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

We sat around on Sunday, or at least some of us who could stay, and talked about Saturday nights happening with the weather and all. I guess when I look around and see so many people there who are from out of town and really on no time schedule at all, it made me wonder why the track doesnt adjust the start time of the race. I got to believe that they knew weather would be a problem at some point and time on Saturday so how about start at like 5pm. Put it out on the radio, local tv, internet, and perhaps someone driving around the campgrounds. Word would spread no doubt. This would have save alot of dissappointment as I would estimate at least half if not 2/3 of the crowd had to go home. Like I said we stayed and it was worth it. For the Track simple put on the tickets a start time and a note that if it is in the best interest of the race and due to impending weather start times can be adjusted by an hour or two at the tracks discretion and that every effort will be made so the fans know of the changes. I would be all for this as heck all we would have needed on Saturday night was maybe an hour to a hour and a half to get it in. This is just my opinion but would be interested in hearing as much talk as possible on this situation and perhaps some track personel to comment if you are on here.

PS I also thought the guys on Wednesday got completely JOBBED by the fact they had to race on that narrow track with the fast cars having little to no chance of advancing, simply not fair, unless everyone qualifys under the same exact conditions. Simply could have bladed the crap off of the top, hell we were there till 3am anyways whats another hour. JMO.

I'm all for the earlier start time on Saturday if impendnig weather is on the way, but that is never going to change if there are SPEED cameras there for a live taping. Sad, but true.

And I completely agree with what happend on Wednesday night. Completely ruined the Nationals for the guys that qualified from about 8-28 or so and got stuck in a B that had little-to-no passing. Guys like Dobmeier, Meyers, and the Dude should have a legitimate beef with that track.

BIG J

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."

You have a very good point there with starting things off a little earlier on Saturday. I had my eye on the radar all afternoon it you could see that rain was coming. But as long as live TV is in the house, a change like that will probably never happen.

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

It was only '05 when Tmac set a track record on his qualifying night and the rest of the program got washed out, leaving them to run Weds.'s program on Fri. I didn't hear anyone bitchin about how it wasn't fair to whoever, just people mad that Terry got to keep the record. Weird....

Savage

I guess for the people complaining about the track wed. night must not have been to nationals during a day show. The day shows suck if you haven't been here for them. There was more passing wed night then what would of happened if they raced during the day. this was the last year for the tv contract to so it will be surprising what they do for next year, hopefully it's not with speed maybe the versus channel or something where they can give a little bit. But it's also Iowa weather. Just because the radar might show rain i've lived here long enough that it could change.

The conditions aren't fair? This isn't pavement racing. It's never completely fair from wed. to thurs. any year. Everyone is at the mercy of Mother Nature. Get over it. Just be thankful we got that race in Wed. night and it wasn't a day show. The cream always rises to the top in the end anyway.

One thing I have questioned since Knoxville put concrete in the infield, is why they put concrete where they did. I thought the expense of the concrete was to be justified by saving rain outs. That hasn;t happened once. But Wed. night it took less than an hour to have the track ready and two and half hours to get the infield ready. I've always thought that it's bassackwards, they put concrete where it should have stayed dirt, and left dirt where they needed the concrete.

Speed showed the first part of the broadcasrt on a bit of a delay. It was only live for the last half hour or so.

Eric Arnold
Social Media Manager & Track Historian
Knoxville Raceway

the concrete was to keep the rigs from getting stuck on the rain outs where they cant start on pavement and get a head of steam heading up the track, if it was to prevent rain outs it would of been on the actual track

Also, was talkin to McCoy and Cappy a few Sat.'s ago while looking at a muddy track at noon, and John brought up the point that Eldora tried paving their push-off lane and all it would do was get slick as snot and they were runnin into each other before they hit the track. They're exploring some things they may try in the offseason.

Savage

It's only about one thing. Not the weather, not the track prep but................it's all about the money spent in the concessions. Think about how much lost revenue there would be if the race was started earlier that the schedule called for.....jmo

Ascot was the greatest of all time..

West Capital wasn't half bad either..

Life is good...

Think about the people who are enroute and don't get there on time for the earlier start, or for some reason do not get the message?

9th Annual Northern Ohio Sprint Car Show
March 18-20, 2011
Featuring the FAST sprint cars
NOSCS Hall of Fame, and much more...
At the Tiffin Mall in Tiffin, Ohio
Official home of the Hoserville Ohio Benefit Auction

Please explain lost revenue due to opening early?

It sure seems that people start lining up at the concessions stands as soon as the gate opens. Why would people wait until a prescribed hour to buy food and beverages once inside the facility. That statement of lost revenue makes absolutely no sense. If anything at all that will happen is the track just got a head start on making the consession revenue.

Scoop posted-

"Think about the people who are enroute and don't get there on time for the earlier start, or for some reason do not get the message"

Think about the people from far away that can't stay Sunday night and see the B and A features, seems to me the E and the D for the B and the A is a decent tradeoff???????

Sorry, but bumping up the start time to compensate for possible weather will likely tick off just as many people as it pleases. Some will never hear of the change, and get there mid-program,. and be ticked because of it.

Weather will always be a part of any event held outdoors. You almost never hear of s professional sports team speeding up the start of a ball game due to weather - and a professional football game isn't cheap, either.

Unfortunately, you just have to deal with the weather and its consequences....

Chuck.....

That sat shower just barely hit the track Newton did not get any rain till midnight, the wed night rain did not even wet the roads in oskaloosa, so they were cloose to getting the shows in without the rain delay.

I really do wish they would do opening ceromonies like the driver introductions very early like even before hotlaps, that would gove fans reason to get there early and if during the show things were looking bad they could speed it up some, perfect example, sunday night they could have introduced all the drivers and made a big deal around 6:30 then they could have moved show alot faster as many do not realize how cloose some rain was sunday and then I could have got home an hour sooner.

Or they can Come to Lincoln Speedway here in Pennsylvania. WHERE THEY NEVER RAIN OUT!!!!! =

Vendors make their living by selling stuff. If the racing begins ahead of schedule they are not buying stuff. Every time I have been to the Nationals I bought stuff before the race. That includes,food, drinks, t-shirts, mopar motors and what have you. When the racing is over people leave.

Good point above about fans driving, flying in for the race and aren't aware of the early start.

PS. Wasn't talking about the track opening early, maybe I miscommunicated that point..the race starting early is the point..

Ascot was the greatest of all time..

West Capital wasn't half bad either..

Life is good...

wouldnt have mattered about speed tv and their coverage . they dumped the sunday show for reruns

Thanks turn3 and Savage. Hopefully Knoxville will look into something for the front push off lane at least, and the exits off the track in turns 2 and 4. If cars could at least find their way off & on the track and then push start, that would save time on rain delays, and hopefully rain outs all together. But the new air-raider (spelling?) seemed to do a great job.

Boone Speedway actually uses a jet dryer believe it or not. Comes in handy with 6 days of racing in a row during the IMCA Super Nationals there. You don't want to be standing anywhere near the track when they use it, but it works. If you have never been to Boone Speedway, go one time. The track prep there is something amazing to watch. And proof you can do something about a track rather sit back and watch the rubber lay down. Haubstadt, IN Tri-State Speedway also has a good system for reworking their track.

Eric Arnold
Social Media Manager & Track Historian
Knoxville Raceway

Whoa, you mean this kind of track dryer??

Ascot was the greatest of all time..

West Capital wasn't half bad either..

Life is good...

speed did not dump the show the show dumped speed ---knoxville pays speed to be there and knoxville did not want to pay speed to stik around for sunday

Robert Bond    San Jose Ca