More memories apparently are gone? Listening to the roar while at school. Riding my bicycle to a busy intersection to watch the cars going home etc.

Warren Vincent
Cans 4 Kansas Heroes

Did a little surfing and what about this for no racing during the fair but a race on Oct. 16 2010 at the Kansas State Fairgrounds.

O'Reilly/NCRA Sprint Car Series, regular modifieds, street stock, hornets, plus school bus races 7pm

At night on top of it. Some of you ole timers may know this but could this be the lastest race held at the famed Kansas State Fairgrounds.

I remember attending a USA sprint race in October, but I believe it was the 1st week in October.

Warren Vincent
Cans 4 Kansas Heroes

The USA sprint cars ran at the state fairgrounds on October 15, 1989. Several other races have been run there during the month of October over the years but I do not believe any have been run later than the ones run on October 19, 1910. The state fair was delayed that year as the "new" state fairgrounds were not completed in time to hold it in the traditional September.

"Stay between the fences and don't scratch the paint 
above the windows"

My guess is, it's to big of liability since the tire went out in the midway a couple of years ago during the fair, or maybe just not a money making deal anymore?

Warren Vincent
Cans 4 Kansas Heroes

I know the races during the State Fair of Okla. back in the 90's and early 2000's did not draw a whole lot of people like they did back in the 70's/80's it seemed, Not sure why , lack of promotion or ???, last big crowd I remember at the fair was 00 or 01 when the final pts. night of SFS got rained out and they made it up during the fair and it seemed they had about 1500 in the Grandstands that night but remember some 100" Modified shows with the Factory Stocks they had and about 200 to 500 in the stands for those, never really understood why , it was just was that way and when Lanny took it over he tried running during the Fair a year or so and did away with running races during the Fair, said he could not make any money racing during the Fair, I think really when Don Holtz left the GM position at the Fair , the Grandstands and other older rides mono rail , the old Airplanes and the ol Wooden Post exhibits and looks as if now the Space Needle will go like the others have.

I guess you seen on tidbits they are trying now to do away with the Space Needle , another one of those iconic symbols of the Fair and now it looks to be on the outs at the place.

Warren , I guess you can be thankful you still have a racetrack at the K State Fairgrounds, really tough to drive by May Ave. in OKC and see that SFS is no longer.

This is my take on it. $8 dollars to get into the fair and then another $8 to get into the races. $16 to see something less than a weekly show is a little steep for me. Don't get me wrong, I love racing, but, the last time I went was on a Sunday afternoon and they ran sprints and modifieds and I don't think there wasn't more than 10 sprints and maybe 15 modifieds. It was racing but not a good value for the money we spent. However, it was a good time to take the Granddaughter to her first race. It did not last all night and she really enjoyed the sprint cars. I too miss the good ole days when winning a race at the Kansas State Fair was a very prestigious thing.

Yes, things have changed and not just racing!

Warren Vincent
Cans 4 Kansas Heroes

Living in the past I guess, but it sure was much simpler time. Remember when Dodge only had two classes, the supermodifieds and the late-models, what a show the best of both worlds. Central Kansas (Salina, Hutchinson, Great Bend etc.) had the late-models and the entry classes? hobby stocks/street stocks/hobo class. Only one but the name varied some. Wichita had enough of those semi lates for one show by itself on Saturday night. Then they had the supermodifieds and the street stocks on Sunday night. In the late 70's (76-80) I made almost every Sunday night at Wichita. In the early 70's I made most of the Sundays at Great Bend. Even went to Enid several times for the weekly shows. Same thing two classes in the 70's, late-models and hobby stocks/street stocks/hobo class, only one but the named varied.

I can't remember racing much past 10:30 at any track? This was with 8:00 starts. There could have been some 7:30's on Sunday.

Now we can't have a show without 5 classes at least. With some tracks running up to 7.

Warren Vincent
Cans 4 Kansas Heroes

At the old Tulsa 3/8 track they would have 40-60 modifieds and the same number of supers on a Saterday night.When they moved to the new track in 1974 they had the same nuber of open wheel cars and started the street stock class on the 1/4 mile track . They would start the street stocks at 4:30 PM and have them done by 6:30 or so and it was really hot. They tried the street stocks on their own on Friday nights but it did not work out. I think think that OKC had more modifieds but not as many supers. Tulsa would have 4 super heats with a full 20 car B feature. OKC would usually have 3 super heats. Those were the days, sometimes the super B feature was the best race of the night. A 10:30 PM curfew was started in the mid 70's and that started the downfall of Tulsa racing.

Ray

Ray, Your correct on OKC, less Supers and more Mods, I remember in late 70's/early 80's they use to run the B's for Modifieds and Factory Stocks at 6:30, then the qualifiers out of the B's got to run in that nights program with the Top 40 in points in each class.

I sure wish most of these tracks nowadays would do away with about 4 classes and run only 2 or 3 a night and get over with at 10:30 or 11:00 at the latest , some could go to the 2 night deal and I hear a lot say well twice the cost and all that and cannot make any money at it and not sure I can believe that completely, they still do it up in Pa. at Williams Grove , run the 410's and 358's on Friday and Super Sportmans and Limited Late Models and Pro Stocks on Saturdays and from friends I know that have gone to both shows say they have very good crowds for both nights.

I know it is all about making money and keeping the place open these days off the back gate and profit/loss margin is very narrow and more things to do for folks and so on , I still just can't see why these promoters around here cannot see what a guy told me who writes for a Racing Paper in the Northeast , he calls it the numbers game, charge less to get in and get more masses of people in the stands and get peoples money through out the night at the track, concessions , souvenirs , not just a big price up front and then they have no $$ to spend for anything else and that will make them not want to try and come out to watch.

One thing I have seen promoters doing around here this year and it started mid season is the $10 Car Load deal , get 8 people in a car and get into the races for $10 and well I bet over the whole race program that they spend more than what it cost to get into the races for each individual. Hamburgers, Fries , Sodas , Popcorn , Beer , because they have money and want to eat and drink while watching the races and really don't realize they have spent more but was able to over the whole race program and I hope they continue that in 2011 , it made for some large crowds at Lawton and Brill Motor Speedway when they tried it this past season several times. Good Deal if ya ask me and that is what will help these promoters survive, thinking of new ways to make a dollar at their tracks.