First I want to start out by saying I think what Mr. Harpell did was very unprofessional and shows that getting out of the leadership of the ROC series was probably the right choose. We all know that George (Shang II ) have been struggling to meet ends but by no means have thrown in the towel. Lets look at some of the things he is trying to do to keep racing alive at Shang and he needs our help to survive in a very tough business and economy that bounces all over the place. He's been paying the guys in cash and has been paying better than most tracks with a very sparse crowd at the least. You can say what you want but George has been through the racers life with frustrations and sometimes has a hard time showing it but he cares about every competitor that comes through that gate. Free camping,pig roast,fire works, and bring all the food you want and beer into his race track doesn't sound like someone that doesn't care. I am writing this article because I care and want this place to survive and become a place we can all be proud of and tell our kids about the history we lived through. So lets start out positive and list all the guys that will show up on the July 4th bash, camp ,join the pig roast and set around and tell tall stories at the camp fire. If we start a list maybe we can fill some seats in the stands and the side hill by the drags.
AND HERE'S MY LAST STATEMENT MAYBE IF ANDY DON'T SUPPORT A FALL BRAUL WE CAN JUST HAVE A GOOD OLD OPEN SHOW, MAYBE WE COULD WORK ON SUPERS OR MIDGET'S. I know he sent Andy a message to pick up his balance owed
OK guys lets work on JULY 4th and see if we can get a payoff posted with some support and use your track rules with F75 tires and 10:0 compression.
I'll take to George about running your F75 tires and bringing your own fuel if desired.
Buck Sharpsteen (please no bashing)
Lee Sharpsteen will be there
Charlie Sharpsteen will be there
Remember keep it positive and try to give a little support ( Sharpsteen Racing will be giving away two kids bikes)
Sorry Buck but if a guy keeps bouncing checks to your buisness numerous times sooner or later you have end buisness with them. No matter how much of a "good guy" they are.
we plan on having both of the jam motorsports/d and j fotos 4 bangers there. we should be rolling in right after we finish up at the can friday night.
81 - matt mckernan
69 - john a. or john b. (d.t.b.d.)
There is an old saying "You reap what you sow" and Mr. Swans and his track have certainly done that. I cannot sympathize with a man such as himself and the final nail has most likely been driven into the coffin. Don't blame Andy, as this is a copout! And to name that track after the "original" where I grew up watching racing is blasphemy. There is no comparison between the two in no way shape or form.
Chris my boy does that mean you won't be making your yearly appearance ? I might make you a cake
Come on guys we need a good show of B-mods and get them mini's dusted off and give that John Maynard a run for his money
Yes, we should have our 4 cylinder there and the street stock too if we have the motor back together in time.
Let me pose the following question: Is Shangri La II too big and too fast for the weekly racer? I understand that some really like the track because of the high speeds. But others know how costly repairs can be when they hit the concrete wall (with or without a little help from a competitor). Is this one of the main reasons that car counts in each class remain pathetic? If so, the only answer may be to reconfigure the track and make it a 1/3 or 3/8 mile instead.
Frankly, I love seeing modifieds on the northeast bullrings. Races at Mahoning Valley and Monadnock are always exciting. I'm anxiously looking forward to my first trip to Seekonk on July 1st as people are telling me that it is one of the best tracks for modifieds. I'm also looking forward to my annual trip to Holland for the Harpell promoted RoC Tour event. All of these facilities have smaller circle tracks with multiple racing grooves. Maybe that's the problem with Shangri La II -- the outside groove has, for the most part, failed to materialize.
The size of the track is just an excuse here. Places like Lebanon Valley, Rolling Wheels, Cayuga International, Indianapolis Raceway Park, Berlin Speedway in Marne, Michigan Autodrome Drummond in Quebec are relatively the same size as Shangri-La II give or take) and most of them are or have been successful as a weekly or special events track. Everybody wants to play the blame game here. The track seems to have no identity. They have the prime night of racing for the week and for the most part run when there is no competition from local activities such as high school sports and the like. Their sister track down the road a few miles runs almost the same program and from what I've seen and heard "head and shoulders" have their collective act together. Where do all the Friday night cars go on Saturday. In this day and age of one-night-a-week racers, it would seem that one track has hit a home run and the other a foul ball. The one collective comment I keep hearing and I think I've said myself a couple of times "this has track has so much potential". The same was once said about Rolling Wheels back in the day. That facility has had so many stops and starts in it's forty-six year history (yes forty-six years, August 10, 1969) and I really don't it has reached it's full growth potential yet. I've seen the last three ROC shows at Shangri-La II and all three had two things in common. First off great weather and second and most noticeably the serious lack of fannies in the seats. Why was that. Was that Andy's fault? Was it George's fault? Was it the economy? Take your pick. I don't have the answers, I just have the comments. Until someone (don't care who) takes the bull by the horns, Shangri-La II will continue to have double digit fields of cars and maybe triple digit fan counts and that my dear folks is a pathetic shame!
No disrespect intended but, If I remember correctly, when the Crazy one held his Get Acquainted meeting in November of 2008 at the Owego Treadway Inn. Someone asked him if he felt he was going overboard with his proposed purse structures and the Crazy one replied "DON'T YOU WORRY I GOT THE MONEY". Well for someone making that statement, it look like things are far from the truth.
The track is going to have to concede something to draw the racers back. What will it be? A perfect example of what needs to be done is a call to all drivers that have cars. Give the driver and one pit crew member a pit pass, let them run on there tires and throw in a meal too (food voucher).Last week they had the midstate car club there with 5 cars. The winner of the feature had 20+ people come from the stands onto the track to congratulate THEIR driver. All those fans came to watch one driver and PAID the admission. You have to start from the ground up, bringing 2 or 3 new drivers will bring there family and friends (that drivers fan base). Paying cash is great the track is state of the art, its fast, its a gold mine. Whoever gets on that phone and gets a couple more drivers , it will start to build momentum. I mean if the payouts are better than chemung and they are cash i know it would only be a matter of time till things start to grow.
