North Country Race Talk

With the unfortunate closing of Adirondack Speedway and the revitalization of Evans Mills Speedway what is everyones thoughts?

How should the Vantassel/Caprara families proceed? From track improvements, setup, etc. to preferences for divisions, division rules, track rules, tire rules?

Everyone has to have some questions!

With both the Vantassel family part of this forum as well as Chip Burdick and Frank Fazio, let your questions be heard on this forum. If you don't have any questions as of yet - at least let your thoughts be heard as Evans Mills moves back to the asphalt scene.

Billy,Steve has been working along with a lot of others on the rules and was looking good,I think we should start where he ended.Steve has a lot of good ideas and i think everyone would agree.As for the classes,the track should pick the classes that can make them money so we can kept this track going.It will be hard to make some of the calls but these guys have been doing this a long time and know what they are doing.

Lengthen the track in 3 & 4 to 1/2 mile like Martinsville, increase banking at both ends!!!!
Run Friday get Oswego to work with them and run there Saturday.

leave the track the way it is.race saturday night,and for gods sake lets have some rules in place before the 1st of the year.i would say leave the rules from ais the same for the super stocks.just my opinon thanks angry dave arbes.

Hello Billy,

Wow, what an exciting week! Within a 24 hour period, Keith officially announces AIS is closed, Tiger closes on the Can-Am purchase, and the Capraras decide to scrape the clay off Evans Mills. I think everyone should just sit back and take a big breath first and thank their lucky stars.

After everyone catches their breath, it’s time to roll up the sleeves and get back to work. It will be much easier to give our input or help once we know some specifics about what is planned. I expect they will be forthcoming shortly after the festivities of the year end banquet are history.

Personally, I feel really thankful that our big wish of having a place to race has been granted. I don’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth. So they could tell me I have to race a grocery cart and I’d be happy! (I spent my youth working in a grocery store – so I really know how to set up one of those babies! Look out JR!) I feel bad about the Late Models, but I respect the Capraras for making a tough choice, for the better of the other classes.

As far as the rest goes, I’d rather not distract them right now, so when they are ready, they can hit the ground running. If they can keep the race teams happy and keep the fans happy, success will be theirs. I’ll do my best to help them accomplish that sometimes difficult task. Through this turmoil, I learned how eager everyone is to pitch in to help. I doesn’t get any better.

Most of all, I wish we all could apply the good things we learned from AIS, and avoid all the bad things. Then we can start having fun again! (Do you know what a drag it is to write serious stuff and not roast anyone?)

Steve Burton, TA SS #10

I too feel bad for the Late Model division. But from what I gather I don't think they have written the Late Models off totally, maybe I'm wrong. I'd like to see the Late Models partake in a 6 race series that spans the entire season. Start off with some open practice sessions to get guys out on the track to shake things down. Go out and secure a sponsor to title the division and the series. Take tire and gas money towards a small but worthwhile point fund. Then have the first event sometime in June. This will give the late comers some time to get their cars ready. Is it me or could AIS start off with about 16 or 17 Late Models then over the course of the season we were peaking at 22 or 23. I think if you could get 20 cars to participate in this small series, it'd prove worthy enough.

I know it sure is easy to sit back and toss around the thought making it sound easy but I'd pursue SOMETHING for the Late Models. We all know there is a lot of guys that would like to see it and one other thing - we know there will be a boatload of Late Models sitting idle around Northern New York (sort of like the Light Trucks towards the end of this past season).

Make it $1,000 to win, $150 to Start - to start it off. Go out and secure contingency sponsorships or cash sponsorships like halfway money, hard luck award or hard charger.

Maybe its to much to ask but I'd hate to not do SOMETHING for the Late Models. They are a good class - and I think they have/had a good reputation at Adirondack.

Must have Late Models. Why not run them for the full year?

just my opinion but i dont like the late models and i think the best thing that could be done for that class is lower the purse so the top dollar teams dont come and stink up the show and the hard working low budget teams get there chance in the spotlight, the racing would be much better fact is i believe our super stocks put on a way better show and we race for peanuts, mostly for love of racing... and now hopefully its our turn for some respect

JC-TRX250R wrote:Must have Late Models. Why not run them for the full year?

I am sure the interested parties are looking to start off on the right foot, obviously. With their current dirt show working without the areas premier dirt track division (the modifieds) I think they are picturing the same show working without the top asphalt division - the Late Models. I can understand the stance - thats why I don't think asking the Late Models to come back in full force is a rational request. Also - if the Late Models will bring in a mere 15 cars like they left off at AIS then it doesn't secure much income for the cost to have them.

As for Dinzler's comments:
Understanding where your coming from, I don't feel lowering the purse will stop the money from being spent. If it didn't stop teams 10-12 years ago from starting and it won't stop them today by cutting into the purse. When a well funded team wants to win, they will win. What I feel needs to be instrumented - contrary to popular belief (even from the "low-budget" teams) is to come up with a reasonable rules package, across the board. Not just on the general structure of the division rules but more so on the tactical side. Tires certainly can be monitored on a higher level than they have in the past. Bodies can be limited better to prevent the masterminds from working their magic and one of the more crucial components, yet often overlooked, shocks can be limited to a track sealed shock policed on a weekly basis. For those that say it cannot be done - I know it can be done. But I also know it can take a dive if not policed correctly. Thousands of dollars are dumped into a teams shock package each year and that could come to an end.

However, with all of that said, I also believe that when push comes to shove - the 5 teams you saw at the top of the leaderboard over the past 3-4 years will again be at the top of the leaderboard even with a restructured rules package. I say this with experience, during my time at AIS there was one team that sticks out in mind that came to the track and paid for an open practice session week after week. They were a team who strived to better themselves even on the weekdays showing up after work and turning laps until dark (and it didn't cost them but the measily [mind boggling] track rental fee of $20). There is also a couple of teams who consistently barked about the well-funded teams yet these teams didn't once participate in a open practice session and they of course were top-10 teams on their best nights.

The gates at the Evans Mills track will be opened up this weekend from 9am until 5pm. Anyone wishing to look over the facility is welcome to come on Saturday or Sunday. ABSOLUTELY NO RACECARS ON THE TRACK. Looks crazy to have to post this but people have asked for open practice and we are not ready for that.

Dad said the classes would be determined and posted next week. Please be patient. there is alot to decide and accomplish in a short period of time. Everyone will be kept up to date by either Ben or myself. We will post things as we are told to do so. Consider it "from the horses mouth" when you see the post from either of us. From time to time we may get things wrong and have to change the wording as some people will on occasion interpret things in a different manor than they were ment. Once again please be patient. Answers will be posted in a timely manor. The 3 decision makers are very busy with various jobs of their own and they are very competent.

Hey Randy , I was just kidding about bringing my car and getting some laps before snow flies, if you have a bobcat over there I can run that though!

MAYBE YOU CAN BE THE HORSES MOUTH AND BEN CAN BE THE OTHER END!

Hello Billy,

As you may or not be aware, the administrator of the Can Am web board has deleted all the discussions and eliminated the sections concerning Evans Mills. I hope you don't mind, but a I (and a number of others) have directed folks to your forum here concerning discussions about Evans Mills. Thanks in advance.

Steve Burton

Ok new weboard for us, now when are the classes gonna be decided, i like the 4 cylinder stock, 6 cylinder stock, true stocks, sport compact and trucks, i think with these 5 classes we could have fun and bring some people and drivers into this track. i personally would like to know soon so i can get my car out and start to work on it for a 6 cylinder stock class.

Super Stocks we are no where near stock anymore! Those classes sound good alot of people would try the stock classes, then love racing (it becomes an addiction) then they would want to step up to a race car.