Q&A With Oxford Plains Speedway's Bill Ryan

Oxford Plains Speedway track owner Bill Ryan has been considered somewhat controversial to some over the years. He has not been afraid to make dramatic changes at his 1/3 mile short track in Oxford, Maine. Change is not always a welcome thing to many, but in reality, change is usually a necessity to survive and grow.

Ryan has never been afraid to tackle tough questions and in fact puts himself in the spot light more than the ordinary track owner. He also is a co-host on a radio show, 'In The Pits', every Friday morning on WJAB in Portland, Maine. He and the other host, John Williams, talk racing with guests and callers for an hour each week. He can often be found at the grandstand exit gate after each race, thanking the fans as they leave.

He has been a target of many on internet message boards, and even owns a blog that he has been active on, interacting with fans and teammembers alike. No matter where you stand on his opinions of the sport, he is not afraid to give his opinion and stand by his convictions.He recently became an owner of a professional basketball team (the Red Claws) in Portland, Maine too, as if owning a race track wasn't enough to keep him busy.

We caught up with Bill as he was making final preparations for his season opening weekend at OPS. We asked him ten questions about him & his track, as part of our new Q&A feature. Here's what he had to say:

1. The economy is still struggling, how does this most affect Oxford Plains Speedway?

I actually think that the economy will help us this year. When times are tough people are looking for affordable family entertainment. We are well placed to compete with other entertainment options. Our tickets are inexpensive and we provide a good "bang for the buck." I think some people will be reluctant to spend for high dollar sporting events and instead they will come to places like OPS.

2. What are some of the changes have you taken to address this issue at your track?

We are emphasizing affordability and value. We also intend to provide more entertainment value off the track. Fans should look for more "fun" at the Speedway this year. We have always provided great racing, now we are providing additional entertainment around the racing. The goal is always to have folks walk out of our events with a smile on their face.

3. It has been a few seasons since your decision to cut the pro stock division from your program at OPS. Have you achieved the results you were expecting from this decision?

Absolutely. I would point to the huge car counts we have been able to maintain at the TD Banknorth 250, the spread of standardized Late Models across northern New England and now the ACT Invitational on Cup weekend at NHMS in September.We have also seen former Pro Stock drivers decide to convert over to Late Models. Guys like Tim Brackett and Al Hammond intend to compete in Late Models this year. They are a great part of the history of the track.There was certainly an enormous amount of emotion around the change. I think the emotion has finally worn off and now we are dealing with the facts about these cars. The facts show us that running Late Models as our premier division is more affordable for our drivers and gives us a better chance to succeed for in the future.

4. What has been the feedback you have had from other track owners in this region on that change?

I think more and more track owners are convinced that Late Models are where we need to go. We are seeing more cooperation from track owners that may have been die hard "Pro Stock" guys in the past. I think we all have the same goals, namely cars that put on great racing and can compete at a variety of tracks across New England.

5. How have the car counts been since making late models the premiere division at OPS?

The car counts have been good, particularly for the 250. That was always my biggest concern. I just could not understand where we were going to be able to find 80 or 90 Pro Stocks as time went on. Too many tracks had eliminated the division before we did and costs were out of control.

6. What are your thoughts on the upcoming late model race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway?

It is unbelievable the enthusiasm that the race has created in the Late Model division. I think Tom Curley and ACT have given short track racers a chance to show case their talents on New England's biggest stage. Who knows what Cup owner will see a talented racer and maybe take a chance on him because of this race?

7. How would you describe the 'state of short track racing' in the northeast region right now?

We have had a few years in a row were the weather has been absolutely devastating. We have not had to cancel a lot of races, but we have had so many races that have been hurt by rain. Short track fans are reluctant to come out if they think it is going to rain. They have too many other entertainment options. It has uniformly hurt the tracks here in Maine and in the Northeast.I think the rise of the Late Model has been absolutely key in keeping the enthusiasm up in the region. The ACT Invitational has been an integral part of this.We need to keep emphasizing the entertainment value we provide. We compete with so much these days that promoters 20 years ago could not even imagine. We need to be unafraid to keep innovating. We can't fall into the "It has always been done this way so let's keep doing it this way mentality." If we are not constantly moving forward with new ideas, we will fall behind.

8. What do you think could be done to most help grow the sport locally at this time?

We all need to be unafraid of change. Promoters should not be scared to be skewered on the message boards. Honestly, and comically, the promoters that seem to be the darlings of the message boards and the racing "press" are the ones that are hemorrhaging money and struggling to survive. We all need to do what it takes to bring the sport to the next level. If that means eliminating divisions, you need to eliminate divisions. Just because you did it last year does not mean it will work next year.We are constantly promoting Oxford Plains Speedway. A track owner needs to be on sports radio talking racing, needs to be in the newspaper, needs to be on television. We all need to know the important people in our local press and make sure they know what we are doing.We need to approach racing in the same way that other minor league sports approach their events. You need to provide great entertainment that is accessible to a wide audience. If you are chasing only hard core race fans it is going to be hard to succeed. We have something to offer anyone out for a night of entertainment and have to emphasize this.

9. You recently became an owner of a professional basketball team. Are there any similarities you have found between the two sports?

That is an interesting question. Obviously both businesses are centered around selling tickets and corporate sponsorships. But there are some dramatic differences. Basketball is a more universally known game. I would say literally everyone in Maine knows what basketball is and how it is played. So there is less teaching that needs to go on to potential fans and sponsors.The other difference is that everyone in the building next year will be rooting for the Red Claws. That is different than racing where there are people rooting for 100 different drivers! In racing, the promoter is sometimes the "bad guy" because he or she has a role in refereeing the sport and enforcing the rules. On the basketball side, an owner is universally seen as the "good guy." That is an unfamiliar feeling! It has been great to work with the people at the NBA. They are an innovative group and have already given me ideas about how to improve the racing business. I think there will be a nice cross-pollination between the two enterprises.

10. What attributes of owning a racetrack can you say most apply to the success of owning a professional sports team?

You need to be able to deal with a wide range of people and circumstances. As a race track owner you deal with everyone from corporate sponsors to fans to drivers. You need to operate under pressure and be able to think on your feet. These attributes are certainly helpful with the operation of a basketball team.