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

Sprint Car Unlimited: Craig Dollansky speaks, Brent Marks, PA Speed Week, front-row winners and more

I don't care if the winner comes off the front row as long as there is racing throughout the field.  If its a one groove parade, that is when its never fun.  If I read that a winner came from the front row I try to read and see how the race was before making judgments.  

Don't pay any attention to me though, I'm a rational sprint car fan.

I feel the same way.

My last WoO race was a rubber down follow the leader fiasco for 25 laps. That was in 2007 and l spent $100 to get the family in. 

This

Unfortunately, that happens sometimes. Dirt-track racing, whether it's track prep/surface, format, etc, isn't an exact science. Some of the best races I've seen have been World of Outlaws events. It just so happens you are rolling the dice every night you go to the track.

I have been an avid sprint car fan for over 55 years, and I do watch the racing that goes on throughout the field, and what's happening up front. I don't like the amount of winning that happens these days from the front row. And as exciting as a wheel to wheel race for position in the field can be, that won't bring the entire crowd to their feet. The only thing that gets the entire crowd on their feet is a good race up front for the win. Fans will talk about a good race for the win well after a race is over. Very little is talked about or remembered for long about a good race within the field. The exception, is when a driver advances from 5 rows back or deeper in the field, to the front of the field, win or lose. 

Honestly... I don't disagree with a single thing in your post.  Good points.  

The only thing is, races where the winner comes off the front row make me appreciate the charges from deep, or slidefests more.  I also don't need every race to be a memorable one (Not saying you did, just making a point).  Take the Grove last Friday. The heats were just ok and once they drew the 0 pill, I knew it would probably come down to the start. The feature was mainly everyone on top, so I was content to watch Marks come through the field and keep an eye on the leaders.  After that, even though their car count was low, I highly enjoyed the midget feature.  I gave the whole night a 6.5 which was enough to make me feel good as a customer.  When you start having two or three races in a row that are 1's or 2's, and the winner starts on the front row, that's when there's an issue.

Just go watch the King of the West race. Last friday DJ Netto wins on the last corner on the last lap in spectacular fashion after starting 13th! Golobic finished 3rd and started 14th. 4th place Statler started in 20th! Then the next night on the big ol half mile at Calistoga Allard and Hirst were neck and neck at the finish line. True Hirst started on the pole but he lost the lead and took it back and Allard started 16th with a 2nd place result. Great racing. Heck even Bud Kaeding went 13th to 3rd. You get your moneys worth at the KWS shows.

Cheers!

Ocean on Friday wasn't great racing. Yellow after yellow, the longest green flag stretch was 7 laps cars came from the back

as a result of attrition.  Calistoga was a flat tire fest. If you like yellows, reds and flat tires it was great.

I watched the two races back to back on thecushion.com and to my eyes it was a couple of great shows. Now watching a replay and sitting at the track can offer up altogether different opinions I realize that. I read frequently how bad a race sucked or how there was no passing and then I go watch the race on thecushion.com and its exciting. Some people probably have a more negative outlook on things from the moment they enter the race track regardless of on track action. I remember reading a posting from a certain prominent sprint car journalist that said the Outlaw race at Hanford from earlier this year wasn't any good. I watched that race a good 3 times in row because the video of it had incredible racing. I knew they were full of shit after that.

Cheers!

And I don't disagree with you at all. My disappointment comes from the fact that with the WoO, nearly 90% of winning comes from the front row, or second row. That tells me that equipment and technology are more important than driver and car adjustability with that series. Have I quit attending? No! I still know that on any given night there can be a good race either from within or from up front, as you state, so I still go to the WoO events in our area and catch the others on the internet. I've been a fan long enough to know some nights there just isn't a race. But that should be the exception, not the rule in my mind. I do think many of the other series for the most part are offering a better product right now than the WoO are.

Schatz winning the last couple of W of O races from 10th should help a little bit with this discussion.  I found CA racing exciting at every place but Calistoga, track prep is very important in a State that always seems to be about 100 degrees...