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Back in the day USAC ran only 1/2-mile tracks, so the engines they ran were 1/2-mile engines built to run 1/2-mile tracks. The engines now are 1/4- and 3/8-mile engines that won't last on a 1/2. It takes big bucks to have an engine that can win on a 1/2-mile track without blowing up. I remember going to Terre Haute in the early sixties to see the sprints race. I don't remember seeing any more than enough for the feature. No big pits on the West Side of the track as they all pitted on the front stretch in front of the fans. Most all of the cars were brought in on open trailers or on the back of a truck as no one used enclosed trailers. Most of the racers were Indy 500 drivers like AJ Foyt and the Unser's and that was what the fans came to see. No other class of race cars ran on that date. So, the fans came to see 15 or 20 sprints with no full roll cage. Racers were killed in those sprints. It seemed that the grandstand was mostly full for all of the races. I think most 1/2-mile tracks racing midgets and sprints are going to be history. For the champ cars, on 1/2-mile or bigger tracks is the only place you can see them race.
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