Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

Does anyone think 10 Plus hours to run a show is excessive ?

I know I could have left but the Silver Crown title was on the line.

We left the track after the last race at 2:50 AM.

I don't know maybe we were waiting for Rico and the Man to show up.

Bring back Santa Fe, and LaSalle .

Maybe they will go back to the old format of time trials and heats on Friday with only consi's and A mains on Saturday. 

But did I read that they took an intermission and reworked the track on Saturday night?  I sure with they would have done that last year, the dust was billowing bad all night.     One of the gate employees told me that the reason it wouldn't happen is that the track prep crew is convinced that "no one wants to see tractors going around".   Maybe it was just that guy that quit right before this years truck race?  

Hot laps & qualifying for 140 cars took over 4 hrs. I was glad it was over, thought that racing would start soon, but then they track prepped for another hour. That might have been necessary, but the whole thing took way too long, I could barely stay awake, left during Silver Crown.

I don't want to blame anyone, maybe they should do 1 lap TTs or????

Rico showing up made it interesting, dominated midgets & was ahead in Allstars race when he spun out all on his own & got hit....

If I go next year, I will NOT show up at 4:30 PM!

According to Bill W, they prepped for 2 hrs.

My brain was numb by that point...

I'm not a fan of Time Trials. 140 cars is like doing the entire 2 day Knoxville qualifying in one day, plus 40 more cars. I'm not going to blame anyone, they did their best, but need a better plan

It's probably worth it to hold a show up for Rico. he has put on a heck of a show anytime I have seen him race.

i remember one about ten years ago I went to that ended later then this one but that was due to off and on rain and a long fence repair.

As for qualifying it couldn't of been as crazy as the mopar million. 138 cars one lap each. then the same 138 cars one lap each again. The event was great but not sure about that part.

They didn't hold it up for Rico.  He flew in after NASCAR race in time for midget qualifying.

But the way things went, he probably could have hitch hiked from New Hampshire in time....

I think one of the reasons they may have reworked the track was the two midgets taking nasty rides in TT coming off of two, and the two SC cars trying to knock the wall down in their TTs as well. From where I sat in turn thrn, it looked like there was a bump/hole at the top of two that was upsetting the cars and pulling them into the wall.

Trust me, I was aggrevated as hell that we sat there for two hours watching them rework the track. Two races in a row now I've watched a grader and pushtruck parade, Williams Grove on 16 Sep, and Sat night. First heat hit the track at 10PM (I looked) - that never is good. I left at midnight (my choice) - No way in hell am I satying until one, two, three in the morning for any race.

One thing I wish Eldora would take a serious look at is at these bigger races with high car counts, start doing what Knoxville does for the Nat - have these teams unload in the infield and move the haulers out. Two things would improve - 1: It would stop the necessity to pit cars behind the turn three grandstands, which holds the show up throughout the night (the late models and mods aren't as bad becasue they have starters and can move in and out quicker), and 2: it would greatly improve being able to see the entire track.

Quality takes time.  More awesome happened up high Saturday night at Eldora than the last 10 years at Hagerstown.  I'd rather wait a day and a half for proper moisture and track prep than 10 minutes for the skating rinks I've been to lately.  To allow Windom to hammer that thing at the end of a weekend that full is incredible.  They should be commended not ridiculed. 

Luna's Ford engine style that won 2 WoO titles and 3 
Kings Royals before a weight rule against the best EVER
in their prime and now DOMINATES super dirt late model
racing is no longer allowed/wanted in a WoO sprint
car.... Was Luna a miracle worker?

Absolutly. Why could they not qualify more cars at once? They all have transponders 

It was my first time at Eldora Saturday night. Even with the delays, I will be back next year for sure. The downtime sucked a little bit, but gave everyone a chance to wait in the long lines to get food, go to the bathroom, check out the souvenier trailers etc. Since it was my first time, I spent time walking through the pits and watching hot laps/qualifying from as many different spots as I could. The prep definetely made a difference as Rico set a new 8 lao track record for the midgets in the heat. He was also FLYING in the feature. I was curious based on how fast he was getting around there so I went to Race Monitor to take a look. Rico's fastest lap during the feature was 3 tenths faster than the fastest USAC sprint car lap, and only 2.5 seconds slower than the fastest winged lap! (he also had the fastest winged lap). He was simply HAULING the mail around there Saturday night!

Real race cars don't have fenders...

if fans continue to push for group TT...the tracks that deliver what the fans want will prevail...sitting thru old school paint drying is still paint drying!

Lincoln 1845 ft/.35 mile T1=118MPH 
Eldora 2287 ft/.43mile T3=135MPH
Port 2716 ft/.51 mile T3=TBD
Grove 2792 ft/.53 mile T3=135MPH
Selinsgrove 2847 ft/.54 mile T1=136MPH
"I didn't move to PA from El Paso in search of better 
weather." Van May

I don't think it is as much as the track in this case as much as it is the sanctioning groups. From what I heard being down in the pits it sounds like USAC was the ones that wanted the track prep after qualifiying as well. Too bad to, as I had brought two people that had never been to a dirt track/sprint car race before and figured this would be the perfect event to take them to as it had every kind of sprint car. Needless to say when 9pm rolled around and the tractors were still on the track they were not too thrilled. They loved the racing but told me that it took way too long for them.

From a different standpoint, I think this was the first time I went to Eldora and was dissappointed with how the show went but at the same time I know that it will not happen again. I am sure that they are going to work on making next year's event better and are game planning on what they can do to make it run more efficient so I will be back to each and every sprint car race they have. Saturday was dissappointing but not a deal breaker for me.

I am actually looking forward to the sprintacular on 10/8 as that is my favorite event of the year next to the Kings Royal. Allstar 410s, 360s, and wingless racing in 1 night. It is probably the most underrated event and the 360s and wingless do group qualifying.

"Maybe they will go back to the old format of time trials and heats on Friday with only consi's and A mains on Saturday."

Best idea I've heard yet.... 

Rico made it all worthwhile!

I was desperately craving some java but thought the lines were too long.... haha, jokes on me...

Saturday night is why I never take new fans to a dirt track. Normal, sane, well adjusted people won't put up with that. 

Race fans will put up with all kinds of horse shit. 

On another note, Rico's cars seem to have a different attitude than everyone else, he seems to carry much more corner speed at Eldora. When he would throw his winged sprint car into the corner on saturday, it reminded me of those outlaw karts. It's fun to watch. 

Amazing... we agree!

Have to say i agree with Speedbump,time trials and heats should have been done on friday.WoO / USAC tt and heats would have been a better show(sorry Eldora stock cars just dont do it at an open wheel week-end JMO). How could anyone in charge possibly think that all that racing could be done with an 8pm start time ,especially after you burn the track out with 3 1/2 hours of hot laps and time trials.Feel sorry too for all the familys with the .25 midgets,not only did they have to probably leave saturdays show with tired kids,probably made Sunday a little tougher also. Dont think i will make the 9hour drive next year,unless those in charge,wake up and have a better gameplan.  I can think of better things to be doing to entertain myself at 10 pm than watching the Packer Truck 500& doin the Wave!!

I couldn't agree more deicer! Unless things change for next year, I will just head on to Lernerville with the Outlaws! Sat. nite was way too late for us.

Speaking of concessions I wondered why they did not have the backside open.

Larsonfan, Brian Tyler did just that & lost. Wondered if they didn't have spare parts or what since they would have had plenty of time to get the car ready for the feature.

Hell man some of them haulers could of brought a Silver Crown, Sprint & Midget. LOL