Forum: SCRAFAN.COM Forum (go)
Moderators: ljennings

WHAT"S WRONG WITH VENTURA RACEWAY AND FAIRGROUNDS MANAGEMENT???? I have been going to Ventura since they ran TQ's in the late 1970's. I even raced karts on the small and big track. It was always a fun place to watch a race or even being a participant. The last 3 or 4 years I have noticed a change in attitudes. Instead of large car counts in all classes, they are half if not less than that in most cases. ECONOMY-my ass. Go to Tulare, Oildale, Perris, Santa Maria, (any track in the midwest) and the car counts are pretty good these days. Perris is even getting good car counts now with 410's and support classes. And even for the kids classes, they get like 3 drivers at Ventura while I have seen 10-15 cars in same classes at Santa Maria. Gonna tell me the economy is different in Santa Maria than Ventura.

Track Preparation - I have no idea why Ventura track is so bad (especially for the heat races). If you know the track is going to be horrible by starting the heat races at 5:30 or sooner. START THEM later. Have less classes (but more competitors in the classes), have a good prepared track ie does not have to redone everynight. What's the advantage to starting at 5:30 if you are gonna have to take 45 minutes to redue the track later everytime. How about start them at 6:30 a more reasonable hour.

BUT HERE"S MY OWN PERSONAL GRIP about Fairground Employees. For the last 3 years I have had nothing but grief from their parking lot attendants. Like I said, I have been going to the race track for over 30 years, I knida know how the parking has worked. I travel to the races with a disabled person who has much difficulty walking distances. Ventura Raceway took away about 15-30 spots for disabled persons when they concreted new disable parking, which was further away from the front gate. Does that even make sense, make the disabled parking further away than able body parking. The parking lot attendants said they could do nothing about it, "A STATE LAW". Funny at Tulare, Oildale, and Santa Maria they have lots of disable parking that does not have concrete. All of Perris parking is paved, so they also have plenty of parking. SO if you want disabled parking, you gotta be at Ventura around 3 pm, sorry I am not going to Ventura that early to get a parking spot.

Two years ago, I parked my car near the front and it was inside the white chalk marks. For whatever reason the parking lot attendants told me I had to move my truck. I told them how bad the parking was for disable persons, that I was within the chalk mark. He didn't care and told me to move it or I would be towed. At this point I told him he was "JERK" for making parking so difficult for handicap people. I than proceeded to move my car and than this thug of a parking lot atttendant (this big guy 6'1, with a moustache, Green Bay Packers sweat shirt, and jail house tattoos on his neck (he still works at the fairgrounds), came after me and OPENED MY VEHICLE door. I repeated what I said, you are a BIG JERK for how you are treating a disabled person. I TOLD HIM HE BETTER SHUT THE DAMN DOOR!!!Oh did I mention the chalk mark I was within the line. After I moved my truck, a couple of fairground workers kicked the chalk mark so it wasn't there anymore. Any one who has come to Ventura raceway in the past, know's how cars park anywhere. Gotta say it is better now with the chalk mark. But with only 10 so disabled spots (and I know for a fact, sometimes the fairgrounds workers themselves use the disabled spots, there just is not enough disabled parking.

In the past, there was plenty of disabled parking and it was closer when you could park against the pit fencing right next to the front gate. I thought, Ventura Fairgounds workers suck, but I know the rules. I just drop off the disabled person at the front gate, park my vehicle and enjoy the races (although this is hard to due with track conditions, low car turnout and apathetic feeling among everyone).

HOWEVER THIS LAST WEEKEND WAS THE WORST. When I get to the track, all the disabled parking are gone, both the dirt and pavement parking by the barn(?). I asked if I could drop off the disabled person at the front gate (IE LIFT A PLASTIC GATE) and they politely said no. I repeated, all I wanted to do was drop off a disabled person. I was furious. I thought maybe they were kinda picking on me because of my previous run-in with Ventura Parking Lot idiots. However, I heard them tell the same thing to a lady that had a broken ankle. I thought maybe they would call over a golf cart and help my situation and/or the lady with a broken ankle. Well, my disabled person struggle to get to the front gate and was in a great amount of pain getting there when IT WAS NOT NECESSARY AT ALL.

I wished all tracks were as fan friendly as Santa Maria that offers assistance to disable persons. I forgot to mention, the disable person I take to the races is my MOM, who also had a stroke earlier this year. She likes to go to the races and she wanted to get back doing things before the stroke. Yeah she was disabled before she had a stroke and it was a major pain to go to races at Ventura (unlike ALL THE OTHER TRACKS IN SO CAL). However, I will publicly say, for them not allowing me to drop off my Mom who is both disabled and had a stroke this year, THEY ARE THE BIGGEST DICKS I know who work at race tracks and/or fairgrounds anywhere I know.

I've heard similiar comments from race fans at the Trophy Cup in Tulare. They were from central part of the state and they referred to the Ventura Parking lot attendants as "thugs" All they wanted to do was BBQ some hamburgers and have a few adult beverages before the races. I didn't know this, but I guess this is prohibited in the parking at Ventura

I will say I support Jim Naylor, I think he works hard at his job. But the pervasive arrogance at the track for competitors and the fairground employees, is too much for me too handle. Although I have put up with it the last few years, I always felt rewarded after watching a great main event. Although the track can suck really bad for heat races, you always knew Jim would prepare a great track for the sprint car main event. This last week, we had two intermissions, the track sucked for the very first race (heat races) and inexplicably nothing was done for the mainevent. It was awesome field of drivers and cars, unfortunately all the negative stuff I read on the message boards came true. Fortunatley for me, living in Southern Ca, there are many options to do things on Saturday Night (especially with the schedule of Perris, Santa Maria, Tulare, Hanford, Victorville now,plus there are so many other things to do is SO CAL, I don't think I will be going very often if at all in Ventura until they start doing things like they did in the past.

Even without my personal problems with Ventura Fairgrounds Parking Staff, Ventura raceway is feeled with apathy from competitors, race fans and I dare say even race officials. On a positive note, Perris is having a CRA race this weekend, and Hanford and Santa Maria are having the ASCS series at their tracks too. Looks like a double header for me this weekend. I know for sure all these tracks are disabled friendly and the race fans and competitors are happy campers.

Doug Lierle

PS I really didn't want to write this publicly and I have a fond affinity for Ventura. And I never mentioned in the past any of my numerous problems with fairgrounds employees for fear it would give the raceway a bad reputation. But I felted I needed to vent in the hope Ventura Raceway and Fairgrounds staff would make changes for the positive. Even when Ventura is back to normal for parking, ie you can do dropoffs, IT IS STILL NOT FAN FRIENDLY FOR DISABLED PERSONS. Not enough disabled parking and the few spots they do have, sometimes the fairgournds workers use them (shame on them !) Ideally I would like to see Ventura do what Santa Maria has, plenty of disabled parking (in the dirt and pavement) AND assistance with golf carts for disabled who have trouble walking. No dirt track is perfect, but just a few changes at Ventura would make the situation so much better for both competitors and fans. I said my peace

Well said "JDF"!!...Ventura,all of a sudden sounds like a big disappointment to fans/drivers, who have supported it for all these years!!..with a few exceptions,looks like they have been showing their displeasure for Ventura's procedures,by supporting other

Facilities on Sat. race nites!!..........

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Brucer'(Brewskis')

With Jim Natlay it's his way or the highway. Looks like it's the hihgway for a lot of fans and race teams.