This has to be the most constructive, well thought out and educated statement I've seen on here in a long time. Well said sir!!!!! To all of those that think he is just moaning and groaning are NOT reading (as usual) the entire posting line for line. I to have seen a decrease in the 20 and younger fans. Under 12 free is a great way to boost that. Also kudos to LPS for having the kids being allowed in the pits free!!!! This needs to be known and recognized!!! Other promoters should take notice. Anyway it was a GREAT POSTING !!!

[ThrowbackRacingTeam]

I've brought up the same point about the looks of the cars and being able to see the drivers. After the race at Terre Haute I actually offered Robert Ballou sponsor money if he would run the next race there without an arm guard!!! He looked at me strangely and said,"I don't follow you." He seemed to be unaware that sprint cars ever ran that way. He asked a crew member if USAC would even allow it. lol. He then gave the standard excuse that rocks would hit his arm. Just a few years ago I ran my silver crown car at Eldora with no arm guard to appease fans against the crew chiefs advise. He said I was crazy but you know what, nothing ever hit my arm there in three races. The worst I ever got in a midget was a small bruise that I considered a badge of honor. Point is, today's drivers and owners just don't car much what the cars look like or what the fans like.
As far as the age of the fans goes, have the stands ever been packed with 20 something's? In 34 years of attending races it seems to me the crowd has always been dominated by older folks. They are the ones who can afford to go the most often. And as far as the little ones go, I got the feeling they were left at home for sprint week so parents could party it up. I had a blast hanging out with people and I think it's ok not to drag the kids along one trip a year so parents can relax and have fun. I did bring my 7 year old but it was a constant battle dealing with restroom visits, concession stand visits, and just trying to keep him sitting still during the action!

[seeburgrepair]

Originally Posted by trecraft From another old fan. Just spent an enjoyable weekend with friends at the Grove. Helped the local economy. Enjoyed that beautiful area of Pennsylvania for my fifth Grove race of the year. So what if it's 430 miles from home. Visited the EMMR as we always do. Saw Lance win his 300th victory. Saw the Posse beat the Outlaws. Talked racing with the neighboring drunks during the three hour rain delay. Time passes quickly with quality conversation. And when we get old and are sitting on the porch, we plan to be talking about the races we saw, not the ones we didn't see. Wait a minute! We're in our seventies and already are doing that. But we're adding NEW stories.

Very few Track owners are "Promoters"....

The "Races" are held for the FANS.... not car owners ! duuhhhh

All decisions based in the following manner..

Fans first

Drivers 2nd

Car owners... dead last...

All promotions do Qualifying.

Then ALL events are FULL reverse....period...

Simple enough...

who.. is the problem....?

Car Owners......every time...

Just try and find a Track owner who knows how to run a show....

Lincoln speedway in Pa.. is the BEST RUN SHOW ive seen in 30 years....

The Grove isn't even close....

[sprntr]

Originally Posted by Kinser11 When the drivers started getting merchandising trailers, it killed the after race meet the drivers. The Outlaws are the worst, by the time the fans can get to the pits their gone.

Which is exactly why I refuse to purchase any souvenirs at WoO events.

steiny

[TQ29m]

Originally Posted by seeburgrepair Very few Track owners are "Promoters".... The "Races" are held for the FANS.... not car owners ! duuhhhh All decisions based in the following manner.. Fans first Drivers 2nd Car owners... dead last... All promotions do Qualifying. Then ALL events are FULL reverse....period... Simple enough... who.. is the problem....? Car Owners......every time... Just try and find a Track owner who knows how to run a show.... Lincoln speedway in Pa.. is the BEST RUN SHOW ive seen in 30 years.... The Grove isn't even close....

DAD, treat this guy nice, we've done quite a bit of business on Ebay over the years! Bob

[TheGhostOfOpperman]

Originally Posted by seeburgrepair Very few Track owners are "Promoters".... The "Races" are held for the FANS.... not car owners ! duuhhhh All decisions based in the following manner.. Fans first Drivers 2nd Car owners... dead last... All promotions do Qualifying. Then ALL events are FULL reverse....period... Simple enough... who.. is the problem....? Car Owners......every time... Just try and find a Track owner who knows how to run a show.... Lincoln speedway in Pa.. is the BEST RUN SHOW ive seen in 30 years.... The Grove isn't even close....

If the races are run for the fans then you can buy the cars and pay for them to race too!

[ThePurple73]

I wonder how many on here as Kids started as going to Jalopy races, the 1930 Ford/Chevy coupe type. It was super afordable, popcorn and Coke was about it for concessions. Coke in one of those about 6oz paper cups. They had Hot Laps, Trophy Dash, Heats, Consi and Feature. Sometimes they had a "Powder Puff" race, which was fun to watch. Seems the cars were colorful. I must have had a great time as I can remember it as though it was last week.

I remember the first Super Modified race I went to, seemed the cars were going 750 miles an hour. I again was super impressed with the first sprint car race I attended, open face helmets, No Cage, big fairgrounds grand stand, the drivers were sort of gentlemanly. Working the wheel, some really fighting it even on the straight. Those cars always seemed to slide further and go faster.

I am sure todays kids find todays races just as exciting.

[DAD]

Originally Posted by TheGhostOfOpperman If the races are run for the fans then you can buy the cars and pay for them to race too!

Ghost::

I would wager that you probably never got the chance to watch Jan race or ever met and talked to him after a race. Do you think that his popularity came only from the way he worked and interacted with a race car, or maybe could his people power be partially a big factor in his legendary status.

Car owners know that it also depends on the fans to help finance their endeavors. You should look up some local Go Kart club that supports its activities on the back gate only and jump in with both feet and above all else "Enjoy Yourself"!!!

Honest Dad himself you also ate up all the images!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!

[TheGhostOfOpperman]

Originally Posted by DAD Ghost:: I would wager that you probably never got the chance to watch Jan race or ever met and talked to him after a race. Do you think that his popularity came only from the way he worked and interacted with a race car, or maybe could his people power be partially a big factor in his legendary status. Car owners know that it also depends on the fans to help finance their endeavors. You should look up some local Go Kart club that supports its activities on the back gate only and jump in with both feet and above all else "Enjoy Yourself"!!! Honest Dad himself you also ate up all the images!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!

I damn sure don't put my car on the racetrack for guys like that!!!!!!!!!!

[Copperhead]

After reading through all the posts, I'd like to add some opinions / observations / experiences. First a little background on me. I'm 25 years old. I've raced since 2004 (mini cups, 600 uprights, Street Stocks, TQ's, Lightning Sprints). I started out as a NASCAR fan around 1999 to 2000. I saw my first USAC Sprint car race in 2009 (Sprint Week finale @ Haubstadt). I'm now a pretty die-hard open wheel fan. I think non-wing sprint car racing is the greatest form of racing on Earth, and I think the Indianopolis Motor Speedway has always been and will always be the greatest speedway on Earth (being a Hoosier, that was embedded in me before I became a race fan myself). I have been a racer on the track a lot more than a fan in the stands, but I'm catching up on my spectating more the last couple years. So here are some suggestions from the 20-something crowd:

*TAKE A BUDDY - My Dad and I attended that first sprint car race in 2009 at Tri-State. It was the coolest thing I had ever seen by far. We left thinking, "Mom's gotta see this". So we went back and took her along. Even not being a die hard race fan, she was impressed and amazed and it didn't take much persuading to get her back again. The next year, we took two car loads with some buddies, an uncle, and a cousin, and introduced them to Sprint Car racing. Again, no one knew what they were in for, and no one left disappointed. This year, I took another friend and his wife, along with my fiance back to the ISW finale. I spent the entire road trip telling them how awesome it was going to be. I'm sure they were skeptical. My buddy and his wife had not been to any dirt race before, so this was a complete culture shock. The sprints rolled out to warm their motors, and my buddy said, "Aw, he must be having trouble. They're having to push him." (I guess I forgot to mention of few things on the way down). They were instant fans the second that hot laps fired off, and they're already ready to go again. The sport sells itself if you can just bug people to death long enough to go with you! Non-race fans may take a little more adjusting, but take some of your NASCAR fanatic friends with you. They already like racing - show them something good for a change! After watching a guy back it into the corner, hammer off the cushion, and ride a wheelie past the flag stand, it's hard to look at 500 miles of mediocre the same way.

DRIVERS NEED TO INTERACT - Taking time to meet the fans and make the night special for them helps everyone - the drivers, the fans, the track, the series. I was fortunate enough to have a good year at my local track last season. We ran all the races there, won a few, and won the track championship. I have hero cards that I ordered from vista print. I designed them on the computer and just had them made there. I forget how much they were, but I ordered a big box in 2012 and I've been handing them out pretty hard for 3 years now, so it was definitely a good investment. I started going into the stands last season after every race and signing autographs, talking with the fans, and especially taking time with the kids. They really love meeting the drivers and having a little keepsake. I've wore a black cowboy hat at the track for several years as kind of a trademark. Along with the hero cards, I started giving a cowboy hat away to a kid on some nights. On one occasion, I gave one to a little boy (about 5 years old) and autographed it. The next week, when I went back in the stands, he was back at the races wearing that hat, and he gave me a picture he drew of my car, COMPLETE WITH SOME OF MY SPONSORS LOGOS ON IT. That made my night and his. Driver's that don't take advantage of this kind of interaction with the fans are missing one of the most enjoyable parts of being a driver and missing the opportunity to promote themselves, the track, and the future of our kind of racing.

THE TRACTOR SHOW DOESN'T HURT ANYONE - There are a lot of great race tracks in Indiana, but for me it's hard to find anything to complain about at Haubstadt. The track prep is the best in the country and it shows with great racing all night long. I've seen 4 ISW races there over the course of 6 years, and I think you could probably set up your car this year the same way you did 6 years ago and be right on the money. It's smooth, it's consistent, and it's great racing. I personally kind of enjoy watching them work the track and see what goes into it - and it really doesn't take long if you consider they have a fresh, fast track ready in about 20 minutes or so. I've raced at a lot of places where they leave it set for a couple weeks, dump some water on it, pack it in, and call it good. Busted oil pans, and broken spindles later, some might disagree. Another thing about reworking the track is that it gives fans a chance to get something to eat, grab a jacket out of the truck, and check out some t-shirts for sale; and it gives teams a chance to make adjustments, and it gives drivers a chance to mingle with the fans (as mentioned above). This year's ISW event at Putamville was a hell of a race, but once hot laps started, you didn't want to venture away from your seat for more than a couple of minutes or you'd miss something worth seeing - which was every time a car was on the track.

I'll leave it at that for now. Tune in next time when I explain why I agree that kids under the age of 12-15 should be in the stands now and racing themselves a little later.