Thornhill news....

[Waffles]

Well, I bumped into Jerry Saylor this morning while having breakfast. Jerry Saylor is the new operator of Thornhill. He's leased the track from Jerry Meyer for the next 5 years. Jerry has been around racing for a long time, and has run a garage/tow service for many years.

He's doing some much needed repairs to the track surface before the season opens. The track will be ground down to a smooth flat surface. The turn offs will be widened, return road resurfaced, and a new turn off into the pits. Next year, the track will get new blacktop as well as getting some more length out of it. They're working on putting in new lighting this week. They're gonna keep 1/4 mile racing also. They're working on some expanded hours, but I can't give details yet.

I can't wait to see how things work out.




Oh, Greg Siebert, give me a call when you read this...

[Jeff88coupe]

Good to hear that things are still on a upswing for TH. I hope the new Track manager keeps a TnT class....it's nice to have a track close for when I want to get some test hits in.

[Waffles]

I think they will, especially if they end up with more time.

[mustangboy]

I know there is no way in hell they are going to get to run later, are thinking of trying to start racing earlier in the day?

[cobrajoe]

Think he would be interested in that idea we talked about?:cool2:

[98stangv6]

Glad to see it's still in operation. Are they not hosting any UMTR events there this year?

[Stangman]

So Chris, if things go well are you going to get back into Thornhill like you used to be?

[Waffles]

I know there is no way in hell they are going to get to run later, are thinking of trying to start racing earlier in the day?

As you say, it couldn't be any later ;) I don't want to jinx anything.


Think he would be interested in that idea we talked about?:cool2:

Yes. He's got a lot on his plate right now though getting things ready for the season. We'll talk about it once he gets things rolling.


Glad to see it's still in operation. Are they not hosting any UMTR events there this year?

I had honestly hoped so. Dave and Tina had mentioned last season about having two races this year. We never heard anything else, and I noticed it's not on the schedule for this year so I guess nothing got settled after I left either.


So Chris, if things go well are you going to get back into Thornhill like you used to be?

No sir. Involved? Likely. Managing the track? No. Jerry Saylor is honestly one of the nicest guys I know. He's a good businessman and I'm hoping he runs the track himself. He's asked me to come to the employee meeting at the end of this month, but I'm not really interested in losing my Saturdays. I might end up maintaining the timing system since I built it, or filling in here and there.

What I AM going to try to do some this season is race. Sigma Motorsports is building a car for me. They're using my 1st Gen RX-7 as a donor and tubing it up. Most of their experience is with off-road builds but they're trying to diversify and I have every confidence in Mike to get this car together.

[bestracing]

Share the news Chris ;)

[Waffles]

They've just got something crazy close to being worked out, but could be completely shot down in a half second. We'll just wait and see.

[bestracing]

I meant share the new management news on another board :D

[Waffles]

Ohhhhh.... lol... will do

[Waffles]

Well, some bad news. The blacktop plants are not opening till after opening day. So, I guess the stuff will still get done, just not for the opener.

[Waffles]

So Chris, if things go well are you going to get back into Thornhill like you used to be?

No sir. Involved? Likely. Managing the track? No. Jerry Saylor is honestly one of the nicest guys I know. He's a good businessman and I'm hoping he runs the track himself. He's asked me to come to the employee meeting at the end of this month, but I'm not really interested in losing my Saturdays. I might end up maintaining the timing system since I built it, or filling in here and there.


Well, I guess I'm a liar. I picked up my keys to the track yesterday.

[Jeff88coupe]

Well, I guess I'm a liar. I picked up my keys to the track yesterday.
Glad to hear it...I'm sure i'll see you a few times this year then....once I get my car back together.

[Waffles]

Jeff, you might even end up coming down to race this year ;) Lots of good things going on.

[Jeff88coupe]

Index stuff or outlaw 1/8th mile stuff?:chicken:spill it;)

[Waffles]

Probably index, it's still in discussion... if it happens, will be once a month kind of a thing (not on OSM days ;) ) unless we get those extended hours. If we get them, there's no telling what we might do lol.

Regular brackets will be 1/8 mile delay box cars for Bracket I and 1/4 mile footbrake cars for Bracket II.

[Jeff88coupe]

Cool...I'll be there to support a index class if I can.

[bcoh5gt]

blah blah blah talk talk talk, six days until opening and still no definate word on what the classes will be. lots of broken promises and more racers being run off. good luck with the one or two TNT cars from stangbangerz a week. I bet you lose even more cars than last year with the things being said on kbr board. I know many people that will not come there without a no box 1/8th class whether they have a box for the other class or not.

[Waffles]

blah blah blah talk talk talk, six days until opening and still no definate word on what the classes will be. lots of broken promises and more racers being run off. good luck with the one or two TNT cars from stangbangerz a week. I bet you lose even more cars than last year with the things being said on kbr board. I know many people that will not come there without a no box 1/8th class whether they have a box for the other class or not.

I have no idea what happened on the KBR board or even who that Tommy guy is. All I know is that Jerry, Dale and I discussed and decided on brackets a week ago. The no box class only drew an average of about 15 cars on average. I'm sure some of those won't come back, most of them race box also anyway. Either way, the racers just don't support the class.

What broken promises are you talking about?

[Dirtyd0g]

I still prefer to go to Thornhill and could care less about the drama. The only reason I haven't been going is because my car was about 700lbs light in the front end. I recently picked up a "temporary" power plant to resolve that issue. Now I need to get it in there!.
Alan

[bcoh5gt]

It really don't matter we will go to london on saturday and tri-state on sundays. "Almost" every other track around her runs a no box 1/8th class and it seems like the owners stay the same and the tracks are not in the middle of controversy all the time. It just does suck that we have a track six miles away that we would love to support and race at but every owner is to stupid to understand why car count went down in that class. New owner should help and stop cutting purses. Let the cars run for however much money is in that class' purse each week and it's done. You don't promise something you can't afford then rob peter to pay paul. If you have "15 cars @$30 entry or whatever it is then you have $450 to payout that class. less cars less money that week more cars more money that week> WTF is so hard about that?

[Waffles]

Billy, WTF are you talking about? What did anyone promise that they couldn't afford? Robbing Peter to pay Paul? The reason we're not running 1/8 no box is because cars don't show up to support it. Because 15 cars turn up, payouts suck, and all people do it gripe about how bad it is. Three brackets spread the payouts too thin. You gotta cut the class that's supported more than 50% less than the other two.

[bcoh5gt]

Ok like I said before adapt or go elsewhere. finished it is what it is.

[Waffles]

You're really gonna say crap like that and then not even explain it Billy? Come on... that's kinda effed really.

[Waffles]

Jerry, Dale and I have been discussing this all day long (really, all week long.) We're going to, like last year, give 1/8 no box another chance to draw cars. We've been banging the numbers in an effort to make it work, and this is what we've come up with.

There have been a lot of folks verbally supporting the class 1/8 mile no box class, this will be your chance to show up and actually support it.

Spectator Fee is $10 unless otherwise posted for special events

Bracket I - 1/8 Mile Box

$45 Entry
48 cars payout will be $1000/400/150/75
40-47 cars payout will be $1000/400/150/0
30-39 cars payout will be $800/300/100/0

Bracket II - 1/8 Mile No Box
$35 Entry
45 cars payout will be $750/300/100/50
38-44 cars payout will be $750/300/100/0
28-37 cars payout will be $600/200/75/0

Bracket III - 1/4 Mile Footbrake
$30 Entry
30 cars payout will be $400/150/50/25
24-29 cars payout will be $400/150/50/0
16-23 cars payout will be $300/100/25/0

Payouts for brackets with less than posted car counts will be calculated by track manager.

Footbrake class requires transbrakes to be disconnected electronically to managements satisfaction. Linelocks can only be used in the burnout box.

If ANY class is not being supported on any particular race day, management reserves the right to consolidate classes. Individual racers may choose a refund instead of consolidation.

Break downs will be refunded their entry less $15 during time runs ONLY and AS A COURTESY. If you oil down the track when you break, don't expect a refund. Once eliminations begin there will be no refunds.

***********************************************

I'm sure this decision will not go without controversy. The truth is, no decision will go without some controversy. We've had 2 problems connected with running 3 classes.

First is the time. I've gotten commitments from Dale and Jerry to implement a few practices that will keep cars rolling through the lanes, to keep leakers and breakdowns off the track, and to clear them as quickly as possible when something does break.

Second is the payout. We've kept the min car counts as low as we can. We've kept the 3 classes separated enough in payout, and close enough in entry, that each car and driver will end up in the class where they belong without jumping classes and keeping things competitive.

This is not the perfect solution, we know. However it's the most fair solution we could find.

[bcoh5gt]

Jerry, Dale and I have been discussing this all day long (really, all week long.) We're going to, like last year, give 1/8 no box another chance to draw cars. We've been banging the numbers in an effort to make it work, and this is what we've come up with.

There have been a lot of folks verbally supporting the class 1/8 mile no box class, this will be your chance to show up and actually support it.

Spectator Fee is $10 unless otherwise posted for special events

Bracket I - 1/8 Mile Box

$45 Entry
48 cars payout will be $1000/400/150/75
40-47 cars payout will be $1000/400/150/0
30-39 cars payout will be $800/300/100/0

Bracket II - 1/8 Mile No Box
$35 Entry
45 cars payout will be $750/300/100/50
38-44 cars payout will be $750/300/100/0
28-37 cars payout will be $600/200/75/0

Bracket III - 1/4 Mile Footbrake
$30 Entry
30 cars payout will be $400/150/50/25
24-29 cars payout will be $400/150/50/0
16-23 cars payout will be $300/100/25/0

Payouts for brackets with less than posted car counts will be calculated by track manager.

Footbrake class requires transbrakes to be disconnected electronically to managements satisfaction. Linelocks can only be used in the burnout box.

If ANY class is not being supported on any particular race day, management reserves the right to consolidate classes. Individual racers may choose a refund instead of consolidation.

Break downs will be refunded their entry less $15 during time runs ONLY and AS A COURTESY. If you oil down the track when you break, don't expect a refund. Once eliminations begin there will be no refunds.

***********************************************

I'm sure this decision will not go without controversy. The truth is, no decision will go without some controversy. We've had 2 problems connected with running 3 classes.

First is the time. I've gotten commitments from Dale and Jerry to implement a few practices that will keep cars rolling through the lanes, to keep leakers and breakdowns off the track, and to clear them as quickly as possible when something does break.

Second is the payout. We've kept the min car counts as low as we can. We've kept the 3 classes separated enough in payout, and close enough in entry, that each car and driver will end up in the class where they belong without jumping classes and keeping things competitive.

This is not the perfect solution, we know. However it's the most fair solution we could find.

Chris I really was done talking about all of this on the internet atleast but if that is really what you guys are doing I am stoked and will be there and everything you said in this post sounds extremely fair. Thank you guys and I hope all the others that chimed in back it up also and don't make the few of us look like total a$$'. Honestly all "you" can do is try and I personally appriciate it. See ya saturday now I gotta thrash on the car. Again thanks for giving it a try.

[Waffles]

Chris I really was done talking about all of this on the internet atleast but if that is really what you guys are doing I am stoked and will be there and everything you said in this post sounds extremely fair. Thank you guys and I hope all the others that chimed in back it up also and don't make the few of us look like total a$$'. Honestly all "you" can do is try and I personally appriciate it. See ya saturday now I gotta thrash on the car. Again thanks for giving it a try.

Thanks Billy. I honestly hope they'll show up too, although I'm not sure they will. Anything that's good for the track works for me.

[bcoh5gt]

Believe me the word is being passed quick for people to get the cars there for that class. I got 3 calls alone last night saying my car better be ready and there. Heres how much I want the class I'm going to f/b the no box class just to be another car. Tranny is fugged up and needs a valve body but that will be fixed just not for saturday. I think the people will show.

[Waffles]

Awesome :) Get em down there.

[Waffles]

Repaved the return road today! NO MORE POTHOLES!!!