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

I ask because I don't know that I fully understand what I saw tonight at Skagit with the WOO. 

We got some rain last night and the track was really damp today. Super fast during hotlaps and qualifying. I think six different drivers broke the previous track record today. 

Heats, qualifer, dash, and the feature all felt like follow the leader. Only 19 cars so there wasn't major traffic, but it was really different than what we're used to seeing at Skagit. Stewart was the hard charger starting 18 and realistically only passing 4 cars that were significantly slower than the others. I think Sheldon passed two cars at the start, but that was it. I don't think any other driver passed more than a single car. 

Disappointing, but again not sure what I just saw. Don't want to sound like I'm complaining. We had a great time tonight getting up close to speed and power we're not used to seeing at Skagit. Loved it all, would like to just better understand if that makes sense.

Yes, lots of moisture, low car count, everyone is wide open through the middle.  This makes passing difficult if not impossible.  The track looked ready for time trials when the checkered flag flew.

Yes Hooper, it sucks when the track is lock down and too fast.  I would be willing to put money on tonight's races being MUCH better.  We run into this a lot at Knoxville Nationals Wed/Thurs qualifier nights.  Thursday night has almost always been the better night.  Not that there have not been some great Wednesday nights, but if it's not real racy, like this year's wasn't, it is almost always much better on Thursday night.  The track is always heavier on Wed.

I would think the same is going to happen at Skagit tonight.  Wet, heavy last night from extra moisture.  Being worked in last night, and drying today will help this along greatly for tonight's show.

Have fun!!!

NO!!!!  Much rather have that than a slip and slide ice rink dust bowl.

You are totally right. I agree 100%. Why anyone would want a track surface that creates passing instead of something like last night is beyond me. It's unamerican to not have SPEED. I watched this great documentary called Talladega Nights, and they started it off with a quote from Eleanor Roosvelt that summed it up nicely when it said, "America is all about speed. Hot, nasty, bad-ass speed."

I mean if you can't agree with ol' Eleanor, well..... then I just don't know what to tell you.

Agree

There is defintiely a very slim sweet spot.  Too much moisture and the track is locked down and no one can past anyone.   Not enough mositure and you have a dust bowl that chases people away.   I hate the dust, so I am willing to watch some follow the leader heats to have great A main features. 

I have a question.   Can a track be too dry? 

Yes, I have seen many of blacktop racing on a clay track.  Some tracks get hard black and dry right after warmups and that equals boring racing!  From the heats to the features the racing crews thank you for letting them put in there feature setups during the heats!  Lets not forget we have to run in the cushion every chance we get that way the drivers don't have anything to lean against when going around the corners.  That is my biggest pet peave.  Make the track wet at the beginning of the night and let it dry out during the racing action.  Don't make it dry and let it get dryer throughout the night and leave the cushion alone! 

Let's go Sprint Car Racing!

Knoxville - Best Track In the USA!
Eldora - 2nd Best Track in the USA!

Port Royal, yes. GTFOH

I didn't mention any tracks.  I have watched dirtvision and some on speedshift tv.  Some track all over the midwest and NY missed it bigtime when we were watching the Allstars and Outlaws.

Let's go Sprint Car Racing!

Knoxville - Best Track In the USA!
Eldora - 2nd Best Track in the USA!

Here is two reasons for running a cushion in.

1.You need to run in the loose dirt before it drys or it will be like marbles the rest of the night.

2.To provide better racing you want the track as wide as possible.

I know this won't agree with everyone but Port Royal is a prime example and the racing has been off the charts this year when the track is wide and slick. Last night was a perfect example.

I

Hooray! Some one gets it! I don't know how Port does it but they have it down to a science. You used to never see a dry, black, worn out looking track with a thin lip a couple feet from the outside rail produce great racing but it happens at Port almost every week. That type of track used produce single-file around the bottom racing, and still does at most other tracks but Port seems to defy logic and physics. I'd much rather see 20 second laps with multiple groove slicing and dicing, cars rubbing the outside guardrail and still passing, than a high speed parade around a cushion that's 2/3 the way up. Cars are too lequal and too locked down nowdays to have good racing on a heavy track. It needs to slick off and get wide for good racing. The racing at Port in recent years is the best I've ever seen it in my 48 years. 

A