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

Yes they did tech Alexander....can't remember any others but I probably just wasn't paying attention

Is there trouble in paradise in the minds of the hardcore Sprint fans?

Anybody anywhere who is not sitting through five, six or sometimes seven classes ought to consider themselves very lucky. If Knoxville isn't turning enough of a profit then someday they'll be forced to add classes. Long time Sprint Car venues that have done so include Jackson, Minnesota, and Husets. Weekly shows are at best a break even deal at most tracks nowadays and the era of one class shows is slowly fading away. No, I don't advocate it but I know enough promoters who would just as soon run Sprints or Late Models only who either have to load up the back gate with low paying classes or shutter the doors.

If it's only IMCA Mods and 305's that's not such a bad deal as opposed to the multiple Modified and Stock Car classes we sit through sometimes to see 16 or 18 Sprints.

Stan Meissner

Knoxville shows IMCA mods at Harris Clash and has had it everry year for about 20 ars. They show a IMCA race on a sunday and mods might race with stock car race at end of year. It is not every week unless someone knows more than I do.

We was fortunate enough to win a feature at knoxville this year and all they teched was tires.No block numbers or injectoe size or heads.

Most nights Knoxville will have about 72 to 75 sprint cars in the 3 classes unlike Husets or Jackson.

If Knoxville adds a IMCA mod class they had better start the show about 6:15 p.m SHARP then as they can't get the weekly show done now much before 11:00 p.m. many nights (depending ....but it still happens often) and adding mods would add prolly another hour at a minimum to the end if they start at 7:30 p.m. as they try now.

Could drop the time trials and go points like PA does as an alternative to get us out of there at a decent hour I suppose.

I think they will lose as many weekly fans as the mods back gate nets for them if this happens.

Just me and I am basically only one ticket most of the time .... but about one 'spin out fest' of mods and a after midnight finish .... and I prolly will quit coming.

S.H.S.

What makes you think mods will begin racing weekly at knoxville? Yes, Toby has

some history with IMCA racing. Mods race weekly at Boone, Burlington and

many more tracks on Saturday nights. Boone is to modifieds as Knoxville is to sprint cars. I think

Knoxville is too hard on the mod motors for them to want to complete weekly for no more than

Knoxville would pay them. It could happen in the future but as of right now I think it will remain

sprints

-Austin Rankin

Not making any predictions nor am I in the loop down there. Just saying that most tracks from coast to coast run multi class programs that rely heavily on the back gate. If Knoxville can avoid having to do that their fans can consider themselves very fortunate.

Back gate promoting is a balancing act to be sure. Promoters want to ensure that whatever they gain at the back gate doesn't drive too many fans away at the front. I know a couple promoters and they tell me that they know exactly how many cars they need to draw, how many fans have to show up and how much they have to make at the concessions to turn a profit. Keep in mind too that if for example a track adds a $300 to win Stock Car class the total purse for that class is going to be a lot less than 410 Sprints. I don't think Knoxville is anywhere near becoming one of those multi class deals so I wouldn't worry about it.

Stan Meissner

I like the 305 cars, it's more sprint cars, more racing, but when you're racing for like $400 to win and people get upset about the rules being enforced.... come on.

Sprint car fans need to realize that there are literally 200 IMCA Modified teams in the state of Iowa, maybe more. They race multiple nights during the week within a 100 mile radius of Knoxville. (Marshalltown, Boone, Oskaloosa, Des Moines). Modified racing is no cheaper than sprint car racing, but yet they have more cars, more fans, and race for less purse money. Modified racing is a big deal in Iowa.

Be thankful we're racing 305 sprints instead of Modifieds. Although I would still attend Knoxville races either way.

Eric Arnold
Social Media Manager & Track Historian
Knoxville Raceway

Stan:  I didn't take it that way ..... I just was commenting on the POSSIBILTY of such actions cause and effect on me .... if it should.

However, I wouldn't bet my life on the fact that the status quo at Knoxville continues on .... Toby is a stock car person and I just got word from Richie Gustin's car owner .... TCMM (well ..he claims that anyhow) that he (Toby) is going to continue promoting Marshalltown in 2012 ALONG with his Knoxville duties.

None of my business nor my call  ....... but if in fact that is the case (true) ..... that seems rather discerning to me as a HUGE fan of sprint car racing and Knoxville Raceway.

Matthew 6:24   No man can serve two masters (loyalty???)

To be continued I suspicion.

S.H.S.

Toby will promote at Marshalltown in 2012. He is contractually obligated there for a a few more years I think. And that was part of the deal both parties knew going in. But with that said Toby will have to rely on others to help him keep the Marshalltown races going with a little less of his involvement.

Cappy had the 2012 schedule set before Toby came in.

Eric Arnold
Social Media Manager & Track Historian
Knoxville Raceway

Deal is a deal ....I am sure both parties were aware as you mentioned and of course Toby will be at his post at Knoxville daily as Cappy was.

 Toby only has to act as the financial guarantor for the Marshalltown promotion (under his contract I assume then as he could easily have not been there due to illness or accident etc.) and has no need to be there anytime on Fridays and will be at the office in Knoxville to handle his job there.

He should only need to make sure the purses & insurance are  paid at Marshalltown until his contractural end date is met.

S.H.S.

I think this thread may have taken a turn or my post may have been mis-construed at some point, so I will clarify it again.

IF and that's a big IF Knoxville Raceway was only looking at support classes from a BUSINESS STANDPOINT, 305's would not be the lower support class, they could acheive more cars and bring in "new" fans that follow a different division other than sprints.

I personally do not think this will happen in the short term. However, long before Toby Kruse was hired (I'm talking 2008 timeframe), there were rumblings about bringing in IMCA Open Wheel Modifieds to replace the 360's and to go to a Open Wheel Modified, 305 Sprints and a SPRINT CAR CLASS (360's, 410's, the Schatz/Shaver Engine would now be elgible as would the Knoxville Open (see rules) Motors) show with $5000 to win and $1000 to start fpr the SPRINT CAR CLASS. Last I knew, it was just an idea that had been bandied about, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's reality in 5 years.

The fact of the matter is, the current group of fans for Sprint Car Racing in Central Iowa (and some from MO, MN, NE, IL) are already in Knoxville on Saturday Nights. As a BUSINESS, you have to figure out new ways to increase your attendance, and one of those ways is to attract fans that enjoy watching a different type of car.

Other options would be to GIVE AWAY FREE SEASON TICKETS to EVERY KID (K-12) within a 100 mile radius of Knoxville. Some may already attend weekly, but as a fan in the stands, I can tell you that in reality, it's probably about 3-400 total (and probably 1/2 or more aren't local kids).

If the kids want to go, their parents will bring them and you just might gain some NEW FANS (both the parents and the kids).

Only problem is that many on the Fairboard have the mindset that every single ticket that you give away is a $15 loss instead of realizing that if I give away 10,000 tickets, I get 1000 to show up (and bring an adult with them), that I just GAINED $15 and concessions for 2 people, as 99.9% of those tickets that I gave away were to people that have never attended and have never thought of attending a race.

Until seating capacity is an issue for weekly events, the best thing ANY racetrack could do would be to give away tickets (especially to grade-schools, middle schools and high-schools), the grade-school and middle-school kids will either bring their parents, or the middle school kids may get dropped off by their parents (with $20 each for spending $$) and the high school kids can drive themselves there (and get $20 spending $$ from their parents). EMPTY SEATS DON"T BUY CONCESSIONS!!

It's time for dirt-tracks to PROMOTE their product, heck, I'd be sitting in NEWTON every time they have a race and give every single person attending a FREE TICKET to Knoxville, any that use the ticket would realize right away that the races in Knoxville are better and cheaper (both to get in and concessions).

WOW SOMEONE USING THEIR BRAIN THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF RACING CUDOES NOW IF WE COULD JUST GET A FEW MORE THINKING PEOPLE WE MAY HAVE SOMTHING TO LOOK FOWARD TO ON A SATURDAY NIGHT FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS

I'll always agree with Knoxville giving away tickets to kids and new fans and company parties. Like said many times, as you said.

Heading to Des Moines and just handing out tickets to random people; on the skywalks,the street, State Fair, Capitol or Adventureland. These people more than likely weren't planning to go to a weekly show. If they so choose to take Knoxville up on the offer, of a free ticket, then they come down and occupy a seat that was not sat in. They buy a Beer, Hot Dog and a Frosty. That is a profit and not a loss. The dust and air, that was in that seat, wasn't buying concessions. Said person could get hooked and be a regular, if not you got his concession money and move on. Then to the next person who might become a paying regular.

Until the issue of not having enough room for over 22,000, on a regular night , then stop giving away tickets. Won't happen.

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A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

It could be done this way too. Say I am at Adventureland randomly handing out tickets. I talk with people first. Family A) tells me he/she has never been or hasn't been in many years. Hand them a free night or two. Family B) Says they go to Knoxville about every other year. Maybe coupons for 1/2 off a night. Family C) You find goes very often, to not exclude the loyal fan hand them some coupons for 1/2 off or free concession items.

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A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

I'm tellin' ya .... vande77 is smarter than the fairboard .... but then a box of rocks is .... (not dissin' ya Vande77 ..just stating the obvious)  and why not 'reward' the weekly fans with a 1/2 off on any total concession purchase of $10.00 or more (say up to 30 bucks maximum per coupon) for the NEXT weeks use???

One coupon per ticket and must be used the next week excluding rain outs and 'specials'

Give away tixs to non fans (they could be excluded or not .. from the coupon deal ... not a big issue either way as the track is still making a profit @ 50% discount on concessions anyway and they have to come back the next week to 'cash in' anyways but then they would also need to BUY a regular price ticket)  ... reward your loyal weekly fans .... win-win IMHO

S.H.S.

the 305 cars turn faster times then the latemodels do! and are very fun and exciting to watch! latemodels and modifieds are like watching grass grow compared to any sprint car race!

but i do see your point ! if we get some modifieds and some modified fans there we can make them sprint car fans! they wont wanna watch what they came for! they will go get popcorn and beer and use the restroom when the modifieds come out to race. so they dont miss any of the sprint car action!

I won't disagree with you that "modified racing is a big deal in Iowa".

I will disagree with you that "Modified racing is no cheaper than sprint car racing". Do you really think so?

no cause when you make a mistake in a sprint car its gonna cost ya a little more then if you make a mistake in a modified or a late model you can just beat the dents out and the other guys teeth that did it to ya ! in a sprint car its alot more damage and alot more money for small mistakes !