I feel Mt. Pleasant speedway made a big mistake last nigt, with the double file restarts. I have raced at many tracks where double file restarts are mandatory and as a driver, if you don't go where they tell you, you get sent to the back or black flagged. Mt. Pleasant is using raceivers so there wasn't a communication problem, but yet drivers didn't go where they were suposed to, and nothing was enforced. In the late model feature, and I think the mod feature as well, when the caution came out we had 4 or 5 cars single file and then a few rows double file and then a few more single but yet, they threw the green flag? On a one groove track, the double file restart is suposed to help bring in the second groove. Somtimes you benifit from it and somtimes you don't. As a fan in the stands, double file restarts make for some good action packed racing. I feel the racers were cheated out of possible positions and the fans out of some good side by side racing, and after talking to some fans, they didn' know what was going on. I like Mt. Pleasant speedway a lot and their staff is great, but when they make a decision that affects the drivers and the fans, they need to be firm and enforce their rules. We can't afford to loose any cars or fans. I think Mt. Pleasant has done an awesome job this year with car count and promoting the track to let somthing like this possibly turn it around. What's tour take? Bring it on!!!!!!!!

~Joe P

I went last night to the races there the first time since about 83 with my dad which was his first time.i agree with the restarts some side by side some not we had no idea what was going on? the track was bottom only at best, pole cat winner in features. As for the speedway it looked good nice crowd, good mike man, kept the show going on. i would say that are doing a good job allaround just maybe a better small water truck that can put a little water down on the cushion quickly in between races and than two pace laps to pack it down.

I heard they were going to do away with the double file restarts up there in the near future because the drivers are not co-operating. Joe you made out pretty darned good on that one restart when they put you ahead of the 9r. Heck he was 3 spots ahead of you for at least 5 laps if not the whole race. I dont see where you had any complaints. The x1 is the worst for not co-operating , but its the flagmens fault. They have two flagmen now but the assistant sucks way worse than the other crappy one.

Are raceivers mandatory and if not how many are actually using them?

Double file restarts are good, until the track becomes a one groove track like last night. Anyone on the outside is a sitting duck. We moved up to fifth at one point, then lost a couple spots on a restart when we tried to do the right thing and start on the outside. We got the two spots back soon enough, but it was also the last time we moved high when others in front of us did not. We had a car to win, until we got run over under caution. However, it was pretty evident that the officials may not be to concerned with the line ups, when serveral cars moved up positions under caution. Pretty sad day when a driver has to physically move cars out of his rightful starting spot.

Yup, suppose to have them. But last night they changed the channel they used. We went out for the heat, and did not hear a thing. So we started asking around, and it turns out we were not the only ones who missed it. I was about fourth in line to ask the same question

We had it right for the feature, and could hear the officials telling cars where to go under caution, but some did not move where they were suppose to go. I never did see a track official try and get it straight either. Fun people, and pretty fun racing there, so a rough night now and then is worth it

No they are not mandatory at Mt. P.

I thought I read on there website they weren't, kinda defeats the whole purpose of using them.

Mods & Lates only mandatory , They use them in all class.
For 2009 ???? They might be for all , but the track needs to have some ready to rent if needed.

Yes they are Mandatory for the top two classes(Late Models and Mods), That was decided byTrack owners and promoter about three weeks into the season. And as for the drivers not going into the position they are being told to go you are right that was a bunch of **** and it did screw alot of driver's out of good side by side racing and the fan's would love to see more side by side racing.
If the fans wanted to see something go in a single file row they could go to the local train track for free and watch the trains go by. As for the track having receivers for those drivers that are visiting for the night and do not have one it has been suggested that they get some that could be rented, but as you know they have not done that yet. As for the green being thrown while drivers are not in line as told, maybe the flagman can hear others telling him that the line up is good when no one has told him that it is.

Double file Restart As Explained to me:
Leader out front
Second will get choice fo top or bottom ,Third goes opposite.
The rest are to fallow as told.

So if I have been told wrong on this please let me know?
And if this is the way it should be maybe we need to get some poster board and crayons out and do a drawing for those of the drivers that dont understand what is going on with a double file restart.

I know that on a single lane track that no driver want to get hung out on the side where there is no grove but a few laps of side by side would only help bring in a second grove. Drivers wanted the tires moved off track, so that you could have wider race surface And after many weeks of asking maybe even a little nagging they finally did move them and now there are still drivers that are not satisfied and wont help with getting more then one grove.

And as for the track not punishing the drivers that wont get double file I AGREE they should get either the black flag, Or maybe even just dock them how many positions they stay single file after the race has ended. So to say if you finish 3rd and four drivers wont go side by side when you get to the pay window and you are only getting points and pay for 7th that would hurt.

So for the drivers that do as they are told thank-you for trying to put on a good show, and for those who dont lets get it together You may only doing htis for a hobby but you have alot of fans that come to see good side by side racing and if not for them you would have no where to go.

I agree, when the 9r started outside of me, he should have went all the way up to 3rd on the outside. They should have told him to move up or told me to let him in. The track needs to take control. They are the ones that let us know when the line up is good. The communication on the radio was short and I agree the x1 was told to move up and didn't and they let him stay where he was and threw the green anyway. Thats when they should have told him to move up or go to the back. Not only did the fans not know what was going on, the drivers didn't either!!! I am not complaining about where I finished or how my night went, it was just confusing for everyone. The track needs to make up their mind, single file or double file and then enforce their decision. Raceivers are mandatory in the late model class and communication is key.

You got it right Josie29!!! Well said, I think they should send you to the back or to the pits if you don't go where you are suposed to. Docking positions could get confusing as well