Eldora to Butler

Stevensville Mike · 6/26/16, 2:42 AM

I've heard it said many a time that fans have left race tracks and decided to drive by Butler Speedway to try and catch the Sprint Feature due to their lack of timeliness.

Well, tonight I was at Eldora with friends watching the last race of Ohio Sprint Speedweek. Jac Haudenschild was incredible in winning. As he crossed the line I looked at my watch: 9:30 p.m. We had separate cars. I drove alone. I am going to give it a try!

Got in my free car (a story for another day) and headed North. Doing the speed limit..... well.... maybe 5 mph over here and 5 mph over there...... I rolled into the parking lot at Butler Speedway at 11:35 p.m. I could here sprinters on the track. I slinked on in with my Eldora wristband and grabbed a seat just in time for a restart. Doug Zimmerman was leading.

11 laps later the checkered waved for Doug, a Butler icon.

So.... thanks to Butler FINALLY speeding up a show, it bit me. Where was the usual half hour of stall time when I needed it? What? Did they finally run out of modifieds to stop the show like intermittant power outages during a thunderstorm? No. They HAD to be timely tonight. The blind squirrel FINALLY found an acorn!

I can still claim I saw the Feature at Butler after leaving Eldora, though. Well.... maybe with an asterisk. Now I know how Roger Maris felt.

Should have went 10 mph over for awhile.....

ThrowbackRacingTeam · 6/26/16, 7:53 AM

You don't deserve it only going 5mph over! Lol

MIracing · 6/26/16, 8:53 AM

I heard they also did some track prep (not just water) before features? They were in pace to be done even sooner.

Hopefully this is a trend in their direction. How did the track look for the laps you saw Mike?

Charles Nungester · 6/26/16, 10:39 AM

Was talking with a Butler veteran all night at Waynesfield, He said he'd probably be home from there before Butler started its feature

fish · 6/26/16, 12:09 PM

At least now I know I'm not the only one crazy enough to pull that off.

Stevensville Mike · 6/26/16, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MIracing

How did the track look for the laps you saw Mike?

It wasn't all that bad. About the usual from over the years, I would say. Dust, of course. But then again, I was sitting only about 4-5 rows up.

beaner · 6/26/16, 4:35 PM

Heard both drivers and fans had positive comments on the track surface and a better run program. Some areas in Michigan are in worse drought in 16 years per local weather reports. I know I have seen complaints-concerns on dusty and track conditions from Eldora, Millstream, Plymouth,IN along with Butler on All-Star night. I think some good mid-week rain each week would go a long way in helping all the track conditions out there.

Can26 · 6/26/16, 5:10 PM

Maybe, just maybe all the web based complaints that the tracks hate so much are starting to hit home... Just saying.

Rich Mersereau · 6/26/16, 9:00 PM

Mike -- Love the effort, you are a true race fan with an incurable disease. see you soon.

Rich M

Stevensville Mike · 6/26/16, 9:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Can26

Maybe, just maybe all the web based complaints that the tracks hate so much are starting to hit home... Just saying.

I actually think THAT, combined with TJ Slideways's hammering of Butler on his site, has gotten some attention. TJ swings a big sicle up this way fir us fans. The "weeds" better duck right about now.

I hate bashing Butler for it is the only track up here in the Spartan State that runs sprints weekly. I actually like the joint. But good god.... they have been going out of their WAY this year to show incompetence.

Long Summer and long life to go. I am trying to pace myself.

Back to the speed limit and not 5-10 mph over.....