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

I have passed up shows at Atomic for the reason of too many divisions. Sorry but they dont run a fast  show there.

When you have 2 or 3 divisions of modifieds is just a big no to me.

4 is my max number of classes as long as show is well run. 

Wayne County does a very good job of moving the show along. Pleased when they have a special, they drop a class or 2. 

Some tracks I visited had 7 to 8 classes and I left after main feature and it was late then.  So those get avoided now.

The same thing in the mid-south, where I am now. Since I returned, I've grown old and cranky, I can't sit through a 5-6 hour show of "backgate specials"  I'm sure I would suck at owning/running a race track but it appears to me the bottom line is tied to how many cars can I get in the pits, and each one of those cars might put a couple of friends/family in the stands, and in addition, if i drag the show out as long as possible I'll make a decent amount on beer.  I'm taking things like a street stock feature starting 20 with 5 finishing, and all the cautions that go along.  I think a well run track could run 4 divisions if they provide decent racing ie mostly green flag.  I've got nothing against entry level classes.  I went to a WoO show at Skagit in WA years ago and they had a support class of front wheel drive 4 banger stocks and they put on a great show.  It's about the racing and I think it would also help keep some casual fans if you didn't have 3 fendered classes that look the same to them.    People in places like Posseland don't realize sometimes how good they have it..

Three classes tops. 

Don't dick around running the show. One short intermission is fine. 

Nothing heavy with narrow tires that will rut the track up.

And for the love of all things holy, get the track right more times than not. I can understand it's difficult from time to time and work is needed, but if I have to sit for more than 15-20 minutes while you and your track crew lollygag around, I likely won't be back.

Pretty simple stuff. Knoxville has this down to a science now and it's great. 

In the late 70's and early 80's, Lernerville Speedway in Western PA was the best track that I have ever seen for getting a show run thru in a short amount of time.  At that time, they ran 6 divisions (410 Sprint, Big Block Modified, Super Late Models, Semi-Lates, Street Stocks and 6 Cylinder Mods) every Friday night.  They would get over 200 cars every Friday, and they would drop the Green flag at 7pm sharp; no intermissions; they would run on average about 21 heats, 3 B-mains and 6 Features, and the last checkered flag would drop at between 11 to 11:30pm.  Now that was a well run show, and I sure do miss it.

When the Outlaws come to town I would say 1 support or none. Those guys usually have to travel about 3 1/2-4 hours after the race and the last thing they want is to be at the track super late. If it is a normal week I would say 3 is the magic number IMO.

For big shows that include time trials - no more than 1 support division. For regular shows I'm OK with 3-4 divisions. I enjoy most of the divisions we have in PA icluding the super sportsmen, modifieds, LM's, even the limited versions aren't bad. Super late models are my 2nd favorite division next to 410 sprints. I don't care too much for stock/enduro type cars. One thing that does annoy me is tracks that run support division features first. Sometimes it's beneficial to widen the track out but otherwise run the show in order of fastest to slowest. That way people can leave when they want without having to sit through support divisions they didn't come to see before getting to the headlining divisions that they came for.

A

depends alot on how many sprint cars are in event.  I have seen WOO races with just 19 cars.  It would be a very short event if no support classes.  I saw a ASCS event once that only had about 21 cars and no support class.  It was terrible.  They waited about 15 min. between each race or it seemed so, with big delay before feature.

Our 4 year old loves racing so we go as much as we can. It helps get him home sooner if the races start earlier. He will make it through 5-6 hours of racing (with some walks/side activities) but he’s usually ready for bed by 11. My biggest frustration with other divisions is he misses out on meeting 410 drivers in the pits. They’re all packed up and leaving because the legends couldn’t run 2 laps without a caution. Chad Trout seems to hang around and always lets my son sit in his car.

Port Royal’s show last night was excellent. 3 divisions of sprint cars done by 10:30. We played catch in the infield during 305 heats/consolations. He got autographs from Ryan Smith who we picked up as our favorite and was still around since he raced in the 360 feature. Great night overall.

I do like that drivers seem to be meeting fans pre-race. We met Montieth at Lincoln last week. When the climate changes back and they race at the Grove he can get Easter candy from Ryan Smith. Otherwise a daytime show like the Grove opener with only 410s was perfect for getting my son into the pits. We could take our time. 

I don't mind extra divisions cause I like racing in general, have my favorites, sure do. now what I don't like is you have 9 cars in said division & you run a heat of 4 & heat of 5. Run all in heat & try & do something different lineup wise for the feature, total inversion, random draw, etc..

Wish Knoxville would just go back to one support division. 305s wear the fans out 

That makes sense. In fact, with only 9 cars, why run a heat at all? Just put them all in the feature & be done with it

They started at 6 though. That's 4.5 hours for 3 divisions which would mean midnight curfew in the summer when start time is 7:30. The 305's are a very time consuming division with large car counts and many caution flags. I tend to stay away when they are on the card. I can understand why tracks like them - they race for peanuts and bring a lot of cars. The 305 racing isn't bad but I don't care much for them on a 1/2 mile track. 

A

Totally agree!!

bull  dung--Knoxville had alot of extra cars in 360 and 410.  You will not see this again unless everything around Knoxville is rained out for a weekly show.  I expect about 25 cars in 360 and 410 class.  The 305 do not bother me.  And by the way, about 4 drivers from 305 classs moved up to 360 which is what tracks hope for.  I thik 1 went to 410.

If I go to the Midwest Power 360 race at Cedar Lake this weekend there will be five other classes.  Midwest Modifieds (B Mods), Modifieds, Pro Stocks (Super Stocks), Limited Late Models and Late Models.  The 360's will be at Princeton on Friday night with four other classes.  Personally I enjoy watching the Late Models and Modifieds and Cedar Lake does a great job of moving the show along so it should be a fun night.  I'm partial to the Sprints but where I live aside from when the Outlaws come to town there's always going to be 4 to 6 other classes.  All Sprint shows are fun, we have a few of those each summer, but they're not the norm up here.

Stan Meissner

My favorite support class is Micro Sprints. Only problem is they're so light, they flip a lot.... mucho yellows

Knoxville needs the 305 class, it keeps sending drivers through the ranks which is exactly what they need. New drivers can't always afford to jump right into 360s - the start up cost is high, and you have to run against big money established teams while you are still learning. 

To me Knoxville runs the perfect show weekly, 410s, 360s and 305s. No outside series, no other divisions. Just that. If a tour comes in that matches their rules (ASCS 360s for instance) then that is good too. I know USAC races there on a weekly show once but other than that they stick to the same perfect show. Port does it once in awhile, and I always attend. If they did it every week I would drive by Lincoln on my way to Port Royal 20 times a year.

Thanks,

Jeff. 

3 is probably best, 4 would be okay. Unfortunately this too many classes bullshit started in the midwest and has spread about everywhere, for those in Texas, I feel your pain. We can all sit here and cry about costs and everything else but IMO these 8 class 6 hour marathons are the REAL reason racetracks are dying nationwide. Who wants to sit thru 5 hours of crap they could care less about to see 45 minutes of races they actually want to watch?

A couple of those shows last month at Port Royal with 30+ 410's and 30+ super late models sounded great.

I agree 305's on a half mile aren't exactly my favorite form of racetrack porn but the 12 they get at Knoxville give a guy or girl time to go take a leak and get a drink with their 2 heats and a feature.

To the guy that went to Reading decades ago, I see some pictures and videos online and in 1975 Bobby Allen raced there in a #1a Vega sponsored by a Chevrolet dealership, I am curious how he did? I know Kenny Weld ran there that year in a Weikerts sponsored #29 Gremlin and did very well. 

The worst president of my lifetime:
Ronald Reagan

Most shows to me are best with 3 division shows at weekly tracks. I could handle 4 if the track keeps it moving.

Also in my opinion the best shows are that each division is different in appearance to one another.  Example the 305's are a good starter division ( the rules for the class is STUPID) but they look just like a 410 sprint.  Also to me Port use to have it right with 410s, late models and pro stocks because every division had its own identity.  I hope in central Pa we never get like the modifieds in New York with all classes looking the same. 

Also you haven't lived till you travel 5 hrs to see sprint cars and have to sit through time trials for 45 fwd 4cyl stocks. It was a track in southern Ohio and the heats didn't start till 10 PM.   Three classes had time trials.  I left after the sprint and late model features and it was 2 am and 3 features left to go.   The only added division was the sprint cars but everyone thinks they need to be like the big boys and run time trials.  Even sprints don't always need time trials.

And on a side note about this past weekend.  I appreciate the All Stars moving up the start times at Lernerville and Sharon.  If the start time is moved up then the show should be speeded up.  Meaning speed up the real time killer,  time trials.  I was not there but I saw on twitter they still planned to run single car two lap time trials. Why? Group or 2 car time trials.  Adjust keep it moving! 

Now here's a guy who's got it figured out.   That 1st paragraph is dead on!