Originally Posted by Mud Packer:
Patti,
Illiana Motor Speedway is a real nice track that normally has good crowds for its racing events. I have enjoyed watching Silver Crown, Sprints, Midgets and yes even stock cars race there. I am sure that the weather would be a number one factor in a less than stellar crowd last night. As Pat pointed out, this USAC show is a different type of situation. I attend regularly at Anderson and Mount Lawn and find it to be a very entertaining evening of racing but the crowds at either of theses tracks is also sparse. The folks who stay at home are the losers.
Normally a great evening of racing that is over around 9:30 PM or so.
I feel for you with the closing of Manzanita, but I am also afraid that we will see more of this in the very near future. If only we could pick the ones that we would like to see closed?
I have a couple that come to mind that should be shuttered. They will probably hang in there forever though.
Mike, I probably shouldn't have commented about a track I have never been to. I was frustrated that the USAC feed kept freezing up, which it also did last Saturday while I was trying to watch the ORP race. I wasn't sure from the feed if the weather was bad but, that thought had crossed my mind. An as someone else pointed out a mid- week show doesn't always draw a large crowd.
As for Manzy, first and foremost I know more than anything greed played a major role in the closing of the track, not crowd size or car count. I agree there will be more race tracks close this year, too bad we cann't pick which ones. I guess seeing so few fans in the stands at Illiana Motor Speedway reminded me Manzy has closed.
I apologize to anyone that felt I was attacking Illiana Motor Speedway, I wasn't, I was just frustrated I know several N.Y. tracks have been drawing a few hundred people on race night in the stands and somehow still keep going.
Patti
