Looks like the Gold Crown is going away as Tri City releases it's schedule for '17. At least the Friday night Oct 6 portion is gone as Granite has a different show that weekend.

As of now the USAC schedules shows that weekend as TBA and Powri has that weekend open.

Would be nice to see the midgets at that historic and entertaining 1/5 mile bullring that has put on great midget racing in the past. 😉

Re: Oct 6-7 Midgets Weekend
 

This is one of our favorite weekends of the racing season:13: We chatted with the promoters after last years event and they were at a loss as to how to attract more participants. I haven't saw Tri-Cities schedule yet, but I'm still hoping that the Gold Crown will continue at Granite City.:22:

Re: Oct 6-7 Midgets Weekend
 

When the schedules came out at the beginning of the year i was hoping that, with the USAC sprints being TBA on the 6th and 7th, the May 19th show at Tri-City might be a bit of a trial run and if it went well, then have a USAC midget and sprint cars race that weekend at Tri-City. Obviously very wishful thinking but still.

Tri-City has been a frustrating track when it concerns open wheel racing and especially with events sanctioned by USAC. The 2-day show that got cancelled last year (which I never heard a good reason why btw) was a big let down. I was also hoping when the WAR East schedule came out recently, that maybe a Tri-City show or two might be on there, nope. Don't know if the promoters shy away from the track or if the track owners just don't really care about sprints and midgets enough to put any priority on them when it comes time to compile a schedule.

I fell in love with traditional sprint cars watching Daron Clayton drive the wheels off at the old half mile at Tri-City when I was a young punk. Hoping to see more wingless races there and hopefully the May 19th show goes well, it'll be the first time USAC has been at the restructured 3/8ths.

Re: Oct 6-7 Midgets Weekend
 

If you want to see midgets and sprints at Granite City, I suggest that attendance at the show this spring is a must. Lets show them that there is an audience for open-wheel shows at Granite City.

Re: Oct 6-7 Midgets Weekend
 

Totally agree. If we could get just a portion of the late model fans that show up for Lucas Oil shows it'd be great. The stands are packed for the $10,000 to win shows there. I just think most of them don't even consider it or even hear about it. Obviously i'm an open wheel fan first and foremost but there are some stock car shows i'll consider going to from time to time. Last year i only went to Belleclaire for the Summer Nationals. I'm a race fan first and foremost, i just want to see good racing. For some reason i feel like many LM and modified fans are not as interested in good racing, as much as going to see their racing of choice.

The fact that open wheel races at Tri-City get zero promotion doesn't help either. If was going to have a USAC show upcoming, you bet your a** i'd have a big banner at the track saying so and maybe an ad in the paper or two. It's not like the track is in a secluded area without any traffic. It's right off the highway...There are things they could do to add some hype. Granite is close enough to the St. Louis they could even promote on the other side of the river.

Re: Oct 6-7 Midgets Weekend
 

I think that you are way off base with this comment. Tri-City tried for many years to try to create premier midget event. The Gold Crown has just had some really bad luck. Rainouts, partial rainouts, POWRi scheduling against it, moving dates, car owners staying away..... It has had more misses than hits. The one year that I went with decent weather and great car counts, the race was incredible. It was the best races of the year.

At some point, the owners have to look at risk/reward. They have put themselves at risk plenty of times for the Gold Crown and the reward has yet to come. While I would be disappointed in the Gold Crown stopping, I would not be surprised. Tri-City has definitely put in the effort to make the Gold Crown a success.

Re: Oct 6-7 Midgets Weekend
 

I'm also disappointed that the Gold Crown is going away, but agree with Jonr, the Gundakers gave it a solid good try

Made it to every gold crown weekend that didn't rain out. Ate at local restaurants with locals who had no idea the track was racing that weekend. Same thing at gas station and liquor store. I read local papers and listened to local radio with no mention of USAC. If you bothered to attend, you knew the event was not a money maker in spite of good racing. I believe the event suffered from a lack of local promotion.
Now we are fortunate to have the Kokomo GP on the spring midget schedule. I know that I will be there. Will you? Or will you sit at a keyboard in April when you could be at a track? I sure hope midget racing doesn't loose another event.
See you in Ocala for some 410 fun!

Re: Oct 6-7 Midgets Weekend
 

It's funny every year of the Gold Crown I heard radio ads and saw billboards about the upcoming show. I also heard it announced at other local St Louis tracks. I saw purchased ads on Facebook even.

Of course you didn't see it in the St Louis Post Dispatch newspaper because unless it's St Louis Cardinal related you won't see much there. The paper has to keep the most arrogant fan base in sports updated year round because after all they are "the best fans in baseball" and that's the "Cardinal way".

I'm sure Revin Kevin would lease the track out to some of you that know what it would take to make the show profitable.
.

Bothered to attend? Interesting choice of words. I have never been to the gold crown but I sure would like to. I don't know about you, but I have only so much money and time to spend going to the race's. If it were just me, no wife (who don't like racing) no kids, no grandkids, and working 50 hours plus a week, I would go to a lot more races. I kinda take offense to those who criticize those of us who also have a life, as if we would prefer to read updates on our cell phones. That said, it does sound odd that local folks may not have known about it, but I would think those are oblivious to racing anyway. I agree that a promoter should promote, but if you're a race fan and have access to the Web, it's not real hard to find out what is going on