What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

:pissonwings: What happens from here???

This isn't to be a hater of wings post it's a what is the next step for all?

WoO and Charlotte on Speed TV with Dave Despain hosting LIVE to the Speed demographics? Wow!!! They have it all after a few bad years with the split and ownership. 2007 lots of TV coverage the King Kinser wins on LIVE TV. Next Rite-Aid steps up to sponsor Syracuse and Charlotte.

We all have watched them re-grow into having what all wingers could ask. TV, Great car counts, Kings, Queens and Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne and race durning big NHRA, NASCAR weekends and tracks! Perfect!!

Where do they go next??? It's grown to where they told us it was going and What is next??? More sponsors & TV ??

What does the IOW poster think is next for WoO and how can we make our USAC and Local tracks come up to that level.

Why so few WoO races in Indiana?

USAC has struggled since the ESPN days of old. Great LIVE TV each weeknight Thunder Days! It became a NASCAR pipline too.

You see Lucas Oil everywhere in Racing.
Why wouldn't they step up their program and put USAC on TV, like thunder days, pluse add to the purse increasing the payout from top to bottom. It would be cheaper than a new stadium. But that works well with National Networks and football tv.

If Lucas would produce 25 to 30 events on any network of USAC racers then they would be headed for the future like WoO is.
Lucas increase the purse money as we all have heard How long have they paid $4000 to win? But a lot more than the local track $1400.
How many drivers out there would then maybe get a pavement car and run USAC's National sprint series. You always hear people trying to deal for a pavement car, until they see the amount of pavement races on the schedule.
Wouldn't it make sense for all the driver development programs out there to be involved with TV?

More money and a great tv package would bring more racers out from their local tracks.

Where is Toyota???
They do support the midgets and probally will be approved to use there old nascar truck engines in Silver Crown. Mopar would probally like to do that as well.

What I haven't seen from Toyota is their help in marketing the series, races and TV. Long ago I watched them come into IMSA sport cars. Toyota had banners everwhere in the towns. Bought part of the TV time and Production, brought tents for the fans to enjoy their day at the track better. They besides bying into the series with TRD they had their people doing event promotion, selling Toyota.

Toyota is like Lucas Oil everywhere in racing. Bikes, Boats, Airplanes, Tractor Pulls and other National Sports.

So sorry to be so K.O. style long but what your all's ideas and thoughts?
Enjoy watching the races tonight on Race Network!

What's Next?


D.O. Laycock
:dologob:

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

Whoa, I was thinkin this exact thing earlier as i was browsing through some WoO sites. They have really taken hold of the second chance they have gotten, specifically with the TV coverage. A couple years ago i wouldnt have been surprised to see the series dead, now look at it. Why hasn't USAC stepped up their game? With backing like Lucas and Toyota, they have the money for big exposure. I could go on and on in a circle about this. I have no idea how or what is needed to compete with WoO coverage. I'm just happy to see sprint cars on basic cable tv again, but id much rather see the sprinters without the boxes get this kinda coverage. My friends who aren't even big race fans love watching sprint cars just because of the show they put on. It blows them away when I tell them how much HP is being put out in a car that weighs 1250lbs. Its a raw form of racing, that nascar ("They use to be moonshiners right?") or any other form of racing doesn't provide. Yadda yadda, my thoughts aren't really clear here...maybe I'll have something better in a bit.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

Go to an Unlimited Engine. (1.Any Engine Displacement or Configuration 2. Any Fuel Including Nitromethane and or Nitrous Oxide, 3. Any Aspiration) I say this would reduce engine cost from 30-50%. Prove me wrong.
If I

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

As much as some people don't like wing racing, you have to admit those are big signboards on top of those cars. Signboards that are able to be read on TV. That in itself makes winged sprints more TV friendly and the big sponsors know that too. I don't know the answer, but I would love to see Thunder again in some format. Television exposure for non wing cars would definitely bring in some fans.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

JMO but there are too many options in USAC. With WOO you get the same names every night, you get the same cars, you get the same surface, and you get the same rules. Its easy to follow. To the casual fan USAC is complicated, you got dirt, pavement, silver crown, sprint car, and midget, then focus midgets, throw in all the regional stuff and you better be on a site like this everyday or your lost on who is doing what. If you go to a WOO race you know youre gonna see Kinser, go to a USAC sprint race and Darland might be off running a midget on pavement that night. I love the diversity in USAC but in this day and age it might be its own worse enemy. WOO is a true blue for profit business where as USAC is for making money but its more of a traditional ran CLUB with lots of history to uphold.

IMO thats what makes dirt late models so popular is because you dont have to decide which type of late model you want to follow, its just that, dirt and late models. With Sprint cars in general its crazy think about it, quater midget, modified midget, mini sprint, TQ, Kenyon, Focus,midget, wing modified midget, wing mini sprint, wing TQ, 600cc, 1200cc, stock , outlaw, non wing sprint 360,wing sprint 305, wing sprint 360, non wing 410, wing 410, silver crown dirt, silver crown pavement, then throw in some wieght rules that vary. With the exception of the new crate lates your choices are very simple, yea I know there are pavement late models but its not the same deal as it is with the open wheel world. I guess you could argue that leading up to late models you have street cars, mods then lates but its still much simpler to the casual fan such as my wife or my nieghbor that has never been the races before. Let me end by stating I love the USAC format but when asking why one on over another this is my take on it.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

"Why so few WoO races in Indiana?" The smaller tracks can't hold enough peolpe?? Don't wanna pay the fee??

Somewhere , somehow, someone like a Ted Johnson needs to come along again.

Why does there have to be anything next?
 

The only thing I can see wrong with the current situation is that the races are run in two areas that are 1000 and 3000 miles from me. You folks in Indiana get to see a minimum of three well-attended races every weekend. What more do you need?

As far as TV is concerned, I think it just doesn't work for short track racing. I cheerfully spent $1000 or so to go to Perris last week, but I won't spend $10 to watch Manzy tonight. And, I wouldn't watch it if it were on cable TV, either. The appeal of short track racing is that there's something happening all over the track all the time. TV is forced to focus on one or two cars at a time. It's just not worth it.

Dick.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

I think the biggest problem between USAC and DIRT, is that USAC is run like a club and DIRT Is run like a business. DIRT has business plan and a marketing plan. They also have some pretty talented managment with NASCAR ties. In particular, Tom Deery, who served as VP of the local NASCAR series, and Ben Geisler with a background in motorsports marketing. With their background in NASCAR, It seems like they have the "800-pound gorilla" mentality need to push their business. I am not sure that USAC has the same instincts. I have seen where there have been rumblings about a change in USAC. A change in leadership with a more aggresive agenda might help USAC.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

Do we really want USAC to be run like WoO? Maybe I'm just an old fossil resistant to change but I believe the advice "Be careful what you wish for" just might apply here. Are we striving to create a USAC where the people who don't go to races can watch on TV? No a criticism of any other opinions. Just wondering.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

I believe that the Sage of Larryville has just expressed more wisdom than most younger folks possess.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

The DIRT deal may sound good right now but they have not made a dime and per what they have on the financial papers they file it looks like now everything has been used as collateral on this last influx of money they have gotten so be careful what you wish for now they made sound like a big corp. but there end result on the paper has not been worth anything you can only play the paperwork game so long and then it bites you in the azz.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

Everything is fine the way it is. If I want to watch a race on TV..I buy a tape from D.O.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

Agreed

Do we really want the NAPCAR type fan to invade our sanctum? All it will do is price us out, as they

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

I heard a rumor that the Chili Bowl might get moved to a new facility being built in Springfield, Mo. in a few years. That is where O'Reilly auto parts is based. It will never have the atmosphere of Tulsa and the Expo Center but I have to admit the race is getting too big now.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

Dick Monahan touched on a very good point. While winged sprints are raced in some form all over the country there are basically two "pockets" of non wing racing - Indiana and SoCal/AZ. Hard to get a TV audience when so few people have been exposed to our great form of racing. That is why I have been so interested in the efforts of Waynesfield, Michigan Traditional Sprints, VCS, and MSCS in Illinois as well as the USAC Eastern Tour & ARDC in PA, even though that is midgets. We need to expose the traditional form of racing to a much broader fan base before tackling National TV. And USAC needs to stop trying to have their drivers compete in all divisions. Promote the drivers who run the National sprint series and make room for new drivers to come up through the midgets that will be able to stay around and move up to a viable National sprint car series.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

"The next step" you hear that term so much with sprintcars, and in ways USAC and non-winged sprints in general need to take it. WoO I think just needs to keep on trucking with it and it will probably work out for them, as long as they don't get themselves caught in a hole like they did the last time. With the traditional guys, it does seem to be more like club racing, and like it or not as long as it stays that way I fear we'll never see the purses that these guys deserve. I think it will take a combination of the suggestions above to get the ball rolling so to speak. Big sponsers pushing, strong focused leadership, and a aggresive business plan I think would probably help tremendously. And as much as we all like to see sombody going for the triple crown perhaps consolidating the feilds might not hurt, meaning more guys that are midget or sprint specialists to get more guys that you know will be there all the time. I'm all for changing for the better as the USAC national guys deserve better, just don't want it to change to much or to fast

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

[QUOTE=nowingsjeff;17458]

The only thing they need to do is keep letting Greg Staab work his ideas and schedules. That guy has and will make a difference if they let him run with the ball. He

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

USAC doesn't need to race 70 or more nights like the WoO. A schedule of 30 or so high paying races ($8k to win minimum) at high profile tracks across the country would do. Certainly beef up the lower end of the purse to make it more viable for the teams to travel. Make Sprint Week a part of the tour. The Oval Nationals and Western World are already a great way to end the season.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

Yeah Rex, some people are short sighted. It's the McDonald

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

I think the problem may be that very few promoters/track owners in Indiana can up front the ante fee that the WoO requires. As I understand it the sanctioning fee is quite hefty.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

[QUOTE=nowingsjeff;17486]Yeah Rex, some people are short sighted. It's the McDonald

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

When you have to spend $500 in fuel to get to run a one night show it doesn't make much sense to the car owner. Now I have to admit Greg has done a better job in making sure there are 2-3 shows together to balance out the expense. Why doesn't USAC pay tow money for their car owners? I heard for the first time on the PA trip USAC did give the teams a whopping $100.

Personally for the sprint cars they need to eliminate the pavement or split it into a seperate series. Can you imagine the amount of guys who would run a full dirt only series.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

How bout they start with selling all the Vans & Toyota cars & firing 1/2 the staff to free up some of the sponser $$ so they can add it to the purse. How many people work for USAC? If i remember right there were 6 - 8 that worked for the WoO.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

I agree that Greg Staab is doing yeoman's work in expanding the areas/tracks where USAC races. However, I also believe/agree that USAC has too many irons in the fire. I think they should trim it down to 3 divisions, at the most, and focus on developing and promoting those two or three series.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

One of the great mysteries to me is how USAC generates enough income to support all that overhead. What is the sanction fee for a sprint or midget race? Are they getting big money for the new Silver Crown races? There are also way too many officials at a sprint race.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

Back in the Thunder days the ratings National were ok 1.1% which is huge compared to ratings for many things today. SO I think America would pick back up on the excitment of the racing. True today most TV just follows the top cars and not the whole field like Thunder days.

USAC has been growing since 1955 when they were formed. Woo popped up and has crashed and burned a couple of times and restarted to get where they are.

I would like to see USAC do a ISW [July] type week once a month in the summer in other states like Pa [June], Ohio [May], Il [August] as special events. Maybe not 8 races but 3 or 4 so a team can afford to travel to the race and not a one off event. USAC could still have the specials like Border Wars, 4 crown, etc plus normal scheduled events.

The problem with USAC in Indiana is you can see most of the USAC stars at your local track if USAC doesn't have a full weekend of racing. So maybe some fans balk at the increase in admission to see a few more carss. Only cars you miss are the Hoffmans, TSR and KKR at the local tracks.

Greg Staab did get tow money for Pa but it was $100 per race the last two years. Not much but better than nothing!


:hoffman:

:dologob:

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

Anyone hear anything more about the Robin Miller 10-18-2007 Open Wheel Notebook rumor that MOPAR is taking over USAC?

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

Dwight has if figured out there they need to take and run with the non-wing sprints and get them going and let the chips fall where they may with the other two divisions.The non-wing sprints if done right can be run pretty much every weekend two and three nights the only question I see is the traveling costs now would have to be a lot better purse money out there than what is being paid now.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

You would think with 3 divisions dirt and pavement they would be able to keep a driver busy so he wouldn't have to run 1,400 to win local shows:doh:

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

All of this discussion may be moot, anyway. They're predicting that oil is going to stabilize around $120 bbl and gasoline in the $4 range. What that will do to the traveling series is, a few wealthy teams will travel and the local guys at each track will have to fill the fields. Kind of like it was when WOO and All-Stars started out.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

• A biggie from MOPAR taking over at USAC next month?

From 10/18/07 Robin Miller's Open Wheel Notebook





The oil and gas price deal will keep people home if it gets above $3.50 a gallon.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

[QUOTE=D.O.;17547]

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

Load up the Short Bus!!!!!!

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

[QUOTE=D.O.;17547]

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

OMG, Someone makes sense! ALso buying 40mpg cars and motorcycles will help keep travel cost down.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

"Parity is a joke, we penalize success instead of reward it. Innovation, creativity...they need to be brought back into sprint car racing. Relax rules, encourage some free thinking, allow for adaptive innovation, reward success...may make things interesting."
-Faster Pussycat

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

To Quote Joe Scalzo from his new book~ CITY OF SPEED.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

I don't really think anything is wrong on our end of racing, our local drivers are the best anywhere,the race events from MSCS/HOSS/Allstars & (MW)Allstars/Usac etc.., spectators will & can see what excites them, All I can do is race our best and keep trying to move forward, The TV is great,My hope is that it makes normal people come get the Sprint Car fever at our local tracks.

Re: What happens from here! Wing/open wheel
 

when i think of an unlimited serious, i think of hydroplane racing during the 1990's when bernie little $$$ filled budweiser boat team completely dominated the field and made for some really really boring races.