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

I'm with you on the show length.  

I almost always attend races the same, exact way.  Pull into town mid-afternoon, either pull into the campground (if in Knoxville) or find a place for my truck and camper if in a parking lot.  Setup the grill, pull out the cooler and turn up the tunes.  When the races get over, head back to the camper, watch everyone sit in their cars in line for about an hour while I have a beer, grill a midnight treat, and climb into bed.  I don't have a watch or clock with me on race day.  I don't care what time it is.  Early nights of racing suck to me.  

The WoO event on June  9th and 10th is the weekend to be there. The 305's are running with the Outlaws on Friday night and they can be entertaining............but the 360's are running Saturday night with the Outlaws and the Knoxville 360's put on a heck of a good show. If just one night is all you would consider, for the same money Saturday would be the better value. We're planning on being there that night weather permitting, and maybe both nights.

Sounds like you got it figured out!

I'm ok with a show running late if it's for good reason like lots of cars, several classes or maybe even a rain delay. But if it late because some of the support classes can't run 3 laps without a yellow/red flag or if the track needs 1 1/2 of work before they can race when it should have been done earlier in the day or if the show starts 2 hrs after the advertised start time That is when I'm dissatisfied and usually don't go back. 

Good points.  I will say that starting a show 1-2 hours after the advertised time pisses me off.  I do understand that none of these shows go off at the exact time they are advertised but sometimes it get ridiculous.  No argument from me on that.  

Track prep before features doesn't get under my skin as long as it is reasonable and they start the track prep immediately after the heats have finished.  Spending an hour working a track after stalling for 30 minutes after the heats is annoying to say the least.  Usually, the track prep makes the features better so well worth it for me--just don't make it an hour long.  

That being said, a show that just runs long doesn't bother me if for a good reason.  Sometimes lots of cars and untimely cautions can make for along night.  

" or if the track needs 1 1/2 of work before they can race ".... you're talking 4 Crown?

I'm an old fart too, don't usually mind late races, but that was WAY too late... I left halfway thru Silver Crown race cause I kept falling asleep

On a side note about Knoxville weekly races, I've always wondered if they have the same good food that they have at Nationals, like Asian chicken, pork tenderloins & Cattleman's Assoc. steaks?

If you are going to Knoxville spend a few extra bucks and go to WOO nite.  You will get to see alot of 410 cars plus 360.  The regular weekly shows are fine also but if it is a seldom done deal go WOO nite.  Watch weather forcast.  Go early and go thru museam.  Good luck.

I'll agree on the track prep IF it needs done, start it as soon as the last heat/consy pulls off the track. There is one track I go to once a year that will completely till, water, run in the track sometimes twice per nite. On their behalf they do a fantastic job of it because of all the equipment that is available. My gripe with it is I believe one reason it is done is to showcase all of that equipment, because the track is back to the way it was within a few laps. 

Could be worse.  My old hometown track (now a cornfield) used to take a 45 minute intermission every Saturday night.  I would have been happy if it were to prep the track but it was usually to get the lights working.  You know......why check the lights in the afternoon?  I remember one night after an hour of working on them, they brought the fire dept. over and they set up spot lights in corner1.  

That should help everyone understand why it is now a cornfield.  

I do things a tad different than EGRAS.  I turn on the tunes, drag out and open the cooler, THEN setup the grill.  You sure didn't check the watch in Rockford.....That was a fun day and night....Remember?????   LOLOL

I know I got up at 10:00 a.m. and I felt like I went to bed at 9:00 a.m.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

I agree. Some of the criticism directed towards the WoO is warranted, but they are still the biggest show in winged 410 racing. There is no addition by subtraction. You can't possibly tell me a race is better by them not being there. Cheaper? Sure. 

Follow me on the social medias! ; twitter - 
larryitis   Facebook - Michael Collins 

Only week of the year, for many years, that I would hit the sack between 3AM and 4AM four consecutive nights, get back up around 8AM and never tire! What is it about that week? Simple, best sprint car week of the year! The atmosphere is awesome! There's nothing like the Nationals!

Correct.  What make the WoO so alluring?  You either want to see the WoO because you love them or you want to see them because you want to see them get beat.  But you want to see them.  Kinda like they used to say about Muhammed Ali.  

Larryitis, you were there in Beaver Dam to see Balog win in June last year.  More exciting when he had two or three of the top funded teams in the world on his tail, wouldn't you say!!!???

Not debating the WoO place on top of the food chain in sprint car racing.  However, whether a show is better by them being there is a matter of perspective.   If your into hero worship and think you saw the best show ever because Schatz and his support cast were there, then knock yourself out.   Personally, the best sprint car races I've seen at Devils Bowl were non wing.   I wouldn't trade the experience of watching the A main at last years Nationals though.    

my preference is weekly racing.  The current format of the WoO makes for not great racing IMO.

But, it's really preference of the fan.  I know multiple fans that skip the WoO shows alltogether as the weekly shows are generally better racing and the shows move along much faster.

Now, if I had to choose between a weekly event and any night of the major events (Nationals, 360 Nats, or Late Models), the big event wins hands down as the format of those events is even better than the weekly show formats.

I like the WoO, heat racing in winged sprint racing has been lousy for alot longer than the WoO have had their new format. But to each their own. 

Putting aside all that, one of the big things I enjoy about going to the races is seeing meaningful qualifying and consolation races. You know you're going to have an excellent B Main field when you go to a WoO show at Knoxville. There's far more good cars than A Main starting spots, which makes it fun. Aside from seeing the guys who have won 22 of 23 Nationals (i.e. the best of the best), you're going to see far more good cars and that's what sells me. 

Weekly racing won't have the outside food venders like Nationals. Some might call it a bummer but the regular food inside is pretty hard to beat too. Plus it gives me something different to look forward to in August.

Very good point on the weather...