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

I just looked at the forecast for this coming weekend.  West Memphis has a 90% chance of rain all day Friday and Friday night.  Then looking at Pevely, they have a 90% chance on Saturday.  With that being said, do the WoO officials actually make the teams drive to both venues or do the rational thing and look for make-up dates.  I have a feeling that most of the teams probably went home or back to their shops afte last weekend in Texas and an extended West coast swing.  Why not give them a few more days at home and let them get rested up?  Just looking for others thoughts.

Tracks and series take those things into consideration and make an informed decision as soon as they can.  Good luck, it sounds like a wet weekend Dow there.

Stan Meissner

They cancelled Stockton the day before this year which is unusual for them. They usually wait until the rain gets there or is imminent before calling the deal. I'd imagine the local promoter has input as well, and most likely what the advance ticket sales are. 

I'm not totally sure, but I think the tow money is provided whether the race is rained out or not. 

I personally believe you don't cancel until it is raining/has rained too much to race that day. You cancel days in advance and you risk weather pattern changes and really making some fans upset. We understand if you can't get a race in if you at least make an effort to have a race. Local track cancelled way to early yesterday due to light rain in the morning and the chance of rain in the evening being around 80%. The system slowed down and fell apart and it never even rained last night. No effort was made to have the races. We had a couple of tenths of rain and it was 82 and sunny in the afternoon to the point the surface of the ground was dry. At least it was just stock cars and mods and not a sprint race otherwise I would have been really upset.

100% agree with this. Some tracks get a bad rap for cancelling if they even hear rain might come. I'd rather a track try then cancel way too early. I got burned on it once this year when I showed up to Mansfield for the second race and it ended up cancelling after about 20 minutes of me being there. I appreciate tracks/promoters putting an effort into running the race rather than cancelling way earlier.

Here in Memphis the weather can change in seconds.... Most people here call it the bluff effect, and it's hard to argue that fact when West Memphis gets hit with tornadoes and thunderstorms all the time... And Memphis???? Never get a drop of rain... With that being said the race is in West Memphis, so the bluff effect will have no effect I'm sure... But the last forecast I saw called for rain early Friday around mid-night and then later around 11 pm Friday.... So it gonna be a wait a see night, hope they get it in... On another note why do they always schedule Memphis in the spring, everyone around here knows that is our  rainy season... Move it to later in summer or the fall before Short Track Nationals... Oh wel, here's hoping they get it in, if not I'll have to wait for Pevely and the Nationals.... Double Down for the win....

Always have a plan B.  Lately I have been going to see the son-in-laws band instead of going to races and am enjoying it.  There's something to be said for actually doing something with the family instead of spending weekends hanging in the middle of a dirt track with photographers and tow truck drivers.  There is a Sprint Car race this weekend but it's only getting up to 60 and down to the 30s at night.  I'll wait until the IRA comes around in a few weeks before I dust off the camera.  My son is working the merch table and hustling gear for the band so I lost my travel companion and going solo isn't much fun.  Always have that plan B.

Stan Meissner

As a FAN I agree, If I were a a car owner or driver and I was spending a bunch of $$ to tow down the road to race, my thoughts would be the complete opposite.  I'd want a decision made and the earlier the better.  The only thing I'd be ok with is there being ZERO rain leading up to the race and then a storm washing it out during the program.

If they choose to cancel based on the forecast, the track saves a TON of $$, they won't have to pay the "appearance fee / tow $$" to the top however many in points (that's close to $6000 I believe, and teams/drivers have the option to hit another race and make some $$ (drivers get paid $0 when the car isn't on the track).  With how many tracks struggle to pay purses to begin with, I don't blame them at all if they choose to cancel early.

It's not looking good for West Memphis but I hope it happens.  When the WoO came back there in, I think 2008, after a 20 year absence  it was clear on race day but had rained for several days prior.  It was pretty swampy.  It's not called the ditch for nothing.  They got the show in but had to move the pits to the parking lot.  No need for  a pit pass as I parked about 5 spaces from Steve Kinser's trailer lol.

As an owner/driver that makes perfect sense and is reasonable. I think for a weekly program with more local guys they just want to race so no big deal. Certainly a bigger deal for these Outlaw teams/traveling series with all of the driving between tracks required.

As for the track itself... I understand and yet I don't. I feel like if you don't make an effort your heart in hosting that race really wasn't there. I understand it needs to be a money making deal otherwise these tracks wouldn't run. But if you continually cancel early or fail to really try and make a race night work you risk the loss of fans in the long run. Personally if I know a place isn't gonna work hard to get in a show I am not going to make the trip if there is a chance of rain. People will find other things to do... See Stan's comment above. If they continually make minimal effort your die hard fan could finally get sick of it and find a new hobby. Its easy for me to say this though as Im not running the books or can't see the books of any particular track.

I do know that Knoxville typically does a great job of always trying to have a show. I also feel like I got burnt on this at 81 Speedway this year in Kansas. The rain out for the Friday night I understood, the Saturday night... not so much other than it was cold and minimal fans probably would have shown. Its hard to pay it out even after they cut the purse in half with the crowd they would have gotten. The racing would have been on a narrow surface but it probably could have happened. At that point in the year I just wanted to see a sprint car move. 7 hours down and 7 hours back drive and no racing. This die hard fan will need a better forecast before trying this early season race again hence the need to try and have the race if your going to host big time events year after year.

Agree on all points, but Knoxville is a great example.  Last week the forecast for Saturday night was rain all week.  They didn't cancel and the teams/drivers showed up to race and boom, thunderstorm at 6:00.   Since everyone was already there and rain was minimal, they tried to work on the track and then boom, another thunderstorm that canceled the races that night.

Track lost $ big time by paying out tow $$ to the 60 cars or so in attendance, paid lots of payroll $$ out and got $0 as anyone that did buy a ticket now gets in free a different night.

Tracks/Promotors are "damned if you do, damned if you don't" when it comes to canceling races.

I'd say there is a 70% chance Little Rock cancels yet today and it's 50/50 on Pevely if the forecast remains as it is currently.

I'm largely with Vande on this one.    In my case, I was planning on going to West Memphis from Dallas.   You've gotta think of the teams and fans that may be travelling large distances.   

I've heard that they will make a decision on West Memphis some time today, so I'm waiting to hear.   Even if they don't call it today I don't think we'll be going with a 90% chance of rain for race time.   

Well at some point a decision has to be made. Previously, years ago, in order for you to receive your tow money you had to be present at the track. Most single day shows you needed to be at the track 1 hour before the pit gates opened. 

West Memphis canceled at 10 a.m. Eastern Standard time.  Go figure.

I-55 canceled around 4 pm Central Daylite Time.  Race will not be rescheduled.

Promoters have to make money to stay in business.   Maximize profits minimize risk.   While the die hard fan will drive through a rain storm to go to a race, the casual fan will not.   If the promoter decides to cancel a race because the forecast is calling for 95% rain, I have no problem with it.   I would rather the promoter do this, not lose money and be in business next year versus deciding to race, losing a bunch of moeny because all of the racers showed up but none of the fans, and has to quit the business the next year.

Currently, I am living proof or the risks of a promoter.   My local track (Lakeside Speedway) is having the USMTS series tonight.   It has been in the 70's all week, but today a rain storm came in and it topped out in the 50's today.  When I left work, it was lightly raining.   I made the decision that I really did not want to sit in the rain or cold tonight.   I am sure that I am not the only fan that made this decision.  

I agree with your observation.  Pevely is having light rain now with more expected overnight.  Tomorrow's forecast is a steady rain in the morning. Showers continuing in the afternoon. High 54F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.  I-55 had sold out its 1,700+ reserved seats and likely some general admission, but with a total of around 5,800 seats there would be a lot of empty seats even if the rain would stop at noon tomorrow which is not likely.

Spot on. Totally agree. 

Lil Haud wins at wayne county...car on the track

Marks also dominant at port royal. Good education on the road.