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

Each person from the Fair gives you a different answer. One answer was a new track with "some sort" of motorsports is in the future plans. Another said no plans for a new track. Another said 2019. I would say finding a person that knows something would be helpful. But at the same time the President stood up in front of the awards banquet and said there is no plans to close down racing at the State Fairgrounds in the future at all. Obviously that was a lie. So i would think noone there can give you the correct answer because well lets face it they all have a different plan. The worst part is even though we quit racing it was one of my favorite tracks to race at because of history. Like Knoxville or Eldora or Williams Grove history plays a large part of racing in General. Its a sad day, but it appears its out of peoples control. 

Each person from the Fair gives you a different answer. One answer was a new track with "some sort" of motorsports is in the future plans. Another said no plans for a new track. Another said 2019. I would say finding a person that knows something would be helpful. But at the same time the President stood up in front of the awards banquet and said there is no plans to close down racing at the State Fairgrounds in the future at all. Obviously that was a lie. So i would think noone there can give you the correct answer because well lets face it they all have a different plan. The worst part is even though we quit racing it was one of my favorite tracks to race at because of history. Like Knoxville or Eldora or Williams Grove history plays a large part of racing in General. Its a sad day, but it appears its out of peoples control. 

The Minnesota State Fair half mile dirt track was paved after the 1963 season because the vendors on machinery hill were complaining about the dust.  They still rain 10 days of Sprints, Midgets and Stock Cars for a number of years then went to one ASA Stock car race on Labor Day and used the venue for concerts.  Their reasoning was that they didn't want to move the stage back and forth.  Finally in 2002 they ran their final ASA race and announced that they were discontinuing racing over the winter.  They have since remodeled the historic grandstand and removed the infastructure for the race track.  The reason given was that it would cost too much to refurbish the track.

I was 12 years old and lived three blocks from the Fair when they paved the place so I saw the last Labor Day Stock Car race on dirt (Labor Day Stock Cars were a long time tradition before it ever became an ASA pavement race).  I attended some races there after they paved including the last open wheel race, a silver crown race, a day I'll always remember as I was introduced to Chris Econimaki after the races. 

I've got mixed feelings about the whole thing.  Obviously having seen IMCA non-wing/cageless Sprints there on dirt it's an experience I'll never forget.  On the other hand, I saw Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson there decades ago and my wife fondly recalls seeing Sonny and Cher there as well.  I brought my son to his first concert to see Bon Jovi so the place holds a lot of memories.  Over the years I saw the general publics declining interest in racing and how the concerts were becoming a huge hit with the masses. 

Racing now is a lot different than it was when I was a kid in the late 50's.  Back then in simpler times it would pack the place to the rafters whereas today for the most part it plays out to a niche audience that is invested in the sport.  The attraction isn't there for the average fairgoer anymore, they've got other interests.  The community around the track complained about the noise for decades so that was an issue as well.  Even though I'm a racing fan I can see where the concerts outdraw racing tenfold.  Racing is off the radar for the general public, even NASCAR and Indy Cars struggle to fill their grandstands anymore.  I don't like it as someone who still enjoys racing all these years later but if I was the guy on the Fair board counting the money and wasn't a racing fan it would be an easy decision to get rid of the racing.

Overall I think state Fairgrounds tracks are a thing of the past and are slowing becoming nothing more than a stack of photos at the historical societies.  It's never going to go in the other direction, I think dirt track racing going forward will play out mostly on privately owned facilities with a few exceptions like Knoxville that are on County Fairgrounds property.  Nothing lasts forever and the days of daredevil race car drivers thrilling crowds of Fairgoers has for the most part faded into history.

I appreciate the history and thank you for the good account of your experience! Sadly, I agree with your opinion about state fair racing. A lot of FOND memories indeed!

The Minnesota State Fair half mile dirt track was paved after the 1963 season because the vendors on machinery hill were complaining about the dust.  They still rain 10 days of Sprints, Midgets and Stock Cars for a number of years then went to one ASA Stock car race on Labor Day and used the venue for concerts.  Their reasoning was that they didn't want to move the stage back and forth.  Finally in 2002 they ran their final ASA race and announced that they were discontinuing racing over the winter.  They have since remodeled the historic grandstand and removed the infastructure for the race track.  The reason given was that it would cost too much to refurbish the track.

I was 12 years old and lived three blocks from the Fair when they paved the place so I saw the last Labor Day Stock Car race on dirt (Labor Day Stock Cars were a long time tradition before it ever became an ASA pavement race).  I attended some races there after they paved including the last open wheel race, a silver crown race, a day I'll always remember as I was introduced to Chris Econimaki after the races. 

I've got mixed feelings about the whole thing.  Obviously having seen IMCA non-wing/cageless Sprints there on dirt it's an experience I'll never forget.  On the other hand, I saw Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson there decades ago and my wife fondly recalls seeing Sonny and Cher there as well.  I brought my son to his first concert to see Bon Jovi so the place holds a lot of memories.  Over the years I saw the general publics declining interest in racing and how the concerts were becoming a huge hit with the masses. 

Racing now is a lot different than it was when I was a kid in the late 50's.  Back then in simpler times it would pack the place to the rafters whereas today for the most part it plays out to a niche audience that is invested in the sport.  The attraction isn't there for the average fairgoer anymore, they've got other interests.  The community around the track complained about the noise for decades so that was an issue as well.  Even though I'm a racing fan I can see where the concerts outdraw racing tenfold.  Racing is off the radar for the general public, even NASCAR and Indy Cars struggle to fill their grandstands anymore.  I don't like it as someone who still enjoys racing all these years later but if I was the guy on the Fair board counting the money and wasn't a racing fan it would be an easy decision to get rid of the racing.

Overall I think state Fairgrounds tracks are a thing of the past and are slowing becoming nothing more than a stack of photos at the historical societies.  It's never going to go in the other direction, I think dirt track racing going forward will play out mostly on privately owned facilities with a few exceptions like Knoxville that are on County Fairgrounds property.  Nothing lasts forever and the days of daredevil race car drivers thrilling crowds of Fairgoers has for the most part faded into history.