NW Nationals
 

What if you could get owners / promoters at:

Kokomo
Put
Haubstadt

to agree to rotate an annual 2-3 day event? Say it's every year, the second weekend in July. If it's not your year, you don't run that weekend but support the NW Nationals.

One, perhaps it's a pipe dream to get those three tracks to support something like this.

Two, there's still a ton of other tracks that could run that weekend in Indiana or nearby states and hurt the car count.

What do you think?

Been a few years back but I remember in the fall terre haute had a nationals with wing 410,360 I think and non wing and a couple other classes place was always over flowing with cars in all classes for that!

Re: NW Nationals
 

If i remember correctly was called the dirt nationals and only sprint cars four classes 410 woo wing and unsanctioned on the non wing & 360 wing and non wing general admission was 18.00 a night over a 160 cars signed in and was some late night racing.

Re: NW Nationals
 

We could call it something like say ... The Smackdown

Tried it at Terre Haute 20 years ago. Plenty of cars, not enough fans. The Smackdown seems to be doing well and has the perfect weekend. Sprint week already occupies July along with the big show in South Dakota. There really isn’t room for anymore.

I love me some Smackdown!! My favorite show, so looking forward to it and the people we see yearly. 🍺

Re: NW Nationals
 

I would like to see a big 2-day show in the summer at the big E. Without a wing support class. It's a place that has the money to pull it off. If I were a wealthy person I would help the purse and promotion. For now, there is plenty of good sprint racing in the summer everywhere. Just that it only lasts about 5 months.

Re: NW Nationals
 

Putnamville already has a 2 day show in July. Throw in SprintWeek and its a pretty crowded month already.

Re: NW Nationals
 

Did you race at the I55 US Dirt Nationals?

Re: NW Nationals
 

That would be nice, Love Eldora but the only draw back is the track prep. last time they had a nice track the WOO wouldnt run on it. Well maybe someday.

Re: NW Nationals
 

Yes I did. Won the sprint car dash.

Re: NW Nationals
 

Thats a great event, but how many California guys show up?
My thought would be further West, to get WAR & Cali teams
They might not show up there either without a big purse, who knows? :31:

Re: NW Nationals
 

Thing is if you get a couple hundred miles from Indiana you lose the biggest part of your fan base.

A great track in middle of country for a true east/west race would be Lawton Speedway in Oklahoma.

Lakeside or I-70

Granite City would be ideal!

Re: NW Nationals
 

If shorter is better then why not Mighty Macon!

Re: NW Nationals
 

I could have been Fairgrounds Speedway in Oklahoma City! In the 80s and 90s, we hosted USAC/CRA challenges, USAC Silver Crown/NCRA Champ Dirt challenges... It was amazing. The competition was unreal. The attendance was fantastic. Big half mile track or the (full) quarter-mile track (none of this 1/4 mile around the fence stuff) with a huge covered concrete grandstands, pit space galore, free parking, camping, and all of it in town, just blocks away from two interstates, and only a couple of miles from the airport. Those were glorious times.

BUT... it was more important to bulldoze it and pave over it for horse trailers to sit on. :deadhorse:

Re: NW Nationals
 

The fire Department shut down ticket sales at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City for the Ron Shuman Classic.

It was standing room only every year.

Re: NW Nationals
 

I know I followed the midwest USAC vs CRA deal for years however it's no longer 1990 and USAC/CRA is a shadow of it's past. Lakeside was the least exciting track they raced at through the years of the tour

USAC/CRA sometimes struggles to get enough cars for a full a-main at their home track of Perris. They lost Brody Roa to wings this year and Demon is seriously considering retirement. They would struggle to get more than five left coast teams to travel to midwest.

Re: NW Nationals
 

It's no longer 2004 anymore, either. And USAC/CRA is a shadow of even the SCRA. :(

Re: NW Nationals
 

I don't think it has been the same then Ascot died. Never has been any steady influx of new people since.

Re: NW Nationals
 

Nationals and Classic are two of the most overused, overhyped words to describe a racing event.

I agree, so much so that they have lost any meaningful impact.

Re: NW Nationals
 

Perfect, in the running for post of the year. That's why Earl Baltes was the best he hardly ever used those two words for big races.