From the SMS Message Boards:

I heard a few new rumors about SMS... I know there just rumors but here they are, Tom mcghee the inforcer sighned papers on it last week. Also heard that someone from arca was looking at it. Those are just RUMORS but only time will tell.....

So who is Tom McGhee ?

The Enforcer Tom McGhee #28 is a guy who races at Galesburg and Kalamazoo and other places. A pretty good driver.
He's raced everthing from Street stocks, mods and latemodels.

I been wondering when the Springport rumors would start.

Does Mr. McGhee own any businesses ?

What is his background ??

Is this another wanna-be driver turned track owner who doesn't have the marketing and management experience to turn around a sinking ship ?

I think Springport can be viable, but I'm not sure it can be done by a beginner.. personally (and not knowing the parties being talked about, so I'll hold out a disclaimer) I think its going to take a real savvy, experienced, promotor to turn around SMS.

I think a new face, not a recycled name, would probably have a better shot at success, but this being such a good ole boy network, I'm not sure that can happen.

Patrick, Tom McGhee can drive circles around you. Know what your talking about before you start saying something about someone you don't even know or know anything about.

Keith

Keith,

Patrick seems to be able to come up with more rumors than a bunch of grandmothers at a Sunday picnic.

The, Governor

Lighten up Keith.......I think he is talking about a driver, good or bad, thinking he knows what it takes to be a promoter. I don't think Partick is slamming Tom's driving ability here at all. I know Tom fairly well and is a hell of a nice guy and a pretty good race car driver but has never been a promoter or track owner. Look at the list of former drivers turn promoter and see how many success stories there are.........more bad than good I'm sure.

Keith.. you misunderstood..

I didn't say "Wanna Be Driver", I said "Wanna Be Driver Turned Track Owner"

I don't know anything about Mr. McGhee and wasn't commenting on his driving skills in any way. I am a PONY driver -- which in the big picture might not even qualify as a driver at all !!

I do know lots of stories about drivers who thought they'd make great track owners. It generally ends badly.

There are exceptions of course and if this rumor (which by the way -- I said from the get go and even gave the source, so Governor, don't attack the reporter attack the source) is true I'd like to have an optomistic outlook.

I can tell you from a business standpoint that it would take a Roger Penske or Jack Roush to bring Springport out of mothballs and make it a profitable venture.

I cannot think of another track in Michigan that is harder to market, harder to promote and harder to move asses into the stands then Springport.

A number of people have tried and the last group gave it everything they had but in the end all have failed. Also let me point out that failing at Springport doesn't necessarily mean the promoter himself is a failure.
That track is a down right bitch to move into the profit zone and unless someone with a HUGE ( I am talking HUGE here ) amount of cash buys it it will never go.

Location, location, location, and this track simply does not have it.

Chris

Is Springport really any farther out in the woods then Butler or Crystal ?

Sure, having a location like Toledo or Spartan (seconds off expressway) would be nice, but there are tracks with worse locations that are successful.

That being said.. it is one of the many challenges facing the track.

lets not forget Merrit, out in BFE at it's best and still Michigans premier dirt track!

I also know businessmen who thought they could promote a track and failed. Patrick did say in his first post, "I know there just rumors but here they are, Tom mcghee the inforcer sighned papers on it last week." and "So who is Tom McGhee ?" so when he posted "Is this another wanna-be driver turned track owner who doesn't have the marketing and management experience to turn around a sinking ship ?" it is easy to beleive that he is calling Tom McGhee a wanna-be driver.

Mr. Lachey just ... nevermind it's not worth it.

Keith

Keith.. no doubt, it was a poorly structured sentence, though I feel the rest of the paragraph sets the context, I still could have done a better job with it.

Here's a link to all the ideas people have come with up so far to help Springport.

http://spartanspeedway.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=101

The "location" factor keeps getting brought up, which IS a viable reason for the unsuccessful attempts at promoting this facility. The fact that it is where it is does factor into this hugely. A lot of you mention that "other" tracks are in the sticks too, but are successful. But what your not factoring in is that these other tracks are established, and have been open and operating successfully for many, many years. Merritt, Eldora ,Butler, are all off the beaten path, but have been there for years. Springport is less than 20 years old, and that is very young for a racing facility in this day and age. How many people go to, and how successful is any other new local race track around here? Three come to mind, Springport, Mid-Michigan Raceway Park, and Orleans. How much success have any one of these places experienced??

My point is, if your not an established, well known about facility, it is hard to drive that into the local peoples mindset. It has been proven many times over. I know for a fact how hard, and just what Jim Leasure did to try and make that place successful. He is a business man, and had a plan. Now of course his time table was cut short this last summer, but that's another story, but my point is the same. Chris is right, just like in real estate, location is everything, and that hurts any NEWER, non-established racing facility.

Big Ed

You are right Keith...............never mind is probably good for both of us.....sorry I jumped at you for your comment.

Pour some clay on Springport, that might work. I doubt anyone will make a go on pavement. Too many good owners in the past have tried and failed. Nice track...terrible location. There are ten times more dirt cars than pavement cars...

I just hope somebody buys the place and it opens next year.


M-40 seems to be a successful new track. But they have a better locaton.
A school bus roll over contest would bring in the fans.

Another idea is to have a combine demo-derby in the infield.
I have read that these are big at fairs in Iowa and other places.

We have one former asphalt track covered in clay and it rotting away there are a lott of drit tracks in that area already ome more just weakens the others

way to resurect an old post, I think after reading this we should applaud Maurice on making this track run all the way through in 2007.

I second that way to go Maurice

sounds like a good idea rip the tar up and go DIRT RACING

I am not sure what all this talk about ripping up the asphalt is about. If you want to race dirt go to a dirt track. If you want to race pavement go to a paved track.
Aside from that Maurice has devoted himself to making Springport Motor Speedway a viable racing facility. Maybe after a season or two of high integrity management such as that Maurice has delivered, this fine race track will enjoy the success that a great track should enjoy!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Maurice

i think this has been the best year for springport speedway.

The best since I've been around..

I am getting asked by alot of folks what's going to happen in 08.

anybody have a whiff... or a crystal ball they'd like to share ?