[DirtTrackTherapy16J]

Maybe since it rained out, the rain will bring up some more rocks and they can get some more rocks out to make things safer. I haven't been there yet this year, talking about CC not TH, I was last year and thought it was nice and had great potential, only complaint I ever heard from anyone was the rocks which I'm partial to since I'm going blind in my right eye from a rock incident in my younger days at a track. Mother nature sucks most of the time, so far this year most local dirt racing a bust, crappie season a bust for the most part, mushroom season a bust for the most part, all the things I just mentioned being weather related, noones fault, just part of life and in the racing world we all pay for it, owners, promoters, track officials/employees, teams, fans, drivers, etc. Only people that win with a rainout are the whiney ass people making "noise complaint" calls.

[chrismattlin]

Originally Posted by BrentTFunk It is just my guess, but I would bet the reason the fair board ran Sargent out was to have more weekend races. For years the Hulman Classic was run on Saturday. Used to be on Wide World of Sports. Running during the week is really a pretty recent deal. Weekday dates are tough when school is in session.

Yep. This is exactly what I came to say. I heard that the fair board wasn't happy with the onslaught of weekday races, so they found a promoter who was able to operate the track on weekends.

This event is, historically, a weekend event. It was only a Wednesday event during the Track Enterprises era.

As far as the YouTube videos posted in the OP, Justin echoes my immediate sentiments when I heard about this on Monday morning: How can you be upset about something you knew about upfront and agreed to? It bogles the mind.

[ThrowbackRacingTeam]

To set the record straight, the Hulman Classic was traditionally a Sunday afternoon event. Hot laps at noon. It was the first weekend in May when practice started at Indy. Running on Sunday afternoon didn’t directly conflict with any weekly racing in Indiana and fans and cars would pack the place. Running at night on the weekend has already proven to be a bust at Terre Haute with bad car counts and attendance. That is why Track Enterprises moved most events to weekdays and it was successful for a number of years. I think it was a very bad decision by the fair board to try to do what they are doing. Sprint week is on a Wednesday and I’m sure they will make up some of their losses but if fans don’t support that one, I would suspect they will either go out of business or maybe try winged racing next year. Unfortunately, USAC racing just isn’t very popular anymore on the big tracks. Eldora won’t book them alone, Knoxville didn’t draw flies, Salem, Springfield and Du Quoin crowds are pathetic. Terre Haute had a niche on Weekdays and should stick to it.

[sw1911]

Originally Posted by ThrowbackRacingTeam To set the record straight, the Hulman Classic was traditionally a Sunday afternoon event. Hot laps at noon. It was the first weekend in May when practice started at Indy. Running on Sunday afternoon didn’t directly conflict with any weekly racing in Indiana and fans and cars would pack the place. Running at night on the weekend has already proven to be a bust at Terre Haute with bad car counts and attendance. That is why Track Enterprises moved most events to weekdays and it was successful for a number of years. I think it was a very bad decision by the fair board to try to do what they are doing. Sprint week is on a Wednesday and I’m sure they will make up some of their losses but if fans don’t support that one, I would suspect they will either go out of business or maybe try winged racing next year. Unfortunately, USAC racing just isn’t very popular anymore on the big tracks. Eldora won’t book them alone, Knoxville didn’t draw flies, Salem, Springfield and Du Quoin crowds are pathetic. Terre Haute had a niche on Weekdays and should stick to it.

I seem to recall a midweek MSCS race some years back where 13 cars showed up. Smoke pulled out a Jones backup car and drove around in last place to make it 14 cars.

[chrismattlin]

Originally Posted by ThrowbackRacingTeam That is why Track Enterprises moved most events to weekdays

I'm almost positive it was because they promote at other facilities on the weekends. Promoting THAT, for Track Enterprises, was icing on their cake; like a dinner club suddenly opening for lunch in an attempt to increase their business' revenue. Who could blame them, though?

[captrat]

Originally Posted by ThrowbackRacingTeam To set the record straight, the Hulman Classic was traditionally a Sunday afternoon event. Hot laps at noon. It was the first weekend in May when practice started at Indy. Running on Sunday afternoon didn’t directly conflict with any weekly racing in Indiana and fans and cars would pack the place. Running at night on the weekend has already proven to be a bust at Terre Haute with bad car counts and attendance. That is why Track Enterprises moved most events to weekdays and it was successful for a number of years. I think it was a very bad decision by the fair board to try to do what they are doing. Sprint week is on a Wednesday and I’m sure they will make up some of their losses but if fans don’t support that one, I would suspect they will either go out of business or maybe try winged racing next year. Unfortunately, USAC racing just isn’t very popular anymore on the big tracks. Eldora won’t book them alone, Knoxville didn’t draw flies, Salem, Springfield and Du Quoin crowds are pathetic. Terre Haute had a niche on Weekdays and should stick to it.

I was thinking originally it was 2 days. Friday qualifying,then the big Calcutta party to beef up the interest and purse. Saturday heat, semis, feature but all worked into Wide World of Sports live programming with the Kentucky Derby.

[Chief Wahoo]

So 4 days after he complains about streaming killing his business, he’s promoting what he was complaining about? Tweeting out watch it for free. I’m so confused

Scott Ronk
@scott_ronk
May 25
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to watch #Freeracing tonight….I am a fan also

[openwheelfan1]

Originally Posted by captrat I was thinking originally it was 2 days. Friday qualifying,then the big Calcutta party to beef up the interest and purse. Saturday heat, semis, feature but all worked into Wide World of Sports live programming with the Kentucky Derby.

You are correct. When the Hulman Classic was first introduced in 1971, it was a two day event…qualifications on Friday to set the fast 28 qualifiers, which in that era of USAC Sprint car events were the only ones that competed in the heats. Saturday was for the 4 heats, semi and 40 lap feature. I may be wrong, but I don’t think the big Calcutta party was introduced until 1972. The Hulman Classic remained a 2 day event until ABC quit televising the race live which I THINK ended with the 1980 Hulman Classic.