eldora format change
 

Keep all four classes. Run all prelims on Sat nite. B-mains and features on Sunday like it used to be.The track is not destroyed from 10 hours of constant running.You cannot run 125 high horsepower cars on a dirt track like Saturday nite and not expect problems.It is that simple. Oh, I forgot, we can't run during the day anymore.A vampire mentality exists among promoters and fans for some reason. The track would be bad if we ran in the day. HMMM, seems this thread is about that very problem.It reminds me of a old hockey quote from a coach.We can't win on the road and we can't win at home, my only failure as coach is finding another place to play.I think day and night are our only alternatives.It seems Eldora has the dust problem to a greater degree than anywhere else. I don't know the last time completely new clay was put in,but that could be one of the major problems.It is never good when you see Parents taking out their children and leaving. Biggest 4-crown crowd in years and this happens. Not a way to grow fanbase.

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Friday night: Qualifying and heats
Saturday night: B's and A features

That's how Earl did it, and a fool he was not.

Re: eldora format change
 

Best idea I've heard yet...

Re: eldora format change
 

Running on Sundays won't work as well, people have to travel back home and relax before work starts Monday. Plus, what if it rains? There's plenty of room in the Friday night show for midget and silver crown hot laps and time trials. Perhaps even midget heats. That's probably your best bet.

Get all haulers in the pits by 11:00. Start hot laps and qualifying at 1:00. Track prep after that. Heats and rest of program starting at 7:00.

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Initially I believe it was qualifying Friday, heat races Saturday, and features on Sunday. If I remember right Earl changed features to Saturday nights after Paige Jones accident due the track getting drying out and dusty conditions in the afternoons. Haven't been to 4-Crown for several years but when Johnny Vance and Earl started promoting the event it was our favorite week-end at Eldora. And as for those complaining about dusty conditions it was always that ways, still have googles in my RV that I would have to wear when at Eldora sitting in turn 4.

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"Barney Google with the goo goo googly eyes"?
I have spare GOGGLES I lent to fans sitting nearby :5:

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I wouldn't go for hot laps & TT
If they had heats too, I'd be there....

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This is the Idea I like best, like I said, you can have your autograph session and other stuff in the afternoon while the track is getting reworked. Sundays are a bad Idea and so is splitting the show.

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Qualify midgets and Crown cars Friday and the Crown Semi if necessary. Keep WoO and Stock cars on card.
Saturday you only have to qualify two classes.

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Where would you park everybody on Friday? It was pretty crowded Saturday. I am not for Sunday afternoon racing. Earl stopped it because it was not very good.

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Not sure this would work either but run all winged cars on Friday and all Usac on SaturdayI know some people go only for the wings and others only like non wing so each will have their own nights, if you like both well you got a 2 day show :8:

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I can remember some great racing on Sunday afternoon at the 4 crown. If they just run the semi and features; the track stays reasonably good and fans gets home before dark. Everybody always cites track conditions; but I have seen some mighty poor races at Eldora lately at night. Besides that, what other sporting event is scheduled knowing full well that to see it all you have to stay till the early morning hours?

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Kinda like the Usac/Boss I was talking about. That would have to be co-sanctioned & show up points to get all the All Stars there. There were a few there Saturday that weren't there Friday.

As Far as a Sunday show we went to a Sunday show 1 time when the night before the Royal got rained out. Besides dirt you will have little chunks of rubber everywhere the dirt gets.

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WHHHAAAAT?!?!?!? A dirt track fan complaining about dust???? You kidding me??? :15: :43:: :deadhorse: :20:

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So the midget and crown teams now have to buy two pit passes for the same purse? I just do not see how this could work. The idea is there, but you just increased the cost to those teams with pit passes, crew cost, lodging, and everything else. The winged 410's that race both days at least are racing two separate programs.

You may have to buy 2 pit passes, but you also get to see the world of outlaws, which was very entertaining despite what our hard core inflexible non wingers might say. It's funny when I used to work at a track that was pretty much a local deal, they would occasionally bring in a big show and raise the back gate like a lot of tracks do. Well the regular support classes would belly ache about paying more but not getting any more back. But every damn one of them were watching the headline feature that night. Didn't even realize they got to watch a "special" and race too for 5 or ten dollars more

Re: eldora format change
 

get rid of wwo on Friday
Friday practice qualify heats
sat c b mains and features
sunday rain date makes the most sense too me
and if need be race woo on thurs

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Honstly with no sugar coat?

I had no problem with the format whatsoever other than the poor planning on starting it on time and the scheduled start time being late for a show like that anyway.

If they'd started racing at six, They'd of been done at 11-12 a majority would have seen the whole thing and stayed for it. Hotlap and qualify them puppies at one or two. work the heck out of it.and run it off. (Which they did) just late on all counts.

I was actually impressed with the track once they started racing. It held up, at least till deep in the All Star feature.. Just felt like maybe one or two more tractors and a couple more packers would have made that two hour prep time a lot quicker. It dragged on forever, I seen em get it worked in after a rain quicker than that before.

I kinda feel he used USAC to show off his all stars and pad the gate. It's ok, It's Eldora, The wings were pretty good.

Just a worlds greatest dirt track with second rate planning. I kinda over reacted in my initial post as to never coming back, But I was not pleased getting home after 4am. Even many campers bailed.

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one thing i saw that could of helped with the late show, park the crown cars up top, they would have only had to open the gate a couple times instead of all night long at 5 minutes or longer each time. since the crown cars didnt run heats it would of knocked at least an hour of the show. i understand the guys needing to get to cars and what not, just and idea?

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Personally got home at 7am. WITH THAT SAID - I am very blessed to be able to attend and see such great racing at such a historic track as Eldora (and all the other tracks in Indiana and surrounding states). I am not a promoter nor am I a track prep expert so I have NO opinion on those subjects. I just know that if I get home "late" from a few races a year I DON'T CARE, because I have heard many fans wish they had all this open wheel racing in their back yard. AND YES I HAD TO WORK SUNDAY. And if your left early and couldn't make it any longer you MISSED a heck of a driving show put on by Chris Windom and that team :31::22:. JMO quit your whining and enjoy the show.

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I've seen many more haulers in the pits including a couple years back 138 car Sprntacular. I think they were trying to keep the tall haulers off the back straight parking and they did a good job. Just feel that there were several small haulers on the front straight including vendors that could have made room for them and the got the rest in in the corners and still not block visuals.

Im not knocking this at all. I thought they did a good job keeping the track visable with what they have to work with. The only thing I'd change is fri haulers must be removed so they can park em by size saturday :) Move the vendors in front of he building or in the corner. The crews need stuff, They'll find the vendor :)

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Come to think of it I screwed up. If I had known how long track prep was gonna take, I could have spent my life savings on those simulators, had fun & bumped up the old adrenaline...
Work Sunday? Very impressive... how old are you? No way could I do that anymore
Glad you had fun

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I left Woodstock early too (seriously)
Got there in time for 1st act (Richie Havens) Friday afternoon, had a great time, slept in the mud thru most of The Who playing "Tommy", saw Jefferson Airplane at daybreak Sunday morning, left, utterly burnt out & satisfied. I had to start a new job that Monday...
Just learned that a gearhead buddy of mine was there also, stayed till the bitter end (Jimi Hendrix, Monday morning) Now I know 4 people who saw Hendrix there...
Sometimes "enough is enough"....

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The one problem with parking one whole division outside is it makes it really tough, if not impossible, for the guys pulling double, triple, or quadruple duty.

Of all the suggestions the one which makes most sense for everyone involved is to qualify early so the track can be reworked before heats begin. That way teams only have to be there one day. Average fans don't want to watch 140 cars qualify (whatever the number was). Hardcore fans do and they will show up early anyway. I couldn't make it this year but along with Smackdown this was always my favorite event. This event is always plagued by late completion so getting started early seems really important if you want to expand the fan base.

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It was never Fri, Sat, and Sunday. Always been Fri/Sat, or Sat/Sunday. Also, Page Jones' accident was on a Saturday night- I can clearly recall the accident. Been to 18 Four Crowns in a row plus a few more previous to that.

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Sorry but I was there that day in fact had just talked to Page a little before accident. Also they did run 3 days since the first year of 4-Crown plus I have photo albums and programs.

If doubt about Sunday racing and Page Jones accident which occurred 9/25/94 read this article from LA Times dated 9/27/94.

http://articles.latimes.com/1994-09-..._1_race-driver

Hopefully this will clear up your memory a little.

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At the rate they're going we'll end up having Sunday afternoon racing... They just start it Saturday afternoon!

What are you smokin? It started out with late model and silver crown prelims Friday night, sprint and midget prelims Saturday night and the features on Sunday afternoon. Watched Steve Kinser start last in Vogler's car and win the Silver Crown feature in a cloud of dust in bright daylight on either ESPN or ABC television. I still have the tape. I saw Page's crash in ESPN also in daylight. You've either got some really killer stuff or dementia. They did switch after Page's crash to Friday and Saturday night with qualifying and heats on Friday and B's and A's Saturday night. Under that format, not much purse would have to be paid Friday and the bigger crowd that would show up on Saturday would still see plenty of racing. I drove 7 hours each way one year for just the Saturday night races and thought it was perfect....so, of course they changed it!

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Chris said he been to 18 in a row it a shame he missed the ones that were the best when it was a 3 day event with ARCA running the stock car portion and then USAC open wheel.