Thursday Night Thunder / Hoosier Harvest Shootout
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 12/18/2020
Circle City Raceway
7300 E Troy Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46239, United States
Circlecityraceway@gmail.com
CIRCLE CITY RACEWAY TO HOLD THURSDAY NIGHT THUNDER EVENTS IN 2021 $21,000 TO WIN HOOSIER HARVEST SHOOTOUT TO CLOSE OUT INAUGURAL SEASON

Indianapolis, Indiana - Circle City Raceway continued its 2021 schedule announcements today, as the new central Indiana dirt track will be bringing back an Indianapolis racing tradition with the reintroduction of the famed “Thursday Night Thunder.”
The track will feature six Thursday evening racing events in 2021, headlined by 900 horsepower 410 Winged Sprint Cars and a rotation of different open wheel race machines. The schedule for Thursday Night Thunder action begins on May 20th, with the All Star Circuit of Champions event competing for $6,000 to win Thursday night’s A-Main, followed by Friday night’s $10,000 to win affair. Those two races will kick off a nine race inaugural season for Circle City Raceway’s 410 Sprints, as the track will be posting details about the division’s championship in the coming weeks. Other Thursday Night Thunder races for competitors to keep in mind will be July 1st, July 22nd, August 5th, August 19th, and September 16th.

Circle City Raceway also announced that 410 Sprint action will also conclude the 2021 racing season, with the introduction of the track’s special “Hoosier Harvest Shootout” event, a two day show on October 15 and 16, paying Saturday night’s A-Main champion $21,000, and a unique trophy. Every year, the winner’s share will rise by $1,000. In addition, all 410 Winged Races held in 2021 will be points paying events towards the Circle City Raceway 410 Sprint Championship. More information about the “Hoosier Harvest Shootout” including format, rules, support classes, and tickets will be announced in the upcoming weeks.

Jonathan Byrd, General Manager of Circle City Raceway is optimistic about bringing back Thursday Night Thunder. He states, “As we have pondered the kind of racing Circle City Raceway was going to offer to the fans of Central Indiana, the noticeable void in the marketplace was Winged Sprint Car Racing. Over the past few years, I have watched how more and more popular 410 racing is in the area, with teams here in Indianapolis not having a track to call home without driving hours away. I want Circle City Raceway to be this place.”

With the goal of Circle City Raceway being the trailblazer for winged sprint car racing in the area, Byrd also wants the track to be diverse. “We are looking to become a home for other racing, including USAC Midgets. 2021 will be the springboard to what we hope to be even bigger and better things for dirt racing fans here in Indy, giving them a place to play #INtheDirt.”

Fans will be able to find out more information regarding the resurrection of Thursday Night Thunder as well as the Harvest Shootout at CircleCityRaceway.com in the near future. Stay up to date with our social media:
Twitter & Instagram: @CircleCityDirt
Facebook: Circle City Raceway
We look forward to seeing you play #INtheDirt with us in 2021!

Disappointing that in the heart of non-wing racing you have chosen to further those that already have a bigger piece of the pie rather than those in your home area. Another lost opportunity.

Winged sprints already rule the rest of the country, disappointing to see you trying to develop them in Indiana. Hopefully you’ll soon realize you made a big mistake. Wings suck!!!

Re: Thursday night thunder / hoosier harvest shootout
 

Indiana has several non-wing tracks running Friday, Saturday, and Sundays all season long. I applaud the idea of not running against those venues and giving Indiana another option. At one time I would not attend a wing race, but over the past few years have became a fan. The crowds at wing races seem to draw more spectators than non wing, thus they pay higher purses. Several of the top non wing teams have been going wing racing, I for one think this will be a great series and look foreward to a new racing option in central Indiana!

Re: Thursday night thunder / hoosier harvest shootout
 

Originally Posted by ossuks:
Indiana has several non-wing tracks running Friday, Saturday, and Sundays all season long. I applaud the idea of not running against those venues and giving Indiana another option. At one time I would not attend a wing race, but over the past few years have became a fan. The crowds at wing races seem to draw more spectators than non wing, thus they pay higher purses. Several of the top non wing teams have been going wing racing, I for one think this will be a great series and look foreward to a new racing option in central Indiana!

When you look at their schedule they obviously went out of their way to avoid USAC and local track dates. They only run against the locals on 2 Fridays and one Saturday that I have seen so far. Its something different around here and adds opportunities to see races whats wrong with that.

It almost feels like this was done to get the USAC guys a place to learn the wing game a little before they move on

Re: Thursday night thunder / hoosier harvest shootout
 

Originally Posted by flagboy55:
It almost feels like this was done to get the USAC guys a place to learn the wing game a little before they move on

Then I would suppose they need to do something to make them want to stay.

It's all in the name. United States Auto CLUB!! The race director and day to operational personnel are except from this blast. That being said, USAC operates like IMCA did in the 1960's. A developmental series. They seem to be happy with status quo! REAL series growth in not their vision. (Especially in the Sprint car division).

I wonder how many sanctioning groups have come and gone since USAC's inception. You would almost think that they know what they're doing. Nah, that can't be it.🤔 Back on subject, wings or not, I'm looking forward to attending Circle City.

In these times of some tracks having a very tough time to make the financial needs to make a go.
I am glad to see some racers have enough balls to give this a shot.
There are so many rules they have to abide by with a new venture.
Easy to forget Taxes, environmental laws, Insurance, Employee costs, Goverment inspections, book keeping, ground maintained, advertising, and building & dirt maintenance.
Easy to bad mouth. But at least they have the balls and love for motor vehicle racing. We are lucky.

Lynn

Re: Thursday night thunder / hoosier harvest shootout
 

I think if USAC quit paying CEO Miller a couple mill a year and added that to the purse of all the dirt divisions guys would stay and make a good living.

Re: Thursday night thunder / hoosier harvest shootout
 

Originally Posted by jim goerge:
I think if USAC quit paying CEO Miller a couple mill a year and added that to the purse of all the dirt divisions guys would stay and make a good living.

"Not everything you read on the internet is true."
-Abraham Lincoln

Abe was way ahead of his time

Re: Thursday night thunder / hoosier harvest shootout
 

You'd think with foresight like that Honest Abe would rank a little higher than a fin on the monetary scale of American greenbacks.

Re: Thursday night thunder / hoosier harvest shootout
 

A new track is opening and people are on the internet ********, unreal

I probably need to qualify my criticism. First off I want to congratulate Indianapolis for getting a new track. I want to thank those of you who are spearheading this effort and I certainly do wish you success, I will definitely try to make it there at least once this season. Any criticism that may have been taken out of my comment is rooted firmly in my love of wingless sprints and the lack of respect they get nationally. I CAN’T STAND IT! And again I’m a fan of all sprint cars, with or without aerodynamic assets.
Of course being a eager consumer of the original Thursday Night Thunder, might have ticked me off a bit too. I might be wrong but I don’t think this is going to be live on ESPN or any other channel like the original. I’m sure some streaming but not broadcast, which the idea suffers from comparison. Which brings me back to any aggravation I may have about it and it’s founded in my belief that sprint car racing without wings is the best there is and we need to get more people to see it to believe it. Just ask some of the Pennsylvania fans on here

Re: Thursday night thunder / hoosier harvest shootout
 

Originally Posted by flagboy55:
I probably need to qualify my criticism. First off I want to congratulate Indianapolis for getting a new track. I want to thank those of you who are spearheading this effort and I certainly do wish you success, I will definitely try to make it there at least once this season. Any criticism that may have been taken out of my comment is rooted firmly in my love of wingless sprints and the lack of respect they get nationally. I CAN’T STAND IT! And again I’m a fan of all sprint cars, with or without aerodynamic assets.
Of course being a eager consumer of the original Thursday Night Thunder, might have ticked me off a bit too. I might be wrong but I don’t think this is going to be live on ESPN or any other channel like the original. I’m sure some streaming but not broadcast, which the idea suffers from comparison. Which brings me back to any aggravation I may have about it and it’s founded in my belief that sprint car racing without wings is the best there is and we need to get more people to see it to believe it. Just ask some of the Pennsylvania fans on here

Very well put, Bud .And I agree a 100% :6:

Re: Thursday night thunder / hoosier harvest shootout
 

Originally Posted by flagboy55:
I probably need to qualify my criticism. First off I want to congratulate Indianapolis for getting a new track. I want to thank those of you who are spearheading this effort and I certainly do wish you success, I will definitely try to make it there at least once this season. Any criticism that may have been taken out of my comment is rooted firmly in my love of wingless sprints and the lack of respect they get nationally. I CAN’T STAND IT! And again I’m a fan of all sprint cars, with or without aerodynamic assets.
Of course being a eager consumer of the original Thursday Night Thunder, might have ticked me off a bit too. I might be wrong but I don’t think this is going to be live on ESPN or any other channel like the original. I’m sure some streaming but not broadcast, which the idea suffers from comparison. Which brings me back to any aggravation I may have about it and it’s founded in my belief that sprint car racing without wings is the best there is and we need to get more people to see it to believe it. Just ask some of the Pennsylvania fans on here

all of that granted, beyond the fact that there was an opportunity to fill and unmet demand for a type of sprint car racing in Indiana, part of the reason that Circle City Raceway has chosen this path is because they did not want to impinge on all of the other established tracks in Indiana that run non-wing sprint cars, which is also why they are keeping their local sprint car schedule from running in competition against sprint car programs at the rest of the Indiana tracks. they could have easily said "hey, we're running a regular non-wing sprint car program right here in the middle of Indiana", which would probably have had the effect of cannibalizing fields from other tracks.

Originally Posted by D Byrd:
all of that granted, beyond the fact that there was an opportunity to fill and unmet demand for a type of sprint car racing in Indiana, part of the reason that Circle City Raceway has chosen this path is because they did not want to impinge on all of the other established tracks in Indiana that run non-wing sprint cars, which is also why they are keeping their local sprint car schedule from running in competition against sprint car programs at the rest of the Indiana tracks. they could have easily said "hey, we're running a regular non-wing sprint car program right here in the middle of Indiana", which would probably have had the effect of cannibalizing fields from other tracks.

Why not run non-wing races on a Thursday, in no way would that compete with other tracks, in fact might encourage others to think non-wing. Ironic that the largest paying sprint car purse in IN is a wing race. Lots of fingerprints of car owners who are deciding or considering going wing racing all over this.

Thursday night would hurt Friday night non wing local shows . How many cars get tore up Thursday night guys don’t have the money to repair cars or the time a lot of them only have the money to run one night a week. Myself I think they are doing a good thing but we don’t need more tracks we need more cars and people in the bleachers

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Non wing sprints need better (higher) paying purses BUT and its a big but, Tracks need MORE fans in the stands. I can understand owners, drivers going winged racing cuz of more money. Saw a post on here couple days ago where Clauson Marshall team (Sunshine"s team) was going to run the All Stars this coming year so there goes another top USAC ride. I"ve taken newbies before and they thought it was great but can"t get them to go like most of us on IOW, Wish I knew how to get people to tracks. I don"t think FREE nights work, most of those people show up cuz of one reason, FREE and then don"t see them till next time its free again. Guys Gals, any idea? :16

Re: Thursday night thunder / hoosier harvest shootout
 

Originally Posted by jim goerge:
Non wing sprints need better (higher) paying purses BUT and its a big but, Tracks need MORE fans in the stands. I can understand owners, drivers going winged racing cuz of more money. Saw a post on here couple days ago where Clauson Marshall team (Sunshine"s team) was going to run the All Stars this coming year so there goes another top USAC ride. I"ve taken newbies before and they thought it was great but can"t get them to go like most of us on IOW, Wish I knew how to get people to tracks. I don"t think FREE nights work, most of those people show up cuz of one reason, FREE and then don"t see them till next time its free again. Guys Gals, any idea? :16

I've always said better bathrooms would increase our attendance 50%.

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So just a few questions for everyone ******** about the new track. 1) How many local Indiana non wing teams can run 4 nights a week? 2) How many local fans can afford to attend 4 nights a week? 3) How many cars would stop supporting their local track, hurting that if they had one more choose to run another night a week? I think its AWESOME they are bringing winged racing to Indiana on a more regular basis. We have established the non wing market in already very saturated so why would a new track wanna add to that? Why not bring a new fans base to the region? Why not avoid crapping on local tracks and trying something new that can help racing in Indiana? Look at how many guys have put wings on lately. Look at how big the crowds are when a winged race happens in Indiana. Its amazing how instantly everyone wants to crap on something new because it don't benefit their 1st thoughts. I LOVE ALL sprint car racing and THIS deal will be a plus for Indiana sprint car racing even if it isn't the state's cardinal rule of it having to be traditional cars

Indiana is a lot like upstate New York is for dirt modifieds. Too many tracks running the same cars. Same struggle at the front gate mitigated by a good back gate.

While the racing is excellent in Indiana, a lot of people who go to a race track are not diehards, don’t like clumps of mud thrown at them and want to see a show. They want decent amenities and a spot to sit comfortably. Some tracks offer this and do pretty well, and some dont.

I think it’ll be good to try winged racing in Indiana as it’ll be something different. Remains to be seen if the large crowds that support a winged sanctioned show once or twice a year will support a weekly program.

Re: Thursday night thunder / hoosier harvest shootout
 

it's worth noting that Circle City Raceway is not doing a weekly sprint car program

They will have 11 nights of wing sprint cars - 2 All Stars (May), 2 ASCS (August), and 7 local shows

2 of the 7 local show nights are the Harvest Shootout in October, and 5 of the local shows are the "Thursday Night Thunder" series, though the first of the 2 All-Star races is on Thursday, and all 9 of their 410 wing races will count towards the track championship

They have an Indiana Midget Week race (with MSCS traditional sprints in support). They also have a USAC National Sprint race

if one was inclined to run only the Circle City Raceway Thursday Night Thunder series (skipping the All-Star race in May), there are 2 in July, 2 in August, and one in September. someone who runs Paragon or Kokomo or Lincoln Park or Lawrenceburg or Gas City could occasionally strap on a wing and run Thursday night at CCR and also run their local, weekly show

one can only imagine the backlash against the track if they started up a weekly traditional sprint car program. all can probably rest assured that most of the tracks in Indiana that run traditional sprints are relieved that they are not going the route of a regular traditional sprint car program.

Re: Thursday night thunder / hoosier harvest shootout
 

Originally Posted by jim goerge:
Non wing sprints need better (higher) paying purses BUT and its a big but, Tracks need MORE fans in the stands. I can understand owners, drivers going winged racing cuz of more money. Saw a post on here couple days ago where Clauson Marshall team (Sunshine"s team) was going to run the All Stars this coming year so there goes another top USAC ride. I"ve taken newbies before and they thought it was great but can"t get them to go like most of us on IOW, Wish I knew how to get people to tracks. I don"t think FREE nights work, most of those people show up cuz of one reason, FREE and then don"t see them till next time its free again. Guys Gals, any idea? :16

Give the fans a free sheet of paper with the car numbers and drivers. Then either beef up the existing track speakers so you can hear the announcer while they are putting heat in the engines pre-hot laps or have a specific time in between wherein the announcer explains the format - quals, heats, B Main, Feature, inverts, etc. I have sat in the stands at tracks before explaining formats to "new" fans and at times they have looked at me like I have lost my mind, or something.

Make it simple - explain it.

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People complain the the non-wing guys need more purse and same said people complain when admission is $25. Promotors could charge $35-$37 like an average Outlaw show at tracks not named Knoxville or Eldora and pay more but they would never hear the end of it.

Also as long as the larger funded teams keep showing up at a $1000 to win local weekly show they are never going to race for more money.

Our racing families will be in the house and support the great things that we all love. Have fun and enjoy the great things that we all love. God bless America and everyone be safe and careful. Thanks. Hell we might even get aq to come out for a visit to a new track. LOL. Thanks.

Actually, just to clarify what I tried to do in an earlier post, any criticism towards it was the association with Thursday Night Thunder. I think many of us remember what that meant to USAC racing back in the day. Live racing on a national cable network. Saturday Night Thunder as well. One could argue that greats like Gordon and Stewart to name just two, might never have been discovered had it not been for the exposure gained on Thunder. Therefore it was upsetting to here it was wings when they are already on MavTv regularly and also on CBS Sports too. At least from my vantage, this would’ve been much less controversial had another title been used. That said, I don’t have a better one. Again best of luck, we’ll be watching