race length?
 

Without a lot of research, just sitting back thinking about things, I could swear back in the day most USAC sprint race's were 40 laps. Watching the WOO race's, it seems like they adjust race length depending on track size, which makes good sense to me. I wonder why USAC doesn't do the same? Seems like a race on a quarter ought to be at least 40 laps. What do you think?

Re: race length?
 

I'd imagine the folks to ask would be he ones paying for and or driving the cars.
I'm good with 30 lap races no matter track size, Sprint is included right in the cars name.

Re: race length?
 

Most for a long time from 56 to the late 60's early 70's were 25 or 30 laps. The 10 extra were added I believe around 1970 or so. Races went back to the 30 lap distance in the early 80's.

Re: race length?
 

You know what they say about opinions........

Yet I have one, Im fine with the 30 lappers. However I'd love to see it mixed up once in awhile, Maybe a 40 here and there. And some purses that are different now and then. I know Burg and Tri State have a couple 10k's, Kokomo has the Smack Down. But I'd love to see the Sprint Week purses raised at least to the PA Tour purses, Maybe up the tow money so some more teams are willing to travel here and not be totally busted by a missed A main.

I do however will never understand the 8 lap heats. If it isn't Terre Haute big, They need to be 10

The poster is right, I think WoO judges by track size. It kinda shocked me to learn that Knoxville reg show is 20 lap features now (Due to fuel) Used to be every WoO and All Star show's were 40 with some 50 lappers at times.


I only mention things because I care. I think switching things up now and then are the key's to keeping fans interested and interesting. I know Racers want as much predictable as possible but complacency is detrimental

I'd love to see a show that would be say. Two 25 lap heats, Top ten in each transfer lined up in finishing position (Odd/Even) for a 50 lap feature. Take 4 from a consi.

Re: race length?
 

I'm pretty happy with 25 laps. What I don't care for is 30 to 40 lap feature with the top 10 fastest cars starting up front. That's one of the biggest reasons I don't go to Winged races that have time trials.

Re: race length?
 

When I started going to usac races in the 70's most all features were 40 laps and they ran mostly half miles. Top 28 qualifiers made the show and the heats were 10 laps. Twin 50's at Eldora in October and next weekend twin 50's at Winchester to close out the season. I would like to see 40 laps on the qtr's. The smackdown final is 40.

Duel, you are right. I was just looking through a sprint car pictorial from 75 and most race's were 40, and like Charles said, plenty of variants, and like you mentioned, twin 50s and so forth. I started this thread not as a complaint, just as something to think about. I remember twin 33s at the indy mile, one where Pancho got in Lee Osborne's car, started on the back and won if I'm not mistaken. I know these days people keep up more with laps on a motor and expenses per race, but I think Chuck is right, some more variety might help things

Re: race length?
 

Triple 33's at Winchester one year or 2. Two 33 lap qualifiers and a 34 lap main. They promoted it as triple 33's. seemed like they had around 40 cars. lots of great pavement shows. I still can't believe they ran 500 lap races at Eldora. That must have been wild.

In the 60's, most USAC sprint features were 30 laps, with the occasional 50 lap and even 100 lap feature. USAC did not run events on tracks smaller than 1/2 mile during this time. In about 1970, the features became 40 laps again with the occasional 50 lap event or even duel 50 lap events as opposed to 100 laps. During the 1970's, USAC continued to limit events to track sizes of 1/2 mile or larger. In the 1960's and 1970's, USAC engines were limited to 305 c.i. for pushrod engines (SB Chevy) and 255 c. i. for OHC engines (4 cam Ford and Offy). In the early 80's, as pavement went away, USAC started running on tracks smaller than 1/2 m, and they increased the engine size to 377 c. i. Later in the 80's features were reduced back to 30 laps. In the early 90's, USAC increased the engine size to its current 410 c. i.

As I recall, the features were reduced in length due to 377 c. i. engines consuming more fuel making it difficult for cars to finish 40 lap races on the big 1/2 miles like Terre Haute. Also, about the same time USAC became less restrictive and many local racers and winged racers would attend races (remember, USAC ran some winged races in the middle 80's) and these cars had smaller tail tanks.

30 laps is a good number for sprint cars

Kinda funny, the engines are bigger, producing more HP and you would think that would translate to more fuel use, but they keep putting smaller tanks on them, and thus fuel stops come into play at times. I don't know what you think but I hate the thought of a fuel stop!

Re: race length?
 

My first sprint car race was a 100 lapper at Winchester. That said, I have no opinion in this matter. I'll leave it up to the people that buys the engines and pays the tire bill.

Re: race length?
 

The only sprint race with a fuel stop should be the Little 500

Re: race length?
 

There is no fuel stop, There are two mandatory pit stops and ules the track is under Red. Nothing Stops.

Re: race length?
 

You should not be able to make a stop that counts toward that minimum while laps are not counting.

I found it interesting that they did not count laps after a red until the green came back out. I forget who was leading, but they had not made a stop and had a lap on the field; pitted under the yellow after red with laps not counting... counted as his stop and he kept a lap on the field instead of it cycling back around. Free lap. Some how they still figured out how to lose the race though. Really grabbed defeat out of the jaws of victory.

Re: race length?
 

I don't like the the Hustler Sprint 50 at Tri-State is now just the Hustler. Went from 50 to 40 laps. 50 was unique for this race and was an added draw and it's lost that appeal for me because of losing 10 laps.
This year I think with sponsor money it is going to be at least $12,500 to win but still only 40 laps.
More money should be more laps. (Winged reference alert) Even though the Knoxville Nationals is now 50 laps, I still consider that a sprint race when you look at they are racing for $150,000. But it adds elements to the race, and the fans get more for their ticket dollar.

Re: race length?
 

I like longer races, but mixing things up I think is more challenging for the racers and more entertaining for the fans. Varying lengths as opposed to a standard length ads an extra element to the drama and excitement. JMO:6:

Yes, Knoxville is 50 laps, but they have a fuel and adjustment stop at "about" lap 25. So in reality it is twin 25's with only the last 25 paying.

I would like to see 30 to 40 lap features, but more than that, I'd like to see the purse go up. I'd be willing to pay a couple 2, or 3 dollars more for a ticket and see the pay out be spread out through out the field. I'm not talking about the world of outlaws, or the all stars, I'm talking about usac, mscs and other non wing races. If I'm correct they have been on the most part been running for 2,000 to win and 5,ooooto win for a long time. Put on a regular sprint car tank, run 40 laps on the quarter miles , 30 on the half miles, and charge me a few more bucks at the ticket window and give these non wing drivers, and car owners what they deserve. If I was a car owner and I knew it was going to cost me close to $1,000 to race a night, and it payed 2,000 to win. I think I would leave it in the trailer. How about some sunshine, so we can go racing!!!

Re: race length?
 

Not only does it add a extra element of drama and excitement it helps the overall racing. There are guys that are better in short races and guys that tend to be better in longer races. I'm a short race kinda guy, hell on wheels for a short distance, not so much in longer races. I know guys that are just the opposite. To me the racing suffers if you add laps to try to make all the races last the same duration.
Also IMHO if you have to take on fuel your no longer running a sprintcar race, you might be in a sprinter but you aint racing no sprintcar race. I'd call it more of a sprintcar spectacle.

Re: race length?
 

I guess I look at it this way. Sprint cars are meant to run sprint (shorter distances, balls to the walls) races. And if you want to see more laps with more strategic racing you go to a Champ Car (Silver Crown) race

Re: race length?
 

My first USAC sprint car race also was a 100 lapper, the Joe James-Pat O'Connor Memorial at Salem in October, 1967. I also saw my first USAC midget race that year as well, and it was a 100 lapper, the Hut Hundred at Terre Haute. If I remember correctly, Sonny Ates won at Salem, and Mel Kenyon at Terre Haute.

Re: race length?
 

I remember Haubstadt used to run 100 lap sprint and late model races I think one every other month with NO FUEL STOPS. Yes I know the engines now drink more fuel ,so the guys would have to put a 28 or 33 gal. fuel tank on in put of the midget tanks they run now. :8:

Re: race length?
 

"The Sprintcar Spectacle 50, 60, ...100", I like the sound of that.:8:

For all of you looking for something different....

They should run 20laps turning left...and then swap the RR and LR and run the last 20 turning right/backwards...that would sure make things interesting....

Re: race length?
 

Actually that would be pretty good ! Wouldn't work but pretty cool idea.

We did that in karts, as a once a year special, on dirt, only the last part of it was on a road course layout, funny how that caught on, had a lot that looked forward to it! Bob

Fyi...i was kidding...lol

I'm not! It turned out to be a blast! Bob