Impression of Lawrenceburg

Jerry Shaw · 7/7/08, 6:39 PM

A couple of months ago, I decided to go see for myself just exactly how much change Lawrenceburg Speedway was undergoing. So we (my girlfriend and I) decided to load up the Buick Regal and spend a Saturday finding that out. As I said back then, it just took one second to be struck by the fact that seeing pictures of what they had done did absolutely zero justice to what they had actually done, there. The enormity of it, that is. No matter how the racing turned out be, once it would start, from at least a landscaping point of view, we were looking at the 8th Wonder of the Racing World. As far as speculation of how the racing would be, I'll admit, I was skeptical. No doubt it would be fast. But, racy also, with banks that high? I would have to see that to believe it.

Skip forward to Saturday night. Up until a couple of laps into the 5th heat, I thought my skepticism might be well founded. So much of the track was not being used, up until that point. That's when Chad Boesflug and Chris Windom decided to move up the track and use the gas pedal to overcome their bad pill draws. To me, when that happened, it was like the flight attendant said "The Captain has turned on the racing light, please feel free to move about the track." And when feature time came, it only got better. The battle for the lead between Dave Darland and Hunter Schurenberg was awesome. So was the late race recovery and charge to the front by Robert Ballou. If it would have been a 30 lapper, we could have seen another on of those epic battles for the win, like we saw Robert and Jesse wage, earlier this year @ THAT. I left there having seen a great sprint car race and also a new surface capable of producing some classic races. The kind people talk about for years. Also thought that later on this week, they would be adding Cole Whitt, Jesse Hockett, Levi Jones, Shane Cottle, Brad Sweet to name a few to what I had just saw! And wouldn't this be a great place to see Haud take the wing off and try to steal the money? And who ever designed the lighting? Great work! Once nightfall hits, the surface and cars are perfectly illuminated. It's my impression that this is one of those big, wide, fast tracks that if a guy has the horsepower and really wants to win bad enough, he should be able to find a way. I know it's still early, but I left there way more impressed than I thought I would be. And am really looking forward to getting back there Wednesday and Thursday. Sprint Week will open with a BANG!, in my opinion.

Jerry

merice · 7/7/08, 7:16 PM

I agree with you hands down.I have been to all the races there this year so far and can't say that i have seen a bad race yet.I'm sure there are a few out there that will disagree ,but that is my opinion .

Charles Nungester · 7/7/08, 7:26 PM

Nice to see the good review Jerry from such a critical eye

I was just hoping the track would live up to the hype. I know the crew is there but until racing actually started, you just never knew.

See you Wed and Thurs. Weather is supposed to rain tues night into weds morning then clear. Could be heavy weds.

Chuck

Jerry Shaw · 7/7/08, 7:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charles Nungester

See you Wed and Thurs. Weather is supposed to rain tues night into weds morning then clear. Could be heavy weds.

Chuck

Come on, Chuck. Try being optimistic for once. 40% chance means it is more likely to be NOT raining at any given time, than it is to be raining. We got in every race, a few years ago with the remnants of a hurricane sitting right over Indianapolis. Think positive.

Jerry

Mud Packer · 7/7/08, 7:56 PM

Jerry,

I posted a different thread a couple of weeks ago after the UMP Summernationls. I was amazed at the amount of work that was done in a rather short period of time. I know that many on here were complaining due to the late start and all, but if my first night at the Burg is any indication, it will be a really racy joint. To describe my first look at the finished product was....electric!

I think that I am looking forward to this years version of ISW more so than some in the past. If early season results prove correct, the number of potential front runners should be at an all time high. The young bucks that have driven the wheels off so far this year has been remarkable. Throw in the veterans like Cottle, Stanbrough, Darland, Kruseman, etc and it should produce wide open racing.

With the economy the way it is, I doubt you will see any record number of cars. However, I think that you will see a narrower gap from front to back during qualifying. With USAC's format, you can't have a bad night or you will certainly pay for it. Qualifying I believe will be crucial to any drivers success or contribute greatly to their failure. JMO.

I hope to see you at Lawrenceburg.:thumb

Charles Nungester · 7/7/08, 8:35 PM

I meant the track could be heavy weds night. Not rain

Jerry Shaw · 7/8/08, 2:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mud Packer

Jerry,

I posted a different thread a couple of weeks ago after the UMP Summernationls. I was amazed at the amount of work that was done in a rather short period of time. I know that many on here were complaining due to the late start and all, but if my first night at the Burg is any indication, it will be a really racy joint. To describe my first look at the finished product was....electric!

I think that I am looking forward to this years version of ISW more so than some in the past. If early season results prove correct, the number of potential front runners should be at an all time high. The young bucks that have driven the wheels off so far this year has been remarkable. Throw in the veterans like Cottle, Stanbrough, Darland, Kruseman, etc and it should produce wide open racing.

With the economy the way it is, I doubt you will see any record number of cars. However, I think that you will see a narrower gap from front to back during qualifying. With USAC's format, you can't have a bad night or you will certainly pay for it. Qualifying I believe will be crucial to any drivers success or contribute greatly to their failure. JMO.

I hope to see you at Lawrenceburg.:thumb

You'll definitely see me there, Mike. This is shaping up to be one the best Indiana Sprint Weeks ever! From top to bottom, it will be the most talent-laden that I can remember. And also feature the most guys who aren't perennial ISW title contenders, who come into ISW on a hot streak and several others who are a threat to win any time they roll out onto the track.

Jerry

lazyifoto · 7/8/08, 4:55 AM

I noticed the same (alot of track not being used) .It would seem to help if earlier in the days events the tires at the bottom of the track were to be moved up about 15 ft. and as the night goes on bring the tires down to the bottom again about 5 ft. at a time. That way come feature time you will have more grooves and most likely even better racing and the racing has been good but it seems almost all racing is at the bottom. Even though I miss the ol-burg I do like the end result and the New-Burg.

7/7/08, 6:39 PM	#1 Impression of Lawrenceburg
Jerry Shaw Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 4,694	A couple of months ago, I decided to go see for myself just exactly how much change Lawrenceburg Speedway was undergoing. So we (my girlfriend and I) decided to load up the Buick Regal and spend a Saturday finding that out. As I said back then, it just took one second to be struck by the fact that seeing pictures of what they had done did absolutely zero justice to what they had actually done, there. The enormity of it, that is. No matter how the racing turned out be, once it would start, from at least a landscaping point of view, we were looking at the 8th Wonder of the Racing World. As far as speculation of how the racing would be, I'll admit, I was skeptical. No doubt it would be fast. But, racy also, with banks that high? I would have to see that to believe it. Skip forward to Saturday night. Up until a couple of laps into the 5th heat, I thought my skepticism might be well founded. So much of the track was not being used, up until that point. That's when Chad Boesflug and Chris Windom decided to move up the track and use the gas pedal to overcome their bad pill draws. To me, when that happened, it was like the flight attendant said "The Captain has turned on the racing light, please feel free to move about the track." And when feature time came, it only got better. The battle for the lead between Dave Darland and Hunter Schurenberg was awesome. So was the late race recovery and charge to the front by Robert Ballou. If it would have been a 30 lapper, we could have seen another on of those epic battles for the win, like we saw Robert and Jesse wage, earlier this year @ THAT. I left there having seen a great sprint car race and also a new surface capable of producing some classic races. The kind people talk about for years. Also thought that later on this week, they would be adding Cole Whitt, Jesse Hockett, Levi Jones, Shane Cottle, Brad Sweet to name a few to what I had just saw! And wouldn't this be a great place to see Haud take the wing off and try to steal the money? And who ever designed the lighting? Great work! Once nightfall hits, the surface and cars are perfectly illuminated. It's my impression that this is one of those big, wide, fast tracks that if a guy has the horsepower and really wants to win bad enough, he should be able to find a way. I know it's still early, but I left there way more impressed than I thought I would be. And am really looking forward to getting back there Wednesday and Thursday. Sprint Week will open with a BANG!, in my opinion. Jerry __________________ A man is about as big as the things that make him angry. Winston Churchill

7/7/08, 7:26 PM	#3 Re: Impression of Lawrenceburg
Charles Nungester Senior Member Race Count This Year: 6 Race Count Last Year: 14 Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 21,241	Nice to see the good review Jerry from such a critical eye I was just hoping the track would live up to the hype. I know the crew is there but until racing actually started, you just never knew. See you Wed and Thurs. Weather is supposed to rain tues night into weds morning then clear. Could be heavy weds. Chuck __________________ Charles Nungester

7/7/08, 7:56 PM	#5 Re: Impression of Lawrenceburg
Mud Packer Senior Member Race Count Last Year: 59 Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 5,073	Jerry, I posted a different thread a couple of weeks ago after the UMP Summernationls. I was amazed at the amount of work that was done in a rather short period of time. I know that many on here were complaining due to the late start and all, but if my first night at the Burg is any indication, it will be a really racy joint. To describe my first look at the finished product was....electric! I think that I am looking forward to this years version of ISW more so than some in the past. If early season results prove correct, the number of potential front runners should be at an all time high. The young bucks that have driven the wheels off so far this year has been remarkable. Throw in the veterans like Cottle, Stanbrough, Darland, Kruseman, etc and it should produce wide open racing. With the economy the way it is, I doubt you will see any record number of cars. However, I think that you will see a narrower gap from front to back during qualifying. With USAC's format, you can't have a bad night or you will certainly pay for it. Qualifying I believe will be crucial to any drivers success or contribute greatly to their failure. JMO. I hope to see you at Lawrenceburg.:thumb __________________ Mike Be nice to people on the way up. You might need them on the way down. Jimmy Durante

7/7/08, 8:35 PM	#6 Re: Impression of Lawrenceburg
Charles Nungester Senior Member Race Count This Year: 6 Race Count Last Year: 14 Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 21,241	I meant the track could be heavy weds night. Not rain __________________ Charles Nungester

7/7/08, 7:16 PM	#2 Re: Impression of Lawrenceburg
merice Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 19	I agree with you hands down.I have been to all the races there this year so far and can't say that i have seen a bad race yet.I'm sure there are a few out there that will disagree ,but that is my opinion .

7/8/08, 4:55 AM	#8 Re: Impression of Lawrenceburg
lazyifoto Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 153	I noticed the same (alot of track not being used) .It would seem to help if earlier in the days events the tires at the bottom of the track were to be moved up about 15 ft. and as the night goes on bring the tires down to the bottom again about 5 ft. at a time. That way come feature time you will have more grooves and most likely even better racing and the racing has been good but it seems almost all racing is at the bottom. Even though I miss the ol-burg I do like the end result and the New-Burg.