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

I know it was posted on here as part of another thread, but I thought I would start a thread dedicated to what we might reasonably expect as a car count for the Nationals.

As of now (July 13, 11a), we're at 53 pre-registered for the Nationals. I have usually kept up on the registrations leading up to the event, but my memory is not great. Still, it seems like the ongoing downward trend will continue this year and we could have our first sub-100 car count since 1982.

Beyond the economy (which seems to be the biggest factor), what else is contributing to this and is there anyway we can reverse the trend? While I don't want to just fill the field with junk, the downward trend is plain to see since 1991 (166 cars) to last year (100.) Or is this not as big a concern?

I follow a lot of sports (including the religion in Nebraska known as Husker football), but there is no event I look forward to more every year than the Nationals. I just want to see it remain vibrant and healthy.

Is this heaven?  
No, it's Iowa....Knoxville, Iowa.

I hope we get to 100, but even 80 works with the new 8-car inverts.

The pre-entry discount deadline is the 15th so I would expect some more names to start rolling in.

The defending champion hasn't even entered.

Trying to break it down, there will be no more entries from PA. I would assume Shaffer, Blaney, D. Jacobs and Wilson would come from Ohio, none of them have entered. A handful of Knoxville regulars haven't entered including T. McCarl and the Jeffrey brothers. You have to assume Haudenschild will find a solid ride and Tim Kaeding still isn't on the list as well.

It's my favorite time of the year as well and I'm a little concerned about it but not too much. Is it August yet?

Here is 30 drivers that are not listed yet that will more than likely be there.

Chad Kemenah
Kerry Madsen
Ben Gregg
Terry Mccarl
Jac Haudenschild
Tim Shaffer
Brooke Tatnell
Greg Wilson
David Gravel
Tim Kaeding
Mark Dobmeier
Dale Blaney
Kyle Larson
Jessica Zemken
Brandon Wimmer
Chad Layton
Tony Bruce
Bronson Maeschen
Brian Ellenberger
Lynton Jeffrey
Dean Jacobs
Aaron Ott
Sheldon Haudenschild
Ed Lynch Jr.
Brady Bacon
Doug Esh
Mike Moore
Ryan Anderson
Josh Higday
Bob Weuve

I don't think you'll see Layton, Esh, or Ott there. Ellenberger wouldn't shock me, but he just lost the Ti22 sponsorship so that might change some of his plans. Lynch has really scaled back his racing this year so his appearance might be in question. Although I think you will see Danny Holtgraver added to the list.

Agreed about the above PA names. Ott may go, same with Esh. But if any more PA guys come it would be Brent Marks.

Paul Jeffrey, Austen Wheatley, Gregg Bakker, Chad Meyer, Billy Alley, Tommy Tarlton, Seth Bergman, Trey Starks, Rob Kubli, Ryan Bunton should all be there.

Unless Larson gets a ride he won't be there. And I don't know Brady's plans...

I think you'll see 90-100. Seems to drop a few cars every year, but like was said, with the 8 car invert, you could have a good show w/ 80 cars. Not that I want to see that happen.

I think part of the lower car count is that people used to know they never had a chance of winning big money..They came to knoxville for the event. Being part of a big event, see.ing old friends. They no longer spend the travel cost. A $1,000 diesel bill being an example.

While I agree you are probably right. I think Knoxville is still the event it used to be if not better. I just don't understand if you drive a sprint car for a living, why wouldn't you go to the biggest race of the year, with the most payout.

Guys like Doug Esh or Fred Rahmer(I know he is listed as going) or other PA guys always have a legitimate chance of making the show on Saturday. That seems like a no brainier since you get paid $9,000 for last in the A-Main. That would more than pay for the Diesel bill. I also understand there is no guarantee.

I have never owned a sprint car team so maybe that is why I don't see it. I think Josh Schneiderman and Davey Heskins can tell you that is possible for a lower budget team to get in there. If it were me I would always be there. lol

i to think that is correct, most drivers use to come year after year knowing they didnt have a shot to win or even make the A but they could go home saying they ran the knoxville nationals and made Saturdays show whether it was the D or B main, but now like you said that it cost 1,000 just to get to the track and back home its not worth it in their minds anymore

Doug Esh is trying to win a Williams Grove championship which pays 20G to win. Dewease, Rahmer, Monteith and others are going. They are his biggest competition and the Grove still runs full points that weekend.

I think if the Grove ran a no-points show, you would draw more cars from this area.

I think Dirthawk is correct that a couple more teams might go if the Grove didn't run a points show the week of the Nationals, but the top PA teams and drivers are all going anyway. I know this comes up every year, but what top PA team isn't going to the Nationals? The days of seeing mid-level PA teams like Billy Crawford or Craig Eshenaur or Lenny Krautheim or Joey Kuhn or Bill Brian Jr. go to the Nationals are long gone because of the expense.

It seems like the sky is falling every year about this time. The fact of the matter is whether there are 85 or 115 cars it is going to be a great show all week long.

Suppose only 80 cars make it. You will still have 40 cars each of the qualifying nightss. Each night would have the biggest and best names in all of sprint car racing.

I'm guessing there will be anywhere between 95-105 cars and the racing will be awesome.

Way to be a pessimist!!! You should be ashamed of your quote "While I don't want to just fill the field with junk', So how far back do U consider the cars to be junk?

Domain Ramsay and the 12 cautions and 8 torn race cars he brought last year.

My question is why don't more lower budget teams run the nationals? I know someone who the last two years has drove the 7 hours to run the 410 Nationals and after everything is said and done, got to watch and race the nationals and got paid for it. After all their cost and what they got for racing they came out ahead on everything and they didn't even make the C Main. Granted they did not wreak anything, but still, why not run it? After looking at the pay scale, it just amazes me how many people do not make the trip.

There's no pessimism, Dr. Pepper. Perhaps I can clarify my statement by saying, I don't want Knoxville to turn into the NASCAR truck series where teams show up to fill the field, do the bare minimum to compete, collect their check and leave.

In other words, I'm not hoping for big car counts just to have big car counts, I am also hoping for quality.

Is this heaven?  
No, it's Iowa....Knoxville, Iowa.

Usually, I'm very pessimistic which is why I was surprised that my original post contained any perceived pessimism.

Perhaps I don't realize my own pessimistic strength!

Is this heaven?  
No, it's Iowa....Knoxville, Iowa.