Scratching the (racing) surface...

I’ve done this blog since 2017. Featured more than 300 drivers and talked to dozens beyond that Covered more than a dozen tracks.  Covered hundreds of racing programs.

I can tell you what the most common topic that is talked about during and after the races, whether at the track or on social media. It isn’t the officiating (although there are times that can be a hot discussion item), the concessions, the lighting or anything like that.

This is a clear one:  It’s the track. The racing surface, in particular.

Drivers talk about it. So do the fans. No matter which track or event, there are always comments about the racing surface, which often dictates the quality of the racing. It’s pretty rare that most of the comments are positive. Most go

“The track sucked.”

“The track was rough as a plowed field.”

“It was a one-laner on the bottom.”

“It was a hammer-down track.”

“They don’t know how to prep a track.”

“They had too much rain…”

In dirt-track racing, there is no other aspect that influences an evening  more than the condition of a track. Dry or tacky. Smooth or rough. One-lane or multi-lane. All of those contribute to how the racing on the track is

In my opinion, there are a lot of things that are true about this at the same time when it comes to track prep and surfaces:

--it is a very difficult job.

--Rough tracks are hard on race cars.

--It’s an inexact science. What works one week in terms of watering and prep may not work the next.

--Weather, whether the days before or the day of, is the biggest variable. No track owner or prep workers or fans or drivers control this. Wind. Temperature. Rainfall, or lack thereof. All contribute to what a racing surface will be like.

--Some tracks invest more time and effort in preparing their tracks than others. It’s a reality. And assuming the weather is good during the week, you can sometimes tell the ones that do invest the time and the ones who don’t.

--No one – promoters, fans or drivers – likes rubbered-up one-lane tracks. No one.

--You will never please every driver or fan. Some drivers like it dry, some like it tacky. Some won’t like either.

--Some nights, even with a lot of effort, the track will simply miss on prep. Doesn’t make them a poorly run track or incompetent. It makes those folks human. -There is no track perfect on their track prep weekly.

--Most fans criticizing on social media have never prepped a track or would know what to do if they had to prepare one.

—That being said, fans also don’t pay to see water trucks and tractors on the track for dozens and dozens of laps every night. It’s a common thing I hear from fans.

--Drivers, who invest a ton of money and time in their race cars and equipment, have a right, as a paying patron every week, to have an opinion about the track surface.

--Sometimes a little dust isn’t bad. There have been times at Cedar Lake, Superior or Deer Creek where I’ve eaten dirt and had to take a long shower at the hotel after to clean off. Those are three of my favorite tracks.

--Hammer down tracks may produce fast lap times but can lead to some big, damaging wrecks.

--Usually the drivers who win are the most complimentary of what the track surface was like.

--When a track is in good shape, fans and drivers don’t offer enough positive feedback afterwards.

--Trying the same thing every week and ending up with a mediocre racing surface might be a sign it’s time to take a different approach.

--You will never please everyone. Wait, I already mentioned that.

--You shouldn’t being watering a track when it is raining. I’ve seen it before.

--Track prep is a job I wouldn’t want.

I’ll be covering some racing this weekend once again. And I bet there will be comments afte the racing surface. It’s part of the sport.