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

Does anybody know why the WoO Sprint Cars do not race at Texas Motor Speedway? Next question, does anybody know why there are'nt more races at TMS Dirt Track? I know there is apparently some issue with them running at Devils Bowl anymore, but since they don't it sure makes since to me that TMS Dirt Track would be the perfect facility.

A while back there was an anrticle posted by Eddie Gossage of TMS that stated the the WoO was too exepnsive for TMS....I tried to Google it, but sould not find it.....

Chuck.....

Why is it so expensive for TMS, but not for Charlotte? Sounds fishy to me

The 14E Todd Evans Racing Team sponsored by Sport 
Clips Men's Haircuts racing weekly at Devil's Bowl 
Speedway and ASCS Regional Action. 

That is a waste of a state of the art facility. I don't think that track gets used more than a half dozen nights a year. Went to the Cup race there in 08, you'd think they could have scheduled some type of event there with 200,000 plus fans in the area. Makes you just shake your head.

Knoxville Natioanls attendee since '95
Favorite Tracks...River Cities, Knoxville, Cedar Lake
Favorite Drivers...S.Kinser, T.Kaeding, K.Madsen, S.Smith
Proud Canadian 

It is a head shaker. I don't think Eddie likes sprint cars. Darin does a terrific job of promoting Cowtown and promoting TMS. Darin loves promoting Sprint Car events. I think we need to put a full court press on Eddie. The NASCAR guys love jumping into sprints when they are going at Cowtown. Now with the sprints basically being dumped by Lanny at the Bowl, even the Bowl would be an opportunity with somebody else being brought in as a promoter for the event. What a spectacular weekend it would be. Let's face it, I love the NASCAR night race, the day race was boring and Eddie knew something had to change in the chase.

The 14E Todd Evans Racing Team sponsored by Sport 
Clips Men's Haircuts racing weekly at Devil's Bowl 
Speedway and ASCS Regional Action. 

I cannot find the article... but in so many words Eddie said it the dirt track lost money, or more likely it did not make enough for them to consider it worthwhile.

They now have a modified/spec late model show twice a year and I am pretty sure no sanctioning money is paid out by TMS.

I think the last WoO show I saw there was the one where Jason Johnson came from the back and passed all the big names to win the feature.

The TMS dirt track has been mentioned on here numerous times; it's definitely a wasted opportunity in my mind (and some of you as well).

The track was built with the sole purpose of hosting WoO races. There were some hard feelings between Gossage and the new regime that took over the WoO after Ted. He was quoted as saying months after the sale that he had not been contacted by the new WoO.

That makes zero sense from a business standpoint. Any business needs to be in communication with its clients on a regular basis. To the WoO... the tracks are who pay the fees and schedule the dates, so you'd think that the Boundless Brigade could have picked up a phone and kept one of their premier facilities in the family.

Who knows... maybe Eddie 100% lied and the WoO did all they could (I don't believe that for 1 second).

Losing connection with history is a great way to lose fans. The DFW area has the most logical ties to the WoO of any area (headquarters, first event, etc.) and for it to be disregarded in the past... ouch.

There isn't 410 racing around here anymore. You get the WoO on occasion in Kilgore and Houston... but that's it. And that's sad.

The mortifieds and late models that run TMS now... the pits probably have 300 cars for those events. Purse/profit through the pit gate economics. Not so for 25-30 WoO sprint cars.

Every time I see a friend of mine that works out at TMS we talk about the same topic; she probably hates me by now for non-stop TMS dirt track talk!

I still say USAC doubleheader during Nascar weekends or a huge ASCS National Race with huge purse, a TMS Nationals type deal. $10k to win may get 75 cars in the gate or more. $15k or $20k is getting expensive but may work, too. 2 or 3 night gig.

With TMS having more night racing vs. Sunday next year... may not be possible.

Some guy has it correct.

Gossage was somewhat close to Ted Johnson, when the Boundless bunch took the thing over they had a big presence in Texas including a future F1 track and ...... between the two things with WoO went away.

You can make money during the Cup races, just like LVMS and Charlotte, but will need the blessing of the top dog to make it happen.

I am a TMS season ticket holder and wrote Eddie about this exact issue in October 2006. He was kind enough to write me back and told me they met w/ the WOO folks in early in 2006 about a WOO date and that they were supposed to get back with him on a proposal that never came. His tone in the letter did seem to indicate he might have been a little miffed w/ them, but he claimed they were still welcome at the facility and that "We hope, someday soon, sprint cars will return." I have no idea if any discussions have been held since that time or not.

I forget to mention in my earlier post...Eddie does not dislike sprints... but what he does like is money...money that he can return to Bruton Smith's corporation, Speedway Motorsports, Inc. A one day WoO show probably costs around $120K, what with sanctions/purse, advertsising, insurance, & help.

If TMS can run a show at the dirt track for less $, with less corporate vulnerabilty. then, that's what they'll do.....

My point here is that there would not be a Charlotte WoO show if it didn't pay some bills......

Chuck.....