So if I understand correctly for a non wing sprint car race to be well attended in the middle of America. Everyone that can see the same cars and stars an hour or so from their home, needs to travel 10 plus hours one way from home? I thought when a traveling race series comes to your area, is for the local people to see them race at their home track.
I remember going to a National Sprint Tour race in McCool Junction, NE. They had about 800 people in the stands. I was bellyaching about the crowd and how I must be seeing a financial loser and a photographer, the name escapes me, reminded me that "hey, those of us that are here, this might be our only chance to see these guys - they don't come out here very often."
What do you do? 800 people that don't get to see the guys run very often aren't enough to keep it going for very long unless you're just wanting to find a place to spend some money (most promoter's aren't).
And you beat me to it Richie...there were some underlying circumstances at that Route 66 event that makes it the exception and not the rule. Don't let that one be your measuring stick...
Originally Posted by ThrowbackRacingTeam:
Gonna be tough if not impossible for this event to succeed. It’s just too far away from its car and fan base. I was shocked when I saw this race announced. Hopefully the guy didn’t loose too much money.
Good promoters know that it is a tough job to pull off a show. As most on IOW know it's the back gate (pit passes), front gate (ticket sales) and concession sales that make the event a financial success. It's up to the drivers to make it a success between the green and checkered flag.
I live in Texas and could not make the event, but to show my support of Matt, USAC, and everyone involved I purchased a ticket with no intention of showing up. In fact, I watched it on FLO and it was excellent!
My challenge to all nay-sayers is to do away without your beer/starbucks for a week and buy a ticket to the races you don't think will be successful. It's not that difficult to show your support and respect.
We want non-wing guys to race for more money but over $25 admission and I'm not paying it.
They need more marquee shows that pay more .. just don't schedule one outside of a 250 mile radius of Indianapolis.
Too grow the sport of non-wing and midget racing it has to expand to areas that don't see them often. I'm very thankful for guys like Mr. Wood for trying. I even shook his hand and thanked him as I was heading to victory lane to have my picture taken with Windom after the midget finale.
The top national guys have to quit supporting local shows and take a stand to grow this thing also. I realize it's sometimes easy money and a test session but it doesn't help their cause at all.
Here is how I did my part this weekend:
My group which included my Frolic friends were at a bar Friday and needed an Uber but all were delayed and we would be late for races. We friended a young 21 year old at the bar and paid his bar bill and admission to the races to drive us back to track. He became an instant fan. Even bought him a racing hoodie to wear. We had to get an Uber for him to get back home but that's another story. The kid texted me today and is scheduling his vacation next year to attend midget week and to let him know as soon as the dates are released.
We were fortunate to attend this event and to make a vacation of it,arrived the Sunday before,visited Mt Rushmore,Devils Tower,Deadwood and so on.
Back to the reason for going.We were pleased with the car count,figured on low 20's,Husets is a great facility,friendly people & so on.
Hats off to Tod Quiring,Matt Wood,USAC and everyone involved.Would we make the drive just for the races again,doubtful,might consider flying next time.
Hope this event continues and grows.
Someone mentioned in another post about the Flagman being changed,not the case,same one all three nights.
Plus we got to see some friends that made the trip.Only concern I heard was no ice cream at the track,why can't we all just get along.😄
One more thing,someone mentioned USAC & POWRi playing together,hope no one is holding their breath on this one.😳
I live in Texas and could not make the event, but to show my support of Matt, USAC, and everyone involved I purchased a ticket with no intention of showing up. In fact, I watched it on FLO and it was excellent!
My challenge to all nay-sayers is to do away without your beer/starbucks for a week and buy a ticket to the races you don't think will be successful. It's not that difficult to show your support and respect.
Originally Posted by ISF:
The wife & I had planned on attending and meeting up with a buddy from Kansas while up there. It didn't happen for a variety of reasons concerning job obligations and an earlier fall farming season than in recent years. If this event carries on next year we'll be there, for sure.
Like many other comparisons, it never ceases to amaze how different other divisions are supported. With us being in hard core Illinois dirt late model country and just over 1/2 hour from Fairbury, Illlinois we see the solid and widespread support for almost every late model show at Fairbury. Don't get me wrong, Fairbury is a very good facility run by competent people but FALS is no Huset's. The quality of racing over this past weekend at Huset's was top notch and the organization and efficiency was second to none but not many were there to enjoy it. Yet scores of dirt late model fans fly into Illinois to attend events at lil' ol' FALS. They drive from 4 or 5 states away. Camping areas are jammed beyond belief. The bottom line is dirt late model fans support their favorite division and wingless fans don't. At least, it seems, not outside of their immediate area.
And yet, a high paying and superb midget and sprint car show goes vastly unsupported. It's been said here in this thread that this Huset's event can't possibly continue because USAC fans refuse to leave their immediate area to watch very good racing. Sadly, that seems also to be the case with the dirt mile Silver Crown events.
It's a bit baffling.
The promoter of the Huset's event should be highly commended for his effort to competently plan, organize and take some chances on people showing up to watch some of the best racing of the season.
I am not nearly smart enough to figure out how to change the direction of this trend, or if it's possible to do so, but if it is I sure wish someone who is, would.
DLM fans have more money to support their races because they don’t waste any of their money on dental work or bars of soap.
Originally Posted by richie:
Just to clarify here, since this is an incorrect take. USAC's National officials (the group from Speedway) ran & directed all three nights of the Huset's program.
Yes, it was definitely a well run show, and it takes everyone working in concert to make it happen from the USAC officials to the push truck crews, ambulance crews, etc. All did a fantastic job.
I can attest to how USAC National programs are consistently run in an efficient manner. I've seen it night in, night out for the past seven years. Never is there any wasting of time.
Got it. So any show Usac is involved in that does not run as crisp and efficient as those three consecutive nights in SD are the fault of track workers, push trucks, ambulances etc. I must have not been at the same shows for the last seven years as you. My mistake that the ISW show at Kokomo showed no sense of urgency until the lightening show started off turn 2. It must have been the staff at Kokomo that were the only people that didn’t know those storms were coming. Got ya.It seems to me that since the USAC schedule is relatively the same year in and year out that there should be a real understanding of how a show is run at these tracks that you go to year in and year out. Yet the tour goes to Husets and runs three consecutive nights with crews that haven’t seen USAC in many years with two premier divisions more efficiently than any three consecutive nights in the last seven years? Got ya it must be me.
Huset’s did an incredible job, especially with their push trucks. They were as efficient as any crew we use all year, and that’s saying something. Justin Clark was the flagman all 3 days & was fantastic. The caution was called a bit too quickly in the sprint car race on Friday, but that also may have been what prevented a larger issue. The caution in the midget race was for a car stopping in the middle of the pack in turns one-two with the leaders in turn 3. That yellow will be called every single time.
Not to inject pesky facts to ruin a narrative, but this show at Huset’s had about as many cars as the referenced ISW show at Kokomo (54 sprint cars at Kokomo, 54 total cars at Huset’s on Saturday). Saturday’s show at Huset’s began at 5:15 with engine heat (early sunset makes it possible). It ended at 10:12.
The show at Kokomo started at 6:30 with engine heat and ended at 10:18.
I’m most proud of the efficiency of the shows on a regular basis. Yes, sometimes tracks request taking a few extra minutes here and there for people to get an intermission of sorts. I lived through many inefficient USAC shows in the past & feel the same anxiety with any unnecessary down time.
Any questions about procedures or logistics of USAC shows, please feel free to reach out at kirk(at)usacnation.com or 419-203-7047.
Originally Posted by yeleyfan76:
Got it. So any show Usac is involved in that does not run as crisp and efficient as those three consecutive nights in SD are the fault of track workers, push trucks, ambulances etc. I must have not been at the same shows for the last seven years as you. My mistake that the ISW show at Kokomo showed no sense of urgency until the lightening show started off turn 2. It must have been the staff at Kokomo that were the only people that didn’t know those storms were coming. Got ya.It seems to me that since the USAC schedule is relatively the same year in and year out that there should be a real understanding of how a show is run at these tracks that you go to year in and year out. Yet the tour goes to Husets and runs three consecutive nights with crews that haven’t seen USAC in many years with two premier divisions more efficiently than any three consecutive nights in the last seven years? Got ya it must be me.
Originally Posted by yeleyfan76:
Got ya it must be me.
Think you nailed it.
The flagman all three nights was Justin Clark who happens to be hall of fame flagman Doug Clark's son and the current Knoxville Raceway flagman who took over for his hall of fame father.
