[racegal]

I had a fantastic time! Not much I would have changed!
PS The mustache shaving was for charity and Stanbrough was a great sport!!
(Although it may have set him off balance causing him to spin in the feature!) Not funny, I know!

[captrat]

Originally Posted by Jonr I am also one of the fans that hate drivers intros. I would rather just start the show earlier. However, I would rather watch driver intros than watching a pill draw on the front stretch. Pill draws should be done at the pit shack. Nothing entertaining about it. Posted via Mobile Device

You may hate the intros and I assume you know nearly every driver by name and face. However, but as a person who is very concerned about cultivating a growing fan base I feel nothing is more important than providing the potential new fan with more info. about the racing and the personalities involved.

[BrentTFunk]

Originally Posted by walkez Always thought Kokomo while a great track seems to really drag out the shows with track prep. Don't think it's as bad during normal shows though.

I have been a lot of places that drag things out more. I thought the quality of the racing was fine.

[captrat]

Originally Posted by TommyBahama Unfortunately I missed the first two nights of Smackdown. Lot of downtime here at night 3, it's 9:30 and they've run 3 heats and a Bmain, plus the King Of The Hill races. I love this track, the racing is second to none, but I also love the quick shows. A long drive home, almost 3 hours, makes all this screwing around frustrating. I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but I just wish they would run the damn race and quit shaving mustaches and skip the intros. Maybe I'll come to the first two nights next year and skip Saturday Posted via Mobile Device

For those who do not enjoy a small bit of promotion and pageantry: I would suggest SCCA amateur club racing. No one there except the participants and their families!

[Charles Nungester]

The same people who would complain about making a big deal and doing some extra stuff are the same people who would complain about no big paying races. You can't please em. If it'd been over at ten, It would have still been DRUG OUT. 11pm???????? Sour Grapes if you ask me. Kokomo's a 3.5hr drive for me. Done it many times and they turn the track around quick and usually run it off quick, I don't think 11pm is something to complain about.

Did about ten Kings Royals and Big Ones and I don't think once we left before 1am.

I too think announcers should call the show, compliment the show. BUT NEVER ACT LIKE THEY ARE THE SHOW!. Little buffer music for the races are fine but quiet or low volume music on downtime is a way for fans to have fun with each other. If we want music, There's plenty of bars and disco's to hit. We're at Race Tracks, MOTORS ARE MUSIC! the same old music over and over is just NOISE!

[DICNJAN]

We remember years ago ..we would get out of there at 1 am ..on a sunday nite for a regular show
and loved it ....now we are home before 10 pm just about every sunday nite they run...
How ever they do it ..someone is going to complain..that is just the the way people live now
great 3 day show ...friday nite was the best of the best .

[Danny Burton]

Tommy, your opinions are valid whether people agree or not. But here are some observations.

I'll assume you knew that the Saturday race prgram would be drawn out a bit. It's up to us to know, or have an idea, about what's in store on a given night.

If you know there'll be downtime, try and plan accordingly. Visit with people in the bleachers, or at the picnic tables, or the parking lot or even the pits. The pits are crawling with drivers who are friendly. A few, unnamed of course, will talk your ear off. You'll love it. Jerry Spencer alone is good for a 10 minute monolog before he even has to catch his breath. No, really. Jerry and a lot of other guys there are as friendly as the day is long. Hoosier hospitality at its best.

Take a child. Brent, among others, has said that they are the future in this sport; it surely isn't us. You may get lucky like me and have a grandson who is simply crazy about sprint car racing. Name the track and if he's there, it's his favorite track. The same is true with drivers.

If you're an introvert (and I've tested out as an introvert) take a book and read. There was downtime Friday and I found some shade and read a book while I devoured a pork chop sandwich.

If you have a smartphone (I don't and won't....at least not for awhile), there is plenty of entertainment there.

There are alternatives, Tommy. Your concerns are legitimate. I understand the frustrations of hard core fans and I think that includes me too. But promoters will tell you that they want and need to get the casual fans in there--and keep them. School bus rides, shaving a guy's face (for charity), tossing t-shirts into the crowd, re-draws, all these things are aimed at getting and keeping new fans. It's a "cross" the rest of us will have to bear. Because none of us want, or should want, to consider the alternatives to an all-racing and no promoting concept. It simply won't work.

You're welcome to seek me, among others, out for some semi-intelligent conversation--well maybe not semi. I'm often found with that kid that helped Mr. Quinn on Sunday night. The picture taken at the Mark Hery pit was snapped just past midnight. Thankfully Mark and the guys were parked nearest the pit gate. He will be glad to tell you who the drivers are. And as Tom Brenner will tell you, he won't turn down a package of Skittles either.

[RacingGirl10]

Posted via Mobile Device

[openwheelKT]

This was a special event, especially the last night. So a little more down time than normal was OK with me.

In a couple more months, I'll wish I was at a race track waiting for the feature to start.

[TommyBahama]

Thanks for all the opinions, and especially those of you who kept it cordial. I went to both Saturday night Smackdowns so far, bought the $40 pit pass, I always buy a pit pass at every event i attend, and usually have my son and maybe one of his friends, and buy pit passes for everyone.

I've come to the conclusion the Saturday night show is not for me, I'll catch either Thursday or Friday, or maybe both. I want to see everyone in heat races, locking in the top 8 takes some of the excitement from the night, especially if that's the only night you can be there. The King Of The Hill races to me were for the most part average, two cars for three laps. I don't like them at McCarl's event either.

I go to Florida in February, Knoxville for at least a week in August and catch as much Gas City, Lawrenceburg and Kokomo as possible in addition to Eldora, Waynesfield, Attica or Fremont. I'm usually at a race at least two of the three nights on a weekend. All the screwing around and disorganization is getting old. I just haven't found something that I enjoy more than racing, but when I do, who knows I may not go back.

This is a great event and I LOVE KOKOMO SPEEDWAY, so I'm not trying to be negative. My point was 3 heats a B and A main to take that long makes for a frustrating night and honestly no reason for me to be driving on back roads in Ohio at 1am. There's no easy way to Kokomo from where I live, it's a hard 2 1/2 to 3 hrs on back roads. Again, this is why I love the way they run their regular shows, I can go there with confidence knowing barring something very unusual I'm getting home at a reasonable time while seeing a great show.

Posted via Mobile Device