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

Butts in the Bleachers August 2, 2009

Mending fences….and it's a small world after all

The editorial below is my opinions and my opinions only. I do not represent the Ideal Sprint Invaders or Lee County Iowa Speedway.

Recently I attended the Lee County Fair in Donnellson, Iowa This is the oldest county fair in Iowa and has always been one of my favorites. The fair has everything that makes it truly American, from cattle judging to food on a stick. It also hosts a number of grandstand events including 360 Sprint Cars. The grandstands were packed and there were 24 sprint cars signed into the pits. The racetrack was awesome and the racing was excellent. The purpose of this editorial is not about the fair, not about the racing, but the relationship between the Ideal Ready Mix Sprint Invaders and Terry Hoeing the promoter at the Lee County Speedway.

As on of the "founding fathers" of the Sprint Invaders I am saddened and maddened by the on-going issues between these two entities. First, let me state that the "Fair" race was organized by the Lee County Fair Board and not Hoenig.

Hoenig was one of the first promoters to sign on with the Sprint Invaders during their first year of operation. As many as 5 events were held at the speedway each season including the Season Championship. Then several years ago a feud erupted and remains unresolved as of this writing, I have heard many versions of the story, but here are the issues as I see them.

At the last Season Championship held in Donnellson, Hoenig booked at least four support classes to compete that fall evening. By the time it was all over it was going for 1 A.M. Many Sprint Invader fans were very disappointed by this late hour and expressed their disappointment to the Sprint Invader Board. During the following months it appears that the Board began talking with promoters about limiting the number of support classes. The story now takes many twists depending on who you talk to and on what day you speak with them. I am confident that only Hoenig and the Sprint Invader Board know for sure what happened. The "tale' is that Hoenig was not signing contracts with the Sprint Invaders for the next season because of their "request/demand" that the support classes be limited in number. It has been stated that Hoenig indicated he would just hold out and the Invaders would cave. In steps Amy and Jeff Laue the new owners of 34 Raceway Park, which is located about 25 miles from the Lee County Speedway. The Laue's wanted to book several shows with the Invaders for the next racing season. The story goes that calls were made to Hoenig and they were not returned to the Sprint Invader Board. The Laue's were ready to sign and had agreed to limit the number of support classes when the Sprint Invaders were scheduled to run. Hoenig had hosted the Season Championship since the beginning of Sprint Invader action. The Laues also wanted to host the Season Championship.

The story now becomes a series of rumors, unanswered phone calls and stubborn minds at their worst. It is my personal opinion that the Laue's wanted 34 Raceway to become of the "Home of the Sprint Invaders", as the Invaders draw a good crowd and many of the drivers live within a stones throw of 34 Raceway Park. The Invader went ahead and inked the deal with 34 Raceway Park for the season championship. Apparently mad and hurt Hoenig has never signed another contract with the Invaders.

This "soap opera" has now drug on for several years and if it wasn't so ridiculous it would be hilarious. The Lee County Fair Board still host a Sprint Invader's race during the fair without Hoenig's involvement. The crowd is large and the racing is always good. The fans love it and the event is a winner by all accounts. Hoenig has promoted several "Sprint Car Specials" without the involvement o the Sprint Invaders. This past July he hosted the annual Budweiser Sprint Special. This event has a rich history of large crowds, lots of racing action and teamwork between Hoenig and Golden Eagle Distributing the local Bud people. Golden Eagle invites their customers to a party in the pits during the races and with all the fans after the races. This year 11 Sprint Cars signed into the pits. The racetrack was well prepared and the 11 cars put on a good show, but it begs the bigger question, how much longer can this go on? The Golden Eagle customers in the pits and the fans in the stands don't understand why so many of their favorite local drivers were not there, when they had been there just a couple of weeks prior at the fair.

I have often wondered how long this feud will last and who it really affects? I believe it hurts the fans, who buy the tickets and support the event. It hurts the racers who need local sponsorship and enjoy racing close to home. Hoenig may soon feel the purse strings draw tight as on has to wonder how many more "Sprint Specials" he can sell to sponsors.

I say it is time to set aside the egos, quit debating rumors and start over again. Terry Hoenig is a good promoter and Sprint Invaders put on a good show wherever they go. You don't have to like each other to do business together. There is a long racing history of promoters and sanctioning bodies not seeing eye to eye. Just look up the road at Knoxville and the World of Outlaws. It shouldn't stop both from giving the fans what they want to see in their own back yards.

As I stated at the beginning of this piece, this is MY OPINION and MY OPINION ONLY! I am most importantly a life long sprint car fan. My involvement in the sport speaks for itself; I have helped many teams, helped organize a group that provides great opportunities for local racers and have never been afraid to express my thoughts. Let's GROW UP BOYS and go racing. I welcome your comments, thoughts and fury. I would encourage you to contact me at [email protected] I will return your call.

…It's small world after all…" Recently I was in Hawaii with my wife. We had gone to see an active volcano and have some lunch. I was standing in the hotel lobby after lunch and in walks Mike Pindell, who's wife Donna works the Sprint Invader Trailer at every show. As my Dad always said there are no secrets, someone will see you and someone will talk….Point Taken

I heard some of this over the weekend at Jacksonville, that only 11 cars showed up. Very good write up and really it comes down to promoters, drivers, fans, fair boards all that need to work together. Times are tough now and like you said, drop the egos and lets go racing!

WOW! Racingwarden, Where to start? Let's see one thing I know is true Amy & Jeff did not beg to get the Sprint Invaders Season Championship Show it was offered to them by the Board? And if you had that chance would you pass it up? As far as Lee County for a 3/8 mile track the track it's self is right up there with Knoxville's 1/2 mile ? Facility is old but well taken care off kudos to Lee County Fair Board. But here is my problem I have attended quite a few shows at Lee County and it does get aggravating that the show last's for ever! Promoter's listen up if your show takes more that three hours to complete your losing fans! I for one get upset when shows drag out. That is why I do not attend Lee County Raceway anymore. If Terry Hoenig was smart he would start hooking up with the ASCS midwest series, or Midwest All-Stars or how about the WOW for some shows? But I'm sure they will say they want a limited number of support classes as well. My Opinion, and opinion's are like AS&(*#$ evrpone has one.LOL!

As far as the comment about Lee County being compared to Knoxville, I believe he was referring to the quality of racing, because like you mentioned the facilities are a bit rundown, but the track is almost always in good condition with two distinct grooves. As for the shows dragging on, this is Lee County Speedway we are talking about and it is just like basically every track that does not have sprint cars run weekly. They have a limited number of push trucks, therefore races take a while longer to get going and you also see a large number of cars in the support classes at this track. More cars means more races and almost always means more cautions. Lastly, you made a comment about Hoenig hooking up with either the "ASCS midwest series, or Midwest All-Stars or how about the WOW". The problem with this is that there are very few drivers that follow these series religiously, and Donnellson, Iowa is out of the way of these series. So for a race put on by any of these series at Lee County, Hoenig would still have to get support from the local 360 drivers, many of whom are part of this bickering between the two parties. So until there is a end to the disagreement, any 360 show held at Lee County that is promoted by Hoenig, sanctioned or un-sanctioned, will draw a very low car count.

Midget Nationals at Bellville..........(11) Midgets

Car Counts are down across the country for the most part. The one thing I can remember when I was younger and started in racing. Racers raced if they were real racers, no matter where it was, who they were racing for and most of the time racing for tons less than sprints run for today!

Serving the Motorsports Industry since 1975!

Rusty, you are absolutely correct. They both need each other, and I hope that they can work things out. The FANS that were blind sided by this poor turn out are the ones that paid this time. But next time, it might be the promoters and racers as well. The Hoenig's have always done a great job in the past, but as a coworker had told me, he doesn't attend there anymore because they never run a race on the date advertised. It is usually the following day when the features are completed. That was a fan that said that. Most Invader races were run on Wed. there, and having to go to work the next morning was tough. As I remember, when this issue was brought up in 2006, the SIA board was told that if the sprint feature wasn't run by 10:00pm, they would be the next show on the card. And that NEVER happened. But I can also see their side of the story, as they jumped on board as the unofficial "Home of the Invaders" and they feel slighted. But for the fans, the two sides need to get together and mend their fences, and have a quality show run in a timely fashion.

I like LCS a little more than 34 in terms of the sprint races I've seen at both places, but the car count Wednesday sucked and it seems like LCS always piles on the doorbangers.

I understand the philosophy behind back-gate promoting, but by doing so, they're going to alienate the sprint car fans that support the sprint car shows. Only two support classes was better than usual Wednesday, but throw in the vintage cars and we spent about 2 hours, 45 minutes at the track and actually got to see maybe 15 minutes of sprint cars.

I wish it would be fixed though, LCS is too good of track for sprints to waste.