Maple Grove Sold? You heard it from me!

[Dog427435]

Verne

Is this a grass roots movement to take it back to the streets?
I agree, but at what track don't you find this?
Between the costs of getting there, getting in, getting fuel and sitting all day for a couple minutes of seat time - is it worth it?
Test & Tune at Cecil is usually a 5.0 Mustang and foreign car convention.
The last time I was there I got in 3 runs - Not counting 3 or 4 hole shots each time on the return road, just to get some enjoyment out of the night.
The staging lanes at Maple Grove are more of a social gathering then anything else. Your there so long the should be serving food!
Maybe the roundy round guys have the right idea? Is it time to build another stock car and spend my week nights banging the dents back out?

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Sorry Verne, I look at your scenario as a good thing - at least these kids are not racing out on the street in their 5.0's, weedwackers, etc... I've been through the same frustration you have, and can relate more of the same types of stories. However, a test-n-tune is indeed a Friday night 'open' event for people who want to run their drivers - not a serious race car tuning session. When I want a serious session, I get together with a bunch of buddies and we rent the track for the day!

I think Maple Grove Raceway has done a phenomenal job at resurrecting that track, the events, the concessions, the restrooms, etc.... It's a nice place to go with your 5 year old to see some tiresmoke and wheelstands. The best event of the season is the Dutch Classic, come join us!!

BTW, I've learned that to get the most runs in on a t-n-t night, one should be in line when the gates open, be the first person in the tech lane, and stay until the end. I got 4 runs in one night night even though some 'racer' oiled the track down 2x, another 'racer' went into the sandbox, they eventually shut one lane down..... cool night air at 10pm, can't beat it

[Salvatore]

Verne, I know you are upset with "The Geezers at the Grove" this year. And rightly so. But MG to me has to be one of the top tracks on the east coast! I have been to most of them and really like Atco and Cecil but the Grove is the cleanest strip around, plus a gorgeous setting! Hey if you bring back York US 30 then the Grove slips to #2. JMO And BTW the Grove is sold. Heard that from the racers at Englishtown at the points meet. I think through 2009 the Grove is good. A sad state of affairs! Sam

[Verne_Frantz]

There is no doubt that the Grove is a beautiful facility. I just think it could be managed much better. After running a race track for a while, you should have an idea of how many cars you can run in an hour (with no delays), so why tell a guy he doesn't have time to adjust his clutch because he's going to run "soon", then call him to the lanes only to let him sit for 3 hours!?! We could have changed everything on the car except the Paint in that time. Ronnie was there an hour before the gates opened and made his 3rd run at 11pm.
AS for Fri nights, it's not a good venue for testing a serious car because the track doesn't get groomed, or if it does, it doesn't stay that way for long due to all the street tires.
Plans are in the works now to get a few racers together and rent a track. That's really the only way to get enough seat time, back to back to get a car sorted out well.
All rants aside, I"ve always loved the Grove and it will be sad to see it go...............but not as sad as it would be if it was well run...

Verne

[Salvatore]

Yea Verne Geezers was a bust! Should have been a lot smoother. All the years they have been doing this stuff. I don't really think they care.....just collect the money.

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Who says it's going away??

[Salvatore]

I was at the points meet at Englishtown a few weeks ago and we were sitting around MacNeishs trailer and there were a couple long time Stock/SS racers saying it was a done deal. NHRA has been sold and the new owners want to run the programs like NASCAR. Qualify on Saturday and run on Sunday. Will only be the PRO catagories. All Sportsman racers will run at their own type events like the SportNationals and like The Dutch Classics. They are presently building a new track in Charlotte. I was told that the family is just ready to sell the facility in Mohnton. Lex Dudas had no comment when these racers asked him about it.