Good Neighbor Podcast: Palmer
Bringing together local businesses and neighbors of Palmer. Good Neighbor Podcast Palmer MA hosted by Liz Lemon helps residents to connection with local doctors, lawyers, financial advisors, insurance agents and other business owners in and around Palmer, and other Massachusetts Communities. Helping neighbors to become friends while introducing them to local businesses and charities is my goal.
With 29+ years of hard work, my career began in Graphic Design. Evolving to TV Production, Newscast Directing, Technical Producing, and Filmmaking. In addition, Sales, Marketing, and Advertising across various platforms, while always exceeding expectations. Then transitioning to the Entertainment and Sports Industries, I specializes in Special Events, Promotions, VIP Services, Live Events and Security, expanding Nationally at various Stadiums, and Concert Venues.
Passionate about learning and diverse topics, I love sports, especially the New England Patriots, the NFL, and NASCAR. An avid outdoors enthusiast, I also enjoy swimming, hiking, and exploring new places while photographing, digitally recording each one . Excited about my new role as PPM Area Media Executive at Podcast Plus Media, I'm ready for this new Adventure of a Lifetime, continuing to connect with people and exceed expectations in the local community.
Is your business serving the residents of Palmer? Then, we need to talk! Visit gnpPalmer.com or to schedule your free interview.
Good Neighbor Podcast: Palmer
EP #19: A Track Less Ordinary: Al Sandy's Fusion of Racing and Community at Palmer Motorsports Park
What makes Al Sandy with Palmer Motorsports Park a good neighbor?
Feel the pulse of rubber on asphalt as we sit down with Palmer Motorsports Park's very own, Al Sandy, a man whose veins run with high-octane fuel and a love for the great outdoors. Al opens up about the inception of this Central Massachusetts racing haven, a track that not only tests the mettle of drivers worldwide but also offers a serene escape into nature's embrace. As we chat, Al peels away the layers of what makes Palmer Motorsports Park not just a racetrack but a global destination for speed enthusiasts from Finland to Australia, all while maintaining that cozy, community vibe which makes it a local gem.
Get buckled up for a ride into the world of private members clubs for driving aficionados, charity events that make a difference, and the need-to-know details of a high-performance driver's school that gives even seasoned drivers a run for their money. Al debunks the myths that shroud the racing industry with a candid take on the humility and training needed to conquer Palmer's challenging circuits. Through his eyes, we glimpse the park's role in fostering a sense of belonging among drivers and the importance of starting from scratch to master the art of racing—proving that behind every turn, there's more to this track than just speed and thrill.
To learn more about Palmer Motorsports Park go to:
https://www.palmermotorsportspark.com
Palmer Motorsports Park
(413) 967-3560
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Liz Lemon.
Speaker 2:Welcome to Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in? Need of some racing, One might be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your neighbor, Al Sandy, with Palmer Motorsports Park. How are you doing today, Al?
Speaker 3:I'm doing great. Thank you yourself Great.
Speaker 2:We are excited to learn all about you and your business. Please tell us about your company.
Speaker 3:Well, good morning everyone. Palmer Motorsports Park was started about 10 years ago. We're located in Central Massachusetts. Of course, in Palmer we attract drivers from all over the world to come to our facility. It's one of the most picturesque and unique racetracks in the world. As a result, there's a very long list. People will come take their vacation and visit us just to drive our track. It's pretty neat.
Speaker 2:How did you get into the business?
Speaker 3:Well, I've always been involved in motorsports since a young lad. I started with two wheels and I had an older brother who would bring me out to Watkins Glen, new York. They're a very famous racetrack in New York State that the state supports One of the things. We are a private racetrack, so we're all held by private funding. Watkins Glen is a pretty neat place. Watching the early formations of the vintage cars back then it kind of got into my blood. I was fortunate that I started on two wheels Because my older brother wanted to use my motorcycle at those events to get around at the facility. I told him the only way he could take my motorcycle was if he took me. I retired about 10 years ago, which was right around the time that Palmer opened up. I thought it was a good fit for me. It's the perfect blend of adrenaline and nature, because I'm a nature lover. Always have been walked the Appalachian Trail. It's just a great place. It's a spectacular facility.
Speaker 3:As I said, people come from all over the world. It's kind of unique in that you never know who you're going to see there. All of a sudden there's someone and you catch this language. You're not sure exactly who it is. It's Finland. They're drivers from Finland. They come from Australia, japan, china, italy, france. We're right here at Palmer. It's really kind of unique. You have a very special place here in the middle of your location. We're proud to be there.
Speaker 2:That's amazing. What are the myths and misconceptions in the racing industry?
Speaker 3:Well, first off a little bit more about our business, and then I'll get into that, if that's okay.
Speaker 2:Of course.
Speaker 3:All right. So we really do different things there. There's really multiple facets to what we do. One is the private members club. I'm the club director for the private members club and what that is. If you think of a golf course where people go and golf on a regular basis and they join a club, it's the same type of thing, but for people that like to drive. So we do that. We also do rent out the facility to various car clubs and groups who hold their own events and we do a lot of the charity events as well.
Speaker 3:We held an annual veterans appreciation event, typically get about 100 people come and we actually put them in race cars and drive around the track Well, pretty much in about seven and eight tenths of speed. So they get a good, good thrill. It's a pretty exciting place and I'm glad to be able to give back to the community. So, as far as any myths of conception, it's kind of interesting because the emails come in. People say I want to get my car on track and I want to drive my car on track and I've been building it for 10 years but I don't have any experience on track, and you know we kind of look at that and say well, you know, everybody likes to think they're a great driver, and then they come to a challenging track and find out that they're really not that good a driver as they think they are and they need to start from square one. So we do offer a high, what we call a high performance driver's school it's called HP DE and that will give you all the basics, put an instructor in a car with you and teach you. So one of the myths is that people are afraid or they don't think they can do it. And you know, I've got to tell you that if you start off and you listen carefully, you know there's really nothing holding you back. I'll share with you.
Speaker 3:We have a lot of husband and wife that come together and, you know, maybe it's a Christmas gift and they buy the gift certificates available on our website and then they want to try the school. So the interesting thing is, you know, you know there's always a little testosterone around a racetrack and when you get the people that are there, husband comes in and he thinks he's a great driver, you know. And the wife is kind of, you know, more or less subdued and she looks a little scared, but they both start off at the same level in the morning and the interesting thing is, by the end of the day, when you study the lap times, typically the wife is doing better than the husband. She knows it all and he finds out that he really doesn't. And you know the woman is going in there with eyes opening and really listening to the instruction and trying to follow the instruction. So we always get a good smile at that because it's kind of rewarding in a way, of course.
Speaker 3:And but then again too, you know that's really one of the big myths and conception. And to go back to the person that thinks that they're they're building their car for the track, you know they listen to a lot of bad advice and they don't really understand. And sometimes they come with a car and find out that they've spent all this money and they did it all wrong. So we always encourage people to start with just the basics. We do offer rentals during our performance driver school. So we have a fleet of Mazda and the Otis which are great cars to learn and they're fun to drive. They're exhilarating and you get a good handle for all the twists and turns and ups and downs that our facility.
Speaker 2:That's fantastic. Outside of work, what else do you do for fun? That sounds amazing at itself.
Speaker 3:It is and that's you know. Basically, you know one of the things that I've learned long ago is that if you find a job that you love, you'll never work a day in life. You know it's all fun, we're all having fun there. That's not to say that there are not challenging days, because of course there are challenging days, but for the most part, I mean you know, if it's in your blood and you like to share, that's the other thing that you know. We always like to share with people that are willing and listening and have the ability to listen and learn. You know you can learn a lot. It's a pretty interesting thing. There's always something new. There's a lot of cool cars that come. We get to see a lot and I get to drive a lot of cool cars I won't. Yeah, it's kind of fun in that respect.
Speaker 2:Let's change gears. Can you describe one hardship or life challenges that you rose above and can now say, because of it, you're a better and stronger? What comes to mind?
Speaker 3:You know, what we do a lot at Palmer is to give back with our charitable events and for me personally, I self-funded myself through college and it was a goal of mine to obtain that.
Speaker 3:There was a time when you know, we talk about now what we call food insecurity.
Speaker 3:And let me tell you, when you live off campus and you're funding your way through college yourself, you know, after a month of eating ramen noodles you just don't have, I wasn't feeling like I was getting the right nutrients and you know my mind wasn't working well.
Speaker 3:So one of the challenges that I had, I remember going down and applying for what we called food stamps then, because I funded myself through school and you know it was really a good thing and it was something that helped me get on my feet and continue on my journey and, as a result, we do car shows that benefit, food banks and that's. You know, I look back at that and that was one of the things that probably you know, having been there and done that, it's a different kind of mindset and everybody needs a helping hand every now and then. And you know, don't be embarrassed to, you know, ever take advantage of anything like that if you truly need it. Mom always said that God helps those who help themselves, so you know you need to take advantage of that, and we like to get back to those type of programs.
Speaker 2:Very true. What is the one thing you wish our listeners knew about Palmer Motorsports Park?
Speaker 1:Well, I think I went over a lot of it already.
Speaker 3:You know, in terms of, anybody can really do what we do with proper training. And I think sometimes people are afraid or they think they can't do it. And you know, at some point in your life and I hope all of you have the experience where you come to the realization that there's really nothing holding you back except yourself and we're all about promoting humanism. And you can do this. You can do this. You just need to start with baby steps. Some people catch on right away, Others take a little bit longer, but everyone can do that. You know. The biggest obstacle, of course, is financing. We try to make the school as affordable as we can to get people out and into the sport. That's great.
Speaker 2:How can our listeners learn more about Palmer Motorsports Park?
Speaker 3:Well, you know, we have a great website. There's actually a couple of them. There's one for the Palmer Motorsports Club and then there's another for the general facility itself, which has a lot of the details and the history of how it was built and who's in charge and who does what, and the actual layout of the track. It's very, very unique and very picturesque. It's truly what I call a spectacular gemstone for Massachusetts and Central Mass especially.
Speaker 2:That's great. Well, I really appreciate you being on the show and we wish you and your business the best moving forward.
Speaker 3:Thank you, liz, thanks for having us and same with you, and likewise everyone, have a great day.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to GNPPalmercom. That's GNPPalmercom, or call 413-414-5940.