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

Is Bristol going to be fast? Hell yes. It was fast 20 years ago. I understand the desire to keep the guy who is down 80 hp running a 10 year old frame out of the field for this one. One other thing no one mentioned is the fact that there are quite a few 360's down south. I think this probably has as much if not more to do with keeping those guys from showing up just to log laps. Couldn't blame anyone for wanting to be a part of this. It's special and historic but the last thing we need is someone who's 2 seconds off the pace. The closing speeds will be insane. There's a few really slow cars who run the WoO shows at Lernerville and it even gets sketchy there when those guys are getting lapped. As far as the danger factor, like it or not, danger has always been and always will be part of the allure. Sprint cars more than most. As Doug Esh's tail tank used to say: evil, wicked, mean and nasty. Most of these guys are 1 percenters. They accept the danger and even thrive on it. That's what makes it such a thrill and people like me spend a lot of money every year watching them do things that people like me couldn't do and wouldn't do. And for those saying Bristol was boring last time, apparently you don't remember Sammy and Shepard battling for the lead. It doesn't get any more exciting than that. 

Never been to or seen Syracuse, what was the issue with turn 2?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGcOZ9JSxGo

Watch what happens at the 2:18 mark of this video to the cars of the leaders.  They are not jerking on the steering wheel, that is what happens when the air to your wing gets messed with at 120+ MPH.  Even if you are on a clear track, if you don't have a decent setup for a big track, you will weave down the starightaways.  What works at West Memphis has 0 correlation to what works at Bristol.

 I'll bet Jac was nervous when Kinser almost turned left in front of him!

Been to Syracuse a few times to see the sprints.  Turn one is like a tunnel turn.  Very high speeds on the straights.  

Let's go Sprint Car Racing!

Knoxville - Best Track In the USA!
Eldora - 2nd Best Track in the USA!

People bring up Locals.I dont remember there being any sprint cars in Tenn.Other then West Memphis and they were 360 and on other end of the state.If im coerrect.What they are trying to prevent. Is what we get when they go to an area where there are no 410s.Ive been to races here in Texas.You get people with 305 and 360s.That have no business being on the track with the Outlaws.Just so they can say they ran with the Outlaws or It pays more just to start the b then what they get on a regular night.They end up getting in the way and causing the regulars to tear up equipment.I can Imagine there would be a boat load show up with inferior equip and ablity .Just to say they raced Bristol.

Getting into turn 1 at Syracuse was always single file, the problem was the turn just kept getting squeezed on exit. You couldn't let the car drift because that wall was on top of you before you had any time to react. 

Very true,  I remember someone, It may have been Bobby Allen was on the outside going into turn one and it did not end well for him that day as he ended up in the wall.  I think that day he also rebuilt his sprinter to take the green and pull it in.

Let's go Sprint Car Racing!

Knoxville - Best Track In the USA!
Eldora - 2nd Best Track in the USA!

The main reason 48 was the cap at eldora was the distance required between haulers in the pits 48 was max could fit and keep the distance as well as other required push trucks safety crew etc...     Another reason is TV production.  Everyone talks about higher purses and TV exposure, for that to happen you need to attract new fans and have good TV ratings for this.  Like it or not, a Saturday night chili bowl marathon 7 hour race night will not attract a single new fan and even turn off some diehards.  Can't have it both ways.  You want to grow the sport and purses throughout the field, then it will take some TV money.  Just my opinion. 

So you never heard of Sammy Swindell?

Sammy runs locally in TN?  Do tell.  I would love to visit one of his weekly shows.  Who does he run against?  Does Jason Sides also run since he is from TN?

(by the way I'm being sarcastic)

Should we also include Paul McMahon too haha. I mean I know he is originally from Cali but for about a decade now I have heard him announced as being from Nashville TN. Then again he did run the 13 car for a number of years so he might be Posse too.

To pick on your comment about the Chili Bowl, the marathon would be fine if they cut out the breaks, a few farming sessions (or at least the complete rework of the track including the inside berm), and the long ass driver intros/parading of the states or countries or whatever that is. Race them straighten through double N main to A with maybe two or three prompt farming sessions and you take 2 plus hours off the day. Still can do tv but may have to start two hours later. 

I know this is way off topic but the Saturday night lull of the Chili Bowl lately has left me disappointed. The morning session starts out so positive to be killed off by the D thru A. Monday-Friday is a much better overall product/program.

His comment never said anything about running locally . He said he didn't know of any sprint cars from Tenn.

He said no sprint cars "in" Tennessee, not "from" TN.  I think everyone knows there are drivers from TN.  He was referring to no 410 series running in TN, no tracks running 410's in the ares, hence, thus, therefore, no locals would be "defending their turf" from the Outlaws.  

There are a few good drivers from Tn.Jeff,Sammy,Paul McMahan(lives there),Jason Sides,Mike Ward ,Terry Gray & Greg Hodnett.But non of them have run 410s locally in probubly 20 years maybe 30.

Don't get me wrong, the racing was great but the OVER 2 hours between the last B and the A was terrible for the chance to draw new fans and big tv is all I'm saying.  All week it was 15 mins or so after every 6 races or do to get track in shape and it was great.  Thats what I was referring to there.   Love the whole week of racing 100 percent. 

If racing wants to get new support from TV they will need a usable TV package that can be fit into a time spot with zero dead space. That is what TV watchers expect. Due to the nature of racing with accidents and track work it would be very difficult to provide such a package.

I have thought about this before but perhaps a workable arrangement could involve racing starts at 7 but the TV broadcast starts at 8 and you need some of the best editors in the business to cut out the dead time and fit a 3 hr package into a 90 minute spot without missing anything exciting and fooling your audience to believe it is live.

Even though I may not know you, I 
care what most of you think!

Right there with you 100%