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

I've been to several Knoxville Nationals through the years beginning with 1979. I could alsways feel the electricity in the air and every trip was well worth the 3000 mile round trip. This year it was different. I felt very little of the magic of the past. It felt like just another big race. A lot of fans, sprint car t-shirts, beer etc. but it didn't seem the same. I left with little intention of coming back. I'm not sure if it was the lack of enjoyable racing or maybe I'm just getting old.

I'm probably going to go to the Indiana Sprint Week next year. I stopped at Bloomington and Haubstadt on the way to the nationals this year. The tracks had a aura that was good. The fans all were involved sprint car addicts and I could feel the tradition. The racing was tremendous. The tracks were tacky and the cars were finding grooves everywhere. When the checkers fell I was sorry that it was over. I think that watching the Indiana bull rings for 10 or so days and traveling to the different tracks with racers and fans may reignite the magic.

I am not sure what was in the air this year (other then the oppressive humidity) but I feel the same way you do along with a lot of other people I have spoken with. There was just something missing. Something that was just not right. I still haven't figured out what it was but I can't stop thinking about it. I keep thinking maybe it was just the heat, but I really don't think so. Too many people saying the exact same thing. Weird.

Yes I Agree I hope It was The Weather But There Were Less Drivers Less Venders Plus Osky Was A Joke Monnday Not For Lack of Effort But A Lot Of Guys took There Toys And Went Home Tuesday Rainout.I Was So Looking Foward To Osky Oh Well Terry & Bill Sure Tried Plus You Almost Knew Once again Nobdy Had Any Thing For Donny.At Least When Steve Was Winning He Would Talk To You.Not That I Dont Like Donny But The Drivers Today Act Like Nascar Stars And There Not I Say Bring Back The Days Of Hey Kid Do You Want To Sit In My Car .T-Mac One Of The Few Who Still Makes Time For The Kids And If Your Good To My Kid You Also Have Me Have Me As A Fan I Say Bring Back Guys Like Jack Hewitt And Ron Shuman

Dang Offie, I'll come back again next year I guess, sheesh. Every 15 years I need to take a break, lol. Did BB King have it right, The Thrill Is Gone.....

Moran83 - dude (or dude-ette) ... that was very hard to read. Just a tip for your next post --- ease up on the caps on every word.

Phil Taylor

home-theater-systems-advice.com

I hate to say it, but 10 straight days of racing is almost too much. I think some of the eager anticipation is gone by the time Wed gets there. Heck you've already seen a lot of the guys that will be racing nats the previous 6 days. jmo

www.Numbersusa.com  

I know what you guys mean. I have had this conversation many times during and since the Nationals and I can't put my finger on it either. Let's face it the days of Steve, Sammy, and Wolfie are gone. With them we lose a lot of what enticed us to go see these guys run, I guess change is always tough and sprint car racing has changed.

Tommy Bahama and me go to Florida in February (Volusia) and you know the racing is a awesome with some great fields of cars. I can't wait for those races, of course it is cold as hell in Ohio at that time too!

Good post I hope it stays on point...

The qualifying nights were boring. Follow the leader in the heats. Saturday was way too strung out for TV. Personally, I think sprint car racing is less exciting than it used to be. I don't know the reason but more and more races seem to be strung out, follow the leader affairs. I hope it changes for the better.

I've only been going for 11 years now. Historically I've always thought it was one the best races I would attended all year. But this year fell short and would fall well down on my list. For me it was certainly the least entertaining of the 11 years. Being used to watching short track shows every weekend there was just way too much follow the leader racing. I really dislike dragging out the final night for live tv. Some of the excitement leaves when they don't keep the show moving.

Awesome racing at Volusia? I might go travel to Knoxville but I seldom go 100 miles from home to catch a race at Volusia. Now there was a time when East Bay had some pretty awesome sprint races but those days are long gone unfortunately having yielded to latemodels. I usually make a one day journey to Volusia catch the WoO in February but there wasn't excitement for me last year.

I grew up in Knoxville and Have always gone to the Nationals. Now that I am old enough and get to plan my own Vacations I have been trying to get out to races I have never seen before. I have seats with my Dad in the top Row of section I. However, I was thinking of next year getting my seat and selling it to someone so I can take another vacation to a place I have yet to see. It does save money to take a vacation in your home town but it is taking up space and money I could spend on going to Florida, Williams Grove, Chico, Indiana Sprint week, Chili Bowl, 4 crown nationals. I have been to alot of tracks for my age and I want to keep it up.

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A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

Your all right on. I've had several people call me since we've gotten back asking "how was Knoxville?" I've been telling them the same thing, it just felt like something was missing. I keep attributing to the same thing Offie and that's getting older myself...............lol.

In my opinion it started going down when they moved the campers from behind the grandstands.

Another thing I noticed is that when was the last time we saw any crewmembers, drivers, or owners stopping under the grandstands after one of the 4 nights to mingle with the fans? I'm sure most of it has to do with the professional image teams are trying to maintain and that's part of the game now a days.

But yeah, something was sure missing!!!

Rain ....heat and humidity .... those 3 words put a cap on the whole festivities. The thrill will be back.

R.A.

S.H.S.

Gone are the days of the Bus Rides and the "what T-shirt" contests -- unfortunately. The atmosphere of the Nationals with the peripheral parties and socializing with my "extended dis-functional family" are things I remember as much if not more than the racing. Ahhhh - the good ole days....

Phil Taylor

home-theater-systems-advice.com

welcome to the "next level", the corporations, and big money took the fun out of Knoxville when the big money took over the camp grounds.

The police are NO asset to the situation, and live TV was a lousy thing to do TO the fans that paid money to see the thing.

Knoxville will only learn when they are in a place with an empty grandstand, and they have to start thinking again on what they are screwing up.

Terry McCarl has EVENTS, Knoxville only had a race this year.

Save your butt, get a colon screening TODAY

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Marshalltown, Iowa 

The only event Terry had this year was rain. I can not support his decision to try to race on Monday this year. I'll never go to a Terry show after this year's fiasco.

I'm sure it wasn't the same without me, lol.

Don't you think that one problem with the racing is the risk / reward? Too many teams relegate themselves to the fact they can't win the thing.

They simply want to make the show, after all making the show pays well. Kind of like the golf touraments these days, guys just want to make the weekend and cash the pay check.

I also don't believe that adding the 360 Nationals on the front end has helped the feel.

Posted under another thread, still relevant.

Unlike other sports and events (Superbowl) Knoxville isn't making any money on TV. If fact the past few years (not sure about this) barely sold enough sponsorship to pay for the production.

With that said shouldn't the show be run for the 25,000 fans in seats?

Thank god the ChiliBowl nixed the "live TV" deal before it happened, they won't allow a network to run the schedule of the event.

Atleast he had the show. The Rain date for FRC was Sunday. And who in the grandstands and PArty area would have been around to see it the next Sunday? The people in the grandstand had already paid for the seats so they would have been more pissed to have it rescheduled for Sunday. Plus, who would have showed up Sunday for a party in the infield? They got it in in the best situation possible.

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A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

Cancel it and give a refund. No reason to ask the fans to sit around for that.

OK, I guess you are right, how did it feel to be the only dis-satisfied person in the grandstand?

I think, even with the delay, that 99% of the people were there for a good time and left happy to say that they were happy, but the 1% people will be here in a second to let us know who they are LOL LOL LOL

Save your butt, get a colon screening TODAY

For complete line of Sponsor Awards check out 
MarshallTownLaser.com

Duane Davis

Laser Engraving 
641-751-7777
101 N Center
Marshalltown, Iowa