Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
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Bill Waite, Jr. Memorial - 42 cars - Balog sweeps with NTR, wins heat 1, and then A-Main.  Nietzel in the 2w was 2nd, Reinke in the #02 was 3rd, Hull in the #12 was 4th, and Nienhiser in the 9 was 5th.  Good crowd

Glad to hear a good number of fans and teams came out to support this show. After seeing Balog run in the top 5 with the WoO here, I kinda figured he'd be able to lay the smackdown on the field for this race, but didn't expect a clean sweep AND a new track record too?! Nice! 

Congrats to the IRA and MOWA for putting on what sounds like a great event. It's nice to see our regional series' putting on marquee events with bigger purses without having the support or name recognition of a national touring series like the All-Stars, or the WoO.

"They'll learn." 

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I thought the 17B was going to go and get "seasoned" with the other bigger series this year and only make a few IRA shows? Kinda doesn't look like that happened.....

Big Daddy E

I agree.  Word was he was not going to run enough IRA shows to qualify for the championship.  He has that wrapped up again.   Money must have dried up.  He is fun to watch, but after awhile it gets old.

What would you expect!

I mean really people! REALLY! 

And It wasn't word, it was announced on his schedule before the season started. 

We went over to La Salle for this show. It was the first time we'd been to La Salle in probably 10 years and we live within 40 minutes of the track. Nothing against La Salle Speedway but it's a solid late model/modified track.

Since we're not huge winged racing fans we went over mainly to say hello to Jack Hewitt since he was there with his 2 seater and the track is really close to us and the wingless cars don't race in our neck of the woods very often. Given all that, we decided to take in the IRA/MOWA show and I'm glad we did.

I've gone to many late model shows at La Salle in the past and track prep is usually top-notch and that seemed to be the case Saturday night, as well. Problem was it was as dirty as I've ever seen La Salle. We understand this is sometimes part of a dirt track experience and have no problem with it but a young couple with their two young sons setting right in front of us had never been to a dirt track event before. They were mortified. The boys weren't having a very good time at all due to the dust and grit that was pelting them on the left side of their faces and their parents were even less thrilled than their sons.

I tried to explain that this is the exception, not the rule but I'm sure this family won't be back to a dirt track of any kind anytime soon, if ever. There were many others that left early because of how dirty it was. I felt bad for this family since I know what they spent to attend this race and we did our best to explain the situation to them but I'm thinking we lost 4 potential fans along with how many others who felt the same way.

There was as big of a crowd at La Salle as I've ever seen there, even for the big late model shows. Too bad it was the way it was.

Wasn't word?  Word was?  On his schedule?  Same thing, isn't it?

It's obvious that you do not get out to the track much.  Have you ever heard of the slogan, "You are not at a real race unless there is dirt in your beer"?  All that horsepower, all that speed, what did you think it was going to be like?

Great night of racing. Really thought Neitzel was going to get one but the 17b got through traffic better but still great racing. As for the dust a lot of times it really comes down to which way the wind is blowing and unfortunately it was blowing towards the main grandstand. I got quite a bit of dust during the B in the main grandstand but switched to the backstretch pit stand for the A main and it was dust free.

Hope to see this show back in 2014!

We get out to the track quite a bit. If you read the post it said we had no problem with it but the people setting in front of us were not enjoying themselves at all. The future of dirt track racing was setting right in front of us in the form of a young man around 12 or 13 and the other youngster was a boy of maybe 5 or 6. I just wish it could have been a bit more enjoyable for those little guys and their parents. I fear those folks will NEVER go to another dirt track again. How many others were equally as disenchanted?

As I said before, I've been to La Salle many times over the years and have never seen it as bad as it was Saturday night. We were at Belleville for the Belleville Midget Nationals and the Silver Crown cars 4 weeks ago and the High Banks are far, far faster than the bullring that is La Salle Speedway and we didn't experience any dirt at all. As I said, I don't mind some dirt, it's part of the experience but not everyone is into it as much as we are.

lvdrtmls, getting hit with all the dust alot of times comes down to where you are sitting. even so, winged sprint cars move alot of air as they race. example is i-55 raceway in pevely, mo when outlaws run there. modifieds come out and run not much dust but winged sprints come out and the dust kicks up. if they come out and wet the track before the a main it helps but by end of feature dust is flying again. 

It's still early enough and LaSalle's schedule is open for the rest of the year, why not do it again?

It was a lot of fun to watch even though the wind was blowing the opposite direction it blows 75% of the time. I don't know if Balog was saving his tires or not but once they hit traffic it was over.

Now get to work on the POWERi/Badger and IRA/MOWA show.  That would be a great show!!!

Bring back Santa Fe, and LaSalle .

It's been a messed up year anyways, I frequent Limaland & Waynesfield. I got dirtier at Waynesfield 1 night than I did in 2 nights at Limaland, It left me to wonder if the world was ending.

The last month with the wind it has been more than jacket weather when the sun goe's down.

I went to this race last year, It was on a Sunday, They had a nice crowd & we had a dust free race. At least I don't remember any dust.

You are 100% correct.  A little dust is okay, but when it gets as bad as you explained new fans will not come back.   Promoters definitely need to keep this in mind.

So what the hell can promotors do about the wind blowing in the opposite direction than normal on race night???

I tell it like I see it.

Well for starters Balog has run alot more "BIG" shows compared to last season. Ran a few shows with Outlaws @ Eldora. Has ran a hand full of midget shows. Doesnt matter if he would have only ran 10 IRA shows hes up well over 300 points on 2nd. The dude can well and has a crew that knows what there doing. As for his schedule things come up and changes. He is on top of his game and will continue winner until everyone steps up. Why go spend the money to travel when your almost locked to make over 2k every weekend? Alot has to do with work and family. Heard he turned down Buffalo Wild Wings ride. They wanted him to relocate and he said no. Northpole Nightmare is in the zone

Think what you want. I seriously doubt he was offered the Buffalo ride, Kind of like Buffalo Sh--, besides would you really give up the ride he has to drive something that has not performed since Henderson.

Wow look at Henderson now with a low budget ride and a great great great Car Owner and Mechanic hmmm not as stupid as people think. Seems to be the difference in Swindell's perfromance this year!

Balog did have good performances in some outlaw show's earlier give you that, but last year at Beaver Dam Reinke WAS in contention to WIN until he broke just sayin!

Yea and your telling me that ride is shit? Look has been in it since henderson. Just saying he put his schedule out wanting to venture out and when u win every time u run IRA and have the points lead things change. He missed a show at Wilmot. Was going to miss a few more but they got rained out. As for Reinke he should have won that show last yr. But lost all respect for the guy after he threw a temper tantrum when he filpped at BDR leading. Blames everyone else that HE flipped.