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

Oh my god, Tony didn't break Eldora, it's been broke for along time! If you don't beleive me just ask Eckert! (ha ha) But taking the banking out seems like puting water on a grease fire.

Sure it may have been on the bottom all nite but man was it FAST........... I am curious to hear a drivers take on it because from my seat in row 8 it wasnt the worst nite I have ever seen

You people are unbelievable. I'm sure we'll see all of you back there again when you are done bitching about one bad night at Eldora. I don't recall seeing hardly any drivers even TRYING to run the top - so maybe they all used last year's setup notes on what would appear to be an entirely new track? Attica cut the banking and took the dish out a few years ago and everyone cried and complained about that at first, too. Since then I have seen some of the most exciting racing on the planet there - and we'll see it again this Friday when the Outlaws stop by. I suggest that all of you firing shots at the Eldora crew just relax and see what the future brings.

Former Owner/President of FAST and Black Swamp Media
Group. Currently just another fan in the stands.

I have seen pics from 25 years ago with a guy standing by the wall it turn 1. The wall was up to his armpits, in the last 10 years there were places where it was only waist high or lower. From what everyone is saying the track is back to how it was 25 years ago. So hopefully they get it right and we can see racing back to the way it should be.

Swampy, good to see you the Boss and Chris again, wish we could have spent some more time together, arghhhh.

Now I have to seriously disagree with you in this thread, big time. There is NO excuse to have that track that dusty in the spring and with the rain of recent times, NONE! I was told by a staffer that the new dirt was simply laid on top of the old track and NOT worked in with it, huh? I hope that's wrong info. The track needs to be dug up and watered and moisture needs to go back INTO the track, this is not brain surgery, please! Gene Frankart is one of the top 5 track prep guys in the country and he's a few miles up the road, call him in and make it yesterday, they need him that bad. The track needs to be worked 3 or 4 times a week, not just on raceday as it appears on most stops I've made there for the last few years, come on! Heck, I was looking for a heading in this forum along the lines of Dust Bowl in Rain Forest, nobody must be that mean or clever, which is it?

The two guys I feel the worse for are Bobby Gerould and Brad Doty, how in the heck are they gonna make that night of folly look good on TV, no matter how many takes they use. Old footage is their only hope!

I have discussed track conditions with Tony almost every time I have seen him there and he cares about it a whole bunch. A few years back I complained to him at Sedalia about a recent show at the Big E and he got genuinely upset with me, guess I was piling on. As he walked away he simply said with a rather stern look, lol, 'It will be fixed'. Nobody wants the track to be right more than Tony does and nobody other than Earl probably cares as much either, I have faith he will get the job done but he HAS to put the right person/people in place to do so and NOW! Heck, does anyone know if Tommy Helfrich is doing volunteer or consulting work these days, he's another man with a plan that would lick this monster I bet!

I stood watching the four heat races (extended hot lap sessions on the bottom) with a certain someone recently unbanned from the premises (not Don Imus either) and felt a little deja vu all over again and even said so. He took it better than I did and hopefully the write-up will reflect same, here's hopin'. Take It Easy.....

MSPN - yeah sorry we weren't able to chat more - too busy running around all over all night. For the record, I never said the track was GOOD. I'm just saying I know they will address it and fix it. In fact I know they were not pleased with it either. My only point was to get off their backs about it. I don't think anyone involved with the track thought it was a great night and want to keep the track the way it was. The point is they didn't have any time to work it due to poor weather conditions and I was only saying I was happy we got to see a race - and a feature that turned out to be pretty decent with some actual passing toward the end. I think I like the new tires. Anyway - I wouldn't give up on Eldora after one race...the first one of the season no less.

Former Owner/President of FAST and Black Swamp Media
Group. Currently just another fan in the stands.

Swamp & Duane,

If you don't say anything then they will think it is ok and will not address the situation. I haven't even read the race reports, couldn't stomache the BS most likely, trying to make that travesty sound exciting. Hopefully they moniter this board and will see what is really being said about the track. I realize the two of you must temper your comments, Swamp you with the All-Stars, you can't be too vocal. Duane might have to give up a free pit pass if he tells it like it is.

You know seeing that disaster Saturday night was heartbreaking. I've been going to Eldora since I was maybe 4 or 5 years old, which is almost 40 years ago. I remember 20 years ago how excited I was to get there, even 10 years ago I couldn't wait for Saturday night, and the month of October I went into the countdown until the next season started. Every time Eldora opened the gates for sprints I was there.

I sincerely do hope the address this situation, because someone said it very well earlier, just change the name if you're not going to fix this because it just isn't Eldora Speedway anymore.

Swamp, there is NO excuse for the lack of track prep at Eldora over the past few seasons, NONE! The weather excuse is lame this time around also, it has nothing to do with track prep and what's involved or the lack there of!

It does not matter if there are new and better lights, it does not matter if the catch fence is new and improved and it does not matter if there is new dirt if the TRACK IS NOT WORKED IN ADVANCE, REGULARLY. Ask some of the experts (I have) what is involved and one of the main common denominators is the regular work that goes into the track and that involves digging and watering for lack of a better term. Moisture has to be in your track for the tries to adhere to, not just on the surface.

I can only hope this is the straw that broke the camel's back, it is early enough in the season to make something happen. Tony, time to take care of bizness!!! Take It Easy.....

PS I love this place and thousands feel the same way but when is enough, enough?

They used the MAGIC FINGERS on it last year & had it watered pretty good only to sheepsfoot it & run the top in like there was no tomorrow. If the magic finger goe's down about 2 to 3 inches & it's watered good, Don't run the son of bitch until it's damn near dry by the push trucks. Another thing is when it doe's start drying on the top in spots & before the push trucks get out there spray it down.

From the few times I've been there, Earl was on the grader for hours working the track on race day (I don't know about days prior to race day but I'm sure he was putting in time) and there was no wheel packing. When the cars hit the track and it was ready and it was fast.

Earl said his last year he thought he wasn't going to physically be able to make it at times, working on the track because of the way he felt.

"Just the facts ma'am", Sgt. Joe Friday, Detective, 
LAPD

it seems to me that Tony punched a photographer that got him fired up a few years ago...could it be?....no....

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

You want a drivers opinion. How about this. "You ever see anyone run the bottom like that? They destroyed this place. That's a fact." Joey Saldana in one of the local(maybe Dayton) paper the next morning. I know Chaney wasn't happy. Know Haud wasn't exactly excited. Also heard that Swindell wasn't a real big fan. 2 or maybe you could say 3 of those guys had real good nights. So that's what I know driver wise.

dissention among the troops?

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

Nope, AGREEMENT among them, no matter what 'spin' you lamely try to produce, lol. Nice to see a Bush worshipper use the term 'troops' though, isn't it about time to lose that word, like the civil war that can't be won? Take It Easy.....

How soon we forget KCKIM's request for everyone to be civil toward each other on here. BRR & MSPN -- you two need to be chained backs together for a few hours until you can learn to get along LOLOL

he will never learn...even she knows that.

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

Dayton Daily News

Quote

"Have you ever seen anybody run the bottom here? They totally destroyed this place. That's the way it is."

— Saldana on the shape of the new track.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2400, ext. 6991 or [email protected].

Ok, I was off a tad. But still the same message.

Wonder if Stewart will approach Saldana like Earl did Schatz when Schatz said what he said about Eldora compared to Bristol.

At last years Kings Royal I heard Saldana say to one of crew guys that he never lifted while running the top. They should reassign Larry from his track prep duties.