Originally Posted by SWScaleChassis:
Nailed it.. ^^^
I wont get into the head scratching as far as all the push-back regarding a new series strating up.. It'll take me too long to understand and cause a buncha fights..
But as for the fanbase... Lets talk about history and tradition. In a post regarding the WoO at Kokomo, someone mentioned that the USAC shows are mosly older guys, while the WoO was a younger 'tattooed' up crowd. Obviously non winged (traditional/sprint car) is the rule of the roost in the Hoosier state. Folks love the tradition, and they've stuck to it. But an old crowd is just that... an old crowd. You cant impress them. Cant sell em a new t shirt. Cant market a chili-dog because "in my day a hot dog was a nickel"... Yadda yadda yadda... A new young crowd can add to the dynamic of the stands, of the whole night. Not to discredit the older die hard fans, but when things have worn themselves into such a predictible and comfortable rut, folks will either give it up, or make a change.
But I believe that Bloomington is changing with the times. Yeah, they'll still support the non winged stuff. They'd be nuts to run those guys out. But this division, aside from catering to the racers, also caters to the fans who may not know squat about sprint cars. How many of us have explained to some unknowing individual (regarding sprint car racing), and gotten the blank stare. Then we go ahead with the 'the ones with the wings on the top'... Then they respond with 'Oh Yeah, I know what youre talking about now.' Or the all popular "the dune buggy thing with the fin on the roof?"
Now lets talk Knoxville and PA, and why 3 divisions of wings works... Simple. Because folks in Kxv and PA KNOW RACING. Those fans are in the know, inside and out. Can tell you who's shop is where, where Johnny Tin-top is in the standings at Track X,Y and Z. They dont necessarily need to open up to a new fanbase because the front gate $$ is doing just fine.
Not to speculate on the books at Bloomington, but maybe they've been doing some research, seeing the draws of wings from folks across the country. Bumping the numbers of folks in the front gate at their track vs a track with winged 305's. Maybe they took this step to bring more fans. And like what was posted above, this could be an attempt to get folks in to see the 'things with the fin on top' but also with intention to drop their jaws with the NW 410's.
We can all speculate about the M.O. of Bloomington and the 'whys'. But point blank. They're running Winged 305's next season. Dont like wings? Stay home.
Wow, all this about the wing vs non-wing is getting a bit over the top. It's fine to be passionate about your likes, but some of the so-called conclusions on both sides of this issue seem a bit baseless, along with some of the unnecessary ultimatums about who should attend, etc. I am basically a non-wing guy, but watched many wing shows. I now seldom attend because the technology of aero, tires and motors have substantially reduced the kind of action that early winged racing provided. Lastly, am I the only guy who remembers that winged racing was once dominant in Indiana back in the 80's. Where did it go and why? Winged racing has certainly taken over the public's identification with sprint car racing, but this is related to many things including marketing, media exposure, and embracing by now nationally known drivers in other forms of racing.