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

I've seen several posts the last few months saying all that Knoxville has going for it is the Nationals. Knoxville's weekly shows average 32 410's, 28 360's, and 25 305's. These averages do not include WoO shows, 360 Nationals, Capitani Classic, or 410 Nationals car counts. So, on average, that's 85 sprints in the pits for their weekly shows. Looks to me like they might have a little more going for them than just the Nationals. 

Anyone that thinks Knoxville doesn't have something good going needs to come down to North Texas and see the crap that they call racing down here.   Low car counts and at some tracks make you sit through six or seven other classes to watch 305s.   I would love to either live near Knoxville or have something in Texas that was anywhere near similar to it.

Knoxville is great.  I'm there weekly. I'm spoiled. I recognize it. And I'm thankful. 

I've rode 562 miles one way for a Knoxville weekly show. I plan to do it a time or 2 next year. 

3 classes of sprint cars every week with no late model, modified or street stock bullshit being shoved down your throat, currently the most talented field of local racers in the country in the pits every week, a scary fast yet very racey 1/2 mile with the best prepared surface in all of sprint car racing......yeah this Central Pa fan is envious. We have it very good in Central Pa but we don't have a track like Knoxville around here that's for sure. I hope like hell I get to see it in person sooner rather than later.

Been going to Knoxville since the early eighties. Lucky enough to have raced there. Watched it grow and change but thankfully, except for part of one season, the Duncan family and their helpers have been doing track prep there that whole time. They know where every soft spot or area that needs more or less water is, that's why the track seldom has a bad surface. Gets slick and racey, doesn't take rubber very often.

Get high up in the stands and the view is great, even down low it's not bad. As someone told me once, "it's an easy place to go 90% fast, it's a tough place to go 100% fast."

With 20+ push trucks plus the track supplied 4 wheelers, getting around and started isn't a problem.

The safety crew is top notch, they drug my ass out of wrecked cars several times. When my buddy, Brad Foster, became the first non-Minnesotan to clear the fence (turn 2), one of them cleared that 15 foot fence in about two steps to help him. When Mark Wilson crashed hard driving my car, they worked on him, in the ambulance and then at the hospital, taking turns doing CPR, for most of an hour - which gave his wife and me time to accept that he was gone.

Just a few reasons why I'm proud to call Knoxville my home track, and why I'm there in the pits, helping a friend on his car, every week for the weekly show.  

Yeh you would enjoy Knoxville. I'm able to get there about 3 times a year plus the 4 nights of the Nationals, It's about a 4 hour drive or so. And just as you hope to get to Knoxville at some time, I've always wanted to go to a race at The Grove and other Central PA tracks. I've never been one to put too much stock in the track trashing that goes on from time to time, and even though I will egg on a "sometimes less than discreet" Posse fan once in a while, I do recognize that Central PA is still a hotbed for sprint car racing and I respect that and the history that goes with it. So you have it darn good, also. I watch every highlight from PA that I can and PPV those races that are available. Now with Tod Quiring and his NSL series, I have Jackson Motorplex and major sprint car racing less than an hour from my home nearly every Friday night. It just keeps getting better around here    

Bob Trostle, legendary car owner who considered Knoxville his home track, spent most of a season in PA because the racing there was so tough. They wanted to get better so raced against the best. He said they "went to school".

What?!?

Don't hope, get yourself out there for Nationals this summer!

You would definitely enjoy Central Pa. We don't have any tracks in my opinion that are on the same level as Knoxville but to me, Knoxville is THE meccha. Nowhere else compares. That said, we have a lot to offer here for any sprint car fan. The one thing we have that I'm sure no other area does is the huge amount of races that are in a 2-3 hour drive from the Harrisburg area. I hit 60-70 a year just in Pennsylvania alone which is great. Lots of talent here although right now it isn't quite what it was 10 years ago due to many of the veterans retiring and lots of young guys in development. The future is definitely bright though. There's a lot of young talent, some in the 410 ranks, some in 358's and 305's who I think will be making some noise in years to come. If Dietrich stays put, he's gonna be the man to beat in Central Pa for many many years to come. As good as he is, he's still getting better. Brent Marks as well. Williams Grove is not what it was, but its still very good despite some of the bullshit you've seen on here about the track surface. The surface 99% of the time is at least decent and most of the time it's very good. They're no different than any other track, even the best miss it from time to time. After all, it is dirt lol. Port Royal has really morphed into a great facility in the last 4 years and the surface is great week after week. It gets slick right to the wall and its very exciting watch those guys flat foot it around there inches from the fence. Lincoln is the same old Lincoln its always been. For years, its been a racey little joint where wheelies are a dime a dozen and the one great thing about them is, if the weather is iffy, they'll go way above and beyond to get the show in. I've watched many races there in late February and early March when there was still some snow on the ground. I hope you get to come in sometime and do speedweek so that you can see the regular 410 tracks plus Path Valley, Grandview, Selinsgrove and hopefully Susquehanna who host specials throughout the season. They all put on good shows. 

Beleive me sir, when I'm able, it WILL happen. I don't think it will be possible this year but I'm hoping within the next 2-3. Can't wait to experience the greatest week in sprint car racing in person.

I've always wished I was a regular there. Love that track and the atmosphere that engulfs that facility. If I could wish for one thing... it would be for an exact replica of Knoxville Raceway to be built in San Jose California or somewhere in close proximity. Nor-Cal would compete with that carcount, and I'd be there every race.

Northern California Sprintcars

And I'm jealous...

 Yes , many great comments and facts here on this thread . It is true that Knoxville is mecca of racing and Pa is the hotbed
 of sprint car racing because of who came out of area , closeness of tracks within 2-3 hours apart, innovation of racing came from Pa as well. One thought I have is that Knoxville races once a week and most of drivers in area only race once a week, while Pa drivers have too many choices , so they select which track is favorable to them or where they think they can win . This is one reason why  car counts have dropped off on Friday nights at the Grove , they race where they have better chance like on Saturday at either Lincoln or Port Royal , because of cost factors or economy ? and the cars are split up .Unfortunately its just not the same on Friday nights any more at the Grove .

I agree.  I have been there for the Nationals many times.  There is not another track like it anywhere!!

Let's go Sprint Car Racing!

Knoxville - Best Track In the USA!
Eldora - 2nd Best Track in the USA!

You won't regret it one bit when you do, and then you'll want to go back every year.    I went for the first time in 2012 and have gone back every year since.   I wish I had gone years ago.   This year I'm taking a friend who has never been before.  Can't wait to see his reaction to it. 

I think we're very fortunate to have the cars, talent, and tracks in our area that we do!  I'm most excited for Jackson this year.  I'm hoping Jackson and Knoxville can feed off eachother and make things even better then they are!

Don't know how old you are, but at 65, I've realized that ALL we have is time, had several friends go down already.... I started going to Nationals 5 yrs. ago, enjoyed the hell out of it. Skipped last year to spend a few extra weeks with 93 yr. old Mom (even less time!), but made it up with Kokomo Smackdown

Make up your mind & make the move... its easy

I'm only 30 but yeah yorue exactly right. That's why I wanna do it as soon as I'm financially able to. You never know when things could change or end all together. Life is short that's for sure.

I am so thankful that I live only 83 miles from the best racetrack in the world! I am at Knoxville every Saturday.