Ted Barrett's recent posting in Dragracecanada.com hit the nail on the head with regard to fan frustration as to the status of feature event drag racing in Ontario. Grand Bend Motorplex Track Manager offered this response:
Ted: I do agree with your commentary on the racetracks going "head to head" on long weekends. Unfortunately, there are only three long weekends to share and although we've managed to do it co-operatively in past years, that has not been the case this year.
Originally, myself and the track manager from Cayuga had agreed on a complementary schedule that would put PM cars in Grand Bend for 2 long weekends (Victoria Day and Civic Holiday weekend) and allow us to support the CDRS series again in 2001. On the same day I proofed my schedules for print (which I had published on the net in December) he informed me that the deal was off and I needed to change my schedule. My position was that I would stick to the deal that had been made (as my schedules were now being printed and film costs already incurred) and hope that they would as well. I did and they didn't. It's unfortunate, because contests of ego have no real winners, but we believed that sticking to our agreement and our ethics was in the best interest of our racing facility and our fans. Two weeks later, I discovered that St. Thomas Dragway was also scheduling a show directly against us on the Civic Holiday weekend as well. Please keep in mind that we are Canada's National event track and we extended the olive branch to our smaller competitors. That they chose to slap it away does not negate our efforts to equitably split the racing talent between us.
For the record, we had 10 qualifiers for each of our Pro Mod Shows, over 50 Top Sportsman and Dragster Competitors (64 this past weekend) and over 300 competitors for each day of competition. I would have preferred to have 14-16 Pro Mods trying to qualify, but it was preferable to their 3 and 6 competitors (respectively at Cayuga) and 1 at St. Thomas Dragway.
We try to get along with our competitors, but when we can't, my responsibility is to provide the best show possible for my spectators and racers at GBM. Regardless of the outcome at the other facilities that have chosen to "take us down a peg".
Also, I'd like to set the record straight on the National event in Canada. That came to be because IHRA were looking to expand into Canada and Grand Bend Motorplex was the only facility actively upgrading and improving with the direct goal of making it possible. The owners of this facility have invested more in the last 6 years than our competitors have in the last 25. Also, the success of the Can-Am Nationals at London Motorsports Park over the period of 6 previous years (of which I was a part) allowed myself and Bob Fuller (former General Manager) to convince Bill Bader during a marathon eight hour meeting, that Canadian Drag Racing fans could and would support a National event on our soil. I'm proud and humbled to say that we have been proven correct.
I appreciate your comments and they are largely a reflection of the frustration we are feeling at GBM. With any luck, this season's failures will foster a spirit of co-operation again in 2002. If that is not the case however, you can be confident that we will always put on the best show for our fans and the best race for our competitors that we possibly can. They (and you) deserve no less.
Take care and play safe.
Ron Biekx
Track Manager
Grand Bend Motorplex
www.grandbendmotorplex.com
motorplx@hay.net
