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

Long time forum reader, first time poster.  Went to the Labor Day Classic at Port Royal and wanted to give my thoughts and hear any feedback:

1.  Kudos to the track crew.  I know the track has taken heat from some for the slow speeds and hard baked track surface.  But I've found that this creates the closest most exciting side by side racing.  I undestand that some like the lightning fast speed and I get it, I do, but I prefer close racing vs top end speed.  I find it hard to have both now a days.  That track baked  all day long and they had multiple grooves for racing.

2.  Wow was it hot.  The only race I attended that I felt was hotter was the Summer Nationals at the Grove from about 6-7 years ago.  It was dangerously hot and I thank the racers, track officials, crew and saftey crew for their effort.

3.  Love the races at the fair.  Just a different and fun atmosphere.  Can't wait for Friday and Saturday.  The All Stars I feel have the best combination of format and drivers, and as of right now I prefer their product.

4.  Reutzel is an absolute beast.  I've seen him race around 10 times this year and he is consistenly one of the of the fastest cars on the track everytime he comes out.  He was relentless today and didn't panic when Zearfoss got by him.

5.  Dietrich was coming.  A bad pill draw was the only thing that kept him from contending.  He was the fastest car with 5 laps to go, pounding the turn 1 and 2 cushion and using the low line in 3 & 4.  He pounded the front stretch wall with 2 to go and I was hoping he could just hold on to 4th.

6.  Zearfoss has that 4 car humming.  Two years in a row that he just fell short at the Labor Day Classic, but he has been impressivley fast ever since getting in that car.  I hope he can keep it up.

7.  We'll see if any Posse car other than the baby blue 69K has anything for the All Stars for the Tusky 50.  I'm the biggest Posse homer there is, but the All Stars have definitely shown their strength.  Going to be a great weekend of racing.

Thanks all

Great post!

No complaints from me. I've been there for the past 4 races and the track surface was good each time. They haven't been running the cushion in 34 times a night like they used to. Hopefully it continues this weekend. If the track is right, it may end up being the best event of the season.

Good news!

  Very good post. Its funny how many people were blasted when they commented about PR track prep needing to change, but seems they did change the prep and the racing has shown it.

Keep it up and the Tusky 50 will be better then the Natty Open.

Then by all means, stay home. You can cuddle with bstrawser and talk about how much each of you know about track prep, lmao.  Lots of passing the entire feature on Labor Day. You should try watching more than just the leaders. And I've been going for over 40 years as well and there have been many great races. As a matter of fact, my grandfather won the first Labor Day Classic. Just sayin.

^^^ This ^^^

Plenty of passing the whole race. It was a great race from start to finish ...

"The only way the 50 will be better than National Open is if both races occur." 

Fixed it because that is literally all that needs to happen for the 50 to be better than the National Open. If both races occur and are not rained out, etc. then the 50 will be the better race. I can't remember the last time I saw a race at Williams Grove that was even in the same ball park as the average race at Lincoln or Port Royal. Both are excellent tracks, with excellent track prep. Port is impressive when flat out, but not as racey. The Labor Day race had more passing than the previous night at Williams Grove and it happened in broad daylight. 

The National Open is nothing more than a glorified Outlaw Race ,they tried to make it better the last two years one got rained on then they gave up after last year until they run a Non Sanctioned show with a Knoxville purse the Open is way behind THe Kings Royal and Knoxville.

Yeaterdays Labor Day Race featured Hodnett eighth to third Wolfe ,Deitrich Rahmer all passing many cars with three lead changes.

Not to bad for The Slip And Slide some people call it.

Just admit it. You have a hair up your ass concerning Port Royal because you hate Dewease and he's extremely good there. I don't know if you noticed but it was hotter than the tar pits of hell yesterday. 96 degrees yesterday with bright sunshine and a slight breeze. What did you expect the track to be like? They did a great job keeping enough moisture in the outside lane to keep it racy and we saw a very good feature considering the 1pm start in those weather conditions. I've been as critical as anyone of Ports track prep because for awhile, it sucked but if you are at all objective then you have to give them props for the track yesterday. Not only yesterday but as I previously mentioned, the last few weeks have been good. Like it or not, you can pretty much figure on the 69K being a factor this coming weekend. Lance is one of the top 3 best to ever race at Port Royal. He can win there whether the track is slick or tacky and he's done so many times since teaming up with Donald. If that's too much for you to take, then stay home. 

Doubt you even there, was racing all day, Last yrs Labor Day was one of the best races all year. It is much better than seeing a high speed frieght train!!

The facts are that the National Open has a far Better quality of cars than the Tuscarora 50. In fact, my guess is the B main of the Open will give the A main of the Tuscarora a run for its money.

Exactly. No question, the Tuscarora 50 is a huge race and it's one that every driver wants to win but it doesn't hold a candle to the ass of the National Open in prestige and national recognition. If it were a WoO show, it would probably give it a run for it's money but fact is, it isn't. The field at Port will be stacked but the National Open stands all alone at the top in this area and will have the most talented field we see here in PA just like every other season. Port Royal homers and Williams Grove haters can deny it all they want but it's a fact and it doesn't look like that will change anytime soon.

Now that's funny.  I've never forced myself to do anything just because of a fair.  If the races suck, go right home from the fair.  I don't get why you would torture yourself if you have that strong of an opinion. 

Like a comedian (name escapes me) once said "I hate Bed Bath and Beyond.  So you know what?  I don't go there..."

??????

If what you saw Monday was hugging the inside guardrail (with the exception of the last few laps in 3&4) then your problems go far beyond anything I can comprehend. 

Maybe for the outlaw lovers but in reality if you take away the 15, 49, and 5, the field at Port would be considered equal to if not better than the Grove and the Tusky will probably have a higher car count than the Natty again this year. I'm actually glad that I won't have to see the 15, 5 or 49 win. Both races have a great, unique atmosphere but the 50 is an event like no other and I'm glad it isn't ruined with a WOO sanction.

A

You think I'd know by now not to click on threads involving port royal because it always turns into a posse pissing contest... That being said, if I ever travel from Ohio to Posse country I'd like to visit both Port & Lincoln but makes it difficult since they run same day more often than not.