THAT-Surprised no one has seen this
 

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid...46610495725000

Lot of info here, how accurate I do not know.

Re: THAT-Surprised no one has seen this
 

Originally Posted by B99:
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid...46610495725000

Lot of info here, how accurate I do not know.

I seen that last night. I just wasn't sure if was accurate.

Everyone who's able to come needs to turn off Flo and GYA2THAT or next year it won't be coming back!

Originally Posted by oppweld:
Everyone who's able to come needs to turn off Flo and GYA2THAT or next year it won't be coming back!

Just stop with the Flo bashing

Re: THAT-Surprised no one has seen this
 

I just love how people tell me what to do anymore. Chuckbot, I'm not and I'll be watching on Flo, Why? Because there is no way in hell I can make it unless someone's willing to pay two hundred a day for a care nurse. Believe me, I'd love to go to at least one of those six hour round trip 350mi trips for two and a half hours of racing at THAT.

Re: THAT-Surprised no one has seen this
 

Will be over in number 2 infield just like the last 55 years. One of those things in life I will never take for granted.

I understand my good friend Oppweld’s sentiment, but Flo has never been what keeps me from going to a place that I absolutely love, THAT. You just drive onto the property and feel like you’re on hallowed ground. The biggest problem always has been for me is they refuse to race on Saturday. However, I will absolutely go ahead and leave work early if I have to to get to at least one race this year

Guys, reread Oppweld’s post… he said “Everyone who IS ABLE TO COME”. If you haven’t seen the Silver Crown cars at Terre Haute then you’re missing some great racing.

Paging Lloyd Walls!!

Been going since ‘82 and plan to hit all the races they run this season. Seems really stupid to have turned down Track Enterprises offer of a 10 year extension only to end up in this predicament. Do we even know who’s promoting these races yet?

AJ on the throttle in AJ Watson's sprint car, with the Ford four-cam engine for power at Terre Haute in 1968. I believe this was his only sprint car appearance that year. It's incredible when you realize at this time he was already a three-time 500 winner, had won dozens of Indy car races, and other races of all kinds, claimed multiple championships, took LeMans and was still racing sprint cars.

Here’s the photo if I did it right!

It's not FLo bashing. It's simple economics, no fans in stands no track,just another worthless shopping center coming to a former legendary facility near you.

My first visit to Terre Haute in 1970, right out of high school, 2 years after this photo. It’s an entirely different era in racing these days. Don Smith of Terre Haute First National Bank. Foyt had already won the Indy 500 THREE times when this photo was shot, was always told Foyt raced there as a personal favor to Don Smith and Tony Hulman ( wouldn’t doubt it if Tony added some cash to AJ’s wallet but maybe not?) Stories I have read said he was grateful for the part that The Action Track played in propelling his career. Think about it, you don’t think knowing Foyt was running a sprint car there helped put a lot of butts in the seats? Plus there were other Indy 500 drivers that ran too. Sadly that doesn’t happen these days. Don Smith was a promotor and a salesman and always had big crowds. USAC never ran any tracks that were less than a 1/2 mile in those days. I remember the Hulman Classic that Jan Oppermann won in 1976 paid over $12,000 to win ( biggest sprint car purse at that time) and was broadcast live on Wide World of Sports…… All because of Don Smith!

I'll wait for a "Official" announcement before I get my hopes up too high,just sayin.

Re: THAT-Surprised no one has seen this
 

This is good news, but if the fairgrounds do indeed need money and support. Maybe they should try harder to work with whoever gets the lease. I hope this works out.

Re: THAT-Surprised no one has seen this
 

Im guessing USAC's renting it and both work on finding the people to prep it.

Met Don Smith in 2010. He said him AJ and Hulman were good friends and would spend time at his compound hunting, fishing and more likely drinking. Also said the racers made him, not the other way around, It was his job to not screw it up.

Got to see his collection, Building two was almost all pace cars he had for the track. Some Indy garage doors from before the fire and some one offs and eclectic stuff.

RIP Don Smith.

Let’s go guys. I would be more than happy to lend a hand doing whatever we need to after the races.

I'm in from Jackson mich.6 hour trip hopefully I can make it twice.

Re: THAT-Surprised no one has seen this
 

Hopefully it works out for this group! Maybe bring back the Hut 100 in 2024???

Re: THAT-Surprised no one has seen this
 

Originally Posted by jdull99:
Hopefully it works out for this group! Maybe bring back the Hut 100 in 2024???

C'mon Jason you know better than that. You would get about 10-12 cars show up on a half mile. Midgets on big tracks are long gone due to the engine cost. Its a shame but its true.

They will be racing from what we have heard,,from reliable source.its not all Fairboard , but be glad someone's stepping up.to keep that going,

I don’t understand this either. Bob Sargeant is one of the best promoters in the business. Why they would turn down a 10 year extension with him I don’t get

Originally Posted by jdull99:
Hopefully it works out for this group! Maybe bring back the Hut 100 in 2024???

JMO…..would be great but I don’t think that would work at Terre Haute anymore. Besides the 4 Crown I don’t know of any midget races on 1/2 miles anymore. Once again it’s a different era of racing and a lot of guys won’t run sprint cars on a 1/2 mile anymore. I think that’s a big reason Terre Haute doesn’t run on Saturday nights…. Guys are running at the weekly tracks like Putnamville, Paragon, The Burg etc. I go back to the days when they ran midgets on the miles, remember seeing Don Branson lead for 99 laps at the Milwaukee Mile ( on a Friday afternoon race during fair week and Tony Bettenhausen passing him coming out of turn 4 on the last lap for the win. That was 1959 when I was 8 years old!

Originally Posted by wingedsprint47:
I don’t understand this either. Bob Sargeant is one of the best promoters in the business. Why they would turn down a 10 year extension with him I don’t get

A very reliable source told me Bob wanted 10 years but the fair board would only give him 5. The original post from the gentleman said the fair board needed a promotor to be a “partner” with the fair board. If the fair board needs a partner then they have to be willing to give the promotor some of the “gravy”. How many business people do you know that put money into something but don’t own it at all??

Re: THAT-Surprised no one has seen this
 

Originally Posted by cowboyhar69:
A very reliable source told me Bob wanted 10 years but the fair board would only give him 5. The original post from the gentleman said the fair board needed a promotor to be a “partner” with the fair board. If the fair board needs a partner then they have to be willing to give the promotor some of the “gravy”. How many business people do you know that put money into something but don’t own it at all??

The last guys. New Armco both ends, New water tanks (Now removed) New concession equipt. And they lost their tails by the sound of it. Left the Armco though, Thanks!

Hopefully everything work out, I loved when the outlaws came to town the place was packed .

Originally Posted by Charles Nungester:
The last guys. New Armco both ends, New water tanks (Now removed) New concession equipt. And they lost their tails by the sound of it. Left the Armco though, Thanks!

My point Charles…. You see how that worked out. The weather absolutely killed Scott Ronk’s group, rain outs of the Hulman Classic on the original date and the ISW date. I think if those 2 shows would have happened we wouldn’t even be discussing this.

Re: THAT-Surprised no one has seen this
 

Originally Posted by cowboyhar69:
My point Charles…. You see how that worked out. The weather absolutely killed Scott Ronk’s group, rain outs of the Hulman Classic on the original date and the ISW date. I think if those 2 shows would have happened we wouldn’t even be discussing this.

The weather certainly didn’t do the last promotional team any favors, but IMO, they didn’t help themselves with the social media rants. They were dealt a crappy hand…I get that, but getting on social media and posting some of the stuff they did is a pretty sure way to turn people against you.

If Terre Haute is to survive, it is going to take someone that is experienced with promotion and that can afford to lose money to build Terre Haute back up. It’s not going to happen in a season. JMO.

Re: THAT-Surprised no one has seen this
 

Originally Posted by openwheelfan1:
The weather certainly didn’t do the last promotional team any favors, but IMO, they didn’t help themselves with the social media rants. They were dealt a crappy hand…I get that, but getting on social media and posting some of the stuff they did is a pretty sure way to turn people against you.

If Terre Haute is to survive, it is going to take someone that is experienced with promotion and that can afford to lose money to build Terre Haute back up. It’s not going to happen in a season. JMO.

I said that a long time ago, That all Track announcements and anything from the track should have been done by someone with PR experience vs what happened. You are also right, If you have to make up most of your investment quickly. You're in trouble to begin with.. Spiker bought LPS invested in the place, treated people right. even gave a free show or two. But now he's got a hillside full for weekly shows and they're paying customers. It takes time to build trust, That your welcomed and appreciated. THAT last year both had the weather problem and a out of control pissed off investor. (I can't blame him for being upset) I can see the damage done by the cat out in public.

Re: THAT-Surprised no one has seen this
 

They should have worked with Scott and Bernie last year to keep what they were trying to do. Instead they fought with them trying to make improvements. Fair Board either needs to figure out if they want to race or not!

Re: THAT-Surprised no one has seen this
 

Originally Posted by flagboy55:
I understand my good friend Oppweld’s sentiment, but Flo has never been what keeps me from going to a place that I absolutely love, THAT. You just drive onto the property and feel like you’re on hallowed ground. The biggest problem always has been for me is they refuse to race on Saturday. However, I will absolutely go ahead and leave work early if I have to to get to at least one race this year

First race at Terre Haute looks like USAC Silver Crown on Sunday, April 16th as per that Facebook post.


Bruce Eckel :23:

The Dirt Champ cars put on a great show at the Action Track, last years race was a dandy!

Money can buy a lot of things; businesses, sprint car rides, even race tracks, but it doesn’t make you a good promoter and doesn’t put fans in the stands or cars on the track.

Sounds to me like the fair board is looking for a sponsor, not a promoter. Sargent checks all the boxes when it comes to a promotional group but apparently that’s not what they are looking for out there.

Maybe this last promotional group would be a good fit for Gas City? Closer to home for one of the parties. It would be a much shorter trip for him when he decides to take his ball and go home.

Bruce your point is made. Sunday’s I have no problem doing providing I get home in time to get some sleep before my clock goes off at 4:30. But thankfully I gain an hour coming home so unless there’s some big delays, it will work out good. I’ll see you there

Re: THAT-Surprised no one has seen this
 

Originally Posted by racefan20:
C'mon Jason you know better than that. You would get about 10-12 cars show up on a half mile. Midgets on big tracks are long gone due to the engine cost. Its a shame but its true.

But it wouldn't be a THAT thread without talk of the Hut 100! lol.

New era of midget racing tho...if the National cars won't show up, maybe try it with 2.4s OR a formulated restricted plan of a little bit older National motors and 2.4s (you just have to be running at the finish...)...whatever it takes to get 33 cars starting 3 wide.

There were PLENTY of badaz Hut 100s when everyone didn't have 400+ HP...and more cars. I think there would be a good initial turnout for nostalgia and, hey, if the payout can be better than they (2.4 cars) normally race for, maybe it could sustain itself...

Re: THAT-Surprised no one has seen this
 

Originally Posted by jdull99:
But it wouldn't be a THAT thread without talk of the Hut 100! lol.

New era of midget racing tho...if the National cars won't show up, maybe try it with 2.4s OR a formulated restricted plan of a little bit older National motors and 2.4s (you just have to be running at the finish...)...whatever it takes to get 33 cars starting 3 wide.

There were PLENTY of badaz Hut 100s when everyone didn't have 400+ HP...and more cars. I think there would be a good initial turnout for nostalgia and, hey, if the payout can be better than they (2.4 cars) normally race for, maybe it could sustain itself...

Were you at the last Hut 100? There were no fans there. Maybe a couple of hundred. I don't see any way at this point it could be done successfully. I really wish it could, but I wouldn't put my money up to do it.

Re: THAT-Surprised no one has seen this
 

Still nothing official out there about the 4/16 at THAT? Correct?

Re: THAT-Surprised no one has seen this
 

Back in the day USAC ran only 1/2-mile tracks, so the engines they ran were 1/2-mile engines built to run 1/2-mile tracks. The engines now are 1/4- and 3/8-mile engines that won't last on a 1/2. It takes big bucks to have an engine that can win on a 1/2-mile track without blowing up. I remember going to Terre Haute in the early sixties to see the sprints race. I don't remember seeing any more than enough for the feature. No big pits on the West Side of the track as they all pitted on the front stretch in front of the fans. Most all of the cars were brought in on open trailers or on the back of a truck as no one used enclosed trailers. Most of the racers were Indy 500 drivers like AJ Foyt and the Unser's and that was what the fans came to see. No other class of race cars ran on that date. So, the fans came to see 15 or 20 sprints with no full roll cage. Racers were killed in those sprints. It seemed that the grandstand was mostly full for all of the races. I think most 1/2-mile tracks racing midgets and sprints are going to be history. For the champ cars, on 1/2-mile or bigger tracks is the only place you can see them race.

Originally Posted by miledirt:
Still nothing official out there about the 4/16 at THAT? Correct?

Maybe we will know something by this weekend?