As something meant to be interesting and fun, just bc I'm curious as if some people can be honest and admit it, I ask the question...are you partial to a specific track? If so, what track? Why are you partial to the track? What would you do differently or like to see better with the said track?

I will start and say yes, absolutely. I am 120% partial to Kokomo Speedway. I personally think it's the best track in Indiana and I also think its top 5 tracks in the nation, under 1/2 mile. I feel this way bc I was born and raised 1.5 miles North of the Kokomo Speedway. I have lived and still do live within 2 miles of the track. I spent every race, every year, at Kokomo up until I was 13 years old and had my eye accident. That took me away from racing. In 2017, thanks to the business I own and operate, and thanks to my good friend Funk and The O'connor Family, I was hired for a serious situation that I successfully took care of promptly and ultimately that night in May got me back into racing and now I cant get enough of it. All at my home track, Kokomo Speedway. I also feel it's some of the best racing you can see, regardless of car class.

What I would love to see different and/or changed and it would be extremely extremely difficult and costly, would be for the pits to be bigger and the parking to be bigger. Interested to see others answers.

Let me add real quick too, there isnt a right or wrong answer to this. It's not meant to start ******** and drama. Just curious what people think and why. Happy Holidays.

Re: Partial To A Specific Track???
 

I’ll play. My favorite track is Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt. I grew up about 55-60 miles E of the facility. I first went there in (I believe) 1964, and attended races there sporadically until about 2008 when we began attending races there more regularly. The facility is always well painted and neat, the restrooms are clean, the food reasonably priced, the staff is friendly and the racing excellent. Most nights there the feature concludes between 10-10:30, which puts me back home 12:30 to 1:00 AM.

I like that answer and have heard alot of good about Haubstadt. Unfortunately I have never been there. It's tough for me to drive that far with working and/or working next day. Somehow I want to get there in 2023. I have also heard alot of good about the nearby meat market. I forget the name, but have heard lots of good about the whole area including the track.

Eldora. Best races. Love the drive to the track. Can’t wait for the next Million.

Meat market you speak of is Dewigs. Haubstadt is mine but only due to proximity as I’ve grown quite fond of Kokomo over the last several years. Wish for haubstadt would be some multi day show or shows similar to smackdown and slightly less track work as the racing always seems to be better when they do.

Originally Posted by cl124:
Meat market you speak of is Dewigs. Haubstadt is mine but only due to proximity as I’ve grown quite fond of Kokomo over the last several years. Wish for haubstadt would be some multi day show or shows similar to smackdown and slightly less track work as the racing always seems to be better when they do.

Yes that's the name of it!! Thank you, I'm getting old and my mind slips me lol...Funk and his buddies always tell me about it when they go to Haubstadt.

Originally Posted by Rich Mersereau:
Eldora. Best races. Love the drive to the track. Can’t wait for the next Million.

Good answer there as well. Eldora or Port City would be my favorite out of state track!!

I’m very partial to Haubstadt. It’s the furthest track from me but I love going there. Very friendly place, great racing, great surface, great concessions, can’t think of a single negative. I recommend you go if you’ve never been.

My special track is Butler Motor Speedway. Quincy is my hometown and dad did some racing in the early days- 1950s. Fond memories of swinging in the park on a Saturday afternoon as all of the open trailer race cars pass by on the way to the track. I then have to get my parents or older siblings to head out to the track that night. Didn't miss many nights during the 1960s or '70s-A kid's dream every Saturday night. Continue visits today when I can. Remember the original Outlaws-WOO being there along with the many All-Star dates, late model shows, midgets, & USAC with wings I believe. Still the only track in Michigan running sprint cars on a weekly basis.

Geography has a huge amount of impact in this question. Close tracks lead to frequent visits and deep ties. Two tracks I could say are both gone. The famous Santa Fe Speedway would probably be number 1 with 1A being Crown Point Speedway in the days when the OConnor family ran it, in spite of the fact we never raced on it when they had it, but did a lot previous to their involvement. Of active tracks, Terre Haute gets the edge. But I have to refer to an old saying of mine. Some tracks are better than others, but I can’t say I’ve been to one I hated. The Indy Indoor thing excluded

Re: Partial To A Specific Track???
 

Originally Posted by flagboy55:
Geography has a huge amount of impact in this question. Close tracks lead to frequent visits and deep ties. Two tracks I could say are both gone. The famous Santa Fe Speedway would probably be number 1 with 1A being Crown Point Speedway in the days when the OConnor family ran it, in spite of the fact we never raced on it when they had it, but did a lot previous to their involvement. Of active tracks, Terre Haute gets the edge. But I have to refer to an old saying of mine. Some tracks are better than others, but I can’t say I’ve been to one I hated. The Indy Indoor thing excluded

2 of my 3 home tracks with Crown Point Speedway being #1, Kankakee & Santa Fe being 1A.
Spent a lot of years at all 3 helping my friends with their Supers & Limited Late Models, Modifieds, & Street Stocks
Now a days it's 4 Tracks with Shadyhill, Kankakee, Fairbury, & Kokomo

I haven’t been to that many different dirt tracks. Paragon, Bloomington, Lincoln Park, Gas City, Terre Haute, Haubstadt, and Eldora would be my list. Kokomo is my favorite, I lived there for about 15 years. Love the high speed, hammer down aspect of the track. The facility isn’t the best though it has improved a lot since the O’Connnors took it over. Paragon is the best setting with the S IN hills in the background. Haubstadt is probably the best facility but see no need in over working the track and the speed just doesn’t match Kokomo. The stands at Lincoln Park are my favorite. Love Eldora for the bigger track and high speeds, big time feel and especially the 4 Crown. All of these are good tracks since they offer sprint cars on dirt. Can’t go wrong, just go to one.

Originally Posted by RACrappieman:
I’m very partial to Haubstadt. It’s the furthest track from me but I love going there. Very friendly place, great racing, great surface, great concessions, can’t think of a single negative. I recommend you go if you’ve never been.

Honestly its probably the #1 track on my list of tracks I haven't been to. Going to do everything I can to go in 2023!!

I'm really appreciating alot of these answers, especially from people who have been around longer then I've been alive. Some of you are even educating me. One interesting note, my late father and I raised very very high quality different species of Poultry. I've been to the Kankakee Fairgrounds more times than I can count throughout my 40 years of life. Each time I've looked at the track and said...damn, I wonder what the racing here is like...just this thread alone, not counting other veteran fans, ive heard lots of good things about the track, just never watched a race as the Poultry show was on Sunday mornings.

Winchester Speedway for me only living 6 miles from the track my dad and I working on the track fire crew . Seeing the first 24 Dry power 400 staying for the hole weekend watching Bob Senneker/Mark Martin/mike Eddy Then when usac sprints run watching Tom Biglow in the Armstrong car watching Rich Vogler race with the super modifieds in the 65 Miller car and staying with them .My dad been gone for several years now thanks dad for taking me racing

Re: Partial To A Specific Track???
 

Been to 397 different tracks through the years.

Mini Eldora I-55 Raceway Pevely, MO is my favorite. I have the most laps in my racing at co-favorite Jacksonville Speedway.

Defunct tracks really liked Linn County Speedway in Pleasanton, KS, Dyersburg TN, and Manzanita

You can tell by my name that my favorite track is the Springfield Mile. It’s a once a year thing, but it has been a huge part of my life, and I love it. We are blessed with some great tracks in central Illinois, but Jacksonville is my favorite weekly track. It’s a fast, elbows up bullring, and they know how to run a good program. I like the old, covered grandstand and the nice, clean area underneath. My honorable mentions go to Terre Haute and Granite City. Half miles are just different for sprint cars. The speed is exciting and the infield at TH is great for getting close to it. Granite is another great facility, and I wish they had more open wheel shows.

Re: Partial To A Specific Track???
 

Kind of a tough one. I guess we all remember our "first" track rather fondly, and I am very lucky that it is still operating, especially because it is in California. I will always be partial to Placerville since it is the first track where I attended a race, and ended up working there and migrating into the booth before I quit to go to college. I like all tracks, for the most part, and for different reasons. Since I have been shooting for the lase umpteen years or so, every track has its plusses and minuses. Some may be great for racing, and others great for shooting. Down here in Houston, several of the tracks that were open when I first moved here in the late 80s, and where I ended up being the regular shooter are gone. In reality, I am just happy to be at a track when I have the opportunity.

I’m partial to Kokomo, but everyone of the Indiana tracks offer unique differences. The two things I personally miss are being at Warsaw and the tremendous view with the lake off the backstretch. The other would be when we would go the oldBurg. The covered grandstands and the cars parked around the track.New Burg is an awesome facility but much like Eldora it just feels different to me.

Wow there is some really great answers/responses here. Lots of these tracks I've never been to, some never even heard of, granted I'm only 40. Some was already gone before me. Well said Snow, my dad is gone and I owe him a huge thank you for taking me as a kid to Kokomo every week and obviously Funk and The O'connor Family for getting me back into racing along with Funk and his/our buddies taking me to many different tracks. T.H. infield is awesome, I do love that aspect of the track.

Terre Haute, is the ultimate racing experience for me. This place is considered hallowed ground by me and should be preserved at all costs.The tradition and rich history needs to return to its former glory. What's better than the bursts of speed coming off turn two, cars rocketing down the backstrech flying into three. The daring display of skillful driving creating on track action unmatched by most other half mile facilities. But nothing is gonna save Non Wing Nation until we grow the fanbase. It needs to be treated like an old Van Halen album (Women & Children First).
The old time theory was for people to go to the races then go to the pits afterwards and see the stars and cars. That was fine back in the day of one and two class shows. Why not adopt the show up early approach? Like what has been done before on a limited basis "The Pit Party" open pit area 1 hr prior to heat in the motor. Get the fan / driver interaction early in the show.Get the kids excited, let them get some merch that may not be available on the grandstand side. People have shorter attention spans these days.

That is a very good strong answer that I can understand and appreciate Opp...the first time Funk took me there and he said hey let's go to the infield, I was like ***, have I had too much to drink? You cant go to the infield at any other tracks, and once we went into the tunnel and come out the other side, wow it was like a giant racing party. People everywhere, clowning, cutting up, just having one hell of a time. I still have 3 videos of JG, Windom, and S. Cottle, qualifying and they was flat ripping into 1, the sounds and echos of them coming down the front stretch and grandstands, yes I'd say T.H. is hard to beat. Fan base wise for Nonwing overall, I agree, something has to happen, were not all gonna live forever but I just dont know the answer. Your idea with pits, I like it, GC started doing this a lil bit this past season, cant remember exacts of it, but fans were given a chance to go to the pits for a limited amount of time for no extra charge. This idea along with some others would be a start at least for getting new fans, younger fans, more fans I believe.

Re: Partial To A Specific Track???
 

While Burg is my home track and the one I can and do attend most. I can't say Im partial to any of em. I do like new burg better than old burg for the fact that the old track too often went catfish bottom only.

My favorite Id say is THAT. One on the inner guardrail, one on the outer and many in stages in between. You watch the guys who've run it a lot stay in it longer and come off quicker. Left front off the ground if not left side.

My heart is with the burg. I only live about 25 minutes from the track. It has been great seeing the old track and the new track go through the best of times. There has been a lot of great racing events held at the burg and all the other great racing tracks that everyone has mentioned in this post. Thanks ☺️. My wish list for the burg is to have a big 3 day show for the great fans that love the things that we all love. They have probably the greatest facility and plenty of camping and things that are going through the city with the casino and other attractions close by kings island and horse racing across the river available to put up for a special event like this. I think Rudy has done a great job with the burg but guess what it is time for a different schedule for a change. Thanks. Our racing family is very fortunate to have met so many people though our racing road trips that it doesn't matter what racing events our favorite tracks that we attend we are just really ready for the next time that we all get together and meet another great racing fans 😀. God bless America 🇺🇸. Thanks

My parents were from Ripley co. So the Burg was the track my father went to as a young man. we would sometimes go when we went back to visit relatives. And growing up hearing about Robbins, Gaines,ect. The old track was a connection that my dad got to both experience. This was in the Mel Johnson era (Jeff Thickstun memorial ,Hoosier fall classic ect.)

Re: Partial To A Specific Track???
 

Mine are really about family and less about racing. I see good racing all over the country. I don't get to see my grandpa taking tickets at Mt. Lawn anymore and I loved going to the track with my grandma and grandpa. In addition, Terre Haute was my home track and the memories of throwing the football with my brother in the infield are good ones. Stopping at KFC on the way and grabbing that bucket of chicken was a must. I ended up falling in love with racing but it was really the family time that I remember the most and makes me partial to those two tracks.

Without a doubt the Terre Haute Action Track. Started going there in about 1982. I’ve also been to most of the other Indiana sprint car tracks but there’s nothing like traditional sprints on a half mile. They can really strut their stuff and I like how they look at THAT. The stands are close to the track, the straight headers really crackle under the roof of the grandstand and the flat corners cause them to lean and hike the left fronts. I’ve seen many legendary races there and drivers that made themselves heroes at the place. My nearest Indiana track is 4 hours and it’s the Action Track I plan my trips around.

Re: Partial To A Specific Track???
 

Terre Haute. 'nuff said

Re: Partial To A Specific Track???
 

Originally Posted by ThrowbackRacingTeam:
Without a doubt the Terre Haute Action Track. Started going there in about 1982. I’ve also been to most of the other Indiana sprint car tracks but there’s nothing like traditional sprints on a half mile. They can really strut their stuff and I like how they look at THAT. The stands are close to the track, the straight headers really crackle under the roof of the grandstand and the flat corners cause them to lean and hike the left fronts. I’ve seen many legendary races there and drivers that made themselves heroes at the place. My nearest Indiana track is 4 hours and it’s the Action Track I plan my trips around.

I agree with your statement about sprints on a half mile. I started going to THAT in 1970, and when the track prep was right, it could be a very special place. Seeing drivers back it in to turn 1 from the infield with (sometimes) only the RR on the race track was always special. Attending college there (not ISU, the other one on the E side!) in the middle 70’s, I didn’t miss a race there for 4 years, and since I married a TH native, we kept coming back for years scheduling grandparent visits around race weekends. I hope and pray some individual or organization steps up to keep racing alive at THAT.

I just want to say thank you to people who have responded to this. I'm kinda overwhelmed by some of the answers and stories. As I stated in my original post, no right or wrong answer to me, more curious and actually getting some education out of this.

I'm 40, born in '82...reading some of this stuff, families and friends, obviously that's huge to me and alot of other people as well, but some of these years is just awesome to hear. I wasnt even thought about much less born in alot of these years. So again, thank you to those who do respond.

Re: Partial To A Specific Track???
 

Living in Arizona, any track that is still operating.

With my nick name of Eldora Mark and going there for 60 years, you would think I would say Eldora but not. Kokomo is my favorite. The old Eldora was great until they turned it into a Nascrap track.

Re: Partial To A Specific Track???
 

Originally Posted by DirtTrackTherapy16J:
That is a very good strong answer that I can understand and appreciate Opp...the first time Funk took me there and he said hey let's go to the infield, I was like ***, have I had too much to drink? You cant go to the infield at any other tracks, and once we went into the tunnel and come out the other side, wow it was like a giant racing party. People everywhere, clowning, cutting up, just having one hell of a time. I still have 3 videos of JG, Windom, and S. Cottle, qualifying and they was flat ripping into 1, the sounds and echos of them coming down the front stretch and grandstands, yes I'd say T.H. is hard to beat. Fan base wise for Nonwing overall, I agree, something has to happen, were not all gonna live forever but I just dont know the answer. Your idea with pits, I like it, GC started doing this a lil bit this past season, cant remember exacts of it, but fans were given a chance to go to the pits for a limited amount of time for no extra charge. This idea along with some others would be a start at least for getting new fans, younger fans, more fans I believe.

One of the many things that I like about THAT is that fans can watch from the infield. When I am shooting, oftentimes I am the only one in the infield except for track officials. Of course that is a bit different when Sprint Week rolls around and there are a lot of us shooting. At Terre Haute, during the breaks in racing, I love being able to lean on the fence in interact with the fans. I have to say that I have made some lifelong friendships with a few. Just don't get that at many tracks. Oh, yeah, and the shots I can get there are OUTSTANDING. Sample. . .
https://live.staticflickr.com/8605/2...ab34a251_o.jpgDSC_9908 by Carey Akin, on Flickr

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Just about any track in Hoosierville :22:

Excellent photography there cmakin!!!! One of my good buddies you likely well know, he's a photographer, he's at Kokomo and Gas City alot, his name is Chuck.

Re: Partial To A Specific Track???
 

Enjoyed reading the many fine replies to the initial question. Our family started going to the races in 1964 and here I am closing in on 2023 and still going strong. Been to 876 tracks over the years and two stand out as my favorites. The Reading Fairgrounds in Reading, PA was our go to track from 1965 until it closed in 1979 and we witnessed mainly big block modifieds in this timeframe but also saw USAC sprints and other divisions. The reason Reading was the best in my book is because the surface was always finely prepared, the fans were really into the action and were vocal about things and they usually only ran one division in a timely manner and the show did not drag on forever and the racing itself was fantastic.

Currently my favorite is the Kokomo Speedway. The track is super racy with good track prep and it seems no matter what type of race car you see perform here the racing is second to none!! Of course the wingless sprint cars are my favorite and are the reason my wife and I moved to Indiana 8 1/2 years ago and though we enjoy all the Hoosier bullrings Kokomo is our favorite. In recent years the O'Connors have brought in several different kinds of racing and the winged sprints, super late models and the UMP modifieds among others have produced some fine racing there.

The facility is starting to show its age and the homestretch grandstand is in need of replacement which is long overdue but the backstretch grandstand addition was a big plus. Hopefully soon they can do the same on the homestretch. The food is good and the friends who have made there over the years are priceless. And the wingless racing here is truly amazing and since we are now "Indianaized" which means we are spoiled by the weekly great racing in the state and sometimes racing that visitors view as fantastic we are like "it was OK or good" and then we think back to when we first came to Indiana and saw the fantastic racing and were going bonkers about it. Be appreciative of what we have here as Indiana racing is the best in the country. Enough said.

From a transplanted Hoosier,

Bruce and Pat Eckel :D:6:

Re: Partial To A Specific Track???
 

Originally Posted by WinglessLovers:
Enjoyed reading the many fine replies to the initial question. Our family started going to the races in 1964 and here I am closing in on 2023 and still going strong. Been to 876 tracks over the years and two stand out as my favorites. The Reading Fairgrounds in Reading, PA was our go to track from 1965 until it closed in 1979 and we witnessed mainly big block modifieds in this timeframe but also saw USAC sprints and other divisions. The reason Reading was the best in my book is because the surface was always finely prepared, the fans were really into the action and were vocal about things and they usually only ran one division in a timely manner and the show did not drag on forever and the racing itself was fantastic.

Currently my favorite is the Kokomo Speedway. The track is super racy with good track prep and it seems no matter what type of race car you see perform here the racing is second to none!! Of course the wingless sprint cars are my favorite and are the reason my wife and I moved to Indiana 8 1/2 years ago and though we enjoy all the Hoosier bullrings Kokomo is our favorite. In recent years the O'Connors have brought in several different kinds of racing and the winged sprints, super late models and the UMP modifieds among others have produced some fine racing there.

The facility is starting to show its age and the homestretch grandstand is in need of replacement which is long overdue but the backstretch grandstand addition was a big plus. Hopefully soon they can do the same on the homestretch. The food is good and the friends who have made there over the years are priceless. And the wingless racing here is truly amazing and since we are now "Indianaized" which means we are spoiled by the weekly great racing in the state and sometimes racing that visitors view as fantastic we are like "it was OK or good" and then we think back to when we first came to Indiana and saw the fantastic racing and were going bonkers about it. Be appreciative of what we have here as Indiana racing is the best in the country. Enough said.

From a transplanted Hoosier,

Bruce and Pat Eckel :D:6:

Fantastic post! You are spot on. Lindy Vicari would be happy to know so many people to this day still appreciate what he did at Reading. Just like you said, one division, quick and efficient , and most of all fantastic track prep. The purse he payed was excellent also.
While we haven’t been able to make the move to Indiana yet, Kokomo and all of your description of it is why it’s my favorite place to go. It is the baddest bullring and a lot has to do with the fantastic track prep.
I’ll miss the view from the old grandstands when they go as I think the new ones will have you further away from the track. Let’s be honest tho, a bad day at Kokomo (which is rare) is better than most days anywhere.
I still have a soft spot for Ventura Raceway but times have changed there and I’ll just enjoy the great memories of what was. Great topic to discuss during downtime.

On a first pass to narrow down favorite tracks, the list has four: Kokomo, Winchester, Port Royal and Bridgeport, NJ. Great racing every time at all four.

When I lived in Oh til 1990: eldora. In philly since then: bridgeport.nj. Had to get used to the look of eastern mods, vs sprints w/o wings... but they really slide, run close, self start, flip less often (fewer injuries wrecked cars and delays), have great veteran racers (pauch til this year, ryan watt, horton, godown). I know bridgeport had poor surfaces for some of the usac races many here have seen. But on weekly shows the track is typically quite good, they put the races on flo, and they are improving the place. Food not bad; nice fries and decent ice cream. Sell season tickets so I can show up late for the features after watching heats on flo -- even if ticket office has closed. This is an actual racing image I froze from flo. Really happens.

Re: Partial To A Specific Track???
 

Originally Posted by k-bob:
decent ice cream.

You had me at decent ice cream!