ORANGE SHOW SPEEDWAY, ASA MAKING WAVES IN CALIFORNIA WITH 600 PERCENT INCREASE IN ATTENDANCE; RE-UPS ASA MEMBERTRACK PROGRAM FOR '07

ORANGE SHOW SPEEDWAY, ASA MAKING WAVES IN CALIFORNIA

WITH 600 PERCENT INCREASE IN ATTENDANCE; RE-UPS ASA MEMBER

TRACK PROGRAM FOR '07

 

 

DAYTONA BEACH, FL. (December 1, 2006) - American Speed Association - 

With all the issues facing the track community, it is becoming increasingly
rare to hear about a track that has experienced growth, and even more rare
for one to have had a 600 percent increase in attendance since July. Yet
that is exactly the position that ASA Member Track Orange Show Speedway
(OSS) has found themselves in.

 

The 0.25-mile racetrack has experienced a near-miraculous turnaround over
the last four months under the guidance of Joe Ganino, OSS Director of
Motorsports, who has unexpectedly thrust into the position in July.

 

"I was not even a fan. I had 5 minutes to make a decision," Ganino said
about taking over the promotion of the San Bernardino, CA facility. "I had
never promoted a race in my life, and was not exposed to the business side.
I am learning every day, but am still very green and have appreciated all
the support from National Orange Show Fairgrounds Board of Directors,
drivers and fans."

 

As well as the track is doing now, it is hard to believe that as of
mid-summer, OSS was facing a pretty bleak future. "Honestly, the driver's
attitudes were a bit down. The crowd count was way off, and the purses were
down so naturally they were a pretty unenthusiastic group," Ganino
explained.

 

A former police officer and now owner of a successful security company,
Ganino said to himself, "I can't let this thing die." Always known for being
straight-to-the-point person, he had another issue to tackle. He had to
address the heart and soul of any racetrack - the drivers and their
families.

 

"Our drivers became our biggest sales force. Treat them with dignity and
respect and they have been talking with people about all the positive things
going on at OSS and all of a sudden we have 300 sales people out in the
streets," Ganino exclaimed. "It really hasn't been me; the drivers have been
the real ones to help the turnaround."

 

"I only made them two promises," Ganino recalled. "The first was that we
would put people back into the seats. The second was that they would be paid
the purse at the end of the night as they were leaving the track." Cutting
purse checks on time would prove to be the easy part. Getting fans back into
the stands would be more of a challenge. Ganino used the old tried and true
method - reach out to the community and treating people with dignity.

 

Armed with 50,000 tickets, each good for one free admission, OSS staff
targeted sponsors, community leaders and local organizations such as the Boy
and Girl Scouts as well as local Little Leagues.

 

OSS has provided stock car racing since the early 60's and has seen
household names like Ivan Baldwin, Parnelli Jones, AJ Foyt, Bobby Allison,
Ned Jarrett and to this day OSS takes pride in having 4th generations of
racers competing here at the historic short track. "What we did was invite
people to come out and have some good, affordable, wholesome family fun and
give them a great environment to enjoy on a Saturday night." Ganino could
not have imagined the response as many families were re-introduced to a
track they hadn't attended since they were kids. 

 

Once inside the racetrack the fans noticed many changes, starting with 4000
new baseball-style, stadium seating which replaced the old wooden bleachers.
More food vendors were available and offered a wider selection as well as
other kiosks and vendors selling merchandise and creating a small
marketplace atmosphere. All this helped to create a new buzz in the area,
including the racing community, to whom many had thought had been closed
down, though the track had been in continually hold racing for over 40 years
and in operation for over 60 years.

 

Practicing what he preaches, Ganino and his staff made sure that all the
patrons were treated like family, with each spectator being greeted as they
arrive and thanked as they left each night. "There's no real magic, we are
just offering a clean facility, shaking hands and thanking people. Once they
come in, we found that many of them become repeat customers and often come
back week after week," Ganino explained. It was this turnaround that
accounted for a spectator increase of more than 2100 people every week and a
25% increase in the car count .

 

Further practicing his edict of respect, the OSS Staff understands the time,
effort, and including the distances some of the drivers travel to race and
will call drivers with any updates on weather or traffic conditions. It is
these little unexpected personal touches that have helped to endear OSS to
the racing community once again.

 

"What Joe and his staff have done at Orange Show Speedway is nothing short
of phenomenal," said Dennis Huth, president of the ASA Member Track program.
"That track was literally on life support and here comes a guy with a
completely different background other than motorsports. Joe went back to the
basics of treating people right and is proof of what kindness and respect
can do to the bottom line. There are many track operators around the
country, large and small, that can learn a lesson from the simple changes
Joe has made at OSS. The results may be just as staggering at their track
too."

 

New to any kind of racetrack promotion, Ganino leaned heavily on Huth and
the ASA Member Track program. In fact, he recently  re-signed as a Level I
member for the 2007 season. Tracks and regional touring series that join as
Level I members in the ASA Member Track program are eligible for
contributions to their year-end point fund, marketing assistance and
enhanced participant accident insurance to the competitors.

 

"ASA has been the biggest big brother for me," Ganino explained. "Dennis
(Huth) is someone I could call on a daily basis, to which I pretty much did
for awhile. He has walked me through everything  - insurance, tires, rain,
points, forms and you could just about include everything else along the way
as we talked about it. Dennis has been there all the way."

 

As for 2007, OSS has doubled their racing schedule. In addition to the 30
regular events, they adding a slate of 21 drifting events which are rapidly
gaining popularity on the west coast. Additionally, they are in the process
of having the entire infield paved including the excitement about the return
of extreme nights at OSS with Outlaw Figure 8's, which will be the
first-ever nationally sanctioned figure 8 division with the support of
Dennis Huth and the ASA Member Track program. With additional demolition
derbies, great divisions and exciting touring division stops like that of
the ASA Speed Truck Challenge. 

 

When the drivers, family and friends alike couldn't wait for the 2007 season
to begin, once again Joe showed he was listening. During December and
January when almost every track is dark, Joe has provided a means for
racing's newest members to their community to get some much needed practice
with a Sunday afternoon Winter Series of 4 races (2 in December and 2 in
January). "I wanted to give drivers moving onto different divisions and
young drivers as less stressful opportunity to get some practice in under
race conditions as well as veteran drivers getting the opportunity to share
their experience and knowledge with our next generation of drivers" Ganino
explained when asked about scheduling the winter race schedule.

 

"I don't know how the other sanctioning bodies treat people, but I doubt
that it could be even half as well as ASA has treated me. I know this is a
tough sport and many tracks are having difficulties and even shutting down,
but we are doing really well and ASA has played a big role in that."

 

Orange Show Speedway is located near the I-10 and I-215 interchange at the
NOS Events Center in San Bernardino, CA. For more information, visit
www.nosevents.com <http://www.nosevents.com/>  or call (909) 888-6788,
extension 438.

 

To learn more of the Daytona Beach, FL based ASA Racing Member Track
program, call (386) 258-2221 or send an email to info@asa-racing.com. For
news and information from all the racetracks and regional tours involved
with ASA, visit their website at www.asa-racing.com
<http://www.asa-racing.com/> .

 

# # #

 

For more information, contact:

Dennis Huth

President, RSA

(386) 258-2221

info@asa-racing.com