Going the Extra Mile on Track Prep

This past weekend I had a three race weekend that included Williams Grove for a regular show, Eldora for the Dream, and back to Bedford for the All Stars Circuit of Champions on the way home.  I saw something at Bedford that caught my eye.

Prior to the start of the feature the track was pretty dry and hard to pass.  Two times though throughout the night, and prior to the feature, Bedford officials watered the high side to give the drivers something to grip onto up top and help create a better racing surface.  It resulted in a great race.  Greg Hodnett won the event from the outside pole but held off a late race challenge from Danny Dietrich who started sixth, and Lucas Wolfe who had struggled all night and finished third in the  B main came from the 21st starting position to 5th by the final checkers and was the show on the race track.  Without the effort the track gave in putting in extra preparation to help the surface the race would have been a snoozer and everyone would have went home disappointed.

The best part is it did not prolong the show any longer than it would have been if they would have not done it.  They took care of it during the normal breaks in the program.  Watering the high side then running it in with the track vehicles took about 5 minutes tops, and the surface was much better and much racier and provided the drivers a surface they could race on, and the fans a race that was worth what they paid to see.

I have been to many racetracks before that do this.  Lincoln, Port Royal and Williams Grove also come to mind, but at the same time I have been to racetracks that when they don't hit the track prep just right, just leave it as is and the fans watch a terrible show, and the drivers do not get a surface they can race on.

Look, everyone wants to see a good race from the promoter on down to the fan that paid money to watch the race.  I as a fan appreciate the fact that when the track doesn't get the prep the way they want to and we know we are in for a one groove surface, that they water the high side prior to the feature so that the cars can move around and race on a better surface.  I'm just here to let the tracks know that fans care about the effort, and they are bound to support tracks that are willing to make that extra effort.  Thank you Bedford Speedway for a good show Sunday night, and thank you even more for going the extra mile to make sure that it happened.