wing or no wing?
 

What is your take on sprint car racing non-wing? or winged?
which is better for fan and racer?
if responding clarify whether you are fan or racer...
looking at ideas for Clay County Speedway in 2014.
Please take this post on a serious note, thanks
Kevin

Re: wing or no wing?
 

:44:

You're posting on an Indiana forum. So I'd say probably at least 80% of the viewers prefer the traditional non-wing form of racing. (I know I do), and I'm in wing country.

Re: wing or no wing?
 

Fan/Photog here. I enjoy both, but my personal preference is non winged. You've got a lot more speed with a winged car, but the on track actions is not as close or exciting in my opinion. One other thing to keep in mind is the track size. In the central pa area most of the Sprint Car tracks are 3/8 to 1/2 mile tracks. I don't know if I'd want to see Wingless cars on those big fast 1/2 miles on a weekly basis. I'd just be concerned for the drivers there.

Re: wing or no wing?
 

Kevin,

I haven't been to Clay County Speedway yet but I certainly plan on attending to see what it is all about. I am only a fan but having grown up in Southern Illinois and now calling Indiana home, traditional sprint cars on dirt remain near the top of my list. I still attend winged shows and enjoy all types of racing so I am probably not your best gauge of interest.

It seems that a line is drawn with most people that either wing or traditional sprints are the only thing they will watch. One or the other, certainly not both. I personally see it as two different types of racing and enjoy both of them. If I had to select one over the other, traditional sprints win out.

I know that you have been running traditional sprints and I commend you for continuing to try and build the brand. To give you an idea, Waynesfield Speedway in Ohio tried alternating traditional sprints and winged sprints. They have now settled on weekly traditional sprints with special winged sprint shows mixed in. This in the state of Ohio which is very strong wing country.

Whatever your decision, we hope to make it over to see a show or two at Clay County. Good luck in 2014 and beyond.

Re: wing or no wing?
 

Non wing, keep the Indiana non wing tradititions going

Re: wing or no wing?
 

All of the states around Indiana are wing states. The only reason Indiana is a non- wing state is because of USAC having there headquarters here.

Re: wing or no wing?
 

As a fan, I do like both. Growing up on Norcal in the 70s, sprint cars didn't have wings; dirt supermodifieds did. As a guy taking pictures, I probably prefer cars without wings because they back it into the corners harder to get around the track than their winged counterparts, and that makes for a more interesting photo.

Re: wing or no wing?
 

I'm not going to get into the pro/con, wing/non-wing debate. With that said though, as a fan of both, I really wouldn’t mind seeing a winged show at Clay County in 2014. One or two MOWA shows next year would be nice. With Flora situated between the Springfield and Farmington areas, I think a MOWA show would draw pretty well. If you pick a Saturday night when Farmington is dark, you’d probably have a nice field of cars and a good crowd.

Re: wing or no wing?
 

Non-wing.

Winged racing, by and large, is just a parade.

Re: wing or no wing?
 

Kevin..............you bring in a MOWA show there and we will be there to support you

Re: wing or no wing?
 

Not a driver, just a fan. I've made it to CCS a number of times for the last two seasons and plan to keep attending it. While I prefer non wing, I really enjoyed the MOWA/MSCS double header race at Haubstadt this year. I would definately attend something like that CCS. If you ran winged sprints every week, I don't know if I would attend as much.

Re: wing or no wing?
 

I prefer non-winged, but if all sprint cars had wings (and I'm glad they don't), I'd still be a fan.

Re: wing or no wing?
 

I'll go out on a limb (a mighty skinny, shaky one) and say that
your current non wing purse will draw fewer weekly wing sprint
regulars than it does non wingers. It seems like it takes a purse
with about $2,000 to win to draw 20 - 25 winged sprints in
your area.

The sad fact is that Illinois and Missouri conventional sprint racers
will run for peanuts just to race sideways.

I may be wrong, I usually am!

Re: wing or no wing?
 

NW 100 percent.

Indiana went winged for a little over ten years at many tracks and a former racer/pro motor/race director told me it would go back NW within a decade.

He was right and his reasons were right. $$$$$$$$$$$

Re: wing or no wing?
 

That is right, it would take at least 2,000 to win and 250 to start to get any Winged cars. It does cost more to run with a Wing! I would run some Winged stuff in 2014, but the added expense may hold us up on that.

I would like to see a couple wing open shows there and i would try to run them but if you ran wings weekly insted of non wing your weekly supporters would be gone just my opinion but a open wing show gives guys like me a chance to bolt a wing on an do somthing diffrent

Re: wing or no wing?
 

all depends on whether you enjoy racing or parades?

Re: wing or no wing?
 

I have been to two wing races(back in the early eighties)and that was two too many.

Re: wing or no wing?
 

Aric what would you think if we did a once a month for winged? Think it would hurt? help? just trying to mix things up......JMO
Kevin

Re: wing or no wing?
 

Kevin, You have succeeded with Clay County Speedway in an era of disappearing dirt tracks. You "think outside
the box" and continue to build your fan base and draw new racers. Testing the waters with with a monthly
winged sprint show would be a hit with fans. I would expect it to draw many of the non wing regulars and a
some new cars. Win, Win.

Re: wing or no wing?
 

I am a fan. I go to races to see passing, not parades. In my past experience, that meant nonwing, not wing cars. However, that is dependent upon whether the track is prepared well enough to allow passing, no matter what kind of car. Unfortunately, we now have a situation where some tracks which feature nonwing sprint cars can not or at least do not prepare the track well enough to allow passing. Conversely, I saw some excellent wing 360 racing this month at Cocopah Speedway in Yuma, Arizona. For example, Roger Crockett came from 25th to 6th, and BC and Christopher Bell advanced well both nights. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that this track is in the middle of a desert, so I don't think that a dry spell is any excuse for not having a track you can race on. I have seen excellent wing MOWA races at Jacksonville and Lincoln, Illinois this year. All things being equal, I prefer nonwing but have seen some excellent ASCS 360 (and 305s at the Devil's Bowl) and MOWA 410 races.

If you can prepare the track well, it doesn't matter what you run, the show should be good. Perhaps you should try nonwing on a weekly basis with a MOWA show or two as a special event. I would like to see some consideration of 305s in this area. I saw an excellent 305 race in West Memphis a couple of years ago and the Devil's Bowl had 54 cars for its 305 race in October. You might also consider midgets, as they have put on some of the best racing I have seen this year. However, if the track isn't prepared well, it just doesn't matter what you run.

Re: wing or no wing?
 

There is no dought wings bring in more fans. The flip side to this is you have to have a full field of cars. The last time I was at Clay county you were right on the line. If you make the change, and are only able to get 10 to 12 cars to show up, your new fans will be gone right along with your old ones. When I was at the track there were 18 nonwingers. They put on a great show. I am sure 18 wingers would be just as good. Just make sure you have the cars when you make the switch. Drivers have tons of options when it comes to nonwing. Would hate to see you have to switch back and your drivers are already commited some where else. Keep up the good work! I am going to try to make the 4 hour trip again this summer.

Re: wing or no wing?
 

If things keep progressing, in about a year you should be able to have a good field of 305's in Illinois, which would give you an excuse to have wings for diversity once a month like you mention and at a purse that keeps your ticket price where it is now. Then a MOWA race and MSCS race once a year for a higher ticket special. This lets you plan a non-wing night off when there's an obvious non-wing conflict in the area and still have a good sprint car show for your fans.

I'm pretty confident that by the end of the 2014 season we will have 18-20 305's in Central Illinois, the only problem is that most of them will be North of I-72. We could use a few getting built further South or even East of the Wabash.

Re: wing or no wing?
 

NWfan.Through natural progression the wing has been over developed.Why does pavement cars have the same configuration as dirt cars.They don't need the slideways wall

Re: wing or no wing?
 

Non-Wing, Would not walk across the street to see a winged race!

To say that winged racing in general draws in more fans is false. The outlaws do generally draw a good crowd but most other series don't have as many "followers". I did enjoy the double header at haubstadt with the wing and non wing. I prefer non wing, it's not even close for me. I'm just a fan throwing in my 2 cents. Maybe throw a doubleheader or 2 in the mix. That would draw both the winged and non wing fans.

I thank have maybe 5 non point wing races a year would be plenty jmo but be consider a non wing track cause personally i love my non wing stuff

Re: wing or no wing?
 

I have been to Clay County twice; the first time was for a MSCS show and I attended once since you've taken over. I like the way you run your program, and hope you find the resources to buy the track and make the improvements to the facility that are needed. As far as the program goes, I prefer non-wing cars. Hope you are able to draw more cars next season. There are just too many tracks running on Saturday night, and you are battling long established venues.

Re: wing or no wing?
 

Non wing is real racing. Enough said.
Best Regards,
John:32:

Re: wing or no wing?
 

Kevin I am a fan and a official with MSCS so I am a little biased But I was bored to death with the outlaws at Haubstadt last year In the heats they only raced from turn four to turn one and then it was a parade Later They had a MSCS and MOVA show all I can say WOW what a show that was The Mova guys put on a excellent show passing everywhere I would try maybe a couple conbined shows and see how it goes If the MSCS isn;t racing I;ll be there to watch

Re: wing or no wing?
 

I have raced there a few times the last couple of seasons and I think your bread and butter is non wing cars but would like to see a few wing shows there... we would probably strap on some tin and try it out! Fun place to run. .. make it racey!

Re: wing or no wing?
 

either one. hot mix or dehrt..fastest one still wins.isn't it about RACING?

Non wing
Winged racing get real BORING

We will be there next year with 2 cars if its a nonwing race.

Re: wing or no wing?
 

Run a few wing races,as we are currently assembling a car to run w/Pete Waltons USCS group, but also going to run w/you during nonwing races:23:

Re: wing or no wing?
 

wing-ed racing can be very boring, but not so with the show they put on at the sprint-actular at Eldora, that was one hell ova race! so every now n then