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

A couple of weeks ago when the World of Outlaws invaded Tulare there were 29 cars - that includes the 17 or so cars the travelers brought. Last night at a local King of the West show the same track drew 31 cars. 

When the World of Outlaws are in town in Central PA, Ohio and Knoxville - very few shy away from running against the best. Some of those cars roll into the pits with minimal expectations but that doesn't stop them from coming. That's how all 3 of those regions get 40+ cars every time the invaders roll through and that speaks volumes about their respective local racing scenes. Sure, there are some guys that put away and save what little equipment they have for local shows because they don't have the finances or strong enough equipment to run with the big boys but for some of these NorCal drivers to skip the Tulare WoO show simply burdens their local racing scene well. 

Last night's KWS winner Tommy Tarlton was noticeably absent when the Outlaws were in town at the exact same track. I've watched Tommy progress and turn into one of the premier short track drivers in not only the area but in the country as well and are you telling me Tommy couldn't have beat the WoO at Tulare because you'd have a hard time convincing me of that...

Last year Shane Golobic won an Outlaw show - proving he has the skills and the equipment to do so - but doesn't show for a majority of the races including what everyone refers to as the best track in California. He had no problem rolling through the gates last night on the way to a top 10 finish. 

Willie Croft, 2nd in points last year for the KWS, was absent all month when the Outlaws are in town but rolls the car out last night and was one of the quickest cars on the track all night. 

Other drivers in the top 10 last night with the KWS that didn't come when the best of the world were in town were Sean Becker, Jason Statler and Mason Moore.

6 of the top 10 last night at a local show at Tulare didn't show up when the World of Outlaws were in Tulare. This simply will never happen in Central PA, Ohio and Knoxville. 

And after looking at results and statistics like that, it's no wonder the travelers took 5 of the 6 shows in California. Not counting Perris, because you would be stupid to pass up a televised race in your backyard to go down to one of the worst winged tracks in the country...

I'm sure the first responses will be - well we have Paul McMahan, Brad Sweet and Tim Kaeding who were raised in California out on the tour running well and Kyle Larson who's the driver of the decade. How many people does PA, OH and IA have doing that. And no one, no one can argue that point and you have the right to be proud of that, but I'm talking about the local racing. Because in reality, everyone on the country can watch Paul, Brad, TK and Kyle just as much if not not more than you fellas. But not everyone can see the local talent that their respective region has on a regular basis, so for some of the top guns in the region to not show up is disappointing and quite frankly a little embarassing for everyone that is saying that California has the best local racing. 

Shoutout to Dominic Scelzi, DJ Netto, Bud Kaeding and Kyle Hirst for their perfect attendance during the WoO NorCal swing. Rico as well as he missed the last show to go dominate in Kokomo...guy is insane. 

Looking forward to debating this topic with everyone. Stay safe and support your local tracks.

75% of the racing in Northern California is 360's. The only 410 racing is KWS & Friday

nights at Chico. So if you want to race more than 25 times you need more 360 engines

than 410'S. If the Outlaws ran 360's the local car count would triple. Also the Outlaws didn't run

the tracks where most of the racing is held, Chico, Marysville, Placerville, Petaluma & Watsonville.

At Knoxville if you are running for points you must show up at the WoO shows. Regulars get 100 points on those nights or whatever they win if they win more. You race for track points you can not pass up those 100 points.

Which I understand, but all the guys that I listed had no problems pulling out their 410s at the same track when the WoO weren't in town. 

When the Outlaws were in Tulare there was a Civil War show in Marysville.

That's where Tarlton, Croft, Becker, Golobic & Allard were.

On the second night only, if I recall correctly? All I'm saying is there are people on this board that believe the 410s in California trump every other local scene. 

Allard ran the 1st night at Tulare and if they had a car available, I'm sure Golobic and Becker, if not all the guys you mentioned, would've been there as well. I get what you're saying, but it's the same thing from certain Posse fans, especially when it comes to the Grove. In all honesty, Ca., Pa., Ohio and Ia. all have some bad fast and tough racers!

So you are saying you want teams that are from Northern Ca(Golobic,Croft,Becker) to drive the 4-5 hrs to Centeral CA on Friday (which they would all have to take a day of work or school in Golobic case) to race a 410 race then drive the 4-5 hrs back make a motor change and race the 1st race of the Civil War Series? Not only is that stupid but would make no sence if you are looking to win a championship(which are all capable of doing).What happenes if the crash would they have to time to put a new car together and make the trip? They probally all had there cars set up,fired,and loaded to go to Marysville on Fri night...you obviously don't own a car and know the cost it takes to do a weekend you are suggesting...these guys are gearing up for a long season..dont need to waste their time or money on a Woo race the day before their season starts....now Tarlton who live near Tulare might make some sence, still a lot of work if they have problems on Fri..And i believe Allard did do both races..

One more "wrench in the works" for Northern Cal drivers and owners is the new management for the KWS and Civil War series this year. With Prentice Motorsports Group running most of the winged racing now, they have combined several series so that there will be an additional championship bonus available if you can all 3 series, Taco Bravo, Civil War and KWS in the same year. They have intentionally made a workable schedule so that racers do not have conflicting dates to deal with if they are running all three series. Thus they have a tough decsision to make when running anything other then one of those races. This surely had an effect for many teams as to when and where they would be racing this early in the season. 

Lack of a look at the big picture in sprint car racing and a lack of cohesiveness in promotions in California amongst the tracks and series is a story as long as I've known the sport, which is longer than I'd care to mention.  The result is great tracks gone, and drivers having to  make tough decisions about where to race.  The other areas you talk about have weekly 410 racing.  At Knoxville and in PA, WoO shows are point shows, so it's apples and oranges a little bit.  Something that would relate to last weekend in CA would be Huset's Speedway in South Dakota running a national ASCS show or an IRA or All Stars show the same night as Knoxville's WoO show or vice versa.  It's just not going to happen. 

That said, five hours is a long tow, and you won't see many Knoxville regulars at Huset's for their WoO show which is also about a five hour drive.  However, in CA, the WoO shows are very limited compared to the Midwest, so the chances to race with the WoO are slim out there in comparison, so even if there were only a handful going down to Perris, scheduling a KWS show that night...I wouldn't have done it...

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This is exactly why they didnt show up.  That is a pretty big bonus to be chasing for a local racer.  As for Tommy, when Jason runs the other car Tommy watches and it has alwasy been like that.  Why tear up equipment or tires when you are going to have to fix or repair when you have a great shot to win the next day.  Some people need to get their head out of their arse.  If you want them to race, pay up the bucks and go sponsor them!! 

Interesting...yet the Posse gets criticized unmercily (not by you personally) by many for not leaving the porch. Double standard perhaps???

He'll our 410 wing series in Cali schedules against the WoO.

We need more sprint car racing at our home track.

It schedules against a WoO race at a track that most Nor Cal 410 drivers have already proven they will not attend.

Funding is still very tight in Ca, with only a few teams with deep enough pockets to afford to race just about anywhere in the state (its a 6-7+ hr drive from most Nor Cal teams to race at the PAS), one being Roth's 2nd car. With the "Triple Crown" on the line this year, this is begin seen as the "Big Picture" for many race teams, who are going to scrape by financially as it is, just to make every Triple Crown race. Not all of them have an extra 410, and are going to need to freshen them up, most like, in the middle of the season. So putting an additional 1-2 races on the motor doesn't make financial sense for these teams. There is a ton of cohesion amongst the Nor Cal tracks this season, and have basically taken any overlapping scheduling out of the equation when a triple crown race is being run, must other tracks will be dark. For this, quite a few teams, and many fans are supporting all 3 series. Fans no longer have to chose between a Civil War and KWS show, there are no conflicts. Most will be supporting at least 2 of the 3 series, then either running Chico 410's on Ocean 360's on Friday nights.

Exactly my thoughts.  They say we have great local racing but we get harped on for not leaving our tracks.  If our local racing is so ahead, why do we get shit for not leaving?  

Realize there is no "Local" racing series at Tulare on a weekly or regular interval. they run maybe 6-8 winged races there a year, including the Trophy Cup. Im not sure its an apples to apples comparions when referring to the weekly tracks in Pa and their regulars vs. a hardly winged race track in Tulare. 

the post above is why fans in most areas have no respct for the posse fans.

most of the cali drivers that didn't run the tulare woo are going to run 3 different series for the triple crown championship in nor cal.

since many of them come from the sacramento area near marysville, traveling half way down the state to run on fri then driving half way back up the state on the night before your local series opener just wasn't i think made sense to them

california is a big state you can't stand on your porch and piss across it like some others.

to indy and beyond!!

some people seem to forget the cali cars that left town and supported the woo shows in vegas and AZ.

 localsalso they supported the majority of the local woo shows.

just because they didn't go to perris, which none mormally do anyway and just because some decided to run the cali traveling 360 opener shouldn't be any big deal.

native california cars and drivers did well in the woo swing. a cali local won a race. a cali native that is now a woo regular won a race and a local low budget cali car won a race. not to mention all the podium finishes for native cali drivers, be they locals or on the tour.

seems like the woo guys were lucky some of the local guys missed a couple of their shows or it could have been worse for them.

to indy and beyond!!

Based on your first statement I would say you have never been to a local show in Central Pennsylvania. Kind of funny how someone like that can have such strong opinions about something they've never witnessed themselves - your typical he said, she said situation. Hell you seem to believe that you know what "most fans in most areas" think about this racing scene that you've never been to. Come to PA and we'll do our best to accomdate you (and your ego) and if you don't like it, then you have full entitlement of saying whatever you want. 

Back to the topic at hand, I posted factual information regarding statistics of a local show and a WoO show at the same track within a 3 week period of each other. I was given some excellent feedback and insightful knowledge about the 3 series championship. But that doesn't change the fact there were cars that could have represented California very well at the KWS opener but not at the WoO show. They have their reasons, some very valid, but it was disappointing to see as a race fan. 

Skipping Perris makes sense and if you would have actually read through the original post you would have known I felt that way. And I already addressed the other points regarding natives and such but I guess you missed that too. Try reading through something before you make comments on it. You reference the WoO guys in the last sentence but are chest pumping about those same WoO guys in the sentence before, lol. 

The WoO won 5 races out of a possible 6 this year in Northern California.