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Post by 69mustang on Jan 21, 2009 9:06:58 GMT -5
Deryl, I don't understand you editorial about the racing community at Lee USA Speedway in your article "Lack of interest". For at least two years I have signed up for pay forums to get help in learning how to get sponsors, just to have the rug pulled out from under me every time. I go to as many functions the Lee puts on to support our track. I was one of many people who showed up to help fix bleachers and help in any other way I could. It's these insensitive comment by a non-racer that frost me. We are not one of the tracks highlighted racers and probably will never be. Not really looking for that though. Just want to go and put on the best show we can and hopefully leave the track satisfied with our efforts. I don't think I have ever seen you down in the pits myself, I'm sure your there. I haven't been reading my Emails lately I'm one of many people without work. Hopefully things will turn around and we will be able to race this year. But it doesn't look good. Please be more careful with your pen your comments really hurt. Hope to meet you this year and have a few moments to talk to you.
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Post by Deryl Morley on Jan 21, 2009 15:47:02 GMT -5
My comments were directed at those that simply don't care. The teams that, for whatever reason, don't seem to want to do anything.
There are great racers and race teams out there, from what you described, your team sounds like one of the ones that are great. You understand that there is a LOT more to being a good team than winning races. You are willing to go the extra mile and help the team, the fans, and the track.
I'm sorry if you viewed my commentary as insensitive, however the comments ere directed at the teams that DON'T care. The teams that have never, and likely will never, go out of their way for anyone.
You have seen them, and I have seen them. They are the ones that never help anyone at the track, load up the same car and the same set up and then complain that they never win a race. If a fellow racer asks them for a hand (something as minor as perhaps helping pust start a car) and the response is never positive.
My comments certainly were not directed at teams and drivers like you and your team. They were directed at the teams that are the OPPOSITE of you and your team.
My comments were based on the things that I have seen in my two years in the booth at Lee and my several years in the booth and in the stands at other tracks.
Perfect example of my commentary, which I did not include in the original writing, but I will here...
When I started announcing I was working at Sugar Hill Speedway in Weare NH. A small go-karting track with a small but loyal fan base, usually made up of friends and family of the racers.
We had somewhere in the area of 40 to 50 drivers on most weeks, and we were fortunate to have them. My first season at Sugar Hill Speedway I passed out driver profile sheets at a driver's ,meeting on the first week. I got more than 40 sheets back later in the day, and I had people asking me for more at the end of the day because they raced in more than one division, or because they made a mistake on the one they had and they wanted it to be a neatly written as possible.
Being my first time as an announcer I went completely overboard with the questions and the profile sheets were over 3 pages long.
Karters that rarely raced for money and raced in front of 100 people on a GOOD day filled those sheets out in droves.
If you recall, I did the same thing at a driver's meeting at Lee. I had THREE profile sheets returned. Not three on that day, three on the season. I had even said "I know you guys are busy at the track, feel free to take them home and fill them out when you have the opportunity." The majority of the drivers that hadn't turned in a sheet (one pager by the way) told me that they didn't feel like filling it out and that the office had their sponsor information, that was good enough...
I know this isn't the Cup Series, and I know it isn't karting. I was hoping for something in between. I know that the teams at Lee don't have a PR person that does nothing but deal with "the media", and the few people that a team has are usually busy doing things that make it possible to race on a given night, but I was hoping that a little bit of time could be found to help out their effort.
I will do everything I can to help the effort of the racer. I know it's not an inexpensive undertaking. I understand that sponsors help make this thing happen, it's the racers that seem to refuse to help themselves that drive me bonkers.
Not everyone has the time to help assemble and repair or repaint bleachers like your were able (and willing) to do (thank you by the way). But I can't think of many reasons that a racer wouldn't want to attend a free Christmas party for their kids if they were available or attend a free seminar for safety and sponsorship if they were available, or fill out a single page driver profile sheet for the announcers so we can give more information about THEM and their sponsors to the fans.
I think overall, we have a GREAT group of racers at Lee, and I wouldn't trade them for anything. There are a few that drive me up a wall though. the people that I have met at Lee have been VERY helpful and I have a strategy this season for extracting the information out of drivers that we need.... "Ve hafe vays of makingk you talk" (attempt at a WW2 German accent)
I hope to be able to spend a few moments this season with you at Lee. You seem like one of the dedicated drivers that I have not yet had the opportunity to sit and chat with. While I have never been a racer myself, I am a big fan of racing and I always will be. In fact I got one of the biggest thrills of my off season a few weeks ago when I sat on the phone with Russ Conway for close to 2 hours talking about the history of Lee USA Speedway. I learned a LOT that day...
PS - In 2009 we will be conducting e-mail interviews with drivers from time to time in a "driver's spotlight" for the website. Would you be interested in being one of those drivers? While we will be conversing with the "bigger names" like Witkum, Baril, etc., we also want to talk with the teams that don't get the same level of attention that some of the more recognized teams get. New drivers, experienced drivers, etc.
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Post by mainemoose on Jan 26, 2009 15:41:22 GMT -5
Deryl, you want the drivers to be more involved and i undestand just what your saying but on the other hand, look from a drivers point, Victory Lane was taken away from the drivers, it takes a whole 5-10 minutes to talk to the winning driver infront of the crowd and let them show thier expressions and emotions and that was taken away and they was tossed in a corral out of site for what, is there anyone there to talk to them, no just a photographer taking a picture, so the drivers have no way of thanking their sponsors who show up to the races to see their drivers race and compete and if they win, wouldn't it be nice to be recognised in front of the crowd, it was nice, now your sent to the corral out back for a picture and that's it, you can say it takes too much time , but whose time is it, the fans come to see races won and the fans and the drivers would like to be properly presented the winning trophy, has anyone ever asked the drivers how they felt about being stuck out back in a corral for their winning celebration and then you want them to give you info so you can thank their sponsors. the drivers would like to thank their sponsors them selves as it was the drivers that went and got the sponsors to thank. just food for thought, not an arguement.
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Post by Deryl Morley on Jan 26, 2009 20:42:24 GMT -5
I agree with you. I hated to see victory lane get moved and see the interviews go away. I liked talking to the drivers after a race, you get the most honest emotion in an environment like that.
I'd personally like to see a compromise made. Stop at the front for a quick interview (3 or 4 questions) and then head to the victory lane area in the pits for pictures.
We tried to do recordings with the drivers before and after the races to play after a win, but there were very few drivers that came in and did the recordings.
One incident that STILL sticks in my backside (probably always will) is the night that Chris Perley tied Russ Wood for the lead in all time ISMA wins. Russ was there at Lee that night, how cool would it have been to have Russ and Chris together on the track for a brief interview and some pictures.
I understand the point of view that the interviews take time and we moved the start time back to 7:15 for people to get there easier, but I really miss talking to drivers in victory lane in front of the crowd.
I'd be OK with starting at 6:45 and bringing the interviews back, but that's just me.
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Post by mainemoose on Jan 28, 2009 0:23:20 GMT -5
i think the drivers might like it also, and the fans, you got it right Deryl, a short converse with the drivers then take pics in the corral out back, least the driver gets some recognition in front of the crowd.
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Post by Deryl Morley on Jan 28, 2009 10:15:25 GMT -5
Next time I talk to Bob or Judy (should be this weekend to get the schedule up) I'll try to put the bug in their ears. You never know unless you try :-)
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Post by terribowes on Feb 3, 2009 12:33:31 GMT -5
I did not know anything about the seminar. I did sign up for it last year and I would have this year, had I known about it. Was it only posted on the web-site? Not everyone goes on the site or has access to a computer.
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Post by Deryl Morley on Feb 11, 2009 1:59:06 GMT -5
We're working on a few new ways to communicate with racers and fans with the new site, some newsletter deals, and some interesting side projects as well.
I'd like to see a newsletter that people can pick up at the track, but printing can be expensive unless you are able to sell plenty of ad space in the newsletter, which is getting increasingly difficult nowadays.
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Post by terribowes on Feb 11, 2009 14:55:57 GMT -5
Actually, Daryl, I used to get all my comunications from Lee through email and now that I think about it, I have not gotten anything for quite some time. If we were registered before you changed this website, we should still be registered, right???
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Post by Deryl Morley on Feb 12, 2009 22:34:28 GMT -5
You will still get the e-mails, yes. However I suggest registering with the new site anyway. It gives you the ability to post items in the classified section, streamlining the process quite a bit.
Don't worry about getting the e-mails twice either, as long as we check the box we only send ONE e-mail to each address no matter how many times it's in the list.
The reason you haven't received anything is because nothing has been sent. Hopefully this week some things will be e-mailed though
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Post by ironman29 on May 2, 2009 8:32:07 GMT -5
HI, I think that most of the drivers would appreciate it to be able to thank their sponsors and crew after a race win. The sponsors are mainly the reason that the drivers are able to run. What's wrong with giving a shout out to them?? [glow=red,2,300]"I'd personally like to see a compromise made. Stop at the front for a quick interview (3 or 4 questions) and then head to the victory lane area in the pits for pictures."[/glow] I'm all for this Idea
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Post by Deryl Morley on May 4, 2009 17:37:02 GMT -5
I received OFFICIAL word from Bob Watson, VICTORY LANE INTERVIEWS ARE BACK!
The process will be quite simple.
After the race, the DRIVER (not the crew, not the family, not the fans, not the nudists from the camp in the woods) will come to victory lane to get a photo taken.
I will meet the driver in victory lane to ask two or three quick questions and give the driver a chance to thank sponsors and family over the PA system.
After that, the car and the dr4iver will report to the pit side victory lane for fan photos and crew photos. ALL fans are invited to the victory lane celebration at pit side.
That site is protected from the race track and you will have until the next feature concludes to hang out with people and soak in the win that you worked so hard for.
I think this is a PERFECT way of keeping the night rolling along and talk to the drivers on the PA as well.
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Post by ironman29 on May 4, 2009 18:53:38 GMT -5
That is Awesome news Deryl !!! Glad to see it happening again.. Hope to be there at least a couple of times this year in the "Hulk" Race car. Thanx
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Post by Deryl Morley on May 6, 2009 8:12:28 GMT -5
Bob and Judy gave the OK, let them know at the track that you appreciate it :-)
Also, keep in mind that there may still be a few nights here and there that we don't have time for a victory lane interview. We will TRY to bump multiple time winners before we bump first time winners or drivers with new sponsors or an interesting personal story.
Another reason to communicate with the announcing staff as much as possible.
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Post by mainemoose on May 7, 2009 8:14:16 GMT -5
Excellent Work Deryl!! I believe that will work great and it's nice to see communications work but we thank you for taking this topic to the top and making it all work for the better of the sport.
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