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

So what is wrong with David Gravel? Ever since he lost that motor in the Knoxville Nationals he hasn't been competitive. Is that the only strong motor he had. Watched him run at Grand Forks and Fargo this weekend and he never ran towards the front. 

Pulled out a different car tonight....top 5 qualifying, 2nd in heat, won dash, on pole in Minot. He'll be fine. 

And just broke Schatz streak of umpteen wins in Minot by winning the feature. 

He said something about using Sundays car for the first time this weekend and also that the sunday car now has 3 wins in a row. Didnt hear all if the interview but thats what I took away from it.

Even though I may not know you, I 
care what most of you think!

Jeez tough crowd.  It's only been a week, he'll be (an is) just fine.

Oh sure, he's totally washed up, uhuh... right

Whats wrong with everybody else?!

Seemed competitve last night from the results that I saw. Just a bad two race stretch it would appear. They broke out the orange look again....not superstitous but if I were them I would stick with it. Plus I think it looks better on the track than the white look.

bingo...

Lincoln 1845 ft/.35 mile T1=118MPH 
Eldora 2287 ft/.43mile T3=135MPH
Port 2716 ft/.51 mile T3=TBD
Grove 2792 ft/.53 mile T3=135MPH
Selinsgrove 2847 ft/.54 mile T1=136MPH
"I didn't move to PA from El Paso in search of better 
weather." Van May

The gist of my comment was that there seemed to be something different with Gravel as he wasn't competitive at all in the last two races (Fargo & Grand Forks).  As it turned out something  wasn't right with the car as after they switched cars he got a win first time out. I wasn't implying he was washed up.

good...

I guess he's Ok. Beats Schatz in Donnie's hometown...

http://dirtracingreport.com/8-20-17-world-outlaws-sprints-video-highlights/

The Greatest Show on Dirt. Key word "show". Sat at West Fargo the track was so wet they could not race and had no mud trucks so they ran the sprints hot laps in 4 sets. Then went another set. Started the 3rd set of hot laps and someone had a lap time just over the record so they cancelled the last 3 sets of hot laps cause the track was perfect to challenge the record. WoOs beat it several times after starting time trials at the opportune time. Makes for good media. In West Fargo Donny was announced as racing in his home town. Makes for good media. In Minot Donny was announced as racing in his home town. Makes for good media. 4 passes in the A main doesn't make good media. Didn't make for great racing either. Been to 5 races at 4 train tracks this summer. Thank you to the support classes for providing some racing!

Even though I may not know you, I 
care what most of you think!

So, if I'm hearing you correctly, you are not having positive experiences at the sprint car races?  And to fix it, you would like to do the following:  ?

1.  Stop the WoO from using media to promote their series.  (I am assuming this is pissing you off and ruining the racing for you)

2.  Build domes over all existing tracks so temperature, track moisture, wind and humidity can be controlled and freight train A-mains stop happening.  

Gotta agreee with egras here Rod.  You seem like a solid dude so I'm assuming maybe we're missing your tone. 

Media coverage is GREAT for WoO and sprint car racing as a whole.  Hell yeah they're gonna take it when and where they can.  I wish the local media in my area (and I've tried to get some coverage by talking to some local journos I know) would have an article when the WoO is in town.  It'd shed some spotlight on the sport and my local track.  But I live near a major metro so it doesn't happen. 

As far as how wet the track was, you know WoO didn't make the track that way or request that or control Ma nature, right?  That being said I saw on Twitter that Daryn Pittman (not sure why they specifically mentioned him, but they did) ran 38 Hot Laps on Saturday.  THIRTY EIGHT hot laps.  Geeeeezzzzzz that's ridiculous.

Seems like Fargo was ok, close racing if not a whole lot of passing, Madsen moved up decently. Nodak is usually more racy, i didn't see the highlights but read they watered the track before the feature and perhaps misread how wet it would stay. 

Big WoO fan here, but they've blew it at Pevely not watering the track before the a main. 

I know that media is good and race tracks are difficult to prep. I was excited about River Cities cause of the hype of how racy it is. I was sold by the media and the track didnt deliver. I know it could be the off day and no one can control that.

My wife and I have driven about 5000 miles over 2 trips to watch 5 nights of sprints to see follow the leader most of each night.

I know it works that way and i still enjoyed the trips. The support classes more than supported the show these last 3 nights which is funny cause it was almost impossible to figure out what if any class was also racing each night . The tracks could have used that in their advertising.

I also realize it is a business and you take the opportunities to sell your product. I am not upset they started TTs as soon as the track got close to record times in W Fargo. I know the last 3 groups didnt feel cheated to not hot lap their 30th to 40 laps. 

I wasn t complaining just pointing out they took each opportunity to sell it and make it a show when they actual show did nt really sell itself.

After our trip to Penn in May I told myself to try the All stars but they never get as close as N Dakota.7

We enjoyed the trip, the racing and the fans we sat near and we'll be back sometime. 

It is good business to play into the hand of the crowd each night. The difference between racing as a sport or pass time and racing as a business. This grass root self car owner self builder self sposnor and self driver is still of that old mentality.haha

Even though I may not know you, I 
care what most of you think!

Fargo was mostly follow the leader. Made a mistake when they changed the from the half mile. 

Well thats a problem with sprint car races in general, rainouts, & follow the leader races. sometimes its great & sometimes it isn't.  Same with "stick & ball" sports, sometimes its a blowout & sometimes its a thrilla. I've only been following it for 7 years, but starting to figure out which tracks consistently have good racing. Closest tracks to my summer abode in Connecticut are Orange County in Middletown, NY, & Lebanon Valley, NY. Every race I've seen there was follow the leader. I'd rather drive 5 hrs. to Pennsyltucky for the good stuff...

Sorry you were bummed by the boring races, but at least they made the effort. If they'd cancelled, people would be complaining about that too

Well, it looks like the problem is that he has turned into a big rodent?

Still no luck in starting a new thread so here goes...

Fill me with what was wrong with almost all of the WoO in California. Huge number in the b main 2 regulars take provisionals and names at the top of the A that never get discussed. 

Good for the locals but is this typical in California? Seems the WoO really met their match which would be good to see more often.

Even though I may not know you, I 
care what most of you think!