Re: Trucks on Speed at Eldora
 

I have already received a call from someone wanting to go to a dirt race.

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Re: Trucks on Speed at Eldora
 

Terry Baltes is alive and well. Had a bit of a run-in with the law a few months ago, but seen him at Eldora on Tuesday night.
Which reminds me of the saddest thing I have seen at Eldora in a long time. Earl and Berneice were removed from their seats, they been sitting in for 60 years and put in lawn chairs behind the top row of seats. But saw several groups of people walk up and meet them. Amazing that even the NASCAR people know who Earl is.

Bottom line is the race was a brilliant idea. It was a marketing dream for just about every dirt track around because now you have folks exposed that never would have before. Well done!!!

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Re: Trucks on Speed at Eldora
 

Here are some observations of last nights Mud Summer Classic from just a fan in attendance.

1)It wasn't the best race that I saw all year but it certainly wasn't the worst either.

2)The track was prepped exactly as it needed to be for the type of vehicle racing. It really wasn't your normal dirt track experience.

I was very surprised with the few yellows mostly for debris. Not your typical NASCAR yellow but they actually had debris on the track to pick up.

I thought for a while that we might be in trouble. The lights went out and it delayed the start of the feature. That could have spelled disaster with the overflow crowd on hand.

3)The crowd was electric and this is how I wish open wheel racing could be presented. The whole atmosphere was exciting and Eldora came off to the first time attendees as a special place....an event if you may.

4)Quite surprisingly most of the fans were well behaved and sat down for most of the show. We had a group of 20 or so standing right in front of us for the first 5 laps of the feature but when reminded????? sat down and allowed everyone to see the race.

5)The 50/50 winner went home with over $17,000 more than they came with. To bad it wasn't me.:11;

6)Since NASCAR used the magic formula of locking in 20 positions before hand, the heat races weren't as exciting as they could have been. Open it up to all and see how the fenders start rubbing.:16

7)Roger Slack certainly learned a thing or two from Humpty Wheeler when it comes to pyrotechnical displays. Fireworks in the sky over Eldora.:9: Something about flames and racing.;)

8)NASCAR did a good job with the breaks between each segment. Instead of bringing all trucks in and have a 10-15 minute break, three laps for 15 trucks and then bring in the next 15 trucks. Absolutely no down time.:8:

9)I am always proud of being able to make a correct prediction. Last night a man sitting behind us was well oiled and proud of the fact that he had been drinking since 7 AM. I told RacinBabe that before feature time the true story will be told.

Right on cue he puked all over the place and then settled in and was rather quite for the semi.

At this point in time he promptly ate something and at the start of the feature was again barfing all over himself. I don't think he even got to see the race.:3: God I love it when I make the right call.:5::5:

10)Finally, some of the most intense racing of the evening was reserved for the maniacs leaving the parking lot. Always interesting seeing the real "professionals" racing out of the parking lot.:14:

An interesting evening for sure. Quite surprised with how some of the dirt track ringers performed, or shall I say didn't perform.:7: Makes you wonder if their reputation takes a hit or not?

Re: Trucks on Speed at Eldora
 

Hope this does inspire more dirt racing on TV; but I hope someone can send them video from heat races from Kokomo during ISW. In a perfect world it might open their eyes beyond the marketing hype of NASCAR and yes WoO.

Re: Trucks on Speed at Eldora
 

Originally Posted by Honest-Sam:
Better than I thought it would be. Anyone? Track was what it was 'supposed to be', which is camera friendly and windshield friendly. Track crew did a great job of obliging NASCAR in my estimation. Probably hard to provide a custom order racing surface. Again, and it sort of pains me, but the racing was better than I thought they would have.

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I agree 100%, Honest-Sam. I thought it was very entertaining, and, I could care less about trucks, normally. Everyone knew what the track surface was going to be like as soon as it was known that they were running windshields. At least it wasn't dusty.

Re: Trucks on Speed at Eldora
 

I DVR'd it just to see what the racing would be like. I loved the four and even possibly five wide racing. No one really "broke away" from the pack it seemed on what I watched. I only watched a few minutes of the race, but I want to get to this race next year (I hate watching racing on TV unless it is "Flip the Switch" or non wing/winged sprint cars). I would go to a NASCAR Sprint Cup race if they did one on dirt in a heart beat.

Re: Trucks on Speed at Eldora
 

Now we know why the AT&T cell tower went in so fast. Could you see 20,000 people trying to call out and no signal?

IMO it reminded me of many stock car features I have watched at Kokomo. 2,3,4 wide at the start...good racing thru out, lapped traffic playing its role....

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no one "broke away from the field"?/ well hell no they were going too slow for anyone to "break away" from anything (the Eldora pure stocks would'a blown em away!) I really don't know why everyone is acting as though this is the 1st time a dirt track race has ever been presented on t v, have you all forgotten usac's Thursday night thunder (racing that made this pick up truck crap look as weak as it is) but i'm afraid the only way we'll ever see that kind of racing on nationally broadcast t v again, is if it brings huge sponsorship $$$ with it, which I just don't see happening, so with that said get out there every chance you get and support your local dirt track and be grateful you have one to support!
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Re: Trucks on Speed at Eldora
 

There's been a lot of talk about how slow the trucks are. I'd point out that there were a lot of good races at Williams Grove in the 50s & 60s, and for much of that period, I believe the track record was 24:24. I don't remember who held it (maybe Sostilio?), but that number stuck in my mind.

Re: Trucks on Speed at Eldora
 

This race kinda reminded me of a modified race. With that being said, track prep was brilliant. #1 complaint about mods, they spin out to much. With the groove right up on the wall, when they started to spin, the wall straightened them out. That wall saved atleast 20 cautions. I liked the race, will watch again. Not something I would attend in person though.

Re: Trucks on Speed at Eldora
 

I thought it was a very entertaining race. It generated a lot of positive publicity for auto racing in general, and dirt track racing in particular. The drivers were all very enthusiastic and many said they had not seen that much anticipation for an event since the first Brickyard 400. I believe it was a success on all levels.

Re: Trucks on Speed at Eldora
 

Originally Posted by johnnythunderhead:
no one "broke away from the field"?/ well hell no they were going too slow for anyone to "break away" from anything (the Eldora pure stocks would'a blown em away!) I really don't know why everyone is acting as though this is the 1st time a dirt track race has ever been presented on t v, have you all forgotten usac's Thursday night thunder (racing that made this pick up truck crap look as weak as it is) but i'm afraid the only way we'll ever see that kind of racing on nationally broadcast t v again, is if it brings huge sponsorship $$$ with it, which I just don't see happening, so with that said get out there every chance you get and support your local dirt track and be grateful you have one to support!
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Just remember, a rising tide lifts all boats. Anything positive that came out of that race will be good for all of dirt racing.

When people ask me what kind of racing I like, I say "all of it, if it's racing I like it". I want every type of racing to be successful because that means I get to see more of it and the people in it will be more successful.

Re: Trucks on Speed at Eldora
 

Originally Posted by hungthrottlepodcast:
Just remember, a rising tide lifts all boats. Anything positive that came out of that race will be good for all of dirt racing.

When people ask me what kind of racing I like, I say "all of it, if it's racing I like it". I want every type of racing to be successful because that means I get to see more of it and the people in it will be more successful.

I totally agree.

Re: Trucks on Speed at Eldora
 

Re: Trucks on Speed at Eldora
 

Met a couple from Canada last night at Gas City . They never been there before , but stop by to see another dirt track because of Eldora .