My thoughts about the IOW Racin Fest...

Bill Gardner · 4/11/10, 11:05 AM

Lincoln Park Speedway, Joe Spiker, D.O. Laycock and so many other people help put together a race last night that they called the Indiana Open Wheel Racin Fest.

It was good to see such a large crowd at a track that just last year was written off as dead by so many people.

I've seen the effort that Joe Spiker has put into revitalizing LPS first hand and I know, those efforts will not stop.

The track was rough... which I sort of expected considering a new clay layer on the track and the large amount of rain we got just 2 days prior. I am confident to say that the track surface we saw last night is not what we will see the whole year. It will be better.

It was great seeing my best friend, Brian Hayden drive his ass off trying to get an IOW Racin Fest win. He finished 2nd after Chad Kinder made the pass near the end of the race.

I had a great time catching up with so many friends!

As Spridge said last night, IOW basically started because of a few guys playing an online racing game... Spridge, there are alot of people racing online now and they have regular meet and greets every weekend!!

I want to give special thanks to D.O Laycock, Joe Spiker, Steve Reutemann, and everyone else that had a part in making this a race I will never forget!

I cannot express how happy and appreciative it made me to see a race named the IOW Racin Fest. Those of you that know me, know that I am a humble guy and that I am not comfortable with all the praise everyone gives me for doing this web site. While I am completely aware the impact this site has made on so many people, I just cannot wrap my arms around the thought that I am the sole reason the impact was made. I guess you could say this website is my version of the great movie, Field of Dreams. That saying... "If you build it, they will come" thing really did happen.

Thanks everyone!

Tony Barhorst · 4/11/10, 12:40 PM

Good to hear the event went well...keep up the good work..this is a tough business as recent and distant past events teach us.

Thanks for your contribution to the sport Bill.

Best,
Tony Barhorst
Rumbleseries.com

Follow us on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/edit/?...s/177852124299

4/11/10, 12:42 PM

Had a good time last night and as a bonus I picked up a couple of nice things and the auction ( Framed Stanbrough picture and The Bll Jacket) Crowd was huge, didn't think that many people would show. Congrats on a great night

racefan20 · 4/11/10, 2:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DIRT-TRACK-JUNKIE

Had a good time last night and as a bonus I picked up a couple of nice things and the auction ( Framed Stanbrough picture and The Bll Jacket) Crowd was huge, didn't think that many people would show. Congrats on a great night

That was a SWEET pic printed on canvas!!

Bad Dad 54 · 4/11/10, 2:55 PM

Thanks Bill Gardner this site has been helpful to me up here in Flintstone country. I can keep up with whats going on with my friends down there in IN. Hope DO & all those involved in the IOW Racin Fest keep it going. Thanks & good health to you all. God Bless.

SteveD · 4/11/10, 7:45 PM

Fast track and cold beer. Very friendly fans and track personnel. Thanks to all that made it a good time. Many improvements since last visit. Thanks BG, DO and Joe S..... Steve & Christie Bloomington

Great Scott · 4/11/10, 8:41 PM

Last nite was a lot of fun. Bill, I really appreciate all that you have done with IOW and appreciate what it has done for open wheel racing. It has really given many of us dirt track junkies (sorry Brandon) a way to stay in touch and allowed us to make many friends.

Again many thanks to all who were involved with last nights race.

outlaw13 · 4/11/10, 10:55 PM

You all did a great job putting on the show... Great crowd and great promotion. I agree with Bill that the track will not be in this condition every week and hope that it is not looked at as what it once was. Joe has put more time and effort in this facility in the past 9 months than was put into it since it was sold by Farrar. I know this because I make at least one trip to the track daily to watch its progress. Thanks, D.O., Bill and Joe for putting on a great race.

Gregg Slover

Jerry Shaw · 4/12/10, 1:05 AM

As hard as these guys worked to put this thing together and promote it, I doubt that they even imagined that it would turn out as successful as it did. Especially with it not even being warm yet. Temperature definitely effected turnout at Gas City the night before and I expected it would have at least some effect on the show saturday night. Not at all. Not only were the stands packed, the pits were overflowing, too. We had a hell of a good time the other night and everybody I talked to seemed really glad to be there, too. And the large concrete area that sits behind the grandstands there has always been second to none, when it comes to providing a place for all the fans to interact with one another. It makes it like standing on your front porch, talking to your friends, with sprint cars racing right there in your front yard. If this guys plays his cards right, this is gonna end up being a pretty good deal for him, in the years to come.

Jerry

JEFFSTOY · 4/12/10, 8:50 AM

Had a great time sat. nite. except for a few holes the track was immaculate, no dust what so ever,didnt even take rubber til late in the semis.get the holes taken care of and i think LPS will be a track to be reconded with,(i.e. track of the year, most improved track,) keep up the good work guys.

4/12/10, 1:05 AM	#9 Re: My thoughts about the IOW Racin Fest...
Jerry Shaw Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 4,728	As hard as these guys worked to put this thing together and promote it, I doubt that they even imagined that it would turn out as successful as it did. Especially with it not even being warm yet. Temperature definitely effected turnout at Gas City the night before and I expected it would have at least some effect on the show saturday night. Not at all. Not only were the stands packed, the pits were overflowing, too. We had a hell of a good time the other night and everybody I talked to seemed really glad to be there, too. And the large concrete area that sits behind the grandstands there has always been second to none, when it comes to providing a place for all the fans to interact with one another. It makes it like standing on your front porch, talking to your friends, with sprint cars racing right there in your front yard. If this guys plays his cards right, this is gonna end up being a pretty good deal for him, in the years to come. Jerry __________________ A man is about as big as the things that make him angry. Winston Churchill _________________________________________________ Last edited by Jerry Shaw; 4/12/10 at 11:31 AM.

4/11/10, 12:40 PM	#2 Re: My thoughts about the IOW Racin Fest...
Tony Barhorst Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 752	Good to hear the event went well...keep up the good work..this is a tough business as recent and distant past events teach us. Thanks for your contribution to the sport Bill. Best, Tony Barhorst Rumbleseries.com Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/edit/?...s/177852124299

4/11/10, 12:42 PM	#3 Re: My thoughts about the IOW Racin Fest...
DIRT-TRACK-JUNKIE Posts: n/a	Had a good time last night and as a bonus I picked up a couple of nice things and the auction ( Framed Stanbrough picture and The Bll Jacket) Crowd was huge, didn't think that many people would show. Congrats on a great night

4/11/10, 2:55 PM	#5 Re: My thoughts about the IOW Racin Fest...
Bad Dad 54 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 717	Thanks Bill Gardner this site has been helpful to me up here in Flintstone country. I can keep up with whats going on with my friends down there in IN. Hope DO & all those involved in the IOW Racin Fest keep it going. Thanks & good health to you all. God Bless.

4/11/10, 7:45 PM	#6 Re: My thoughts about the IOW Racin Fest...
SteveD Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 232	Fast track and cold beer. Very friendly fans and track personnel. Thanks to all that made it a good time. Many improvements since last visit. Thanks BG, DO and Joe S..... Steve & Christie Bloomington

4/11/10, 8:41 PM	#7 Re: My thoughts about the IOW Racin Fest...
Great Scott Senior Member Race Count This Year: 48 Race Count Last Year: 63 Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 740	Last nite was a lot of fun. Bill, I really appreciate all that you have done with IOW and appreciate what it has done for open wheel racing. It has really given many of us dirt track junkies (sorry Brandon) a way to stay in touch and allowed us to make many friends. Again many thanks to all who were involved with last nights race.

4/11/10, 10:55 PM	#8 Re: My thoughts about the IOW Racin Fest...
outlaw13 Inactive Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 35	You all did a great job putting on the show... Great crowd and great promotion. I agree with Bill that the track will not be in this condition every week and hope that it is not looked at as what it once was. Joe has put more time and effort in this facility in the past 9 months than was put into it since it was sold by Farrar. I know this because I make at least one trip to the track daily to watch its progress. Thanks, D.O., Bill and Joe for putting on a great race. Gregg Slover

4/12/10, 8:50 AM	#10 Re: My thoughts about the IOW Racin Fest...
JEFFSTOY Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 269	Had a great time sat. nite. except for a few holes the track was immaculate, no dust what so ever,didnt even take rubber til late in the semis.get the holes taken care of and i think LPS will be a track to be reconded with,(i.e. track of the year, most improved track,) keep up the good work guys.