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

I love the 50 lap features. When they run 30 laps all those years very seldom was there ever a main event that wasnt a run away by Kinser, Wolfgang or Donny. Now there are cars winning the A main coming from the back to win or having a great run to the top 5......drama, drama, drama. The red flag half way through has made this race all its cracked up to be like it should be.

So I assume you won't be going then?

The last time I was in Iowa was for a family reunion in Creston in 1975...That cured me of ever wanting to go back... :/

Opinions may vary...

And we are better off for it.

Please stay away

Maryland's Eastern Shore corn is way better than anything found in the west...Staying away is not an issue, I'm already on it... ;)

Opinions may vary...

I like 50 lap races.

A

50 laps totally sucks.

I like the 50 laps. But some cars are suspiciously fasert in the 1st segment when they don't have to go to the scales than in the 2nd when they do. 

I  thank you for  your  opinions  ,  on my topic posted  . I  am solely   interested   in seeing   a   good race  on all  fans  , and  see  your money   well  spent  not wasted   on  a  race  that  is a  walk  away  . I  like  longer races   as well  ,  but  unfortunately   as   alot  of you have  said  it is necessary  to have   these   fuel  stops   which I   don't like .  If   stops  occur  it gives   the guys to adjust   there  cars  or  allow tire   changes  which  can  make a   difference  in the outcome  of race  ,as   you all  know  .  I   really   don't  think   they  care  about  your opinions  only  what   the drivers  want , not  to take   it  away   from the drivers   as   have  to  make  a living  or earn money   to make  ends meet  .  As  much  as  some of you criticize   me  , I  am  not  crazy  , but  Ilike   to read  your opinions  not  to stir up any  trouble . Believe me  I have  your best  interest  at heart  , and  have  been around racing  all  my life .

The racing since they went to 50 laps has been great. All the purists who want to go back to a 30 lap race ignore one of the main reasons the race is formatted in 2 25 lap segments; it's not clear anymore that sprint cars can last 30, let alone 35 laps without a fuel stop.

I'm pretty sure that if the race was changed back to 30 laps and you announced it well before hand that you would NOT be having a fuel stop until X number of laps have been run, EVERYONE that is there with any hope of making the Sat night A main would have a fuel tank capable of holding enough fuel to run X laps.

Running out of fuel in the Sat night A of the Nationals was never much of a problem when the race was 30 laps.

If it turns into a wreck fest, they'll have trouble making 25 laps too.

I know of a 21 car that can barely make 30 laps at the grove some nights.  But i like the 50 laps because it gives certain guys chances, as well as takes them away but its part of racing.  Does Tim Shaffer ever win if its not 50, does Schatz ever come from what, 25(?,) to win if its not 50.  Its all part of racing and can either make or break a driver.

Why not make it 10 laps that way theres no stops and you could make it home for late supper.  Jesus,  National Championship on the line and you clowns want to make it 30 laps or less.  What a joke.  Next thing youll want is daytona and indy to run 50 laps cause your "ADD" wont allow you to sit through anything longer.  East coasters swear by there "big tracks" yet cry and whine for less laps and shorter run races.  God forbid we dream of 100 lap mains like years gone by,  the majority of you guys wouldn't be able to handle that and god only knows what you tread then.  Do us on the west coast a favor and stay home and dont bitch about our 40 lap mains at Gold Cup and Tropy Cup.  We like laps and racing and we will leave the early departures and beer guzzling to you east coasters.  Funny thing is most of your tracks have NO CURFEW and we have a 11:00pm hard curfews, we want laps and you want to cut laps.  GO FIGURE!!!!!!

CAJ

I personally like the 50 laps, and I know fuel has been on concern for 25 lap races @ Knoxville for a few years.

If everyone ran a 33 gallon tank could they make 30 laps?  probably, only issue is that not everyone has one.  Do teams spend the $$$ to buy a tank and not know if they will ever need it (the small local teams I mean, not the Outlaw teams).

If they make it and don't have a tank, do we as fans want to see a yellow for a car out of fuel on lap 25 and have a 5 lap sprint to the finish?  I personally don't.

If they don't have a tank and all the cars without one decide they have no chance of making 30 laps and 10-12 cars pull off the track on lap #1 is that good for the fans?  I don't think so, I don't want to watch 12 cars race a feature (especially one that pays $150,000 to win).

Is the answer bigger tanks being required (if so, EVERY track and sanctioning body has to get on board and mandate them, but who does that hurt?  The low-buck teams)?

Is the answer a pit stop mid-race?  So far it's worked well, all (3) 50 lappers have been memorable (can't say that about all the 30 lappers I watched (although 1990 was very memorable when Bobby Allen won).

Well said

Questions...

How much does a larger fuel tank cost?

What's the capacity of a larger fuel tank and how many laps can you expect to put down at Knoxville? 50?

Would the extra cost of a fuel tank be the breaking point for any drivers that would have planned on running? 

Keep It Real

You have never tried to set up a car with a big tank once a year have you

largest I could find on speedway motors site is 30 gallon and costs $1599.99  I thought someone offered a 33 gallon but didn't find one on there.  I"d imagine it would cost more as it's larger capacity and lower volume seller I'm sure. 

Doesn't seem cost effective and I'm sure you need a lot more than just the tank / bladder (probably additional fuel filter system, fuel lines, push off bumper possibly, plus the set-up on the cars would definetly change as the fuel cell changes size/shape as the weight distribution on the car would be different for sure).

Last reports I heard were that the 410 motors are using nearly 1 gallon per lap when at speed @ Knoxville.  Not sure what they use under caution, but that means the races have to have ZERO yellows to make a 30 lap race feasible (they couldn't make 40 without a fuel stop in 2009 as they had a yellow and fuel stop on lap 21 or 23 if I remember correctly).

So, even with a 33 gallon tank, a 30 lap race would be "iffy" is my guess.  There have been cars over the last couple seasons that have filled their tank to the cap (28 gal tank would be my guess, but maybe smaller), been one of the last push off and barely make it to the checkered of the 25 lap Outlaws shows.

I'd love to see a 50 lap non-stop race, but they used to do that @ Eldora for the King's Royal back in the day too, and now it's down to 40 laps and non one seemed to notice.

I see both arguments for and against the 50 lapper, but at the end of the day, its a level playing field.  I don't like the idea of shortening or ruling in a certain way just to keep Schatz or anyone else from winning.  Make the decision thats best for the event, rather than a decision to prevent some one from having a percieved advantage.

good point, but I would have to think each car has a track official present during the stop.  no?