Stafford Motor Speedway Makes Early Cancellation Of Friday Night Opener

Comments

1. Fred says

   May 4, 2017 at 12:17 pm

   Another early cancellation hope this one works out for them. Really don’t see any reason to cancel early, at least if you wait your giving the weather a chance to change. Doesnt seem likely but why not wait?
2. humphry says

   May 4, 2017 at 6:26 pm

   Great choice, it is nice to see a track being proactive rather than reactive. Weather is supposed to be horrible tomorrow.
3. old observer says

   May 4, 2017 at 10:44 pm

   Sorry Fred but I disagree, Smart decision so everyone isn’t left hanging. It’s not like the old days when the track would say on the phone that they are racing tonight while it was raining outside!
   Forecasts don’t look good for most of the weekend but hope Seekonk get their Sun show in.
4. Sherman Williams says

   May 4, 2017 at 11:39 pm

   Too bad tomorrow is cancelled since this event was the buy one admission, get one free event which his nice coming off Sizzler weekend. Next week is one of the weeks I do not like. For the pleasure of 20 extra laps of always titillating late model racing Stafford jacks the price of admission up over 14%. Thanks but no thanks to that Mr. Arute, I will vote with my feet.
5. Doug says

   May 5, 2017 at 8:18 am

   The threat of rain isn’t about will racing be possible. It’s about how will it affect the crowd size. It’s amazing now what technology has done for the sport. Remember the old days when the flag man had to get out onto the track and set the line up after a caution. No one liked that ritual.Now the reset is piped directly to the drivers instantaneously. Weather conditions, no big deal. With a email or text everyone associated with the scheduled event can find out within minutes of the decision. No racing these days is not about lead time or notification. It’s about the one thing technology can’t predict, the crowd size. Funding races with iffy weather and no crowds weakens the tracks finances and that is good for no one.
   And speaking of rain and losing money this old timer remembers when Stafford ended the Modified’s and made SK’s the premier division. Oh man was that a painful move. Carnage on the track and at the front gate as people stayed away in droves. It may rain you say? Ed Yarrington the race director couldn’t pull the plug fast enough with the threat of rain cause a rain out simply meant less lost money. SK’s have come a long way baby and all credit to Stafford for sticking with them.
   Not coming a long way is the announcing. Yikes, take off the mufflers cause it can be just painful at times. Ben Dodge, truly an iconic figure in the region is struggling. He’ll always be my hero for trying to initiate fee admission for the Riverside teams when he was race director there saying you don’t charge the entertainers for putting on the show. The deep, steady mellifluous voice is as rich and compelling as ever. But using the crutch of drivers making magic on every lap is mind-numbingly tedious.Magic is not that common. Matt Buckler, an original. I was at a race last year in July and a family that was vacationing was next to me unfamiliar with the races. Buckler’s metaphors describing the action struck them and one asked me what’s up with the announcer.Was he drunk or making fun of the drivers. i explained that the guy indeed is not and that coming up with bizarre “like a” descriptions of car movements totally unrelated to the action on the track was kind of his thing. Then there is pop in Jackier Arute the permanent smart ass of Stafford. Michael Gervais has raced at Stafford for years supporting the track but at the 5 K last years Jackie couldn’t recall how to pronounce his last name. In fact suggesting no one knew how to pronounce it even Michael himself. Drivers put on the show.At least have the courtesy to know how to pronounce their names.
   There’s a whole new generation racing in the very strong SK and SK Light divisions.It’s a new day and perhaps new blood in the booth should be considered.
6. Steve says

   May 5, 2017 at 11:37 am

   Rain date should automatically be Saturday if the bowl is not running
7. Sharpie Fan says

   May 5, 2017 at 12:17 pm

   The early notice is appreciated since many teams have to load up on Thursday night. This way the cars don’t have to sit outside on an open trailer and/or unload in the rain.
8. Kevin T. says

   May 5, 2017 at 12:21 pm

   Great call,100% rain.Thank u for not ruining our Friday night,by sitting in the rain like other tracks.
9. Elect says

   May 5, 2017 at 4:20 pm

   Steve I like your idea,Sat rain date for Fri and Sun afternoon for SAT RAIN date , we could keep going!!!
10. humphry says

    May 5, 2017 at 5:56 pm

    I’ll bet all of you who complained about cancelling Stafford tonight are eating crow right about now!
11. Barry says

    May 6, 2017 at 11:31 am

    Rain dates sound great, but getting general track employees and public safety people there might be a different story. I would imagine lots of the part-time folks have other jobs or commitments on non-scheduled days.

    Last year, I attended the Indy Car race at Pocono that ran on a Monday rain date. Even with a greatly reduced crowd at a large facility, there were long lines at entrance gates and the few concessions that were open. One of the track employees told me they had very few employees available to work the unscheduled day, due to the part time nature of working at the track not being the primary income for many.
12. geoffrey doppelgänger says

    May 6, 2017 at 5:48 pm

    10% chance of rain next week but 100% on Saturday.
    Weatherman is wrong. Storm will come early and it will rain next Friday night.
    Run Late Model 50 in the rain because their tires are aqua-treaded.
13. Steve says

    May 7, 2017 at 8:55 am

    They should either cancel the late model division or open it up so the ACT cars can run…the way it is now really hurts the friday show.
14. Doug says

    May 8, 2017 at 7:25 am

    Stafford Late Models and Limited Late Models have problems. Low car counts and boring racing. The Sizzler Late Model feature said it all. The pole sitter was the only leader and when there were no cautions the gap between the first few position was 5 to eight car lengths. What is wrong with the rules that let them get so spread out so consistently and so fast under green flag conditions.