Thorn Hill this weekend!

[PonymanfiveO]

Craig and I are planning to race with the hillbillys at Thorn Hill this Sat. night.
Nothing going on this weekend and we want to try something different.
I havent been there in a couple years and Im excited to see the new changes and updates. I think gates open at noon and time trials start at 6pm.
Come out and race with us or hang out and drink some beers! :bigthumb

website says $20 to race street class. cool!

[MADMOD]

I think me and a couple of buddies will be there

[PonymanfiveO]

sweet! I got the Grey pile dialed in tonight at E2o. That car is deadly consistent. ;)

[cobrajoe]

If nothings going on I might come down and play. That's if I'm welcome!

[PonymanfiveO]

If nothings going on I might come down and play. That's if I'm welcome!


dude, we wish youd hang out more often.
Everyone is always welcome at the race track!
even the middletown goobers. :lol:

[MADMOD]

Doesn't look like my buddys car is going to be ready but I may come down and watch.

[PonymanfiveO]

What a freeking nightmare. Craig and I did come home with $60 worth of winnings each. ;)
Ponymom Racing FTW!

[Maximus]

What a freeking nightmare. Craig and I did come home with $60 worth of winnings each. ;)
Ponymom Racing FTW!

Fuck. I forgot what I was gonna type.

Carry on.:lol:

[PonymanfiveO]

Thorn Hill is a dangerous ass crazy place to race. I cant believe noone died tonight.

Racing on a wet track (full of potholes) (in the fog) is some scary ass shit! No more for me!!! I tap out!

[MADMOD]

So how many rounds did you guys go before they called it?

[nskaats]

They called it after the first round of eliminations. Cut the cars and half and gave the survivors double their money back. It was nice hanging out with everyone tonight, it's been a while since I've been out.

In all fairness you should try the track on a night where it isn't raining. There's usually a much better turnout and things move much faster. Thanks to the delays from rain and fog I don't think eliminations started til like 11 PM. They normally get going at about 8-8:30.

[MADMOD]

I may go down and race next weekend if I don't have a wedding to go to. Maybe we could convince Craig and Matt to come down again. If I don't make it I do belive Shaun will be there in his Crapmaro.:D

[PonymanfiveO]

nope. Sorry, but I wont be back till they repave the track and tech cars at least a little bit.

Having to drive around pot holes at 110+ mph is not cool. Racing against dudes who have been drinking all day, not cool either.

I think the new owner is doing a great job at making it a nice place. He has changed a lot of stuff and I hear he plans to continue to work to make it a great place to race.
I will definatly come back to race once its a little safer.

[nskaats]

If I don't make it I do belive Shaun will be there in his Crapmaro.:D

Easy killa....not so rough on the misfits, we have feelings too.

I'll come down after work, maybe race I dunno yet.

[Hrod382]

I know I'm a year late on this post... But I sat in the burnout box literally like 30 minutes on my 2nd round pass, it was just a bad night. Waiving to the crowd kept me busy.

I was the jerk who idled down the track at about 5 mph after my side of the tree didn't drop lol. Last weekend went very smoothly (In box I got down to 6 and my dad won woohooo).

[Waffles]

nope. Sorry, but I wont be back till they repave the track and tech cars at least a little bit.

Having to drive around pot holes at 110+ mph is not cool. Racing against dudes who have been drinking all day, not cool either.

I think the new owner is doing a great job at making it a nice place. He has changed a lot of stuff and I hear he plans to continue to work to make it a great place to race.
I will definatly come back to race once its a little safer.

Pothole (singular) is filled. MustangJon made a couple of timed passes and I passengered. Where the pothole was, is fairly smooth now.

Please remember that money to make repairs and improvements to the track can only come from continued patronage. Jerry is, of course, willing to make nearly every suggested improvement, as long as it can be paid for. At least he's an owner that puts the money back into the track.

[craigels]

Pothole (singular) is filled. MustangJon made a couple of timed passes and I passengered. Where the pothole was, is fairly smooth now.

Please remember that money to make repairs and improvements to the track can only come from continued patronage. Jerry is, of course, willing to make nearly every suggested improvement, as long as it can be paid for. At least he's an owner that puts the money back into the track.

Glad to hear the pothole is filled... but there is still PLENTY of room for improvement! I know that Jerry is putting money back into the track to make improvements and it has come a long way since he took over... but it still has a long way to go. I know if anyone is going to bring it back up to par, it will be Jerry.

I think a couple of major things taken care of will really improve the quality of racing and the atmosphere down there. First off, GET RID OF THE DRUNKS! It is clearly posted on sight and in the rules... why not stick to it? It is very nerve racking to line your nice, well taken care of race car up next to some douche bag in his hooptie who has been drinking all day. I saw plenty of that when I was down there. Secondly, stick to the basic safety rules! These are posted on their website... why not stick to these too? Put a shirt on when you race! TH is also the only place I have seen someone drive a dragster in shorts and a tank top. Thrid, clear the gravel from the track at the 1/8 mile... and lastly, I think its time to invest in some track drying equipment.

I was totally against racing at this track, which is only 10 minutes from my house, but wound up giving it a shot anyway. I won't be back until we see some more improvements. The above is just a few of the major things that could be taken care of for little or no money at all. I wish the TH crew luck!


Craig

[mustangjon]

yah jerry is cool guy, was nice for him to let me get my baseline runs in before the racing really started so we could run as we wanted. my slow ole stinkin lincoln posted 16.6 lol.. but i figure if i had time to let the car cool after we had got there.. not had chris as "illegal ballast" :lol: spare ect, could prolly had it closer to 16 flat mark.. but it was all fun. couldnt stick around too long and watch many the passes, but had good time for the hour or so i was there. As to the improvements at track it has came along way does need other work, and the family is wanting any and all suggested improvements. :coo1:

[MADMOD]

I am glad to see the pot hole was filled. It may be a few weeks before I can get down there but I will be back.

[Waffles]

I think a couple of major things taken care of will really improve the quality of racing and the atmosphere down there. First off, GET RID OF THE DRUNKS! It is clearly posted on sight and in the rules... why not stick to it? It is very nerve racking to line your nice, well taken care of race car up next to some douche bag in his hooptie who has been drinking all day. I saw plenty of that when I was down there. Secondly, stick to the basic safety rules! These are posted on their website... why not stick to these too? Put a shirt on when you race! TH is also the only place I have seen someone drive a dragster in shorts and a tank top. Thrid, clear the gravel from the track at the 1/8 mile... and lastly, I think its time to invest in some track drying equipment.



There are continual plans for improving the track, of course. Here's the dillema of what you suggest. We'd first have to chase off every loyal existing patron of the track that shows up rain or shine, that shows up regardless of what other tracks are doing. Then sink a couple hundred thousand into the track to make all the suggested improvements and then HOPE that new people will come to the track. That's a HUGE risk for a business owner.

Isn't there some happy medium? Regardless of how "unsafe" people think the track is, it has an excellent safety record. The only wreck I know of this season was Jerry screwing around on a weeknight on a quad :lol:

[craigels]

There are continual plans for improving the track, of course. Here's the dillema of what you suggest. We'd first have to chase off every loyal existing patron of the track that shows up rain or shine, that shows up regardless of what other tracks are doing. Then sink a couple hundred thousand into the track to make all the suggested improvements and then HOPE that new people will come to the track. That's a HUGE risk for a business owner.

Isn't there some happy medium? Regardless of how "unsafe" people think the track is, it has an excellent safety record. The only wreck I know of this season was Jerry screwing around on a weeknight on a quad :lol:

Honestly I think the bigger risk is letting Johnny Too Cool drink all day, then get in his "race car" and make a pass at 100 mph. The other driver's or loyal patrons down there are what make the track unsafe... I can understand that surface conditions are being taken care of and improvements are being made. But all it takes is one drunken retard to cross the center line in front of someone. I think the quality of racing and racecars could be greatly improved. Most of the loyal patrons race there because their cars will not pass tech anywhere else... So now that puts an unsafe driver in an unsafe race car.

I can understand the risk that Jerry would be taking. I guess the question is what direction does he want to take the track in? Does he want to make subtle improvements and keep who he has coming? Leaving him the owner of the least desirable track in the tristate... or does he want make a name for TH and bring in new racers and different cars? Making a better and safer environment and a decent third option for racing on the weekends...

Is there a happy medium? Not really... I gave the track the benefit of the doubt and went there to race anyway. My experience was bad... I may give the track another shot down the road when it is safer.



Craig

[nskaats]

Craig, Jerry will definitely be doing his best to make the track more appealing to a wider variety of racers and spectators. I've personally been stressing the safety issue to him since before the track even opened and I know he plans on improving that aspect of it. The changes will come over time, he can't make them all at once. The main focus is running the facility and covering the costs before improvements can be made. No one runs a business to lose money.

IMHO, when it comes to being the least desirable track in the area...Tristate takes the cake. I would still rather race at Thorn Hill than Tristate. That's because of the irresponsibility of both the racers up there and the entire crew that runs the place. I still feel safer on Thorn Hill's track than I do at Tristate too.

[Waffles]

Leaving him the owner of the least desirable track in the tristate... or does he want make a name for TH and bring in new racers and different cars? Making a better and safer environment and a decent third option for racing on the weekends...

Craig

It's already the 3rd option. So essentially, you're saying if he runs off all the people who keep the place in business, you might show up and support the track? This is the problem with being very aggressive about this approach. I'm not saying the track isn't moving in that direction. I know more than what I'm saying here. However, you don't get as far as next week without customers. All I'm really saying is this. I've heard everyone bitch about every track in the tristate area. At Thornhill, we have an owner that cares and wants the track to succeed... and he's a BRAND NEW OWNER. He's not a racer, he's focused on running a business that will succeed. There's a chance to make the track what it should be. However, it'll never happen if the attitude is, "Make it what it should be first, then I'll show up... maybe."

[PonymanfiveO]

It's already the 3rd option. So essentially, you're saying if he runs off all the people who keep the place in business, you might show up and support the track? This is the problem with being very aggressive about this approach."

He is not saying "run off all the people who keep the place in business".
There were quite a few nice looking big money rides we looked at when we were there. There are also quite a few good racers who are there every weekend battling it out to the finals. I know a few of them personally. Its the white trash low lifes that have no care about the safety of anyone else. Hardcore, maybe you need to man up and tell the group of pot smokers pitted next to us that they need to leave. You seem to be Jerrys spokesperson, maybe you need to get off the internet and help make it a more desirable environment for respected racers to frequent. Sure your going to loose a few bucks by kicking out the Hatfield family and their drunk dad who has raced there in his same Monte Carlo SS for the past 8 years. But dont you think you will make more money from all the spectators who show up to see the big race teams who show up to take a shot at that big money outlaw race?

Of course you cant magically pave the track and have a NHRA tech crew over night, but you can put more lights and guard rails up before the fancy hand dryers in the shitter.


I know more than what I'm saying here.

You always seem to know more than what everyone is talking about. :rolleyes:


At Thornhill, we have an owner that cares and wants the track to succeed... and he's a BRAND NEW OWNER.

Not Craig or I ever said he didnt care or did not want to succeed. I believe we actually said good job for all the hard work he has done. Your getting too damn defensive here Hardcore! Jerrys spokesperson needs to take three deep breaths and reread before he posts. :lol: :bigthumb


He's not a racer, he's focused on running a business that will succeed. There's a chance to make the track what it should be. However, it'll never happen if the attitude is, "Make it what it should be first, then I'll show up... maybe.

Very true, but a business will not succeed if he gets his balls sued off by someone who gets hit by a drunk in a race car. You have to man up and tell these people its unsafe.
The weekend we raced, it rained for a few minutes after first round of time trials. They worked very hard for over an hour to dry the racing surface. They called us to the lanes just after dark for another pass. I assumed they were sending us out on a dry safe surface to race on. So I made a full 1/4 mile hit and after crossing the last set of cones way out back in the dark, I realized the shut down was still soaking wet. Now I have to admit that my eyes widened and my butt hole puckered up when I realized that I had to slow down from 110+ mph in the dark while dodging a huge pot hole on skinnies, slicks and stock brakes. :eek: Did I mention that it was pitch black and wet! lol
It is a miracle that no one crashed in those conditions.

Jerry is not going to make a lot of money letting people run a business like that for him. A wet track should not be raced on. Am I wrong for thinking like this?

Neither Craig or I are attacking you Hardcore or Jerry. You can continue to get the last post in on this thread and defend all you want but understand that I want to see Thorn Hill become another great place to race in the tri state. I would be devastated if it were closed down. I know Jerry is fighting the neighbors in court just to keep the place open the little bit that it is. I just dont want those arrogant snobs to have more reasons to have the place closed down. Keep up the good work Jerry. We will be back to race with you. ;)

[69Cobra]

Let me say this. I've never made a full 1/4 pass at TH because of the short shutdown area. But I've also never made any pass at Tri State. To me that has to be the most unsafe track around. Just my .02

[Waffles]

He is not saying "run off all the people who keep the place in business".
There were quite a few nice looking big money rides we looked at when we were there. There are also quite a few good racers who are there every weekend battling it out to the finals. I know a few of them personally. Its the white trash low lifes that have no care about the safety of anyone else. Hardcore, maybe you need to man up and tell the group of pot smokers pitted next to us that they need to leave.


Did you happen to let anyone know about the pot smoking? Report it to the cop there? Jerry throws people out for weed, so I'm sure you didn't let him know about it. The cop would have likely arrested someone. So, you can talk to me about "manning up", I guess. But did you? I would have "manned up" with a quickness and thrown them out on their ear. I don't have a problem with this.



You seem to be Jerrys spokesperson, maybe you need to get off the internet and help make it a more desirable environment for respected racers to frequent.


I'm no one's spokesperson but my own. I've spent countless hours at the track, along with several others, trying to make it a better environment for everyone. All of my time, by the way, has been volunteer. How's your foot taste?



Sure your going to loose a few bucks by kicking out the Hatfield family and their drunk dad who has raced there in his same Monte Carlo SS for the past 8 years. But dont you think you will make more money from all the spectators who show up to see the big race teams who show up to take a shot at that big money outlaw race?

Of course you cant magically pave the track and have a NHRA tech crew over night, but you can put more lights and guard rails up before the fancy hand dryers in the shitter.


I'll be sure to suggest he remove the hand dryers. :rolleyes: Just so you know, the hand dryers are leased for a small monthly payment. Installation and maintanance is included. I doubt seriously the lights and guardrails can be done for $30/month. The guardrails and lights are certainly on a LONG list of planned projects... but, thanks for the suggestion anyway.



You always seem to know more than what everyone is talking about. :rolleyes:


What I was saying is, that I know more about upcoming plans etc than I am saying publicly.



Not Craig or I ever said he didnt care or did not want to succeed. I believe we actually said good job for all the hard work he has done. Your getting too damn defensive here Hardcore! Jerrys spokesperson needs to take three deep breaths and reread before he posts. :lol: :bigthumb


Speaking of reading before you post... When was it exactly that I claimed either one of you said you didn't want Thornhill to succeed? I said Jerry did, not that either of you didn't. So, I just have to ask WTH you're talking about?



Very true, but a business will not succeed if he gets his balls sued off by someone who gets hit by a drunk in a race car. You have to man up and tell these people its unsafe.
The weekend we raced, it rained for a few minutes after first round of time trials. They worked very hard for over an hour to dry the racing surface. They called us to the lanes just after dark for another pass. I assumed they were sending us out on a dry safe surface to race on. So I made a full 1/4 mile hit and after crossing the last set of cones way out back in the dark, I realized the shut down was still soaking wet. Now I have to admit that my eyes widened and my butt hole puckered up when I realized that I had to slow down from 110+ mph in the dark while dodging a huge pot hole on skinnies, slicks and stock brakes. :eek: Did I mention that it was pitch black and wet! lol
It is a miracle that no one crashed in those conditions.

Jerry is not going to make a lot of money letting people run a business like that for him. A wet track should not be raced on. Am I wrong for thinking like this?


I'm confused. What makes you think Jerry let's anyone else run his business? Jerry doesn't know racing, so he listens to the people who've been there through the years. I don't think, and I'm sure Jerry doesn't claim, that all the decisions made down there are the right decisions. If you know anyone that always makes good decisions, PM me their name and number... I'm looking to hire a dozen guys just like that. All my point is, is that the decisions there are more complicated than just, "do this" or "do that."



Neither Craig or I are attacking you Hardcore or Jerry. You can continue to get the last post in on this thread and defend all you want but understand that I want to see Thorn Hill become another great place to race in the tri state. I would be devastated if it were closed down. I know Jerry is fighting the neighbors in court just to keep the place open the little bit that it is. I just dont want those arrogant snobs to have more reasons to have the place closed down. Keep up the good work Jerry. We will be back to race with you. ;)

Then help, and try to be constructive. Solutions are exactly what TH needs. With more "big" racers coming to TH on a regular basis, the faster the less desirables you mentioned can be moved out. It'll be great to see you all there.



Let me say this. I've never made a full 1/4 pass at TH because of the short shutdown area. But I've also never made any pass at Tri State. To me that has to be the most unsafe track around. Just my .02

It's not a project I'd expect anytime this year, or maybe even next. However, there is an additional 400+ feet beyond the existing shutdown that will eventually be paved. That should help greatly.

[nskaats]

Chris, don't be so defensive guy. Matt and Craig are just stating their $0.02 and giving some good input. We're all on the same page here as far as what improvements we would like to see as racers at Thorn Hill.

Look at it this way: if Weinle keeps letting Edgewater go down hill the way it is, it's going to start looking like Tristate in a couple years. Thorn Hill will be all that the real racers have left. Jerry will have all the racers he can handle.

[Waffles]

Eh, there were some pretty clear personal attacks, even though he said he didn't after he did. I responded and now I'm done with the thread.

[69Cobra]

Matt and Craig are freakin cry babies! I would ban there asses from ever stepping foot back on that property!:bounce::lol::D

Relax Hardcore like Nick said we just want TH to be a better place that's all.

[nskaats]

Easy there Kris...dem's fightin' words. There will be no banning of the UMTR guys from ANY track! We will take over every track one by one...

[Waffles]

Relax Hardcore like Nick said we just want TH to be a better place that's all.

Oh, I'm relaxed. Matt made his snide comments directed toward me personally, but whatever. I'm over it. Whoever wants to come race can come race, whoever doesn't can stay away. I don't care. Only reason I said anything at all was because it seemed every time the track was mentioned there would be some comment about it.

All I was hoping for was a more constructive reaction. That's obviously not going to happen, so there's no point in continuing the conversation. There are some of who us will continue to contribute to make it a better place so that all might enjoy.

[Hrod382]

I know just about every weekly guy that runs there, or "drunks" as they're called... I've made passes in a million different cars at the Hill. I've made hundreds and hundreds of 5 second 1/8 mile passes.... I've never felt unsafe there. I'm not so hot on the outside lane at this point but I've got a pair so I'll go down it.

I will say, the racers voted on changing the way the lanes are (I wasn't there) and it's just a mess. Either the racers aren't smart enough to figure it out or more than once the people lining cars up haven't done it correctly (seen it with my own 2 eyes). Plus blocking off lanes in time runs is killing time, people like me don't want to be the first car down as I know I won't hook so we all lay back and take long to come up where with the old system I would just go to lane 5 or 6 right when they called us up. I got screwed over Saturday night at 10 cars by a car lining up LATE in the wrong lane. I don't know why everyone voted it that way, yeah, it works at Clay City but the guys running the lanes have been there 820 years. I know it was meant to prevent duck hunting but I still see guys do it, it's pretty lame when you have to pick someone to think you have a good chance at winning. I wish it would go back to the old way, a lot less BS. I'm not pumped about more entry fee and the purse getting cut more than last year with similar car counts but I do understand the bills have to be paid.

With that said, everything done there now is with good intentions. There were potholes along the return road that have been there for YEARS, they're now gone which I appreciate not having to dodge to not destroy my stupid priced wheels. The burnout box doesn't have potholes in it like the old one did. Jerry is obviously new to this, it's going to take growing pains. I think there are way too many people that were incredibly naive and thought an owner change would go absolutely smoothly, it never does.

I know Jerry is doing what he thinks is best for the track, he would be a fool not to but I appreciate it. It's just a matter of him gaining some experience and figuring what works and what doesn't. I'm patient, I'm in it for the long haul. I'd be stupid not to, I live 4 miles from the place. There's a guy Chuck Grizzell who used to run the place and he did a FANTASTIC job, Jerry knows him I think... It would be cool if Chuck could run the place. He used to do dial for dollars and pit vehicle races, that was when the track was raking in all kinds of people. The massive rumor is Al let him go because he was making him look bad with as good of a job as he was doing.

EDIT: Don't get too carried away with people on KentuckyBracketRacing, they're just beating their chests on the computer. I posted once on that site and stopped looking since. Everyone knows the what's wrong but have no answers, bunch of democrats haha.

[Waffles]

Wow... very constructive post. :) Thank you.

I've heard the same thing about the lanes there. I know JC used to run the lanes and there was some huge altercation between he and a driver a few weeks ago. I wasn't there so I don't really know what happened. At any rate, I think they're trying to work through a process. Give them a few and see if they get it worked out.

BTW, you've got a couple of VERY nice Camaros. I know one of them is your dad's, although I can't remember which is which.

[mustangboy]

I know JC used to run the lanes and there was some huge altercation between he and a driver a few weeks ago. I havn't been down yet this year as I have been doing alot of camping with the family but I believe that it was between JC and my friend Jeremy. I still haven't got the scoop so maybe I should call Jeremy to find out exactly what happened but I did hear it involved a gun.

[craigels]

Wow... very constructive post. :) Thank you.



What makes his post more constructive than Matt's or mine? Matt and I offered up some suggestions based on the first hand experience we had there. All the things mentioned were taken from observations we made after we actually raced there.


I still haven't got the scoop so maybe I should call Jeremy to find out exactly what happened but I did hear it involved a gun.

This is what I am talking about. What exactly is safe about this situation? I cannot begin to think what would happen in the staging lanes that would justify needing to get your handgun out. BTW, I did hear about this situation from a reliable source before Matt and I went down there. We were certain nothing was going to happen involving us, but we were packing anyway.



Craig

[Waffles]

What makes his post more constructive than Matt's or mine? Matt and I offered up some suggestions based on the first hand experience we had there. All the things mentioned were taken from observations we made after we actually raced there.

Seriously? Well, I don't even know what to say if you don't see the difference yourself. Maybe just go re-read the posts, especially Matt's with all his sarcastic personal comments. I'm not sure how that's constructive at all.

[DeckerEnt]

OK. So if I take my car to Thorn Hill, I should not look at anyone sideways in the lanes, watch out for pot holes, Dry my hands well, and then what? Keep my AR locked and loaded in the passenger seat? Have 911 on speed dial to inform on the pot smokers and drunks?
I know everyone likes a little drama from time to time but we are talking about a local track. A track that is in a transition right now. There are the regulars that pay the bills, and the new customers that this track sorely needs. Things have to be done, I understand that. Tradition plays a huge part in what is going on right now.
I am an optimast. I think everything is going to work out. Sure some things will be hard to take at first but if the new owner plays his cards right, in a few years this track could be one of the best in the area.
Keith

[Waffles]

:lol: Preach it brother!

I'm gonna end up jacking one of those hand dryers and bolting it up to my intake, they'll prolly give me like 4,000,000lbs of boost! Maybe I'll get another one and point it out the back.