[ISF]

This fiasco at Joliet has left a very bad impression on a lot of the crowd. Hot laps were at least an hour and a half past the advertised start time and to our knowledge there was no rain or adverse weather to blame for that.

The stands were starting to empty out a around 10 PM when it was painfully evident that this train wreck was going to hold us all hostage until well into the wee morning hours. By the time we gave up and headed home what had been a very, very good crowd had dwindled to less than 1/3 of it's original size. We gave up at midnight. There had been no racing activity for at least 20 minutes and there was a least 3 races left to be run including both A-mains!

It's best to never say never, but I suggest they take an extended and longing look at the $50.00 I plunked down for admission of myself and my wife and the $35.00 we spent on grossly overpriced concessions. It may well be the last of our cash the promoter ever sucks out of our pockets and I don't take that sentiment lightly!

[axman775]

One of the worst ran shows I have ever attended. With hot laps supposedly starting at 6:45-7, heat racing did not start until 9 pm. So much downtime and why didn't the midgets run first after the All-Star b-main? I want to support a dirt track close to my house, but this was not acceptable. I live 60 miles away and left after the first red of All-Star feature. I was able to watch the last few laps of midget feature on flow. I like the midgets at Route 66, but will think long and hard before attending again.

[sprintcarjim]

I agree with isf, and axman. Stayed till the end. 2 hour drive home. Pulled into my driveway at 3:40 am. Won't be back. Should have went to putnamville. Lesson learned!!!!!!

[Rpracing1]

If Track operators and promoters want to survive, they have to find a way to end these shows that linger on until the wee hours of the morning.

[Charles Nungester]

Well it's the second time for ALL Stars in just over a week. Atomic didn't start racing till 920 and the rest of the show was cancelled a hour later.

[hoosier race fan]

Originally Posted by ISF This fiasco at Joliet has left a very bad impression on a lot of the crowd. Hot laps were at least an hour and a half past the advertised start time and to our knowledge there was no rain or adverse weather to blame for that. The stands were starting to empty out a around 10 PM when it was painfully evident that this train wreck was going to hold us all hostage until well into the wee morning hours. By the time we gave up and headed home what had been a very, very good crowd had dwindled to less than 1/3 of it's original size. We gave up at midnight. There had been no racing activity for at least 20 minutes and there was a least 3 races left to be run including both A-mains! It's best to never say never, but I suggest they take an extended and longing look at the $50.00 I plunked down for admission of myself and my wife and the $35.00 we spent on grossly overpriced concessions. It may well be the last of our cash the promoter ever sucks out of our pockets and I don't take that sentiment lightly!

What you described is almost exactly what I experienced at that track at the Summer Nationals race one year ago. They never communicated any reason for a delay and the first car for hotlaps rolled out an hour and 50 minutes after the advertised time for the beginning of heat races. I sat through over 3 hours of track prep and “entertainment” to see a total of 7 heat races (3 LM, 2 Mod, 2 stocks) and 1 feature. I left at 12:30 (central time) and didn’t even watch the feature for the other 2 classes. Pulled in the garage at home at 3:30 eastern. They had a very good crowd, most of which left before the first heat race even hit the track. Overpriced food, terrible communication, and low quality racing made me decide that I would say “never again.”

[miledirt]

Agree

You could get away with this maybe 15, 20 years ago, but new and newer fans won’t put up with it. Believe me, I’ve been burnt too many times taking new fans to a race only to hear them say something like, “yeah this is cool and all but is it always this long?”

[dsc1600]

It’s a shame that track is so poorly run. They almost look at dirt track racing and having the track as a nuisance. It’s sad because the crowds they get there (before everyone leaves) are not much less than the pathetic crowds they get at Chicagoland for Cup.

[ossuks]

Boy, we are not happy , but , what about the " you should feel it a privilege to spend your money and get to be at the track", "do not complain you are lucky to get to see such quality shows", "it is people like you that cause tracks to close" ect.... Just saying as the frog looks out the window!!

[Jonr]

This is why curfews are good. You never see a track with a curfew start late. They know that they have to get the shows in.