Can/Will "Twas the night Before" happen again next year?
 

Just curious what people are thinking about the future for this event....bits and pieces of peoples opinions on other posts but I was thinking we need to get it out now, so the right people can listen and hopefully make the right improvements. Me, here's some things I see/think:

1) As anyone who was there on Friday saw, there is no need for all those classes. The midgets and 1200's only would be perfect (some damn good racin in those 1200 heats and features actually). In an anaugural event of course you want to make sure your car counts are up, I think it showed that people will come and race, maybe not 200+ midgets a la Chili Bowl, but over 80 is a good start.

2) Track. A-get someone who knows how to take care of a track, luckily Tony showed up and held thier hands or else things coulda been really ugly. B-Where's the banking?!?! If that track, as small as it is, had a high groove the racing would be even better. Especially with how wide the space is from the inside burm to wall. Couple feet of banking and now we're really talking about some excitement. C-quality of dirt....not sure, but it was thrown around here and there that the dirt used could of been better, but with as many laps that was put on it with all those cars it didn't seem too bad. (However, don't know how you'd miss it but going into 1 you could see the floor beneath after the A)

3) Ventilation. RIDICULOUS to have every single door in the tunnel open. And it didn't help....that cold air from outside is going to take over the warm air inside, thats f-ing chemistry and physics 101. Race fans gonig to an indoor even shouldn't have to be bundled up like eskimos to watch a race. Thats the coldest race I've ever been to.

4) Ticket prices. I thought it was a bit over the top for the amount of a seat, but whatever, people have to get their money back/pay the purse/etc, so absolutely no problem supporting it, plus-its racing in December, what else we gonna do?? BUT....The most outrageous thing....the "upgrade". Apparently you could spend 30-something dollars for a grandstand seat, then spend an extra 10 to get upgraded to get into the pits....first off, ANYONE could just go down to the pits (around the outside of the building, not through the pit tunnel) for FREE!!!! And secondly, I believe the pit pass was actually CHEAPER than a grandstand seat to start with....***....***....***....why didn't everyone just buy a pitpass?!?! With a pitpass, you could still get into the regular grandstands. I'm sorry but if anyone paid the $10 for the "uprade" you got *****. I do not understand the logic behind any of it....I see that as more detrimental than most of the othe stuff....start ripping people off and that is a sure way to lose a fan base.

That would be my main topics that need to be addressed if this event is to happen again. And I think it can and should. Just cut the crap, we all want the midgets....we want good racing, which we did see, but could be even better. Don't make us freeze our @$$eS off and don't be greedy....develop the program, workout the kinks and this could be a fabulous event every year, THEN you can make your money.

"Grip it and Rip it, just don't Flip it!" :thumb

Tbird

Re: Can/Will "Twas the night Before" happen again next year?
 

TBird, you bring up some very good points, let me see if I can shed some light a few things:

1. Multiple classes: As a fellow purist, I agree that we could do without all the undercards. But as we all know, these other classes are a valuble source of revenue; it happens everywhere. The big shows that don't have undercards (Chili Bowl, Knoxville Nationals, 4-Crown etc) are few and far between. It comes down to simple economics, as a hedge against poor attendence you have to have support classes.

2. The track. Your first sentence pretty much says it all. Anyone that was there both nights, can attest to how much better the track was on Saturday.

2B. Banking was what it was. I don't think you were going to get more for two reasons. 1. It takes time to build a track with more banking (alot more time, the higher the banks). 2. It takes good dirt that will hold together, which brings us to: C. Quality of the dirt. The dirt used was what I call "rodeo dirt." This is the stuff that horses love. It has alot of sand in it and it is very soft and spongy no matter how much it is packed down. When cars run on this stuff it ruts up badly. I'm assuming the promoters were over a barrel here; Kemper probably had their own dirt that is what was used. It works great for rodeos, monster trucks and motocross, not so well for racing. Unless the promoter is willing to spend big bucks hauling in his own dirt (which Kemper may not even have allowed) there isn't much one can do, execpt what they did on Saturday.

3. Ventilation. First, the fire marshall insisted that all the doors be left open, that was out of the promoters control. Second, I have to disagree that it did no good. I thought the air quality for viewing and breathing was pretty good. The downside was that it was COLD! Was it as cold as Arrowhead when 20,000 people showed up on Sunday? Racing in winter is going to be cold, bring plenty of layers, you can always take stuff off if it gets to warm.

4. Ticket prices. Indoor racing has more fixed costs than regular races, everyone has to understand that. As far as the upgrade, goes, I agree 100% it was a ripoff. I'm pretty sure that was Kemper's deal, and it probably won't change. My advise to everyone, next year buy a pit pass. Not only will you save money, but you can go back to the pits during down time and warm up!

It was pretty obvious, looking at night one verus night two, the promoters and officials learned from their mistakes, so if this deal happens next year, it will be a much better show, and I know I'll be there.

later,

Bob Mays

Re: Can/Will "Twas the night Before" happen again next year?
 

i'll be there too, i think it needs support. it will take a while to really start filling the seats and i doubt it will ever be "sold out" (as heard from another IOW-er's post). i hear ya on most topics Bob, ventilation was fair, but made it very cold....winter races, yes are going to be colder, but there should be another alternative....no reason we have to pay that price and be that cold....especially the children. As far as the dirt goes, i heard it came from Adrian Speedway, or were they just working the track?? as far taking more time to create banking....other than "time is money" (in this case paying labor, etc), there is nothing else going on in that biulding anymore.
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Re: Can/Will "Twas the night Before" happen again next year?
 

There's been some very good points expressed. As far as the support classes go, as long as Kemper is sanctioned by POWRi, look for the 600's to be there. The support program for the Chili Bowl is the Tulsa Shootout.

Re: Can/Will "Twas the night Before" happen again next year?
 

TBird, your point about nothing else going on in that building is well taken, in fact, I heard the city is considering tearing Kemper down, and that could have an adverse effect on the racing there!

later,

Bob Mays

Re: Can/Will "Twas the night Before" happen again next year?
 

I always hate hearing about stadiums, arenas, etc. being torn down or having the threat of being torn down...

I thought Kemper Arena was pretty cool (and not just the temperature!:O:). I'm not sure of the age, but it doesn't seem like very old of a place and I enjoy the atmosphere of the "smaller" venues...:thumb

Did St. Louis' Busch Stadium and Indy's RCA Dome really need to come down? Probably not, and I think if Kemper did, it would also be a shame...

By the way..... I'd go back if they ran it again!

Re: Can/Will "Twas the night Before" happen again next year?
 

I'd go again.It was really cool and i enjoyed it alot.

Re: Can/Will "Twas the night Before" happen again next year?
 

We showed up on Saturday and only wanted the pit pass. We were FORCED to buy the general admission ticket then upgrade. This was a total crock of **** and it will influence my decision to go to another one, if there is one.

The racing Saturday was not bad. Fans like to see beating and banging... with a track that size you will have it. It was an entertaining night..... albeit expensive. The one huge complaint I have is the pit area..... the dirt back there. The cars go thru and it was a dust bowl for a while back there. The Chili Bowl does not have this problem.... why was it HORRIBLE there? Maybe the dirt is to blame. Nonetheless IF I go back I will have a dust mask. My sinuses have been screwed since then.

I got my winter racing fix since I cannot go to the Chili Bowl. Other than the $47 dollar pit pass and the pit dust problem, not bad for the first go round!

Re: Can/Will "Twas the night Before" happen again next year?
 

I personally wasnt there.But I have watched some video of it.Is it just me or was there one hell of a lip on the inside of the track?It seemed to me if they left the lip in the middle so cars wasnt getting into the barriers that would be efficient.The exit of the corners looked pretty narrow.If they got rid of that lip on exit's dont you think it would make it alot easier for side by side racing getting under someone?Just a question,as I said I wasnt there.

Re: Can/Will "Twas the night Before" happen again next year?
 

There was quite a berm. Looked to be smaller than the one at Chili Bowl tho.

Re: Can/Will "Twas the night Before" happen again next year?
 

i'd also have to say the dust in the pits was horrible. surely something could be done to drop some water. obviously no water truck would be comin thru but there has to be some water spicket somewhere, attach a long hose and manually spray areas every so often. as for the berm....it didn't seem all that big, its fairly common to see cars at the chili bowl get stuck atop the berm....it may had happened once or twice in kc. however, i did notice them trimming it down in 1&2, but not sure if it was b/c the size or to they were trying to make it less abusive so the cars wouldn't jerk when hit (which nearly everyone did). it seemed to help set the groove for the left front, with it leveled out a bit cars could get on it without the front end being thrown to the bleachers or spinning out....need that berm on the outside!

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Re: Can/Will "Twas the night Before" happen again next year?
 

I havent been to the chili bowl yet either:thumbsdown:But on the video I seen it looked like there was a few that about got upside down by hitting that berm.I personally like the little tracks.Good racing.:Steer

Re: Can/Will "Twas the night Before" happen again next year?
 

Wasn't there a Bondio Midget setup with a ski for a left front to run the berm of the chili Bow?

Looking at the video. I don't know why they just don't do away with Berms and make a jersey barrier turn. Still that being said, it was neat to see guys getting up on the cushion and hanging it out. Glad they got things straightened out. I think the two major blunders were not running the advertised times. Trying to bring in a new fan and having to come back on sat for fridays feature (Probably pay parking again ect) and then starting way early sat with a 6pm posted start time.

All that said, A bad night (Friday would have still been better than a good day at work) Hope it happens again!

Chuck

Re: Can/Will "Twas the night Before" happen again next year?
 

just my opinion. once the low groove gets blacked up and slick, just leave it. dont touch it again. work on the high groove. then the high groove will be as fast as the low. that seems to be what they did at ducoin and it was two wide really good racing. seems to me thats what happened half way through the feach sat night, then we had cars all over the track.....just my opinion.