Thank You Gerry Olsen!
 

I had to personally thank you for bringing in that powdery dirt in 1999 that ruined my favorite race track. Thank you for gracing us with your presence in row 1 section D at the Action Track. Thank you USAC for having Him there for apparent consulting. Thank you Chris Novotny for the ultra extended scraping session on the front stretch that USAC tried to get you to do less of but apparently You are in charge now. Thank you USAC for the 10 mph 1/4 midget races instead of watering the whole track. What happened to Tommy Helfrich that we were promised? What happened to Bubby Jones that we were promised? I know, they probably knew a day race in July on Gerry Olsen's dirt was impossible. Then again, USAC tried that about 11 years ago for the Hut 100 when Olsen was promoting and the exact same thing happened. Those who don't know history are bound to repeat it. See how positive this was, I thanked all parties involved. Wait... I forgot myself. Thank you me for the 9 hour round trip and the $80 I spent on this trip. Oh, and thank you road construction on the on ramp to I-70 that made my decision to skip the drive to Kokomo for the 16 fire snorters. Thank you Uncle Jim for supplying the race tapes from 1992 we watched when we got home. 42 midgets at Angell Park, the same at Macon with tacky tracks and great racing..... an air conditioned living room with a big screen tv.... cost= $0. Next week I think I'll put in the Hulman Classic from 1984 and watch Steve, Sheldon,Bob, Randy, and Kelly Kinser battle Tom Bigelow, Steve Butler, Jerry Russell, John Andretti and many others in a day race from Terre Haute when there was a capable track crew and GERRY OLSEN had yet to powderize the track!!!!!!!! Why does everything I like end up ruined? I guess that's why old guys are grumpy. I think I've been around a little too long now and of course I'm just some dumb ignorant fan who's only good for his $25. Ahh the good old days of cheap gas, CRA Tours, 40 cars, big name drivers and tacky tracks.....life really kind of sucks now.

Re: Thank You Gerry Olsen!
 

You forgot to thank the fairboard who ran out the promoters who brought the place back to life at the end of last year.

Re: Thank You Gerry Olsen!
 

Attention would be promoters if any fair board is in charge of anything don't walkaway!!!run like hhhhh!!!:11;

Re: Thank You Gerry Olsen!
 

Thank you Brent for reminding me to thank the woman president of the fair board that alledgedly ran off last years' promoter, along with Bob Sargent who did the best track prep I've seen there in many years.

---------- Post added at 12:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:19 PM ----------

Thank you to the same Fairboard who ran off Bill Hopton to bring in Gerry Olsen instead........ the beginning of the end.

Re: Thank You Gerry Olsen!
 

No one seemed to have a problem with the consistency of clay a year ago... I think your a little off your mark here.

Re: Thank You Gerry Olsen!
 

The other promoters that were interested wanted the concessions and i don't blame them... but the fair board already had a multi-year contract for the concessions and could not get out of it. Usac was the only one that would do it without the concessions. Maybe we would be better off with it just sitting for a couple years but i don't think so! Whether you believe it or not the fair board wants the circle track and the drag strip to do great things but it not their job to get it done! Yes usac wasn't the best option to get it done but it was the only option. There is no talk of that property being sold. There are alot of other stipulations with that property and what happens to it than alot of people know...

Re: Thank You Gerry Olsen!
 

I believe I was at just about every race when Olsen was the promotor of THAT and I can't recall the track ever being in bad shape. Heck I thought the track was always in pretty good shape then. Maybe there was one or two, but overall, the track was usually in good shape. I didn't agree with how he handled a lot of things, but when it came to prepping the track, I thought he did a good job. I'm sure I will get attacked for saying what I said, but that's just my opinion. I dont care who is prepping the track, if they dont have the equipment, you are going to get what people saw this weekend.

I sure hope things turn around when I'm there for Sprintweek.....

Re: Thank You Gerry Olsen!
 

....but don't forget the beautiful brick ********* that was built during his reign....:9:

That is a nice pooper
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Re: Thank You Gerry Olsen!
 

There are still a few guys up in Michigan that would like to get their hands on Olsen and wring his neck....

Re: Thank You Gerry Olsen!
 

Agreed. Yes he had many a problem as a promoter, but when it came to track prep, bottom line, he was very good! He also did the prep at Kokomo during the Dave Duncan years, and it was some of the best track prep at that the old Kokomo had ever seen!
I honestly don't believe he was hired for track prep, as he was waiting for a pit pass, long after activities were initially scheduled to begin. Wrong as this may seem to many, if I was promoting at Terre Haute, I actually would hire Mr. Olsen for track prep.
There, I said it.
I also actually disagree with a lot of the 11 pages of negativity on the other post, and like one post did say, appreciate the effort to try and keep some old school traditions. I also believe they were in a no win situation... But that is for another post.
One thought I did have: A good way to possibly make up some good will... Run the 100 lap Silver Crown feature race the same night as the ISW race... Sounds like a fun night to me!

Re: Thank You Gerry Olsen!
 

Olsen did to a fairly good job at track prep.The only thing was to keep him away from the money.

Re: Thank You Gerry Olsen!
 

I heard this also from someone in the stands that worked for him years ago on the track. After this guy(I never met him b4) saw olsen walking around down there, he ran down there to say hi to him. Then when he came back and he told me he was just asked to help Gerry with the sprint week track prep. So I guess we will see.
The Vigo Fair shows the Demo derby on the track Monday followed by the Silly Safaris??? on Tuesday maybe that won't be on the track. I hope not because they are gonna need all the time they can get. Let's hope it don't rain.

Re: Thank You Gerry Olsen!
 

The Safaris thing is a grand stand event, but maybe it will only be in the Grand stand.

Re: Thank You Gerry Olsen!
 

My dad and I always used to say that Olsen needed a partner to deal with the public and just let Olsen stick with track prep. The guy just stepped on his d*ck a lot when it came to dealing with the public.

Re: Thank You Gerry Olsen!
 

Gerry Olsen's track prep wasn't the thing that screwed up the surface at THAT, it was the dirt he brought in the first year he took over. The WoO's at the time were trying to get all the tracks to put in that type of dirt because it stays smoother and the cushion doesn't clump up as much. Unfortunately the trade off is that it gets dusty easier. Even when he watered it good there were plumes of powder trailing the cars. Novotny told me he tried to get rid of it a couple years ago and it helped as we could see for the last 2 years. There are mounds of it in the back of the pits off three and four. I just don't think he got quite all of it yet. He told me Olsen got the dirt from a rock quarry and didn't think it had the right composition, and I agreed. Bob Sargent would be a much better choice as he did an awesome job last year. They also had a different water truck last year that really poured it out. The Fairboard made another huge mistake not staying with last years' promoter and I think it should be obvious to them now. I would've given that group the deal they wanted based on track prep alone. One promoter is better than zero which is close to what they have now. I will keep coming back because I think it is such an awesome track. Hopefully they'll redeem themselves for sprint week!

Re: Thank You Gerry Olsen!
 

I've been around dirt track racing since 1969 as a little kid. My first race was at Angell Park Speedway and I will tell you all
out there the track should have never been bladed. It should have been ripped up early in the day at least 4 inches. I arrived
at 10am. Many push trucks should have rolled it in for 1 hour. Champ Dirt Cars should have finished getting the track ready.
I saw some pretty good racing at Belle Clair 7-1 & 7-2 with 100 degree temps both days. Guess I'm old school.
Best Regards,
John

Re: Thank You Gerry Olsen!
 

Last year proved that the dirt is just fine. I believe the OConnors prepped the track 3 times, and the first time it was good, second time it was better, and the third time it was nearly perfect. All it takes is the know-how and the proper equipment. I would be putting them on speed dial and dialing them up and give them what they want to prep it the rest of the season, if they want a decent track that is.

Re: Thank You Gerry Olsen!
 

Bring Olsen up to Grand Rapids. We would love to have a chance to get even with him.