Maybe history will repeat itself, they came here many years ago, and a lot of them have roots here today, it could be the start of something again.

Re: Usac/cra
 

Sounds like with the price of pit passes, concessions and distances traveled out west racing in Hoosierville would be a break even proposition:D

Our racing family did a 10 day road trip and started out in Arizona and drove to Perris for the finals and had a great racing road trip with alot of Kodak moments and life time memories together. Perris was on our bucket list and we made it happen. Great facilities and what everyone is saying is correct. It was the year that grant had his time of running over the field 😳. I think 2015 . But it was a great time and glad we did it . Hopefully things will work out in California and they will continue to do the same things that they can do. God bless America 🇺🇸. Thanks ❤️

Re: Usac/cra
 

A couple of things to note. It was mentioned here that the costs at Perris/California is why the Western swing is done. If memory serves correctly the track announced it wasn’t going to host the ovals this year due to the uncertainty of the project with the dam at the lake. Usac is going out west with the midgets thru California again in November. So I don’t know that cost is the issue. Non wing sprint cars do not have the following they once had. It’s that simple. If it cost way to much to race out there then all of the tracks up north that run wings would be empty too. I was fortunate to see the SCRA and UsacCRA many times. Perris was packed and I didn’t always go to the ovals. Traffic sux but you plan accordingly. There are plenty of places to go for a meal before hand then maybe only need a snack during the nite. Have a few in the parking lot then you can nurse an expensive one inside. I travel the 3,000 miles to see them race. Sure it would be easier to go out to the car for a beer like at Kokomo since I don’t like what they sell. Sometimes you need to adjust to the conditions. The stands are empty because non wing sprint car racing isn’t as popular as it once was. It’s always been expensive to watch them race no matter the time period.
Maybe some of our California readers can help me out with this, I understood the parking fee went to the fair board not the promoter.?. Also please help me I believe pit passes were 40-45$ in the mid 2010s. Point is people were still interceded back then.

Re: Usac/cra
 

I don't just think it's the cost of things, If the products great or very good.

I do think there are a lot less $$$ people in the sport and two and three car owners combining to run one instead of three cars. Demon had a heck of a sponsor in Pace. Pace Lighting supplied all the exit lit with battery backup signs for about any building apts etc in the country if not a good portion of the world. Sponsors today would rather run a bunch of commercials or sponsor the race than put their name on the side of a car today. This goes all the way up to Nascar and Indy.

My uncle was plant manager at a local plant that makes CNC machines. For their 750k machine they got a stop at the plant with a team show-car and a 1X3 inch Makino sticker on the cars at Petty Enterprises.. This was 20yrs ago

Re: Usac/cra
 

While I will give you that non wing doesn't draw as big of crowds as wing cars. Wing cars are really good at drawing casual fans. Yes, I agree that in AZ and CA, they are not doing well. In CA it has been going down since Ascot closed. The SCRA did a good job keeping it alive for a while, but no new car owners or fans were coming. I think you nailed it with traffic. I would venture that less than 5% of the people who live within 60 miles of Perris have never heard of it or a sprint car. I am not sure how you could affordably reach those people, or if they would come if they did.
AZ has never recovered from the loss of Manzanita. Tracks die out there at a rapid rate. Hard to build a fan base at a different track every year.
I think that in some parts of the country, things are on the upswing. I think your state of PA has helped with that. I also see USAC taking Sprints to places they have never been, or haven't been in a long time.
Purses are up. Yes they are not as high as wings, or late models, but for the smaller tracks they are pretty good. One time coming home from an early Eastern Storm, I stopped at I70 and US 127 for gas. There was a van with 5 guys who had been to the dream the night before. I asked them who won and not 1 person knew who won. You have to draw thousands of those type of fans to pay those purses. Those people are not going to a track every weekend. Just a couple of times a year.
I am pretty optimistic about this year. I am looking forward to getting to some new tracks. Mostly looking to have fun. You should try it sometime.

Re: Usac/cra
 

Losing the San Tan Valley track didn't help either.

Re: Usac/cra
 

That track seemed to be getting good count and a good fan base.

Re: Usac/cra
 

I am once again glad I live in Indiana!

I have never been to Perris Speedway (I have been to Paris France!) I have friends in California and they were very enthusiastic when the track was announced. They used to go half a dozen times a year then it just kind of ebbed away. They said it was just a giant hassle and wasn't worth the trip anymore?

I can jump in my vehicle and be at four different tracks in under two hours. I have paid money ONCE in my life to see winged Sprint Cars! I don't know how many Sprint features I have seen, no doubt North of 200.

Our racing family was there for the last 7 years after they moved from the usa Raceway Park racing facility. We always enjoyed the racing events and with the mountains and scenery was great 👍. But you seen the developments around the track coming and we knew it was going to happen. That usa Raceway track is still running I think but under a different name. Cool little place to watch a racing events. Air force base sitting behind it and they were doing touch and go on the tarmac at night. I also got to go back in the pits and congratulations to Robert Ballou for his 1st usac championship 💙. Lmao. Have fun and enjoy 😉. God bless America 🇺🇸. Thanks ❤️