I must say that after being there all weekend for Super Chevy I have grown a greater appreciation for Atco Raceway and Joe Sway.

The tech guys and starters and security at Maple Grove are down-right ignorant. I ended up not racing because of that. My boyfriends father was trying to deep stage for his time-shot on friday and as he was bumping in to un-light the pre-stage bulbs the tree started coming down !!! When my boyfriend went over to say something to the starter he said "we're not honoring deep staging unless you can get in deep before the other guy stages, we don't have time for that this weekend".

Saturday night, a girl broke her arm in the pits and the ambulance had to take her to the hospital...we had to wait an hour for them to get back before we could start racing again . I can't believe they don't have a back-up plan for that one. Every other track I've been to calls another ambulance in when the first one leaves so there's no more than a 10 or 15 minute wait.

A girl racing a 69 camaro broke right around the 1/8th mile and she coasted almost to the first turnoff. A bunch of guys ran out to help her push her car off the track and the friggin' starters sent 2 cars down the track . They weren't even off the track yet!!!

We were pretty disappointed with the staff and the way they ran the event. I think that all of us that were there this weekend will not be attending Super Chevy ever again .



------------------
Jacki®
94 Jeep Grand Cherokee
67 Camaro Convertible

[This message has been edited by 5SPDCHK (edited July 22, 2002).]

 

I haven't been to the Super Chevy at Maple Grove in 6 or 7 years. I went down to Englishtown to watch the F-body Nationals. The older I get, the more I don't want to deal with a big crowd. E-town had some glitches with the computers just as eliminations were starting so I guess there were delays everywhere.

------------------
Jeff H - 69 Z28 Hugger Orange, GM crossram, GM fiberglass cowl induction hood, factory TI setup & factory installed JL8 4 wheel disc brakes - original #'s matching and documented, being restored), 87 Toyota 4Runner SR5 Turbo

 

Super Chevy has went doooooooownhill, my dad use to show 91 454ss there for about 10 years, same **** different year

 

The last time my dad raced there was about 12 years ago (I was 16). The race was rained out in the semi finals leaving 4 cars to split the payout evenly. My dad happened to be one of those 4 cars. When Super Chevy published the winners (or split) in the magazine they listed 4 completely different names. From that point my dad vowed to never go to Super Chevy again. That's the reason my boyfriend was racing my dad's car and not my dad.

Last year I actually convinced my dad to take a ride up there Sunday to watch my boyfriend race and walk around to check things out. It was too big. There is no way that one person could see every car in the car show, check out the swap meet and venders and take in some racing in one day.

This year my boyfriend insisted on racing again. My dad decided to clean out the garage and set up a booth in the swap meet. He sold just about nothing. The race was crap. The track personnel were rude.

I guess it just reminded my dad why he didn't go for 10 years .

 

I've lived near the Grove my entire life and have never gone to Super Chevy. The Grove does **** me off on Friday nights. Tech is pretty much a joke, the starters are rude and they pretty much don't care. The staff in general just suck. W/ that being said, I spent Saturday at E-town and have complaints w/ that track as well. The major one being the problems w/ the computer and timing. I think every track has their problems. I've heard of numerous people having stuff stolen at the Island and Atco. I guess it's just a matter of what irritates you the most and least.

Later,

Steve.

 

I have been going to Atco weekly my entire life and have never heard of anyone's stuff being stolen . I do go for points races on Saturdays with all the regulars, though, maybe it's the crowd when the people you know have been there? Is it friday night time shots? That's a totally different crowd than the saturday points regulars .

 

Jacki,

I'm not sure which days they were, but I've had more than one person say they've had stuff stolen or know someone that has had stuff stolen. If I had to guess, I'd say it's fri nights. I know that there is a total mixed crowd at the Grove on fri nights. I lock my stuff up regardless of where I'm at.

Later,


Steve.

 

After reading all that, I'm not sure if I should go up to the Grove for Pontiac day this coming Saturday. Last time I was there was for this same event. Didn't care too much for driving on the return lane through the oblivious crowd that were swarming around the vendors.

Been to Atco only twice. Have had my best running times there. Like to go again with some people, and now that I'm a bit better , see if I can get some better times on a track that I don't spin on.

But E-town is where I seemed to spend my most time at. I have seven trophies from that track and my only compliant, which I have adapted to, is the start line is slippery. I don't floor it like I did last year. I even ended up in the semi-final on F-body Nats.

But then again, I don't know any better...
--ron

------------------
97 Black Trans Am: SLP CAI, Black powdered Alternator, Reflective Concepts door badge and Zaino.
Pa plate: "97 TA"
13.88 @ 100.00mph (Atco)
www.97transam.com
ron@97transam.com

 

The pits were definitely a zoo. Imagine tons and tons of scooters, quads, golf carts and bicycles mixed in with the swarms of people you were driving through .

I have no opinion of E-Town because I have never raced there. I have been there a couple of times when my dad was racing, but normally we don't go there. We race points at Atco, so there's no reason.

For whatever reason, Atco does seem to have the fastest track. Not exactly the nicest facility, but it is a great track. I guess they just maintain it the best.

I honestly don't think that Pontiac day will be anywhere near as chaotic as Super Chevy Weekend was. For one thing, the majority of you guys drive your cars to the track...there's not many tow vehicles with trailers and pit vehicles. There will probably be a fraction of the number of people at that event than there was at Super Chevy. Every single piece of the pit area was occupied by motorhomes, trucks, trailers, race cars, etc. When I say every piece, I mean all the way back in the grass and back next to the building you get air from. Ron, don't let my measley opinion of the track and track personnel sway whether or not you go. Go and have a great time...hopefully they treat you guys better .

And Steve, I'm really sorry to hear that some of your friends were ripped off at Atco. Like I said, I'm used to being there for points races and big money races when everyone lends a hand to everyone else if needed.




[This message has been edited by 5SPDCHK (edited July 23, 2002).]

 

Sorry I didn't make the event (well maybe not sorry). IMO the track and staff was just overwelmed with the volume. The import vs US event at E-town this April was a zoo too. Pontiac day attracts a lot less but still has a lot of cars. I will be running points on Saturday with or without the firebird. Sunday is a maybe. Depends if the gremlins are removed from the firebird by this weekend.

Jacki, sounds like you and Rick should of stopped by the house on Sunday. By your comments about the day I bet I had more fun pulling the gas tank out of Linda's MGB.

------------------
'95 FORMULA Blue-Green Chameleon, M6, Suncoast WS6 ram air hood, K&N, Granetilli MAS, BMR supension, Hypertech program & 160 stat, LT4 knock module, Hurst shifter, Star Stage II clutch, Borla Cat Back, Goodrich Drag Radials, Moser 12-bolt 4.11 rear, 13.18@102 1.90 60' on the breaks, last run of the 2001 season

 

So, like, you may be running down the track in Nikes???

I hear there's a "trophy" class for $22 on Saturday. Whats the deal with that? Is that like the Trophy Marathon thing at E-town or just regular bracket racing?
--ron

 

sorry to hear things went so poorly
i have only run maple grove during test and tunes, but even times i was there with a small crowd they seemed a bit impatiant. i usually stage very carefully, when i am at a new or unfamiliar track this can make me a bti slow into the full stage beam. man does that extra few seconds seem to **** them off up there. the other tracks i have goen to, especially atco, see the permanent numbers on teh glass adn seem to get the idea that i am always practicing, and staging is a bgi part of that in a bracket car.
atco has really come a long way in teh last few years. i still think e-town has the overall nicest facility, but atco runs a better program on points nights. i will never be a bgi fan of everyone having to drive throughthe water though, especially when teh import "clubs" show up.
at e-town the security gaurds can be dicks sometimes, btu i have never heard of anythign being stolen there, so i guess it works out.
maybe everyone who didn't liek super chevy will just have to coem to teh east coast nats next year hehe

later
tim

------------------
NJ SPEEDER
91 Camaro RS
305TBI/700R4
12's Coming Soon
2nd Annual East Coast F-Body Nationals
July 20,2002
www.geocities.com/njspeeder
My MAFB.ORG Home Page
http://www.mycar.net/mafb/registry/detail.cfm?id=299

 

Ron, the Trophy class is an "entry" level class. Normally you get 2 time runs then go to single eliminations. Win 2 rounds and you get a 1" trohpy, Runner up gets a 3" and winner gets a 4". Sorry no win decals here. It usually goes 4 or 5 rounds to win. Trophy is run first so get to the track early. This Saturday is the normal bracket races and Sunday is Pontiac day. Also you can double bracket with 2 cards Trophy for $22 and Street for $32. For $54 you get 4 time runs and at least 2 elimination rounds. I'll be there Saturday with the silver Trailblazer and maybe the black open trailer wiht the Firebird. I pit on the stones near the staging lanes down from the bathrooms. See ya there.

 

Well, Super Chevy usually falls on a points day, but this year was an exception. If next year happens to be one as well, maybe we'll be there .


Hey Jim,
We missed you and Linda on Sunday! By the time we left there, we were so hot and tired that I wasn't even sure I would make the drive home without falling asleep!! We probably should have spent the night at your house . The whole weekend was a hurry up and wait kind of thing. And as for the track personnel, there was special treatment for the regulars. I guess they saw the AR stickers on our cars and let the attitudes flow.

I guess I'm just used to the special treatment I get at Atco. All the track personnel have known me since I was a kid, so they treat me well. Heck, if I need an extra timeshot, they'll shove me into Super Pro or something...they always want to help! When my dad took the vega out the first time (in March) he was having trouble launching. The car would rip the wheels off the ground and then head for the wall (the right). He made a few adjustments, and then his second time shot...same thing. First round he lost because of the problem.

Joe Sway (track owner) came over to my dad's trailer to comment on the new race car, my dad's been racing the 63 Nova for over 20 years. He asked if my dad thought he fixed the problem and my dad said yeah, but since they were already in second round he'd have to wait until the following week. Joe said, "nah, take up there Bob, I'll let you make a few time shots between rounds...I understand that you want to get the car right". That's the way we're treated and it's nice.

I guess you could be right that it was a really busy weekend, which is why we will never attend Super Chevy again.

 

Whooooaaaaa!!! Man, I go from last year on spending "an hour" finding the staging lights, to thinking about running two bracket races. Hmmmm, I have to see how much butt I have to kiss in order to get additional funds from The Carol. hahaha

I'll meet up with...


Jackie; sounds like the Super Chevy is a big "cluster fart". Well, in the military that was said a bit differently , but it strikes me that the indiviual is lost in the crowd. I have heard that Atco is more a racing family. It's nice to be extend some courtesy when needed, like given extra track runs, because they know you are always there supporting them. It's just a bit of a haul for me to get there. Actually, I just hate coming back home late at night and getting harrassed by the police because I left my "numbers" on the windows... but that's another topic.

--ron