BC39 Backstretch
 

The president of IMS J Douglas Boles announced today that the backstretch of the dirt track is now PERMANENT and he “wants this track to be part of IMS for a long time to come”.

If you're talking about the backstretch wall, I'm staring right at it and it's definitely not going anywhere. Thanks Doug for everything you've done to make this happen.

Might this allow for some racing on the dirt leading up to the Indy 500?

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The NIGHT b4 would be a heck of an idea...BUT I know it's a little busy around there, so - if anything - Carb NIGHT? Which I also know is busy tho...

No chance of a dirt race the weekend of The 500. The Carb Day and Legends Day concerts definitely would preempt any racing... and the musical acts draw many more customers than they could even fit around the dirt track. Now, could they put on a race during qualiying weekend? Possibly. It could work.

The World of Oulaws want to race there. Badly. Although I think it's more likely to see them there on a standalone event, eventually.

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this is just one great midget track...going to be hard to see another race like last nite .....BUT im not going to miss it ..better get your tickets ..

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I know it was on it's way to being permanent with the changes they made; but after last night I think it sealed the deal and the dirt track earned a permanent spot on the grounds.

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The Outlaws are at Eldora for their Let’s Race Two event on the same weekend as the Indy Grand Prix. The Grand Prix is on Saturday, so a Sunday show might be a possibility for either the USAC sprints, midgets, or the Outlaws at IMS. They would already be in the area with the races at Eldora on Friday and Saturday. Both series had races scheduled on the weekend of 500 qualifying this year (Granite City for USAC sprints and midgets, Williams Grove for the Outlaws).

I think the move of the NASCAR race to the July 4th weekend next year would be a good opportunity for the dirt track to host a UMP Summer Nationals race.

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The BC39 will be moving with the NASCAR race July 1-2 according to Doug Boles

Robin Miller said at last year's race that this track wasnt going anywhere. I know the grandstands are temporary, but I thought the wall/catchfencing was already permanent.

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This track does work well for the midgets but I just cant see anything larger racing well on it.

Points, as great as the midgets are here, I too can’t imagine Sprints, with or without wings. I may be proven wrong however. The outlaws built a temporary track in Memphis or Nashville and most said it was way too small, but when the dust settled I didn’t see any real complaints

Sprints, traditional and winged, run on 1/4 miles all the time. In fact, next weekend is one of The Outlaws most prestigious events, The Gold Cup at Silver Dollar Speedway, a 1/4 mile.

They mentioned last night that the track is 1/5 mile. Definitely looks smaller than 1/4 so that sounds about right.

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From looking at video only.... I think WoO would have a much better chance of putting on a good race at Indy than at Nashville "1/4 mile".

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Yeah, I’m thinking more like the Friday or Saturday night before the 400 on Sunday to have a SN race. Moving the NASCAR race to July opens up plenty of time for some events at IMS in August, September, or early October also.

Winged sprints and late models race at Macon, which is a 1/5 mile (and pretty small to even be considered that size). IMS seems like a similar configuration to Haubstadt, and all three of the premier classes (winged, non-wing, and late model) put on really good shows there.

I’m not a land surveyor but one of my best friends is so that qualifies me to say that is not a quarter mile. A fifth maybe. When I think of sprint cars on that track I think of Indy Indoors. Which turned into a good reason to drink beer and socialize but not a good reason to watch a race

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I seen a winged sprint car race on a track smaller than that. The old portsmouth before the expansion to the current four tenths mile Track wasn't much bigger than Lawrenceburgs Motorcycle track and was known for Mini Sprints.

Best winged race I ever saw, Kegan, Kelly Kinser, Jacobs all of them were totally backing the car in and shooting down the next straight.

So sprints would work on it. They should have a couple there tonight and hot lap em. just to prove it.

I also think another grandstand on the backstraight would make me want to go. I don't go to Sardine events. But I don't want to have to use Googles to see it either.

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It wasnt sardines last night or at either race last year. Sightlines are very good no need for goggles.

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I meant if you had to sit on the outside of turn three big track.

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They didnt try to sell seats there this year. You would have needed more than goggles you would have needed a telescope :)

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If the track is staying it sure would be nice if they could put some pit bleachers up and a PA system in the pits! They gave each car 2 passes so the people in the pits with the car could walk a 1/4 mile to watch that car only when it was on the track, I think after hearing people complain they did back off from monitoring who was on the platform at the south end of the track. And when the Jumbotron was not working Wednesday night, at least we got to watch the races on our phones on Flo from the pits! Looking a lot like an outdoor version of a little race out in Tulsa in January

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John,

Please let me know where your seats were so I can buy seats in that area. Our seats in Section 8 were sardines and the sight lines on homestretch were obstructed and we stood the entire 39 laps of the feature.

Bruce Eckel :(

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For what it is worth, I just measured the track on Google Maps and it came out as .14 miles around the inside, .18 around the middle and .22 around the outside.

I measured the inside and outside longitudinal and transverse axis several times and averaged them out, then assumed (I know ASS U ME) the corners to be true 180° arcs.

I found it interesting that Google Maps shows the haulers and cars in the pits.

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Section 5 about halfway up. I'll admit this year it was a little tighter on the 2nd night. No problem at all the first night. There were whole rows open at the bottom though.

MOWA...Macon Speedway...25L caution-free...Danny Smith over Robbie Standridge...nothing is impossible lol...

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I agree on the frontstretch sightlines. I think the entire grandstand needs moved back about 10-20 yards so that when you look at the frontstretch you are not seeing everyone's heads in front of you, the folks sitting on the walkway (handicap seating), and the grandstand railing.

As far as everybody standing....:15::15:

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I don't see No real $$*$# Roy, I see some legit issues that need addressed. Ain't nobody's mad they are racing at IMS. A big thanks to all involved.

They should have, and need to, make an announcement telling everybody to sit down during racing. We stood for the entire feature. And it makes it difficult for shorter people to see and handicap people to stand that long. It was some good racing, but wish I could’ve seen the front stretch.

They announced last year to sit down. Doug Boles would welcome our comments. So please let him know of the inability of seeing a race that we paid a pretty penny for.

Pat asked several times for people to be considerate and take a seat. All it takes is for a few knuckleheads to start a chain reaction...

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Some headway is being made on the inconsiderate standing problem. One of the announcers for the Ted Horn Memorial at Du Quoin last Sunday night made an appoint to tell the crowd to be heedful of others and set down after the "wave lap" so women and young folks along with the handicapped can enjoy the racing. The only way for progress to be made is if the silly and rude practice of standing for the sake of standing during races is deemed unacceptable. Part of the problem at this point in time is there are just enough people who actually enjoy diminishing the enjoyment of others and draw a bit of childish satisfaction from being annoying and rude along with the reaction it elicit's.

It's a heartening that at least a degree of progress is being made.

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People standing during the racing is a problem. You can't expect people to listen to an announcer so you must tell the standing offenders yourself. I've had to do it for decades and my friends do it too. Tell the standers they are blocking your view. Sometimes they are nice, sometimes they are not. Most of the people who like to stand are the part time fans that really don't get racing they just like going to big events to say they were there. Posers.

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Maybe signage might help.:deadhorse:

First 15 rows of section 8 would not sit down at any point during the feature. This forced everyone else to have to stand just to see. Really disheartening that people feel they need to stand just to watch a race.

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I would like to see USAC swap out the TV monitor in the infield for a simple scoreboard that displays lap count and running order. Hard to see what purpose the monitor has. They don't show replays and you can see the same thing by simply looking at the track.

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Bet I know why this is. I was near the top of sec 7 and the two guys in front of us got up and left before start of the feature. I am thinking cool this helps are sight lines. Come to find out they said they were going to stand on the rail on the walkway to watch the race. well I think these guys are idiots the yellow shirts wont let them do that.

Half way through the feature I look down And see them standing right in front of SECTION 8. and yes idiots is fitting.

It's pretty cool that the shot on Google maps was taken during race weekend. You can see the haulers in the pits.

Re: BC39 Backstretch
 

Atention: Anyone Standing After The Wave Lap Will Be Shot!!