[brsteg]

Here's an idea... let's reschedule the Hoosier 100 at Terre Haute! No not the same but let's do it anyway so we get the event in. Here's my other radical idea... let's make a 200 lap feature race so that it is still a 100 miler.

[ISF]

Originally Posted by Speedwrench ISF - You beat me to Syracuse as an example. Also Oklahoma City and I think I remember seeing something about Hutchinson, Kansas going away also.

I was pretty sure I was omitting several other defunct fairgrounds racetracks, or those on the verge of becoming nonexistent, around the country. Tulsa is another one that is gone.

Thanks for setting the record straight.

[2140rc]

I understand why everyone would like to see a rain date. But this isn't the first time this has happened.

My memory may be off but I believe both the 2007 and 2008 Hoosier Hundreds were cancelled because of rain and not rescheduled. And it also happened that way in the 1990s as well.

The apparent fact is that the race is only profitable when the out of town race fans are in town for the 500. Otherwise running the race doesn't make economic sense. Outside of the 500 most people in Indiana couldn't car less about auto racing let alone dirt tracks.

Maybe USAC needs to figure out how to improve their Silver Crown racing show so that it appeals to more casual fans and not have to just count on the hard core out of town fans that only show up once year. What the Silver Crown division really lacks is star power and I'm not sure that can be easily changed. Many local fans have never heard of most of the drivers. OTOH, look at the standing room only crowd that showed up for the Little 500 this year just because Tony Stewart was racing.

[Wizard 05]

You can also add Sacramento to the list of has been SC dirt races,, but the last one was a few years back so probably most don't even remember that one.. I also agree with the THAT deal..if you really wanted to go out on a limb you could have it an open show for SC cars and not even involve those other parties that don't seem to care about history.

[koolaid89]

Has anyone even attended a state fair board meeting? http://www.indianastatefair.com/meetings-notices/

Has anyone attempted to run for the fair board? Great news, elections start in September. http://in.gov/isda/2336.htm

[BrentTFunk]

Originally Posted by 2140rc I understand why everyone would like to see a rain date. But this isn't the first time this has happened. My memory may be off but I believe both the 2007 and 2008 Hoosier Hundreds were cancelled because of rain and not rescheduled. And it also happened that way in the 1990s as well. The apparent fact is that the race is only profitable when the out of town race fans are in town for the 500. Otherwise running the race doesn't make economic sense. Outside of the 500 most people in Indiana couldn't car less about auto racing let alone dirt tracks. Maybe USAC needs to figure out how to improve their Silver Crown racing show so that it appeals to more casual fans and not have to just count on the hard core out of town fans that only show up once year. What the Silver Crown division really lacks is star power and I'm not sure that can be easily changed. Many local fans have never heard of most of the drivers. OTOH, look at the standing room only crowd that showed up for the Little 500 this year just because Tony Stewart was racing.

The fair turned down the date USAC and the promoter wanted from what I hear. I have been attending these races since 1977. The product is to me as good as ever.

[Charles Nungester]

Originally Posted by brsteg Here's an idea... let's reschedule the Hoosier 100 at Terre Haute! No not the same but let's do it anyway so we get the event in. Here's my other radical idea... let's make a 200 lap feature race so that it is still a 100 miler.

I think 7 maybe 8 cars finished Williams Grove in a hundred miler and the two leaders were smoking the brakes.

[ISF]

I remember well one time back in the 1990's when A.J. Foyt was promoting the Hoosier Hundred a torrential rainstorm blew threw and they called it after only 37 laps.

[rj1]

Originally Posted by BrentTFunk The fair turned down the date USAC and the promoter wanted from what I hear. I have been attending these races since 1977. The product is to me as good as ever.

Brickyard weekend I assume? Here's what I posted herepreviously on a proposed reschedule date.

I'm seeing the State Fair starts on August 4th and runs until the 20th, so 2 weeks before that is Friday, July 21st, Brickyard 400 weekend. Silver Crowns run IRP on July 20th and Toledo on July 28th. They have Salem on August 12th and Springfield on August 19th. Since it's going from pavement to dirt, is back-to-back nights possible for the Silver Crown crowd or do the engines say "nay" to all that?

I do think one issue with racing the sport sometimes is there's a complete lack of political nous involved, at least when you get outside the Frances, the Georges, Bruton Smith, and whoever the people are that setup street races.

I was wondering the other day how many people race on a weekend in this country. Total. Going from NASCAR down to the guy that races a Toyota Celica on a 1/4-mile oval. You can then add on the owners, the guys that help in crew, the promoters, everyone that volunteers at the track. The number, whatever it is, has to be pretty huge, and that's not even counting the paying customers. Yet, we're an invisible minority to large segments of society. Imagine if all those people that are in and support racing could be organized...

Was actually thinking of getting in ******** myself, although only at a Township Board level in Fort Wayne's county come 2018 because I'm not native and realized the ******** where I'm at are professional enough I wouldn't have much chance making it past a primary in any more high-profile race. But it sounds like, at least for where this is concerned, racers need to get involved to make their voice heard. It'd help if some big name became a spokesman for the sport. (TONY! )

[Seadog]

Originally Posted by ISF I remember well one time back in the 1990's when A.J. Foyt was promoting the Hoosier Hundred a torrential rainstorm blew threw and they called it after only 37 laps.

IIRC Donnie Beechler won that one?