I want to thank everyone involved with the UMSS for bringing sprint car racing on a regular basis, back to NW Wisconsin and Central Minnesota. It certainly hasn't been perfect but I think it's a great start. It's great to see new drivers, owners & fans get involved. I am looking forward to 2010 and beyond. Thank You Jim Langel
Thanks to Dave Tabor and Margaret Wiswell for the ride in the 34tw. Thanks to Brian Madsen and Johnny Parsson III, for getting me interested in racing again.. And Thanks to UMSS (esp. Ron, Joe & Chuck) for creating an opportunity!
This message was edited on
September 20, 2009 at
01:41:16 PM by Wing Slider
I too would like to commend the UMSS for what they are trying to do here in the Twin Cities. However, I am concerned and feel cheated when they continually cut the feature races to 15 laps. I've only been able to attend 5 or 6 shows this season and I think 4 of them have been cut to 15 laps. Last night's outcome for 1st place would not have been any different if the race were 30 laps as Richert had them covered, but when I pay $20 a piece for my wife and I and $10 a piece for my kids I would expect to at least see a heat race of 8 to 10 laps and a 20 to 25 lap feature. I've never attended an Outlaw race or a race at Knoxville that was cut short, other than rain. I would think the races feel cheated too. I know it takes time to build something, but doing things like that won't help build a fan base. Other than that, I think the racing has been great and you all are heading in the right direction. I'm not trying to bash anyone or stir the pot, I just want to see this deal succeed.
I agree on laps. It's rough on set-up/planning too. I think the lap cuts have been at the command of the tracks rather than UMSS, but you'd have to ask Ron for the full story.
This message was edited on
September 20, 2009 at
01:53:51 PM by Wing Slider
Think of it like this. You show up to the movie theater and you plan on seeing a movie that's 2.5 hours long. After paying full price for a ticket, grab your Coke and popcorn, and find a seat. The movie is just about to start and the theater manager says they are going to cut the movie to 2 hours. No explaination, nothing. You would feel cheated, as you did not get to see the entire movie you paid for.
Directly from the UMSS rule book:
Round 3 -- Main
1) The MAIN will be the final race at each event.
2) Cars: each race will have a maximum of 20 cars.
3) Race Distance: each race will be 20 laps.
I paid $20 to see 20 laps. I should get a refund of $5, right? Just as the racers paid $25 or whatever a pit pass is worth. Did they all get a refund last night?
This message was edited on
September 21, 2009 at
08:12:58 PM by StanM
Reply to:
Posted By: Wing Slider on September 20 2009 at 01:51:56 PM
Think of it like this. You show up to the movie theater and you plan on seeing a movie that's 2.5 hours long. After paying full price for a ticket, grab your Coke and popcorn, and find a seat. The movie is just about to start and the theater manager says they are going to cut the movie to 2 hours. No explaination, nothing. You would feel cheated, as you did not get to see the entire movie you paid for.
Directly from the UMSS rule book:
Round 3 -- Main
1) The MAIN will be the final race at each event.
2) Cars: each race will have a maximum of 20 cars.
3) Race Distance: each race will be 20 laps.
I paid $20 to see 20 laps. I should get a refund of $5, right? Just as the racers paid $25 or whatever a pit pass is worth. Did they all get a refund last night?
This isn't directed towards the UMSS but I don't think they were a very good fit at the 100. It was a celebration of Sprint Cars the week before at the Jerry Richert Memorial but this past weekend was like the Sprints went to a Stock Car and Modified marathon and were allowed to race. They didn't have the UMSS in the lineup at the start of the season but added them at a later date. I'd have liked to see 20 cars and it could have been a better opportunity to showcase the UMSS to the Stock Car fans in attendance. As it turned out the two UMSS races were good, there weren't any yellows or reds and after the 45 minute marathon Midwest Mod and Pro (Super) Stock Features nobody better dare point the finger at the Sprints. I know both winners, Andy Jones and Tim Borgeson, great guys and they love what they're doing so it wasn't their fault that the field kept banging into each other behind them.
Stan, I agree with you. The UMSS wasn't a good fit at Cedar Lake this past weekend. I admit that I am a much bigger sprint car fan than a fendered car fan, but even I can appreciate the fendered classes if I only see one or two a night. I knew going in Saturday that I would have to watch a lot of fendered races to see the sprints, but I did so thinking there would be 18-20 UMSS sprint cars there seeing as there were 19 the week before. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw only eight cars there.
I chose to watch the UMSS race at Cedar Lake Saturday over watching the Outlaws run at Deer Creek thinking I might actually see a better race, but I certainly made the wrong choice on this night. I will have to forget this one and just remember the week before which was as close to sprint car heaven as you can get here in the Twin Cities.
Posted By: [email protected] on September 24 2009 at 10:51:55 PM
Stan, I agree with you. The UMSS wasn't a good fit at Cedar Lake this past weekend. I admit that I am a much bigger sprint car fan than a fendered car fan, but even I can appreciate the fendered classes if I only see one or two a night. I knew going in Saturday that I would have to watch a lot of fendered races to see the sprints, but I did so thinking there would be 18-20 UMSS sprint cars there seeing as there were 19 the week before. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw only eight cars there.
I chose to watch the UMSS race at Cedar Lake Saturday over watching the Outlaws run at Deer Creek thinking I might actually see a better race, but I certainly made the wrong choice on this night. I will have to forget this one and just remember the week before which was as close to sprint car heaven as you can get here in the Twin Cities.
This year's Jerry Richert Memorial is going to be a tough act to follow for years to come. If there were ever a perfect night of Sprint Car racing this year's version is about as close as you're going to get.
I was a little disappointed this past Saturday night but I came into it already knowing that the 100 is a four night orgy of Stock Car and Modified racing. There weren't any surprises for me but I think it was kind of a reality check as to what goes on around our area for some of these Sprint Car guys that had never been to a 100.
