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Charles Nungester (Offline)
  #11 4/13/16 9:32 AM
Sorry but the facts are that once MSCS sanctioned the race. The car count dropped.

Every time I visited the race there were Kinsers or maiden Kinsers in attendance of Sheldons

This is pure BS that it has to be a big paying show or even bigger paying show, Do it the old fashion way. DONATIONS.

Bloomington was always a track people would walk up to the booth and say Heres a hundred for hard charger, Here's 20 for first, guess thats another thing that went out the window with time.

To not hold it, IMHO is a insult not to just Indiana racing history, but to bloomingtons.

Call a regular show the SKM It's still a tribute. Hell there probably isn't even a rule that says you can't name the Sprintweek show the SKM. Its already set purse, sanction and established car and fan count. He was a USAC Champion after all.

While there is some negativity in this, Its to help find a POSITIVE OUTCOME! Keep the SKM!

Charles Nungester
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Topless Racer 91 (Offline)
  #12 4/13/16 9:47 AM
Promoters dont promote anymore they just add more classes and make there money on the back gate the differance between the last 3 years &the previous years is the promoter & now with the new tire rule i would like to think the racers will take up for themselves a little & car count will drop of even more .
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ronmil (Offline)
  #13 4/13/16 2:05 PM
They also don't run the Diz Wilson Memorial anymore...

Ron Miller
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Chase Briscoe (Offline)
  #14 4/13/16 2:32 PM
Hate to see this and hope that the staff decides to schedule this race. Growing up at Bloomington this was a race that was always special to me as well as my family. It seemed to always bring all the best non wing guys to the area. I know its always been one of the races at the top of my bucket list to win and is very special to me. Hopefully the tradition can continue.
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mlamb (Offline)
  #15 4/13/16 4:48 PM
I find myself asking the question...would this have happened if Mike Miles were still running the track? The SKM used to pay lap money...as all 40 laps were sponsered. Fast time actually paid too. As it was courtesy of fans donations. Oh how times have changed.
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jim goerge (Offline)
  #16 4/13/16 11:38 PM
Call a regular show the SKM It's still a tribute. Hell there probably isn't even a rule that says you can't name the Sprintweek show the SKM.

the above quote is from Charles Nungester
Doesn't the Burg call their night of sprint week The Robbie Stanley Memorial, saw it on one of my t shirts and am not sure if it was just that year are is it always called that
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Charles Nungester (Offline)
  #17 4/14/16 6:12 AM
LBurg did hold the RSM for several years I believe the race was one of the first one's after his passing so it was given that name. Several tracks have had RSM's and I believe the event continues in Quarter Midget form, In which the family still participates.

Charles Nungester
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S.Clayton (Offline)
  #18 4/14/16 7:43 AM
That is BS to say the family doesn't support the race. Every year we are there asking what we can do. After many years of being brushed off this is what we are hearing. We paid full price for admission every year and although I used to do the trophy, last time I mentioned it I was told "they had someone else". I have lost all respect for Bloomington Speedway not only for not honoring their Legends, but for lying and blaming the family. Anyone that knows me knows my father is my hero and I would do anything to honor him anytime. I will not be back.
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WhiteCarRacing (Offline)
  #19 4/14/16 8:36 AM
Originally Posted by Sandy Lowe:
If I had to guess why there might not be a Sheldon Kinser Memorial in 2016 I would say car count, car count, car count, and money, money, money.

Bloomington's regular 20-car feature purse (as posted on their website) is $1,400 to win/$200 to start with a total feature payout of $8,095. They also pay $100 to the cars that do not transfer out of the B Main.

The 20-car feature purse for the 2011 Sheldon Kinser Memorial was $3,000 to win/$300 to start with a total feature payout of $12,135. That year they also paid the cars that didn't transfer out of the B Main $175-$150-$125-$110-$100-$90-$80-$70-$65-$60-$50-$50-$50-$50-$50. The cars that didn't transfer out of the C Main earned $30 each.

The difference between today's regular 20-car feature purse and the 2011 Sheldon Kinser Memorial 20-car feature purse is $4,040.

I did a quick Google search and came up with these Sheldon Kinser Memorial stats:
8/13/05 Dickie Gaines (37 cars)
6/10/06 Daron Clayton (44 cars)
6/1/07 Jon Stanbrough (52 cars)
2008 -rained out-
6/26/09 Kenny Niflis (42 cars)
6/4/10 Jon Stanbrough (33 cars)
6/24/11 Chris Windom (44 cars)
7/6/12 Levi Jones (43 cars)
7/5/13 Chris Windom (36 cars)
6/27/14 Dave Darland (26 cars)
8/22/15 Nick Bilbee (29 cars)
In the past 2 seasons the Sheldon Kinser Memorial has averaged 27.5 cars. The previous 8 runnings (from 2005-2013) averaged 41.375. That is a pretty big drop off in car count.

What makes last seasons low car count even worse is that it was part of the Indiana Sprint Car Series that was heavily promoted by Sean Buckley/Jackslash. The race was taped to air on MAV-TV and Sean had several prizes available including a Hoosier tire for the feature winner. He also gave away one of the coolest feature trophies I've ever seen.

I haven't worked at Bloomington Speedway for several seasons so I have no inside scoop on what is happening with this race. I wasn't there last year, but the pic I saw on the ISCS FB page of Bilbee taking the checkered flag definitely did not look like a packed house.

Maybe Bloomington Speedway doesn't feel that promoting a special race with a purse 50% higher than their usual weekly show is worth the risk? Maybe they don't want to risk the backlash of continuing the Sheldon Kinser Memorial with a purse higher than their regular weekly show, but less than what has traditionally been offered?

Maybe the August 26th race will be the Sheldon Kinser Memorial and they are waiting to make an announcement? [Oops! I guess this won't be the Sheldon Kinser Memorial, it's the same night as the Kokomo Smackdown]
Maybe Hoosier tire should put up the extra money. And Bloomington not worry about the back gate.
suziekh (Offline)
  #20 4/14/16 8:49 AM
As my daughter stated, myself and our two kids, Shelley and Justin, have always attended the SKM race to honor Sheldon. I have always felt his presence when I walk in to Bloomington Speedway. It's where I feel closest to him and remember nothing but happy times there. When I've mentioned to people that we have always had to pay our own admission and never been asked by the track to present the trophy, people are astonished. Shelley and I went down a couple of times on our own for the presentation, but always made to feel as if we weren't wanted. I am so disappointed that they are taking away the honor to a man who loved this town and this track. Sheldon was a hero to this town and his Indy Car, Silver Crown, and Sprint Car history is legendary. Myself, our family, and all his fans are terribly hurt by the decision to discontinue the Sheldon Kinser Memorial! I think the track will lose a lot of fans. I know they've lost us!!
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