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

So, I recently heard a rumor that the fairgrounds would be holding a weekly 360 show, obviously on Friday nights, this coming year.  Is there any truth to this?  There really isnt a strong 360 track anywhere in the area on Friday's so there is some potential there.

No better place to see a race than the Iowa State Fairgrounds. None.

Great view of track and pits plus parking.

Take the wings off and you would really have something going, something different to see.

I was in the Des Moines area for the Nationals and went to the state fair on that Saturday.   We wound up seeing this track up close.  I would like to check the place out one of these days.   It didn't look like you would have a great view of the track to us.   It looked like there was a tiny grandstand that sat way off of the front straight.    It did look like a very interesting track though.   I agree with you on the wings, take 'em off and let's see some real racing.

the grandstand does sit a ways off the front-stretch, but it seats around 12,000, so not tiny at all....

I'd say it's been 10 years since they last ran sprints there on any regular basis, will take a while to rebuild a fan-base and rebuild the car count (some guys just can't afford to race 2 nights a week, they'll have to choose between DesMoines, Knoxville, Burlington or Sprint Invaders races.

Are you sure that you weren't at the Des County Fair by accident? The Fairgrounds stands are HUGE and right on the front stretch...

They will be 305 Racesavers every Friday night, not 360's.

From what I understand, Matt Moro's Father, Tony, is attempting to do the program, and D12 is correct, it is 305 Racesavers.  I have also been hearing that they are going to change the track and shorten it and it is actually in the process right now.  What better way to spend a Friday night?  Thanks go to Tony and let's just see how it all goes before the trolls start hacking it and complaining.  

My wife told me if I went to one more Sprint Car race 
she would leave me.................I'm sure gonna miss 
that ol' gal. 

New dirt and victory lane for 2014 along with moving pits to infield and blocking off turn 1 exit.

shortening the track to 3/8 (by cuttting off T3 & 4) for 2015. 

At least that is what was reported on another website. 

You are correct the new dirt is already been on the track. They are tearing out the stage in the infield to create a victory lane. The pits will be in the infield for 2014. They will be moved back out in 2015 once the track is shortened to a 3/8ths. Tony Moro, Karl Moyer, Bob Nading (Lawyer from Ankeny), and other very powerful and well off people with ties to big businesses in iowa are all involved. personally i hate shortening the track because i love the place, but it should help car counts. as for moving the pits i am not a huge fan, but the turn one exit has been very dangerous. 

This is pretty exciting news for Iowa. I hope that the fans come out to support the sprint class even though taxis will be there as well. 

I know this was discussed in an older post but how will this affect the 305 knoxville group? 

Keep It Real

The Iowa State Fairgrounds grandstand is huge. The overall facility is very nice..ie rest rooms..food stands..plus you could set as high or as low as you wanted.

Back in the day, they had a yearly race the Hawkeye Futurity always about April on a Sunday after noon. Big Event.

I can remember seeing some of the best races ever during the original IMCA days. Even on a hot summer afternoon the racing (dry Slick) was incredible.

They used to race at the Iowa State fair the night after the Nationals, it was always a who's who of racers and a great one night show.

They had a band that played between races.. I think it was something like. Ralph Zarno's band...

I would hate to see them shorten the track but maybe it works some how. Iowa definately has the racing fans, if someone plays their cards right and is creative and does some marketing ... someone could make some money.

I also remember as a kid sittng on bleachers in front of the grandstand, it was almost like sitting on the main straight.

I can still remember what looked like Jerry Blundy, Jerry Richert, Jay Woodside coming straight at us. Exciting to say the least.

Great memories.  And before Blundy et.al. there was Grim, Folse, Jud Larson, Luptow, and on and on. 

I personally always thought the corners were kind of tight and the straight aways awfully long, but then it was designed to be a horse racing track.  When the supermod's started running with wings at the fairgrounds though, they didn't have to slow down so drastically to get around the corners.

I hope people come out and help make this a success.  I see it as a great way to expose my youngest grandchildren to sprint car racing, because Knoxville is still kind of a long drive and definitely a late night for them by the time we get home.  (I'm too old to carry them into the house anymore, LOL.)  But the younger you get them interested, the more likely they are to stay fans later.  I see this as a great way to expose the greater DM area to sprint cars again, whatever the class. 

One other benefit at the Iowa State fairgrounds was the cars would line up at the pit gate pretty early and you could visit with owners and drivers. Since the cars were on open trailers you could look at the cars. The pitgate was on the grandstand side of the track so it was easy access for fans.

During the mid-60s they would run "Super Modifieds" on Saturday night and the cars would have squarish tails and bolt on roll cages. In the back of the tow pickups or cars, would be a sprint car tail and a single roll bar that would be used the next day (Sunday) when they ran "Sprint Cars" and changed the set up. Some cars looked completely different.

It was one of the best fan-driver-owner interface I ever saw. Almost all drivers/owners were very approachable.

No semi's pulling cars then...the hot set up was a pickup with a pickup camper in the back, pulling an open trailer with a sprint car on it. If the pickup/camper/trailer and car colors matched, you were held in high esteem.

I think shortening it is a great idea.  It should improve the racing.

I'm optimistic that will be the case also.  Hope we're right.

I think running the 305"s at the Fairgrounds is a great idea, I also remember the IMCA days and the State Fair races and the great drivers we'd get to see. My major concern is the "Rules" - I've seen posted on here that the plans are to run the Race Saver Rules, how is this going to benefit each track (Fair grounds and Knoxville) this is suppose to be a entry level class - correct - so how many of these cars are going to have two or more engines (a fairgrounds engine and Knoxville engine or an egine for some other 305 track). Granted it would be nice if everyone that runs 305's would get on the same page, but WE ALL know that is not going to happen because everyone wants to be the Top Dog and run things. I wish Tony the best of luck and hope it works.

We raced a dirt late model there at a Deery Brothers show many moons ago. Straight aways are forever long , slam on the break turn around and repeat!  I think this would be hard on a 305 sprint motor especially with a wing on it.  Hey heres a novel idea from a guy that doesnt know shit about promoting....  Switch back and for , have wings one week and no wings the next . I know ... Im an idiot just a thought.

a lot of the knoxville guys have already purchased or ordered racesaver motors so i guess there will be guys running both nights

When are we going to hear from the ...NEW group...That are supposted to be running the deal...before the 1 st of the year ?

Tony was on a local tv show talking about this not to long ago !! The NEW group has some finanical heavy hitters involved..$$$$$ !!