Originally Posted by Nate:
I have no problem with the way Kokomo runs things. The O'Connors run the track as they see fit and they do a G-R-E-A-T job in doing so. I cannot remember when I've left that facility in recent memory thinking, "man, that sucked".
[COLOR="Black"][SIZE="1"]Try to stay focused Nate, there's not a single comment on this thread saying Kokomo sucks....
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A month or so ago I went to a show there, it wasn't sanctioned by USAC, MSCS, WoO or anyone else. Just Kokomo running on a Sunday night. None of this "special" talk. The heats were fantastic and I already had my moneys worth right there. By 5 laps into the sprint car feature Sean Buckley (aka Jackslash) and I are looking at each other in disbelief at the racing we've just seen and we were only a handful of laps into a 25 lap feature. 3 wide all over the place and they would run like that for multiple laps. At the end KTJ pulled it out and only after he was up and over the cushion, bouncin' off the wall in the final laps battling with Shane Cottle. It was INSANE. Hell, even the stocks and hornets put on killer shows that night. If I remember correctly the hornets were racing so hard one even got upside down.
Great, so you saw a great weekly show at Kokomo, glad you and Buckley found us, welcome to the party... Ive seen many, thats why I want more weekly racing and hate to see the track sit idle on Sundays...I've seen Bob Kinser beat Steve on Sundays years ago, I've seen Ed Angle, Van Gurley, Barrel Fisher, Terry Shepard, Tony Elliott and DD running as teens, Derek Davidson, I've seen Ricky Hood win 11 features in a summer, heck, I've even seen John Mapes bounce it off the grainery, I've seen Jeff Walker and Tom Chalk race sprints there, I watched Phil Poor as a week to week mechanic helping teams learn set ups, I watched Butler learn to drive there, watched as Alan Barr won features carrying the LF all the way, I've sat thru feature delays under Lipkey as the lights exploded routinely and rained glass upon the track......ever hear of any of these guys?....... So I feel I have every right to have an opinion about Kokomo.....
But for all those folks complaining about them not running weekly shows, where were you? You may have been there, you may have not. But the stands were not close to full. It was only 12 bucks to get in that night and if you had a kid 10 and under it was free (as always). It was the same story last Sunday when Josh Hodges raced the wheels off his sprint to get by Jerry Coons Jr. to get the win. Weather was great and again it was only $12. So where was everyone?
You will never have a standing room only crowd week to week, but again this track does have plenty of local support and you have no idea how many it takes break even or make a profit for that matter....
People are quick to complain about tracks not running as many shows as they use to. But why should they? When Gas City was racing every Friday night I used to get out of classes as an underclassman in college in Fort Wayne, scamper home, feed my dog, change clothes and hurry down. Sad part was even though there were 30 sprints plus mods and whatever else was running that night...the stands would be more than half empty. Weekly show, wasn't expensive. And if I'd have thought it was expensive I wouldn't have gone, and at the time I was a sophomore in college working a minimum wage job, broke as hell. But what money I did have I felt was more well spent at a track than getting liquored up at a watering hole. So if I could make that one work...we'll just leave it at that.
Congrats on being a good fan, when I was in college I was racing in the summer, pouring every penny and oz of energy into it, dragging an open trailer across Indiana, getting home at 3am to get to work by 8am....you probably saw me running a few features at Gas City about that time....so your 12 dollar contribution may have been awesome to you, but there are folks out there with much more skin in the game...but thats not what this post is about.
I'm not in everyone's shoes. I understand everyone's schedules are different, I understand that people have different incomes. I get it. But quit complaining. Please, it gets old.
And in all honesty I don't know why people are complaining that a track doesn't run weekly shows but can't afford to go to a "special" show. I mean lets do the math. Kokomo didn't run last night. You saved $12. So that should mean when Indiana Sprint Week comes to town next Saturday and you have an extra $12 bucks in the "race fund jar". Admission for that one is $25.
I go to all of them...this aint about me.
$12 you saved from no weekly show this Sunday + $12 you'd be spending if Indiana Sprint Week was a routine show = $24.
You're only down $1 and if you're that hard up for 4 extra quarters come see me prior to the race, I'll be in the RV lot somewhere drinking Keystone Light. I'll gladly give you a buck if you're that dedicated and just want to see good racing.
I dont need your dollar...in fact I bet I've given more money to racers than you've spent at race tracks over the years...ever give somebody a hundred bucks after they cut a tire in the feature? Try it sometime, it is soo liberating....I appreciate your defense of Kokomo, but I still say Id like to see regular Sunday shows in addition to specials...
$4 you saved from buying Keystones plus $4 you saved by sitting at home and you could buy yourself a couple more racing stickers....If your that hard up for a beer come to the backstretch and we will give you a real beer AND a history lesson.