[DAD]

What makes them Go Karts stick together like those little Magnetic Dogs we used to play with when we were kids? Seems like when they got tangled up it took 4 or 5 track worker several minutes to pull them apart.

What ever happened to berm makers. If the race is indoors (it is not going to rain) why not raise the infield 6 or 8 inches higher than the track. Then drivers could use that 6" berm as a tool to race harder. When they make it a foot or so high it becomes a race car trap, and it is a hard job getting the car back off of it. If they want to make a trap then move in 5 or 6 feet more and then put in the trap, Drivers tend to use as much of the race track as they can.

CO isn't what makes your eyes burn, that burning comes from the presence of formaldehyde that is a by product from the burning of Methanol in an over rich mixture.

Honest Dad himself

[flagboy55]

I too applaud the idea, but unless I missed something, this was not a charity event. Yeah the costs I'm sure we're monumental, but a hell of a lot of tickets were sold. Maybe they didn't make a dime, maybe they lost money, but I'm sure the intention was to make some. I agree with Brent, it was probably the biggest crowd for a midget race in some time, and the cheapest seats were $20 I believe, so the cash register was ringing. The moment I saw the track, I knew it wasn't going to work, and if you are honest with yourself, I'm sure a lot of you felt like the same way. As far as fumes I agree also with many of you that some communication of why there's a stoppage would have gone a long way to helping everyone understand that it was intended for everyone's well being. That said, I'm sure a lot of you remember the old days at Fort Wayne. It had to be 20 times worse! All in all, it was good to see and talk to some of my racing buddies, but I wish I would have went to work instead

[Eric Smith]

Here are the thoughts from someone who has never promoted a race, and had never attended an indoor dirt race before last night. Another words, a clueless person, totally unqualified to offer input, but willing to tactfully do so anyways.

I was pretty excited to go, and am very appreciative someone took the time and effort to put the event together. I think it was marketed fantastically. I was amazed at the distance many of these guys were coming from to race, and all of the internet buzz for weeks and weeks before it.

I was worried that they'd never get the walls and fence in place and the dirt down in time. I was worried the track would never last and it would essentially turn into a floor race with dirt around it. I was worried about the ventilation (been to Ft Wayne twice), but admittedly knew nothing about the facility. I was also concerned about the published schedule that made it appear that hot laps would be ran before the doors opened.

We got there and it took forever to get in. Emptying everyone's pockets and searching everyone, and everyone going through metal detectors is ridiculous. Those were race people going to a race. Not basketball people going to basketball. The difference is pretty easy to tell, and facility staff should be smart enough to know the difference. If that is going to be the procedure, fine, but open the doors many hours earlier, so everyone can get in who wants to before cars hit the track.

As we were going to our seats, I saw all of the doors open and big exhaust fans blowing. Thankfully, it was 70 degrees and all of the doors could be open and that might eliminate my aforementioned air quality concern.

I first saw the track thinking wow it's small, but looked really good. The whole inside of the arena looked great, including everything related to the track.

They were hot lapping/qualifying the midgets when we finally made it in. Then I got to see how dry it was, and could tell that there was no way a cushion would develop. That meant move someone or not pass anyone for the night. As the cars played huggy pole, my concerns about the longevity of the dirt appeared to be unfounded. Next time water, water, water.

Once the races started, it became very apparent that a spin rule would be a necessity. Once I found out that the cars got no track time aside from the few hot/qualifying laps, it kind of made sense. It's never been a track and no one had ever seen/driven it before. Next time allow the cars more track time to get used to it, and have a caution rule.

I realize these last two items were significantly restricted due to the time frame the crew had to work with as far as getting it from basketball to dirt track.

Given the size and quantity of screens in the arena, I think qualifying times, race lineups, running orders, lap counts, etc, should have been somewhere for us to see.

The water truck came out and drove around WAY outside the racing groove and sprayed water out from there. None of that water was ever even close to where any car had driven all night. Next time, water the racing surface, not the wall (literally) and things through the fence over top of the wall (literally).

Car after car after car after car.... tried to run over top of the berm and spun out. Next time no berm, but place something there that would deter cars from doing that. I hate tires with a passion, but we were asking for tires last night. It also looked like the track would have been much better if the turns would have been moved out about 15 feet on both ends. There was tons of room on both corners that cars never went near.

No one understood the track prep during the midget heats. Now we know that it was due to the CO levels. Next time, just be honest about it.

Many of us got excited when we saw them farming the track during the first CO break. We assumed there would be a whole bunch of water put on the turned dirt and ran in a bit. We were thinking moisture in the track and that loose, moist dirt was going to start making a cushion, creating multiple grooves. But when the water truck came out, the water was once again sprayed minimally and in completely irrelevant places. It did a great job of killing time to improve air quality, but actually made the racing worse, since the tiller furrows were very rough, since it didn't get watered and ran in.

Last night was the first time I've ever left a race before it finished. I'm not trying to be negative nancy about the whole event. Like I said, I was pretty excited to go, and am very thankful someone had the vision to have it. It was mid December, and I was watching dirt track racing. It was my first time to PRI, first time to downtown Indy, and first time to that building. All are amazing, and I hope the even is able to continue. I assume the promoters are pretty smart people, so (assuming they get another chance) hopefully they will assess the (hopefully) constructive criticism and everyone can work together to make it bigger and better going forward.

For whatever it's worth,

Some anonymous internet hero living in his mom's basement....

[racefan20]

Originally Posted by Eric Smith We got there and it took forever to get in. Emptying everyone's pockets and searching everyone, and everyone going through metal detectors is ridiculous. Those were race people going to a race. Not basketball people going to basketball. The difference is pretty easy to tell, and facility staff should be smart enough to know the difference. If that is going to be the procedure, fine, but open the doors many hours earlier, so everyone can get in who wants to before cars hit the track.

Really???? Its the world we live in today. I think you veered into pretty dangerous territory with that comment

[DICNJAN]

From were we set ..that track looked great...all them guys were looking forward to taking home that same big check......they all had the same idea ..get to the front as soon as possible...there was a lot of crashes lots of spins..it is December we got to see a race... glad we was able to be there...AND IT WAS WARM....

[Sandy Lowe]

Originally Posted by Eric Smith We got there and it took forever to get in. Emptying everyone's pockets and searching everyone, and everyone going through metal detectors is ridiculous.

From what I experienced the slowness of everyone entering the arena was mostly on us, the fans.

There were signs placed outside in the plaza area where everyone was standing in line telling you what to do to go through security, what you couldn't bring in, etc. I saw someone try to bring in a pocketknife and completely stop the line for a few minutes trying to keep his knife. It clearly said no knives on the sign.

I saw others completely empty their pockets of every random item once they got up to the metal detectors (even things like hard candy that they could have kept in their pocket) slowing the line both before and after they went thru the metal detector.

It should have taken everyone 10 seconds or less to pass thru security. Have your keys and phone in your hand before you get to the metal detector, drop them in the basket, walk thru the metal detector, pick up your keys and phone and be on your way.

Nice post on the event. Not a gripe post but actually some good constructive criticism.

[BLASTER1]

Originally Posted by racefan20 Really???? Its the world we live in today. I think you veered into pretty dangerous territory with that comment

Rott Roll.... Here goes the "race" card!!!

[throb]

Originally Posted by Crankin You know it must have been a bad deal when someone actually says "check your boogers"!

with the entire 5 minutes you spent there you have nothing to worry about...lol!

[Eric Smith]

I agree. I just did exactly what the sign showed (took phone out of pocket and left wallet and coins in pocket) and walked on through. Dude handed me my phone back and I kept going. Never even stopped walking. So you're right. It probably was fans fault more so than the process with that one. I still think it's completely unnecessary though.

[Eric Smith]

No. The only race this has anything to do with was the one on the dirt. Don't bait. Nationwide, how many "violent crimes" are committed within a certain radius of a dirt track versus a basketball arena? That's a rhetorical question. And my point.