I’m with Jen in that each event had unique wow factors so my thoughts ranking top
to bottom would probably change by the hour.
My pick for LPS as the best race is based on 1) DD putting on a “slick with a lip” clinic and breaking an old record. 2) battles 20 spots down the line,especially when AJ Hopkins was involved. 3) created the first ISW thread involving on track action; not track prep.
Plymouth. It’s the only one I made in person. And was amazed it even got done. Hats off to USAC and Plymouth Speedway for getting it in. I’ll bet folks don’t complain about having them on the ISW schedule next year.
I already said I thought Haubstadt. But I had a blast at every track hanging out with my racing family, and making new friends, talked with a couple of lady Kiwis at THAT and every race after that which I enjoyed chatting with new people. Already counting the days till next Sprint Week
Parnelli won the first race I ever saw at THAT. The racing surface is ridiculous. The idea that it must be dusty does not hold water. Speculating that it may be the result of absentee promotion versus the Don Smith era.
We went to six and they were all interesting in one aspect or another but Haubstadt was by far the best of the bunch. The heat racing especially was spectacular!!! Feature was good and it was interesting watching Mario Clouser pass Windom to unlap himself and Darland's passes for second and first. Critter Malone also put on a show in both the C & B mains. After Haubstadt I have to go with Kokomo, Lawrenceburg, Lincoln Park, Terre Haute (who have been much higher as racing was very good but dust was very bad - made it difficult to watch) and Bloomington. Surfaces at Lincoln Park and Bloomington were black slick from top to bottom and we don't understand why neither reworks the surface between maybe the C's and B's or B and A mains. Both tracks are small enough to accomplish this in a half hour and would make for better racing in the main events. Overall as usual a very enjoyable experience and getting to see many friends during the week makes it even more special. Ones from the East and West and also our newest friends here at IOW. This is a great race site with many great people that contribute to it.
I missed Haubstadt due to a work commitment, so I can only comment on the 6 races I saw.
1 Plymouth Rain helped give Plymouth the best surface I have ever seen there. Every part of the evening was good. USAC did a great job with hot laps delayed until 7:45, and another rain delay, the feature was complete by 10:45. Just in time to beat the rain that would have washed out the program.
2 Lawrenceburg/ Kokomo The rain that helped Plymouth reeked havoc on track crews preparing the next 2 shows. Lawrenceburg was very rough early, but hard work by the crew had a racy track at feature time. It rained in Kokomo for three straight days before their Tuesday make up. Track was Haubstadt fast, but required extra work to bring in the top groove for the feature. A lot of fast cars in the back made for wild mid pack battles. 4 Terre Haute A pretty good race, even though severe dust on the front stretch made it very hard for people to see it. When Terre Haute gets the dust on the front stretch solved it is a very exciting place.
5 Lincoln Park Putnamville had an excellent surface for the heat races, but by the end of the B was black from top to bottom. Cautions and a super slow surface kept winner Dave Darland from catching lap traffic. 6 Bloomington With only hornets on the card with sprints, I had high hopes for the surface to hold up. Black streaks in the track showed during hot laps, and side by side racing was no where to be found by feature time. The show was very efficient, as I was home by 12:45.
