[Kansasdirtfan]

Following a great weekend of racing at Dodge City, I believe the following kudos are in order:

• Bryan, Tim and the entire BC crew for putting together a sweep to start the year. Way to go, guys.

• Fellow Kansans C. J. Johnson and Patrick Stasa for their heat race wins against stout opposition.

• All the competitors, most of whom had to make a darn long tow to get there. It was a great bunch of cars and drivers.

• The USAC staff for a professionally run program. Blake Anderson for a terrific job on the mic, and the flagman (sorry - I don't have his name), who actually insisted on 2-by-2 starts. Refreshing!

• The DCRP staff for presenting a clean, well-prepared facility. (DCRP is truly a jewel in the prairie. If you haven't been there, it's worth the trip.) It was the friendliest group I've ever encountered at a race track.

• And finally, the hearty fans who endured through Saturday night's mid-40's temps with a chilly breeze blowing in their faces.

These kudos are, obviously, from a fan's perspective. The drivers and crews will have their own, and they may feel differently about how the show was run. And I'm sure there are naysayers who think the event should have drawn a larger crowd, and maybe it should have. The fact that it was Easter weekend may have had something to do with the smaller-than-hoped-for numbers. Plus, it was darn chilly out there Saturday night, and that may have kept some away.

Regarding the turnout, I don't know how well the event was promoted in the area. One fan who drove in from Louisville heard promos on multiple radio stations on his drive out Thursday. I had hoped to see ads in our local paper (Hutchinson, 2 hrs. from the track) but was disappointed not to see any. As I've mentioned here before, this is winged sprint car country, and midgets are a real rarity. I imagine the majority of those in attendance were not what I would consider "casual" fans, but rather those who were familiar with USAC and the midget series. The challenge for USAC is in getting those casual fans in the gate.

All that being said, it was an enjoyable two days, and it was good to reconnect with some old friends and to make some new ones. After all, that's one of the things we enjoy about our sport, isn't it? I'm definitely looking forward to the sprint show in August.

Thanks to all involved.

Bob Nikkel