Usac: Ronk & stuebgen named new promoters at terre haute
 

1/31/22 2:57 PM RONK & STUEBGEN NAMED NEW PROMOTERS AT TERRE HAUTE

http://usacracing.com/news/sprint-ca...at-terre-haute

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RONK & STUEBGEN NAMED NEW PROMOTERS AT TERRE HAUTE

By: Richie Murray – USAC Media

Terre Haute, Indiana (January 31, 2022)………Scott Ronk and Bernie Stuebgen will serve as the co-promoters of Indiana’s lone half-mile dirt track, the Terre Haute Action Track, starting with the 2022 racing season.

Ronk and Stuebgen have both been event promoters, car owners and business owners over the past several years.* Kokomo, Indiana’s Ronk owns Chalk Stix and Schroeder Torsion Bars while Stuebgen owns Indy Race Parts, all names familiar in dirt track racing circles.

But it was the chance to promote one of the most famed dirt tracks in the world, an opportunity that was impossible to pass up.

“John Fitzpatrick from the Wabash Valley Fair Association reached out to me and told me they were wanting to go in a different direction, and he asked if we would be interested,” Stuebgen recalled.* “I reached out to Scott, and he said, ‘hell yeah, we’re doing it.’”

Among the improvements slated to be implemented in time for the start of this season is a tiered guardrail set up on each end of the famed racetrack, similar to the outer retaining guardrail currently seen at Iowa’s Knoxville Raceway and Minnesota’s Jackson Motorplex.

“There are a lot of projects that have to be done in a short amount of time,” Stuebgen admitted.* “But the guardrail is obviously a very big deal; the number one priority is to get rid of the concrete blocks on each end of the racetrack and put tiered guardrail in at each end of the racetrack.”

Also on tap are restroom and concession stand updates.* In fact, 2015 USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Champion Robert Ballou, a two-time Terre Haute USAC Sprint winner who works for Ronk during the week, recently attended an auction to help purchase kitchen equipment needed for the concession stand upgrades.

Kokomo Speedway’s Reece O’Connor has been tabbed as the right hand man by Ronk and Stuebgen to prepare the track surface at the Terre Haute Action Track, a role he had previously undertaken during the early part of the 2010s.* Track equipment such as water trucks, graders and tractors have already been purchased for track preparations.

The Terre Haute Action Track is an iconic figure in the dirt track racing world, hosting a combined 248 USAC Silver Crown, National Sprint Car and National Midget events since the year of USAC’s inception in 1956.* Among his long-term ideals, Stuebgen lists the resurrection of the Hut 100 as one of his ambitions in the years to come.

Stuebgen sees the Terre Haute Action Track as an icon in the present and the future.* Despite growing up in Pennsylvania, he was keenly aware of the place from an early age via television, and his first in-person visit evoked even stronger emotions.* The Terre Haute Action Track is truly special.

“I think it’s really neat,” Stuebgen stated. *“I had heard of Terre Haute as a kid, and I remember ABC Wide World of Sports showing sprint car races there on TV way back in the day and the track was always a part of their commercials. *I moved to Indiana in 1996 and I got to go there for the first time for a USAC Sprint show, and as I watched the cars go down the back straightaway, I knew this place was cool. *This place is what everybody said it was.”

Four USAC national events are on the docket for the 2022 season at the Terre Haute Action Track.* THAT kicks off the USAC Silver Crown season on Sunday night, May 1 with the 19th running of the Sumar Classic. *Terre Haute is also one of eight tracks on the Indiana Sprint Week slate in 2022, hosting its round on Wednesday night, July 27.

The 52nd annual Tony Hulman Classic is the longest-tenured race on the series’ schedule, dating back to 1971.* The event has moved to the weekend for the upcoming season and has now doubled in size, going from one night to two on Friday and Saturday night, May 20-21, where it will now occupy two boxes on the calendar, with the second of two nights now paying $10,000-to-win for at Indiana’s Terre Haute Action Track.

*

Glad to see this two awesome gentlemen that already do so much for the sport we love

I don’t think high guardrails are the way to go. The angle that the cars flip into them is not good. A two tier guardrail like it originally had would be better. Let the cars flip over them but remove any trees or obstacles immediately outside the track. Possibly install a fence like Ascot had to slow the cars down but not stop them. That would be the best setup in my opinion.

Re: Usac: Ronk & stuebgen named new promoters at terre haute
 

They will do a good job and I'm glad to hear they are going to do some much needed updates! The facility needed it badly.

Re: Usac: Ronk & stuebgen named new promoters at terre haute
 

I wish them good luck. They are getting the fair to invest in upgrades, that has been needed for many years. Hope for a great year at Terre Haute

Re: Usac: Ronk & stuebgen named new promoters at terre haute
 

I know they both have a passion for the sport and Reese if dust even started to appear was on top of it. My last visit wasn't pleasant and that was a couple years ago now and I know TE got it under control since.

The proof will be in the results, I like the wall idea. Guardrails about fifteen feet high. PA IMPROVEMENTS are a must.

Maybe the Guardrails will help bring in new racers to the plant. Good luck to all involved.

Chuck

Hmmm. 19 minutes is all it took for someone to criticize what the new promoters have prioritized. We are just happy THAT is going to be open and however they feel safety can be improved is their prerogative as the new promoters.

Re: Usac: Ronk & stuebgen named new promoters at terre haute
 

Well the concrete wall certainly was not a answer as we seen what it does to cages and the tire topper just launched Bacon. Also seen several go for seemingly endless tumbles. The Armco should catch em and provide some cushion on impact.

Re: Usac: Ronk & stuebgen named new promoters at terre haute
 

The Hut Hundred just won't die... and I love it! It's gonna be tough to convince 33 midget owners to show up at a half-mile, but it can be done.

I also really like moving the Hulman Classic back to the weekend before The 500. Numerous times, I attended 500 qualifying and headed west for The Hulman afterwards- I look forward to doing it again. Overstuffed, overloaded motorsports days are the best!

Good luck to Bernie and Scott.

I am glad the race nights have switched primarily to Friday and Saturday nights. This gives the casual fan a greater opportunity to attend more events at this Epic Track!

As a former driver I can assure you flipping into a catch fence is preferable to a guardrail. In fact, much safer. Maybe let the drivers have some input on it. They’re the ones putting their asses on the line.

I'll take the guard rail over concrete or leaving the ball park to find telephone poles, trees or farm implements. But yes, ideally 2 or 3 rows of Armco, 10 feet of grass, and a really tall catch fence.

Re: Usac: Ronk & stuebgen named new promoters at terre haute
 

No walls or guard rails would be best with a heavy duty catch out about 50 feet from the top edge of the track. Of course the front stretch will have to have a wall. Destroying a race car by hitting some concrete wall is not needed as new racecars are expensive. If you ask any sprint car driver what he or she would prefer, they will say no guard rail or walls with a good catch fence.

Re: Usac: Ronk & stuebgen named new promoters at terre haute
 

let the promoters do there job, and if people don't like it, don't race there.

Re: Usac: Ronk & stuebgen named new promoters at terre haute
 

I am excited about the potential changes and the continuing of racing at one of the most iconic tracks in America. Tracks like THAT are closing all over the country, so lets celebrate the fact that this place will continue to operate in the near future.

Re: Usac: Ronk & stuebgen named new promoters at terre haute
 

Originally Posted by DaleDuBois:
No walls or guard rails would be best with a heavy duty catch out about 50 feet from the top edge of the track. Of course the front stretch will have to have a wall. Destroying a race car by hitting some concrete wall is not needed as new racecars are expensive. If you ask any sprint car driver what he or she would prefer, they will say no guard rail or walls with a good catch fence.

I agree but idt there is room for that there...(don't quote me I haven't been there since 2003 tho). I don't see a fair board offering up much more to accommodate, but ya, all race tracks would be cooler like that...

Re: Usac: Ronk & stuebgen named new promoters at terre haute
 

There is room to put a heavy duty catch fence out 50 feet from the top of the track. on the East end it is over 100 feet to Dixie Bee road and on the West end it is 100 feet to the pit road. It would be much cheaper to build a catch fence than it would to put in guard rail. Go to Google Earth and look for yourself. Nothing is needed on the back stretch as it is over 100 feet from the drag strip fence. The best racing that you will ever see is tracks without walls. My son totaled a mod on that cement wall and when I raced there, I'm sure I would of went faster if there was no wall. Maybe we will hear from the guys who have hit that cement wall.

Re: Usac: Ronk & stuebgen named new promoters at terre haute
 

I thought the pits were pretty close to turn 3 & 4, but I won't argue there was 50 to 100 feet from the race track, I just don't think anyone wants cars flying off the track in that direction...

I think every racer has hit a cement wall at some point. Lots of them keep racing.

Will have to see what they do. MAYBE some ideas from this thread ARE cheaper (and safer) options...

Re: Usac: Ronk & stuebgen named new promoters at terre haute
 

Any improvements to this facility is an upgrade. This facility is dilapidated and desperate need of upgrades. We should just be thankful people are spending money. I'm sure those concrete cage crushing barriers were put there as a cheap way to get to an end game, whatever it was.

We can talk about we need blah blah feet of run off and a catch fence. How many times have we seen cars end up near the parking lot at Bloomington? 30 years ago that never happened. The cars today are much faster and need a longer run way to dissipate energy. The 100 feet isn't enough with the speeds they are traveling esp. at THAT. Hell, my 10 year old daughter can throw a discus 100', see my point?

We can debate all we want on what is safer, in the park or out of the park? Most drivers fear coming back into oncoming traffic after they make impact with a wall and getting hit by traffic. Therefore most drivers prefer out of the park, but in some instance this isn't the right answer. Just ask John Westbrook when he went out of the Grove over 1&2 about 10 years ago. He is now paralyzed waist down. The drop off at the Grove is 12-15' lower than the top of the turn. Clearly not enough of a runway to stop the car safely if it goes out.

The high tiered guardrail at Knoxville has done its job, albeit a few cars have gone over, and for the most part its been a successful. Most of the time the car that hits the wall doesn't come back across the track and pretty much stays near or close to the wall.

If you are worried about crashing you shouldn't be racing. If you're worried about junking a car you shouldn't be racing. If you are trying to buy the cheapest and least amount of safety equipment then you shouldn't be racing. See my point here.

Racetracks are racetracks, some are safer than others. Choose which ones you want to race at, the choice is yours.

Any help a track can get is a good thing.

All this talk about walls, catch fences, run off areas, etc. I'm wondering how much input a track's insurance company has on those things. Anyone here know?

Would a wall done much for Bacon? He go pretty high.

Re: Usac: Ronk & stuebgen named new promoters at terre haute
 

Originally Posted by Sprints fan 11:
Would a wall done much for Bacon? He go pretty high.

Bacon hit the top of the wall which had tire dampeners on top of it and then bounced thirty feet high. Think a guardrail system knoxville size or port royal size would have easily stopped him

Re: Usac: Ronk & stuebgen named new promoters at terre haute
 

The tall wall, catch fence is the way to go. Pros and cons to every fence, but going out of the park at THAT at todays speeds is NO BUENO.....this aint Bloomington or GC....way too fast to not have a big fence....just sayin

Question for the "no wall" no fence crowd. Where do you put the lights?

Re: Usac: Ronk & stuebgen named new promoters at terre haute
 

Originally Posted by Rhody:
Question for the "no wall" no fence crowd. Where do you put the lights?

On a drone?:5: