If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

VCS has definitely been a bright spot:8: for dirt track racing in the midwest this season. Joe Spiker and his crew are doing an incredible :6:job coming in and revamping VCS. The track has built a strong:2: following of racers and fans. Now that he is LEASING Lincoln Park Speedway, and MUST promote it on SATURDAY NIGHTS ONLY, it seems pretty clear that he won't schedule both tracks on Saturday nights.


Here's the question: :11:If you were in Joe Spiker's shoes, what would you do to make sure that both tracks stay successful? Do you try to keep a sprint car class at VCS? If so, what night do you race on? Do you try to get a UMP sanctioning license and bring in super late models and drop the sprint car class for 2010? In your opinion, what is the best plan for the future of VCS?:31:

Why not sprints, UMP super late models, and UMP modifieds on Sunday nights at VCS in 2010? Could it work? Not enough classes? Not enough cars?

VOICE YOUR OPINIONS!!! :20:


My hat is off to Mr. Spiker and crew for their hard work at VCS this season! :22:

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

Run same classes on sundays!

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

My thoughts exactly. Sunday's are the only real choice....Combo points for P'ville and D'ville...or have an overall champ along with the the individual track champions..

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

COMBO POINTS :):8: Now there is something that I hadn't even thought of yet. I like it!:22:

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

If you did combo points it could turn into somthing like they have started over at Fremont/Attica in Ohio the F.A.S.T. series. If that happened it would benefit all involved. JMO though

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

Id arrest D.A the first time he entered my property without 24hrs notice

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

I like this idea ,but some how there will have to be some good point money to get guy's to follow it. The only problem with Sundays is for IN. guys there is 1hr time difference so getting out early is priority. I don't know how this would play out with Kokomo on same nite. The racer's who have made VCS work this year need to not be forgotten I wish he would finish out this year as schd.

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

But LPS is still his property, Joe is just leasing for now.

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

Friday might work. The one hour gain for Indiana participants would be a plus for some; might gain a couple cars who find getting to GS or Bloomington to be tight. Farmer City is less than 60 miles away and Hammer runs umpteen classes, so VCS support classes and back gate might suffer.
I know that at least one of the string of promoters who ran VCS without sprints did not make out too well.

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

Now thats the best idea I've heard so far....Thats funny...:8:

I think the double points deal would work regardless of what night they run on ..It sure wouldn't hurt car count if like someone already said the points fund was high enough..

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

I can't correctly answer that question without knowing fan attendance, car counts and whatever. I would run it to make the most money to buy the property from DA to get out of that stupid lease without him getting the track back. I know when I win the lottery, I am spending whatever money possible to get DA out of his two tracks.

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

There are a lot of tracks running sprint car shows against each other on Saturday nights. It makes good sense to move the Danville sprint car show to either Friday or Sunday as not to run both of his tracks against each other on Saturday. There are as many as six tracks or sanctioning bodies already running against each other on many Saturday nights. The question is, which night would be best to move the sprint car program to, Friday or Sunday?

A couple of years ago Bill Nelson ran a once a month sprint car show on Friday night at Danville and drew between 45 and 55 sprints at each show. He ran against Bloomington and Gas City and did quite well. You now have Morgan Co. Speedway in Jacksonville, IL running sprints a couple of times a month... but not a regular weekly sprint program. Friday does create some problems for racers who might not get off work in time to pull to a Friday night show.

Sunday nights seem to be the most promising for car counts. The only other track running a regular sprint car program is Kokomo. There are plenty of Illinois sprinters and sprinters that do not go to Kokomo to make a good weekly car count. It would make sense to start a Sunday program two hours earlier to allow for the time difference between Indiana and Illinois and to allow teams and fans who work on Monday to get out at a reasonable hour.

It would be a shame to eliminate the sprint cars at Danville. There has been plenty of support from the sprinters and fans. The racing has been very good. I don't blame Joe Spiker for not running two sprint shows against each other at LPS and Danville on the same night. My vote would be Sunday evening at Danville with hot laps at 5pm (local time) and racing at 6pm with a goal to be done by 10:00pm. :8:

Joe

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

I don't see how Sunday would work. The loss of an hour would kill all support from Indiana. I think one of the things that helped make VCS successful was support from IN cars and fans. I think Mr. Spiker is probably doing what he as to do. I know I will support him. Does anyone know what the car counts from IN have been this year?

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

The car counts of been steady everywhere according to the results posted here on IOW and from talking to other drivers. Very rare has there been a night where someone didnt run a B Main on Sat.

There are plenty of cars to run on Sunday at Danville in all classes as no one really runs a Sunday show in IL anymore. It would probably help their Crate Late Models the most as last week they only had 8 cars and there were 10 the week before.

We used to run on Sundays the first year Bill Nelson ran the Bell Shootout and it went well. His 2nd year, in 2007, was when he went to Friday, so Sunday can work. Everyone seems to worry about working on Monday. What about the ones who have to work on Sat....even if it's til noon, they still go out on Fridays to either race or watch races, or to drink and party. People do it at Kokomo........used to at Haubstadt, and for 48 years they did it at Little Springfield Speedway....every Sunday night.
Ususally we are done, and paid....and driving out of the track by 9:30 IL time on Sat, even if you are from Indy or Terre Haute you could be home by midnight.

Point is, if there is something worth supporting, people will do it any night of the week, weather its, pool league, bowling, softball, or racing.....because it's worth it! And VCS running Sprints and the current line up would be just that......supported with cars and fans because the track and the racing, admission and concessions are all worth it.

Steve Thomas

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

I like the way this guy thinks!:8: Anyone else agree with his thoughts? Or disagree?:22:

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

amen

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

Sunday is really the only choice...

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

Sounds like Sunday afternoons and evenings are pretty popular on here. :16 A sprint class at VCS on late Sunday afternoon's with a combined and separate set of points for the sprints, and perhaps the mods as well? :6: Definitely an interesting idea from my point of view. :8: But, it's just an opinion, and opinions are like *#&(@&#^....everyone's got one. :) Let's see what Mr. Spiker has to say over the next few days and weeks!:22:

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

Ultimately the track needs to do what is in its best interest. Sunday is probably logistically the best day. However sprint cars may not be the best option for that day because of travel and time considerations for both fans and drivers because of the time zone difference. While there are plenty of late model teams and fans in Illinois that don't have to worry about that difference. The track would also be a fairly good location for teams that compete Friday and Saturday nights at Farmer City and Fairbury.

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

I would run mud-cabs and mud-buses and a bomber class on Saturday night.Run sprintcars on the Fridays that Gas City and Bloomington work together(ex-Kiss,Midget week,sprint week,Sheldon,flat trackers)then Run the Sunday's Kokomo doesn't run Like the whole month of April three weeks in SEPTEMBER.They could easily come up with 15 Sprint dates and not step on anyone's toes.

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

Well it may not matter but Kankakee (IL) Speedway has closed for the season wihich is sad however Kankakee is or WAS a Friday Night track so could VCS run and hope to draw there cars ? Maybe Kankakee area drivers wouldnt not tow south to run VCS? What if VCS gets a UMP licence where they could run both crate and super late models and "try" or "test" Sprints out on Friday night and see how many cars show up? Maybe VCS could run this very same "test" on Sunday night?

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

I think he's spot on, here. Some of the best racing I've seen this year has been at VCS. And some of the best run shows I've seen this year have been there, as well. If he can duplicate that same easy going, fan-friendly environment he has had at VCS, while moving the program along, like they have there, he'll have a hit on his hands @ LPS and it will be like a new track has opened up, here in West Central Indiana. Coming into this year, I didn't even know who Joe Spiker was. My VCS experience has made me a Spiker fan. And the biggest part of making me a fan of the way this place has been run, is what this core group of drivers has been able to do, with what Joe and his team has given them to work with. As a fan at VCS, I've been introduced to young talents like Korey Weyant, Nick Bilbee and Blake Nimee. And I've watched Ricky Williams develop into a real threat, gaining valuable experience, like the aforementioned young gassers, proving himself against perennial Illinois gatekeepers like Hud Cone, Chris Urish, Terry Babb and The Wissmiller brothers. And Hoosier hot shots, like Jon Stanbrough, Bryan Clauson, Shane Cottle and AJ Anderson. If they can run with or beat any of these guys, you know they're tough and you might want to remember their name.

Bottom line: I wish Joe luck with Lincoln Park Speedway. That place has been a diamond in the rough, for quite a few years, now. If he can do over there what he's been able to accomplish at VCS, he will be the hero of many a Hoosier race fan. Hopefully, he can work this transition in a way that gives the drivers of VCS their due. And a place to run. They certainly deserve it and it would be nice to see many those same drivers competing at LPS, in the future. And that's a nice group of fans over there. They deserve it, too.

Jerry

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

I agree with a lot of what Jerry said in his last post. I think it will be a wait and see for most drivers at vcs like myself. How he treats the sprint car guys that have been supporting him at VCS will determine if I or alot of these drivers will support him at LPS. We will wait and see. There is no arguing what he has done with VCS and what he can and will do at LPS. Hopefully no one is left out in the cold...

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

Back to the top! Great responses so far :8::8::8::8:

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

I realize that I am a minority on here, since I live in Springfield IL, west of VCS rather than east. If it is a given that Lincoln Park must run on a Saturday night, there are no good answers for me. I love VCS as a nonwing sprint track. It is 120 miles from my house, mostly interstate, so I can drive over and drive back home. Lincoln Park is enough farther that it makes an over and back very hard. I have also done the Bloomington, VCS, Kokomo trip twice. Either is good.

If Lincoln Park must run Saturday, that leaves either Friday for VCS, which competes with Morgan County Speedway in Jacksonville IL, less than an hour from my house, or Sunday. Sunday competes with Kokomo, my all-time favorite weekly show, not to mention the great specials.

My ideal weekly schedule would be Jacksonville on Friday, VCS on Saturday, and Lincoln Park on Sunday.

A great alternative has been mentioned by more than one in this thread. Don't worry about a weekly show and run when others aren't, like AERO410SCJA suggested. I thought that was an excellent idea. Fill in the gaps and run specials. That way we still have races at a well-run sprint car track and don't have as many conflicts with other tracks.

Every promoter wishes they had the problem Joe does. He has a really successful track at VCS right now and will bring Lincoln Park back to its past glory. Whatever happens, sprint car fans should celebrate. Are we in the good new days?

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

You're definitely right.:8: :6:This is a good problem for Joe Spiker to have to deal with. :):22:

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

great quote here!:6::6::6::6::8::8::8::8::8::22:

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

Run Thursday

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

Run Thursday night, my idea exactly. The car count would be up, no confilcts and time difference would giive Indiana drivers an extra hour to get there. Great four nights of sprint racing every week.

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

I don't think my liver could handle that for 5 months;)

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

Theres one track on the east coast been running thursdays for years (TO SOLD OUT CROWDS)

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

Run it Sunday!!Most of the people that run VCS do not run Kokomo,IMO...Cant wait to run the new Pville!!

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

What track is that??

Where did you hear about the Thursday night racing and sold out crowds,and when did you hear about it?

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

I think this is a VERY INTERESTING IDEA! :2: This is what I'd call thinking outside of the box!:8: Does anyone remember the Thursday Night Thunder series? I think this would be worth giving a try for the 2010 season. :23:


IOW members....why would or wouldn't this work? :16 Lets here some opinions!:22:

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

Thursday seems like a wonderful idea, except for that loosing an hour for indiana guys, and having to work the next day, on top of possibly trying to race friday, i think a lot of guys would be forced to choose thurs or friday, and then it would be down to which is closer, if they go with sunday i think you will see a lot of teams that dont run kokomo run VCS for the simple fact that it is another option on a sunday...

Friday - jacksonville, gas city, bloomington
Saturday - LPS, Burg, Waynesfield, Paragon, and whereever MSCS is....

Sunday - Kokomo...... <------------------------looks like there is more space here than anywhere, JMO

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

You would lose the hour on Sunday also..On a fans view...It would get me there more knowing I could come out for 4 days of racing whenever.I think you would find alot of guys would run..One more chance to pick up a check..But like I said I'm just a fan giving my opinion.....I was there on the tuesday show and Crowd and car count looked good to me.

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

From a fan's dreaming mind, I'd love to see two things...
Danville run the Sundays early in the year and late in the year when Kokomo is idle.
Putnamville run midgets once a month, with no conflicts, and on those Saturdays, Danville runs sprint cars.
Or Putnamville just throw midgets in with the sprint cars once a month, and Danville can run on Fridays when Gas City or Bloomington is off in addition to those Sundays.

Those might not work, but one of those would make me happy...

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

Running on Thursdays sounds like a great "outside the box"-type idea, until you consider that by choosing Thursdays you're just combining the problems you face on Fridays (work day) and Sundays (work night), minus the scheduling conflicts.

Aero's Friday idea is a really good one.

Kirk, I like the idea of taking those early- and late-season Sundays that Kokomo takes off, but you have to remember a big reason why Jarrod and the boys don't run those dates: they lose money on them. I've seen it for years and years, the big crowds aren't there for regular shows until school's out. That's just how Sundays are.

Any non-wing dirt track is a good thing, I hope the powers that be figure out something that works for everyone.

Re: If you were in joe spiker's shoes...what would you do with vcs?
 

:23: One thing is for sure...Running on a Sunday or a Thursday would likely mean a maximum of 3 classes with no qualifying in order keep the show moving and over with in order to get fans home at a decent time. I'm a big fan of the "draw" format that VCS is utilizing this season. :22: