September 16, 2000  
FSCR

A Reply To Jane Smith: Let's Try!

Dear Jane Smith,

My name is Michael Powers I am the President of the S.F.R.A., the group that recently re-opened Hialeah Speedway. Your story is right on the money. The group that is the S.F.R.A. are all racers, and when our track was closed we banned together to re-open the history. The group puts in many hours each week and unfortunately our racers think you just open the gates and the place runs it self.

The S.F.R.A. has collected no pay, all the monies coming in go right back into the track. As you had said many of the upper classes purses must be large for them to economically race and we have been limited on recourses to bring them in and we have been forced to lower most of the regular purses in order to meet the income necessary to keep the doors open. Our racers think we, the group, are doing this to keep money for ourselves but as you stated it takes money to keep the doors open. For us to open on a average week we are looking at $7000.00 to $8500.00 to open the gates and put on a event. Then you add in a large purse or a traveling show and that cost better than doubles.

Your average big show (All Pro, T.B.A.R.A.,etc) runs about $12000.00. This cost with the attendances coming to tracks and the competition between tracks scheduling against each other makes it impossible to survive. I agree we all need to get together tracks, racers and fans and try to do something before its too late. Hialeah Speedway is at a point in its long great history if this deal with the landlord doesn't work out it will be good-bye forever and the doors will be closed and the history will be just that, history.

To the people at KARNAC I personally would like to say thank you. You are a big part of why we got the support and interest for us to re-open the place I call home on Saturday night. I know it can be hard to keep going but keep up the great work. We had even started a message board after the great use of yours, but recently due to the comments that were getting out of hand, we had to shut it down.

Thanks for all your help,

Michael Powers S.F.R.A.