumps to conclusions and acts like a bunch of idiots on this blog - it might be a better idea to get your shit straight before you do so.

Carol March

I'm sorry I shouldn't say "everyone" - SOME people act like idiots..........................  Other's have very good ideas about the track and I've read some very good points about the track on here as well.  It's just frustrating to read the garbage.

 

Hey Everyone - you should all come out to Thompson Raceway Park tomorrow night (July 3rd - starting at 6PM) for the Independence Eve Explosion and watch Dale race the 1/4 mile in his front engine dragster!!!!!!!!

Hope to see you there!

Carol

I AM NOT HERE TO PUT ANY ONE DOWN OR TALK CRAP JUST MY POINT OF VIEW, I  RACED AT PAINESVILLE SPEEDWAY FOR 14 YEARS I HAVE SEEN IT ALL. WHEN I FIRSTED RACING THERE THE RULES WERE SET FOR EVERY DIVISION AND THEY WERE ENFORCED YEAH WE ALL TRIED TO GET AROUND THEM AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER THATS JUST WHAT RACERS DO.WE ALL AT THE TIME THOUGHT GORDAN ALLEN WAS THE WORST TRACK OWNER AND PROMETOR OF ALL TIME'S BUT AS WE CAN SEE THAT WAS FAR FROM THE TRUTH.IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS PAINESVILLE SPEEDWAY HAS GOTTON WAY OUT OF HAND WITH THE RULES AND MANAGMENT, FAVORTISIEM AND THEY LOST TOUCH OF WHAT A RACING 'FAMILY' REALLY IS. I NOW DRIVE ALLMOST 200 MILES ROUND TRIP TO RACE AT SANDUSKY SPEEDWAY, WE SPEND A TON OF MONEY TO RACE EVERY WEEK, WHEN WE HAVE A TRACK IN OUR OWN BACK YARD.MY REASON IS SIMPLE JIMMY COHAGAN HE IS 98 PERCENT WHY I DO NOT RACE THERE ANYMORE. AND IF THE BATMANS OR HIMSELF READS THIS THEY WILL NOW WHY.THE OTHER TWO PERCENT IS THERE RULES AND THE WAY THEY TREAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PUTTING A GREAT SHOW ON FOR THEM.FOR THEM THIS IS JUST A BUSINESS NOT A FAMILY I MEAN REALLY LOOK AT WHAT THEY DID TO ALL THE DIVISIONS OUT THERE, THERE IS NOT ONE DIVISION WHERE YOU CAN TAKE A JUNKER PUT SOME BARS IN THERE AND COMPETE.THEY HAVE TROPHY STOCK CARS RUNNING WITH THERE SPORTSMAN CLASS. I THINK ITS GREAT FOR THOSE DRIVERS TO RUN THERE CARS THAT FAST. I COULD SPEND ALOT OF TIME SAYING THE THINGS THAT ARE ON MY MIND ABOUT WHY JUST SIX YEARS AGO THERE WERE 70 CARS THAT RACED AT THAT TRACK AND NOW THERE IS ONLY A HAND FULL BUT I AM SURE EVERY WHO DOES NOT RACE THERE WILL SHARE IN SOME OF MY THOUGHTS AND YES THEY SHOULD EXPRESS THEM ALSO, IN HOPES THE OWNERSHIP WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. AND YES I AM A HILL BILLY SO SOME OF MY GRAMMER MIGHT NOT BE UP TO STANDERDS BUT I HOPE IT GETS THE POINT ACROSS.

           I applaud you CHAD, sounds to me like you really have your finger on the current pulse of the speedway.

As a long, long time supporter, driver, owner, sponsor, of local racing, It pains me to witness what is going on there

currently, since i walked away from racing and the speedway several years ago. It has always been in my mind and

blood. Can our track be brought back?  will we ever again witness the crowds of yesteryear?  I certainly hope so.

But i doubt it with the current mind set.  Remember YOU drivers are what it is about!!!    don't lose sight of that.

WAKE UP MR BATEMAN!!   your patrons are trying to tell you something  A GOOD BUSINESSMAN WOULD LIST

Hey Painesville Speedway... Are you reading all of these comments being submitted by your patrons?  Man, I hope so...