Bettenhausen 100

mr nobody (Offline)
#61 8/24/12 5:22 AM

Originally Posted by ThrowbackRacingTeam:
You wouldn't know what prelims are like Jason cause you don't show up till feature time from what I hear!LOL. The point is, the real fans who attend these races are pissed because USAC has made 2 major rule change mistakes that have led to a great reduction in the show. And by the way, when they only started 18 as anyone can see in a Dick Wallen video, they didn't have roll cages or enclosed cockpits and they ran on the cushion for 100 miles most of the time! I'm sorry but it was much neater back then so maybe 18 was fine.

Sadly, the only cushion at Springfield was the one the guy was sitting on in the seat ahead of me. The track needs a massive redo like they did over at Jacksonville. Now that is how you do track work. Sadly there the horse people will not allow TE to do that.

---------- Post added at 4:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 4:20 AM ----------

Originally Posted by SC90:
Here's a bit of trivia for you. Just 10 short years ago, on August 17, 2002, the Bettenhausen 100 at Springfield had 17 cars in the Consi all trying to make the cut for the feature which was limited to 30 starters. So the Consi in 2002 was only one or two cars less than the whole field in 2012. Back then, the Consi's were a Who's Who of great drivers.

Just out of curiosity, I went through the entire results in 2002 to see the number of cars in the pits. Here is a sampling of some of the races held in 2002.

March 15-17, 2002, Phoenix International Raceway
Feature: 30 Cars Started
Consi: 24 cars in the Consi
A few names of drivers who didn't qualify for the feature: Brian Tyler, Jack Hewitt, Jimmy Kite, James Chesson, Cory Kruseman, Bentley Warren, Travis Rilat, Dan Drinan, etc.

Hoosier Hundred, May 24, 2002
Feature: 36 cars started

Pike's Peak, June 15-16, 2002
Feature: 30 cars started
Consi: 16 cars

DuQuoin, September 2, 2002
Feature: 30 cars started
Consi: 19 cars in the consi won by Brian Tyler

IRP, August 1, 2002
Feature: 31 cars started

Two Consi's: Consi #1 had 14 cars (Kasey Kahne won Consi #1 in the Zarounian #67) and Consi #2 had 13 cars (Tony Stewart won Consi #2 in the Foxco #56)

Consi #1: 1) Kasey Kahne, 2) Rich Tobias, 3) Tyler Walker, 4) Teddy Beach, 5) Coons, 6) Jeff Mitrisin, 7) Dane Carter, 8) Nick Lundgreen 9) Brad Armstrong 10) Tom Capie 11) Gary Penission, Jr 12) John Starks 13) Sammy Swindell 14) Eric Butze

Consi #2: 1) Tony Stewart 2) Jason McCord 3) Jay Drake 4) Gough 5) Jimmy Kite 6) Tony Elliott 7) Bentley Warren 8) Jason Fuller 9) Eric Gordon 10) Jimmy McCune 11) Johnny Parsons 12) David Bridges 13) Dan Drinan

These are the Consi's, folks! Not the feature. My own car started 20th and finished 8th in the feature which was won by Mike Bliss in the IWX #111. Does anyone remember the IWX #111 that night? That car was like it was on rails at IRP. Carl Edwards finished 6th in the feature in the Don Ott #95.

Thanks for dredging up a lot of really good memories with this info. I'd dearly love a return to these days.

Likes: SC90

500BOMBER (Offline)
#62 8/24/12 8:52 PM

Originally Posted by okie:
Steve enjoyed watching your run Sunday

Thanks for supporting the SC cars, okie. Very much appreciated. See ya at Duquoin!

mortboyz
#63 8/25/12 12:25 AM

With maybe the exception of Terre Haute and Eldora, the Champ Car tracks (miles) have been virtually the same for the past 25 years.
Nice during hots, so so for quals, and hard slick rubber in the groove for the most of the race. Big deal. It is what it is....for 100 miles.
So, the way I see it, other than the current debacle over the change in the fuel issue, the big reason you're seeing less cars is because the owners (longtime guys, and gals) have grown tired of putting out the expense of running these cars for the same purses, or less, than they did 10-15 years ago. For christ's sake everything has gone up from parts to travel expense to motors to tires, etc except the prize money. Kinda like bein at work. After a few years without a raise, most people are gonna get bitter and either find a new job or retire.
Hard to believe to me that such a unique faction of our sport can only muster $9000-$10000 winners share in 2012. But it takes marketing, fans in the stands, and owners willing to race for the love of the sport to pull it off.
I'm betting that if more owners felt they were getting a fair shake, there would be plenty of cars, and we know there are plenty of great drivers who wanna run these Champ Cars.
And then there are guys like me who don't wanna see em just become hot rods for sale on Ebay.......
I'll have another beer now

4 Likes: jdull99, Modocer 57, Mud Packer, Tom23

mr nobody (Offline)
#64 8/25/12 8:54 AM

Originally Posted by mortboyz:
With maybe the exception of Terre Haute and Eldora, the Champ Car tracks (miles) have been virtually the same for the past 25 years.
Nice during hots, so so for quals, and hard slick rubber in the groove for the most of the race. Big deal. It is what it is....for 100 miles.
So, the way I see it, other than the current debacle over the change in the fuel issue, the big reason you're seeing less cars is because the owners (longtime guys, and gals) have grown tired of putting out the expense of running these cars for the same purses, or less, than they did 10-15 years ago. For christ's sake everything has gone up from parts to travel expense to motors to tires, etc except the prize money. Kinda like bein at work. After a few years without a raise, most people are gonna get bitter and either find a new job or retire.
Hard to believe to me that such a unique faction of our sport can only muster $9000-$10000 winners share in 2012. But it takes marketing, fans in the stands, and owners willing to race for the love of the sport to pull it off.
I'm betting that if more owners felt they were getting a fair shake, there would be plenty of cars, and we know there are plenty of great drivers who wanna run these Champ Cars.
And then there are guys like me who don't wanna see em just become hot rods for sale on Ebay.......
I'll have another beer now

Totally agree mortboyz. Sargeant needs freedom to go in and rip the track up and relay the dirt. Jacksonville did this and the racing has been the best it has in years, many years at that. The dirt at the miles isn't able to be worked like it needs to be to make the racing better.

What happened to the USAC megatotor? The one they had at Springfield was smaller then the ones RW, 6R and TSR had and last year USAC's was equal to those. Is USAC falling on hard times and had to sell it or are they showing even more that the Silver Crown series is of no interest to them?

jmarsicano (Offline)
#65 8/25/12 6:02 PM

Stafford Springs was an awesome show, really enjoyed going up there. And thanks SC90 for the tires that night.

Max Revs (Offline)
#66 10/5/12 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by BrentTFunk:
How many were there for Stewart and Pastrana only? I stand corrected. How many cars showed up, and was it successful enough to have them back? Not being critical, hoping I am wrong.

Alot. PRA required the drivers show at a pre-race autograph session - right on the front straight. People were lined up down to turn 4 - carrying armfulls of Pastrana and Stewart stuff - evrything from posters to model cars & hats. Stands were packed.

PRA went out of business the next year, and so did the speedway in Lakeland. A return was not possible, and USAC did not come back w the Silver Crown series either. A mistake on their part, I believe.

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