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

This Cali fan would come back for a two-day sprint car show, whether it was two-day WoO or one- day local and one-day WoO.

But I can't see myself going back for a Friday Late Model/Saturday WoO sprint car show. I know my luck and the sprint car night would get rained out and I'd have traveled a few thousand miles for a late model show.

So they lose me buying two tickets, and the area loses my pumping $500 in to the local (Dingus) economy.

Duane,

Thanks for your info - "Bruce has dirty pictures of someone or he would have been run out of Knoxville years ago." I always wondered how he has lasted so long.

I see John is still dancing...

"Nothing like trying to kill off the 410s and then wonder where they've all gone" Fill me in here since I am not aware of the entire situation, but how can they be killing off the 410's when they are still running on their regularly scheduled night. I'm sure that there is more info here that I am missing.

"...oh, I forgot, it's too expensive, that's why racers quit racing them." No, that's why car owners couldn't afford to keep them going, but they don't matter.

"Rather, I think, it's a matter of opportunity being denied for the 410s." Please tell us why the opportunity was denied. According to you, if the promoters were making money, then they would continue to do any races (be it 410 / 360 / non wing).

"Put a series of 410s racing Iowa, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas and you'll have plenty of cars when it's done right." They used to have that around here (Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas) and they called them NCRA. Wonder why they aren't around anymore?

Keep dancin... I'm still here

Sweeton

PS - Duane, sorry to turn this post this way, but this is how the dancing crew wants it to go. I will leave it alone from here on out.

Hey Beavis (sweeton), there is a reason why I always liked you.

David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com

Duane makes a valid point. Knoxville has something you can only see in one place in Iowa. Sprint cars every week. So why run a class that is run at many tracks every week in the state. Most late model fans are going to go to their regular Friday night track rather than go to that "sprint car track". Making season ticket holders buy late model tickets is just a way to bring in more money for those races cause they are not pulling a big enough crowd on thier own. I wish they would have put as much time & effort into trying to make the Silver Crown shows a sucsess as they have put into pushing the late models.

In fact I have been to Aberdeen when the sprints have raced there and had to endure the same thing. Ugly scene when you try to enjoy a sprint car race and everyone is getting up and hitting the restroom. 

I was in heaven though. Late Models and Sprints on the same track. :)

I'll throw in my $.02

I was born and raised in Knoxville and don't really care for Bruce N. and what he is trying to do to season ticket holders by pressuring them into buying LM tickets. I do believe he is the WORST hire the fairboard has ever made. But at least they balanced it out by making the BEST hire they have ever made by hiring Brian Stickel to do marketing.

Why is there not a 2 day show for Sprints anymore? That's an easy one to answer, for the last few years the crowd were pitiful on Friday Night and OK on Saturday Night. This year, the purse is increased on night 1 of a 2 day show due to no prelims. Easy choice to make for the track I would think. Even if they drop the LM's, I don't see 2 day Outlaw shows ever coming back unless sanction fees go down (I think you will see this trend at many tracks that have 2 day shows over the next few years).

The LM's actually put on better racing (in 2006 anyway) than the sprints did and the fan turnout got bigger every race they had. I will say the WDRL race in April had a terrible crowd this year, and we'll see how the WoO LM's do. The weekly races have been excellent for the most part, but the crowd is still on the light side.

Should Knoxville branch out and try something different? Obviously they should if they want to stay in business. Last years crowds just won't do it. This year is a little better, but $3 a gallon for gas is killing those that drive from KC or Sioux Falls on a weekly basis. Not to mention the fan base growing older and dying off. I hope Brian S. can figure out a way to attract younger people to the races, or there won't be any when I am old and gray.

As far as one of the comments above about the track being tax exempt, you would be mistaken. For fear of the county having to pay big legal bills if someone was to get badly injured or killed, the track and grounds are leased to the Fairboard and Raceboard many, many years ago. Making them a corporation that is taxed like any other business.

I will be @ Knoxville both Friday and Saturday (racing is racing, I'd watch anything with a motor race as long as it's exciting) to catch the LM and Sprints.

Vande, that takes care of sales taxes, but what about property tax? Just like the recent infield paving job....I am sure that it was done much cheaper than a private track could get it done.

Believe me, I am not ripping Knoxville one bit for taking advantage of everything they can....they do enjoy advantages that most other places do not. One of those advantages is named Ralph, another one Tom. I honestly think that even though he is an old-school fuddy duddy incapable of progressive thinking, Duano is a big asset to the place.

Duane,

Osky has run the DLM's this year and there is supposed to be more.. Geeze dude don't take the door banger that hard........You talk about the crowd, how about dropping the 360 Natls cause nobody goes to that show cause they are slow, so slow that some people say they can see the difference, that could now become an open date....so now that we know the 360 deal doesn't work lets try the DLM's there cause I would venture to say they draw a bigger crowd... and the racing would be about the same.............as the 360 Nationals is some of the best racing that nobody every sees, ya know cause they are slow or its a good time to get beer etc...HOW much lipstick does the track have to put on the same old pig........It's about promoting and finding a mix that works.....I for one think that in time the DLM's will draw the BIG crowd ...

Sensitivity and understanding classes will be starting soon at the Hall of Fame.. Be early !!!! YOU need a lot of help.....LOL !!!

Dave

You won't be seeing any racing at English Creek the next two Friday nights as they are running on Saturday afternoons. Sorry actionjackson...

http://www.englishcreekspeedway.com/racing/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_ID=11

nodust

I to have been loyal to the one of the finest places to race for several years. I have missed one race, including "the specials" in the last 16 years. I have worked on the cars and on the safety crew. I decided to stop both for various reasons, I still have many friends at the track and still follow the results and attend occasionally. A saturday night with no racing is somwhat odd at first but soon you start to enjoy other things you have forgotten about.

I would like to thank you for all you have done to help make Knoxville what it was, and should be.

I've travelled to the Knoxville Nationals for the past 12 years and with out a doubt it's one of the greatest sporting events anywhere. Its not just a race in my opinion, but rather a gathering of sort, a get together with some old friends and aquaintances. It's become tradition for me to leave my everyday life behind and fly/drive down to Knoxville every Aug for the week. I guess its very different for people who attend the weekly shows, maybe its just not exciting for you folks anymore. But I tell ya what, I would just die to have a facility of Knoxville's quality within a 2 hour drive of where I live. 50 to 60 sprint cars in the pits every week, numerous high profile races each year, some of the nations top touring series and drivers racing at your awesome facility throughout the season. What more do you want people!!! I think all of you complainers are a spoiled lot. Knoxville is the greatest dirt track in the world, bar none. Kudos for them if they decide to branch out and bring in something other than sprint cars. I've seen great Late Model, Modified and non-wing sprint car racing over the course of my lifetime and enjoy all types of racing on dirt. While sprint cars are still my fav's I'm really looking forward to my first Lucas Oil Late Model Nationals in Sept at Knoxville. For all you other 410 sprint car/Late Model junkies out there, the palce to be is at Cedar Lake Speedway this weekend for the IRA/Masters Late Model show. See ya there!!!

Knoxville Natioanls attendee since '95
Favorite Tracks...River Cities, Knoxville, Cedar Lake
Favorite Drivers...S.Kinser, T.Kaeding, K.Madsen, S.Smith
Proud Canadian 

I lived in the Des Moines area (Ankeny) for 12 years and the most frustrating thing for me was that they never really promoted anything...the sprint cars always drew a croud regardless. I attended a SCRA wingless show that had maybe 2,000 people in the stands. I sat with a car owner from CA and a couple of guys from Indiana and they were amazed at the lack of fans. They have a few radio spots on DSM radio, mainly KGGO, and the token Register add but that is it. From my point of view they have spent more on promoting the late model shows than they ever did with the sprint cars. I'll never forget when Ron Shuman said, "It doesn't look like many people are here but maybe with a smaller grandstand it would be full." Well, I was there and that crowd wouldn't have filled Tulsa (North of town-not the fairgrounds). The fact of the matter is they have a cash cow that they will be able to milk.

I agree that front stretch probably holds 18000 people. Most other dirt tracks around the country hold between 3-5. From what I'm reading on here it seems the weekly shows are lacking fans for whatever reason. What is a weekly show average attendance? I've never been to a weekly 360/410 show there, but I've attended the 360 Nationals on several occasions and the fan support was non existent. 100 sprint cars in the pits and about that many fans in the stands. What more could a die hard sprint car fan ask. There's not 100 sprint cars in all of Canada, Minnesota and North Dakota combined. My local track up here in Winnipeg Canada holds a NOSA Sprint Car race every July. For the past couple of years we packed the place with about 6000 fans. We had more people watch 18 local sprint cars than Knoxville had at their 360 Nats. Maybe the fans in the Knoxville area need to be a little more supportive of their weekly program. Don't know what you got till its gone. Knoxville is the "sprint car capital of the world" you wouldn't want to lose that distinction to another state; say maybe PA!!!!!LOL

Knoxville Natioanls attendee since '95
Favorite Tracks...River Cities, Knoxville, Cedar Lake
Favorite Drivers...S.Kinser, T.Kaeding, K.Madsen, S.Smith
Proud Canadian 

Canucklehead has it right. The Masters at Cedar Lake combines a solid regional touring 410 sprint series, AND a solid regional touring LM series. I'm a sprint fan at heart, but do appreciate a good LM race once in a while. Problem is LM's don't put on a good race on all tracks in my opinion. They run good at Cedar Lake, but at Knoxville, they are sub-par as I found out in April. WDRL is a good group, but I definately lost interest when they ran K-ville. I won't take in another LM race at Knoxville after the show I saw there this spring. It's funny though, because I know WDRL will probably put on a good show at Cedar Lake this weekend BUT, nothing tops last year when Travis Whitney came from a 17th staring spot to pass Scotty Neitzel in the last corner of the last lap to take the win!

Let's just hope Knoxville never loses the Dingus............

ActionJackson - when you do make it, come to the pits and stop by the 01 car and introduce yourself.

The day Knoxville loses Dingus is the day I leave the town where I have lived my entire life.