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

It's 4:00 a.m. and still no results posted but I'm sure that soon www.ascsracing.com will have full stories and results.

Carol-

Last night was definitely rough on equipment at Cowtown. There were probably more crashes last night than the entire 2007 Cowtown ASCS events plus November Sprint Shootout at Cowtown combined.

Some were avoidable, some were not. I've got some video clips and pics going up today, and you'll be able to see more of what I'm talking about - including the Gary Lee and mint13.com incidents.

Speaking of Gary Lee, wow, what a rough night for them. In only his 2nd Cowtown appearance (first in 10 or so years by talking with him), crashing hard while taking the green in the heat, somehow getting the car back together in time for the B, and passing a large chunk of the field in the B before providing the crowd with unplanned 'fireworks' for the second time of the night. He was really hooked up, just had bad luck.

And another driver with the 'Cowtown jinx' still over them would be Sherman Davis. Even switching car colors this year didn't keep them from getting caught up in a wreck not of their own doing.

One of the most bizarre moments was in the B#2 when two cars ended up literally on top of each other. I'd really like to see a white stripe put down in corner 4 to eliminate some of these 'Texas starts' which clearly was the cause for the wreck.

Definitely the scariest moment at the track I've witnessed in quite some time was when mint13.com got crashed in the A-feature. After winning a heat race and running around 6th early on in the A feature, that was a really hard hit and everyone in the crowd took a huge exhale when she was able to get out of the car.

And it's too bad KevinRamey.com had engine problems, as it was really shaping up to be a classic duel between him and Travis. Lap traffic was going to be quite the show.

Another driver that had a rough start to the season was the rh67.com car. After getting caught up in a false start, his nose wing became lodged between his hood and top wing in the heat, and I'm not sure how he could see where he was going. My guess is that with all of the laps he's run at Cowtown, he was on auto pilot.

But you're right in that it was just one of those crazy nights. Just watch, the next ASCS event there on May 17 will go green, white, checkers...

I don't feel you should have to apologize for anything Carol. It was just one of those kinda nights. First off I would like to say it was my first visit to Cowtown and overall the track seemed very fast/racey. It's a neat little high bank bullring that can produce some great sprint car racing. I was impressed with the number and quality of sprint cars that showed up, and the 600cc mini sprints were real cool. I could do without bombers, streets, B mods etc... They could have done away with the kids car rides too, but I guess you have to make the little ones feel welcome. The program could have been way better if they eleiminated a couple of their support divisions. A solid field of sprint cars like that only needs one, maybe two support classes but 5 other classes of cars was too much. And whats with that lousy announcer!!! He doesn't even know who Garry Lee Maier was or Travis Rilat for that matter. Not to knowledgeable in the sprint car dept. The guy was too busy flappin his gums about giving away prizes and selling 50/50, and wishing everybody he knew a happy birthday, blah blah blah!! He must have forgot his job is to announce and inform the fans as to what is going on on the track and during the course of the program. Unfortunately I didn't stick around past the second sprint car B main. An hour drive back to my hotel, 5 hours sleep the past 48 hours and an early wake up come Sunday to go to TMS. I was just too wiped out. Just full of excuses aren't I. LOL!! I'm very sure I was the only Canadian in the place, but all the folks I talked too were quite friendly and made me feel very welcome. Congrats to Travis on the win.

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

there's been a chronic problem with announcing every time i been there the last couple years. And it's sad for the place to be plagued by such a shortfall b/c it's a great track - ran by a great promoter - and good folks there too. It's really one of my favorite tracks in this area - but one almost needs earplugs even when there is no racing. The place needs a heavy dose of Randy or Brian Ward. like Clemens at a Canseco party style....................

There is really some cool things and cool folks associated with Cowtown too. Like Dmantx there - never met him - but I can tell he's a goodfella and has really helped in organizing many things. He had quite a bit to do and maybe more with organizing the November Sprint Shootout - which I imagine will be the southern version of the Canadian Sprint Nationals at Oshweken Canada. Just like that in Canada -The NSS is one that is sure to grow each year. and there was an accumalated points deal between the Short Track Nationals in Little Rock - and the NSS at Cowtown last year - that cumalated into a Dash for Cash type of thing. really a cool deal for fans and drivers alike. I believe they had around 30 cars for it last year - I would not be the least bit suprised if that went up to around 50 or even more this year. But in any case - I think Cowtown is the best track in Texas. One could only imagine how pissed I was when I was told around 3pm that I didn't have to work that night. It's about a 3.5 hour drive from west of OKC to Cowtown and I damn near did it - but just couldn't put it together on such short notice. watched the final 4 instead. just does not compare to a sprint car race.

But the May 17 race is one I have circled on my calendar. It will be an open wheel extravaganza. As they will have the ASCS Sooner Region - and the entire ASCS2 series there. ASCS2 is made up of Non-wings, Restricted, and another class - don't remember what it is. But this lil series is really doin good. Whenever they have all 3 classes racing - they have anywhere from like 90-110 of em. And only in the last couple years have I found out how fun it can be to watch these micros. so much wheel to wheel racing. So May 17th should be a killer of a show. I think they do it again in like September or something.

How much would could a wouldchuck chuck if a 
wouldchuck could chuck would

Was really dissapointed with the race at Cowtown , worst I have seen since ASCS started racing at the place, seems some of those racing Sat. night have no respect for the others around them that they are racing against, they just have that goin to the front and if your in my way I'll just punt ya and take you out ,The announcer is just terrible and really does not have a clue about the sport he announces , He just wore 5 us out that were down from Okla. with his on and on about the Nascar race and everything else but the races that was in front of us on that night.

About the only good thing is the Ice Tea is still the best of any track we go to and the French Fries are still very tasty, outside of that Sat. night was a great dissapointment.

After reading about all of the other things that happened over the weekend (Harli White being burned so bad and then Shane Hammond losing his life in a midget in the Northeast) I guess maybe it wasn't as bad at Cowtown as we thought.  At least everyone went home in one piece.  Hopefully Kathryne Minter went to the hospital to get checked out and is okay, and hopefully all of the others in all of those crazy crashes are also okay.  Kind of puts things in perspective. 

First off, understand I'm not disagreeing with what anyone is saying about Saturday night's sprint car portion of the evening. That being said:

There are nights at a sprint car race that can only be described as pandemonium. This past Saturday was Cowtown's turn.

It doesn't matter if it's at Knoxville, Eldora, Devils Bowl, Cowtown or anywhere else. It happens at some point at every track that hosts sprint cars races.

For example, at Devil's Bowl, if you go to a 2-night race, invariably one night is clean and relatively event free, and the other night, for seemingly no reason, there's 8 or more cars upside down before the night is over.

At Knoxville one night there will be 60 410 sprints in the pits, and I'd be thinking it was going to be a crashfest; and all that happened was a spin or two. But then the next week with 30 410 cars in the pits on a 'regular show' they total out a half dozen of 'em.

And I remember going to the Eldora Million for sprint cars and the first night they must have gotten 12+ cars upside down, and then the next night 1or 2 at the most. It was the same field of drivers both nights.

There are those of you that have seen night after night of ASCS racing at Cowtown over the years, and there's normally not much crashing or delays.

And, if you stop and think about it, there were 4 cars that caused 8 cautions throughout the night. Plus, looking back at the video of the backstretch wreck in the A-feature, for some reason, certain drivers were not giving their fellow drivers room to race on the track - which is not normally what happens at an ASCS event.

But when you add the events of the last paragraph together, that easily added an hour to the show; making the A-feature get over at midnight, instead of what easily would have been 11pm.

Plus, I was talking to Michelle and for as many years as they've been involved with the track there, she can't ever recall a car hitting the corner 3 pit entrance like that before.

Plus, I can't remember a sprint car landing on top of another one and literally been glued together like what happened in that B-feature.

One other note, if Kevin Ramey wouldn't have broke early in the race, I think that a battle of epic proportions would have ensued between him and Travis - and we'd all be on the forums talking about what an awesome feature race it was.

Bottom line for me is, come back to the May 17th ASCS race at Cowtown and it will probably go green, white, checkers...

Bottom line for me is, come back to the May 17th ASCS race at Cowtown and it will probably go green, white, checkers

I look forward to it Mr. Short. I bet it will be a great race. The ASCS races I've seen at Cowtown were much better than those I've seen at Lawton. I;m goin off the last couple years since the Lawton track was reconfigured. sometimes - shit just happens.

I don't think Bo Rawdon or Cowtown is really receiving the criticism. He can't control how the cars race................now----------the perenially bad announcing.........that may be a different story. lol.

How much would could a wouldchuck chuck if a 
wouldchuck could chuck would

I would definitly come back to Cowtown if I am in the area again. Cowtown reminds me alot of River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, one of my favorite tracks that I frequently visit. It's just the nature of racing sometimes that things can get a little crazy. I've sat in the stands till 2-3am on many occasions at other tracks because of the same sort of things happening. I've just never been quite so annoyed by an announcer as I was there Saturday. Maybe I'll bring the ipod or some earplugs next time LOL!!!

By the way, what time were the races over.

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 left after the sprints were over @ midnight.  Maybe someone else can enlighten us as to the final checkered flag.

I didn't mean to be critical of Cowtown - I love that track and the racing it generally produces.   "It was just one of them racin' deals".  A really weird night - evidently all over the nation.

I hope Bo made it through his operation okay.  My best wishes to him and all involved. 

And here's some follow-up from Saturday night.

Lonnie with ASCSRacing.com has posted pictures of some of the bizarre incidents that happened at Cowtown.

Including this one - which normally wouldn't be a totally bizarre sprint car action shot - other than the fact that these two cars are stationary at this point!

And if you don't believe that statement, then look at this picture...

So how do you clean up this mess without a skyscraper boom? (And without further tearing up cars, that is.)

Again, reverting back to an earlier post, it's actually a wonder with incidents like these that the race even concluded by midnight!

I'll just say this , weird night or not, that incident you have the pic of there as well as the 13 car getting destroyed in the A main could have been prevented if one driver does not brake check and play games on the start of the B and cause the 22 a lot of bent parts and the 79 to sit on top of the 22 and tear up more stuff and in the A this driver runs up the side of the 13 front end and knocks it down with his RR and sends her directly to the wall at speed. No weirdness in those situations as they could have both been prevented and most of that weirdness woul d not have happened, Just a driver that likes to play games and has that attitude I'm going to the front at all costs and then he does not even finish the A cause he runs off the track and hits the wall himself. None of that looked weird to me.

what a mess!

Lincoln 1845 ft/.35 mile T1=118MPH 
Eldora 2287 ft/.43mile T3=135MPH
Port 2716 ft/.51 mile T3=TBD
Grove 2792 ft/.53 mile T3=135MPH
Selinsgrove 2847 ft/.54 mile T1=136MPH
"I didn't move to PA from El Paso in search of better 
weather." Van May

You are correct my friend ! Chicken shit starts ( head games =deliberate yellow ) rough driving ,& No penelty . Im glad others notice this bullshit, no disrespect but ASCS should act on these situations abit more. As you said this incident could have been prevented with a clean start ! Junked the frame as well, Koby will be in the swift #41 @ OKC & Lawton thie weekend. btw ,we do enjoy racing Cowtown.

   elbows up...stand on it hard.., & get that win!!
             #22 sprint  Norman, Oklahoma
                    Boomer Sooner

Don't know about Cowtown but it sounds like the S.O.S. like SFS Friday under 5 laps and on a yellow put lap cars in the mix that sucks in my eyes, it took away an awsome finish!!!

 Randy       

       DIRT TRACKIN
"When it's wet slide it in"

Here's a follow up to this post from last month, after last night's return of the ASCS sprint cars to Cowtown Speedway, just for fun:

"Bottom line for me is, come back to the May 17th ASCS race at Cowtown and it will probably go green, white, checkers"

5/17/08:

A full moon, 41 ASCS Sprint cars, a wickedly fast track and over 130 total cars in the pits greeted fans when they returned to Cowtown Speedway for the 2nd ASCS sprint event of the season.

All of which were ingredients that could have prompted some sort of warning by the National Weather Service in nearby Ft. Worth...

But when it was all said and done, the ASCS A-feature took the checkered flag at 10:05pm. There were a few wrecks and mishaps throughout the night, but the drivers all seemed to be on their game throughout the night.

Thanks to all of the teams and fans that supported the event, and we look forward to the ASCS's return on June 28 to www.CowtownSpeedway.com .

Last nights races were OK. The track slicked off and the bottom groove went away so the fast way was around the top.The only passing was when someone went too high and slid off the top. I have to give a big thanks to the track management for keeping the show moving. It was great seeing the sprints and being home by 10:30.

I'll be back on the 28th.

Much better than last time and no BS games on the track like there was last time,just good solid racing and even better watched from the pit area and got a whole new perspective on Cowtowns racetrack and the best thing did NOT have to listen to the Announcer at all which was well worth that extra $15 bucks, done by 10:30 and back home to Norman, OK. by 1:45 and congrats to Joe Wood Jr. #03 on the second place run Sat. night.

*note

One cannot emphasize enough how thrilled JD would be be to view a race at Cowtown without having to hear the announcer. One could not overstate enough how thrilled JD would be at this fact. give him iced tea and some ear plugs at Cowtown - happy camper.

How much would could a wouldchuck chuck if a 
wouldchuck could chuck would

It was great CCC, seen all the announcers Rollo and Co. (although he might deny he was at the event) sure was sweet not having to listen to them tell us all that mis information that they have in the past and go on and on about everything else but the races themselves, like I said worth the extra $15 , The Ice Tea is still the best around and the whole facility is good, wish the place was 100 miles closer , would attend every Sat. night and sit in the pits.