How was your 2016 Race Season?

Charles Nungester · 1/4/17, 4:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronmil

What is BMS?

Butler Motor Speedway.

Both my visits to Millstream this year I seen people and met people that Butler was their home track. I told them stories of how I read on IOW about people leaving other tracks and still making the features at Butler and both times the people confirmed that theory. One even said they were going to try to make tonights features when I was at Millstream.

I've only done this twice, When USAC ran Terre Haute and sprints were still part of the Freedom Hundred at Puttnamville. It was easy really. Sprints done at 930-10 at Terre Haute and still made most of the B mains and all the A mains at LPS.

mlamb · 1/4/17, 5:15 PM

Ron he is referring to Badlands Motor Speedway Brandon S.D.

Charles Nungester · 1/4/17, 6:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlamb

Ron he is referring to Badlands Motor Speedway Brandon S.D.

Thats true, should have read his thread better.

ronmil · 1/6/17, 4:28 PM

My season began on March 19th at The Southern Illinois Center for the Shamrock Classic and ended there on December 17th for the Junior Knepper 55 for a total of 46 events. I attended my usual mainstays of the Indy 500 (52nd consecutive), Brickyard 400 (been to all of them), USAC Silver Crown at DuQuoin (every one since 1965), and the USAC Four Crown at Eldora. I usually do the Hoosier Hundred, but I was feeling puny the night it was run, and I couldn't find a shotgun rider, and didn't feel up to making the trip by myself.
I also did my usual itinerary of Indiana Sprint Week, which is all of them except Gas City and Kokomo, and my annual trek to Paragon, this time for the Chuck Amati 68.
My weekly schedule included Bloomington on Friday, Putnamville on Saturday, unless Haubstadt was running, and sometimes there was a Sunday event at Terre Haute, and I did the ARCA race at Salem in April.
Made quite a few trips to the Land of Lincoln, mostly to Belle-Clair, but also went to Granite City for the Gold Crown and Wayne City for the Jason Leffler Memorial.
I guess I am fortunate to get to that many races, since Haubstadt is the only track that is less than approximately two hours from Evansville. Rain also cut my total by probably seven or eight races.
As far as the tracks go, LPS (Putnamville) has become my favorite for the total fan experience. There is always a good field of cars, the seating situation is ideal, and the entire facility has really been upgraded since Joe Spiker came on the scene. It is worth the 300 mile round trip!

mc/rider · 1/6/17, 5:05 PM

Had a great year riding my bike to many races and hanging with my crew and IOW members.Resetting to zero and starting again.1st race,1st time the CHILI BOWL

See ya at the races

SpfldMile · 1/6/17, 5:19 PM

My year was decent, and pretty typical. I hit all my usual haunts a few times. Jacksonville, Granite City, Terre Haute. I added 2 new tracks. The Duquoin indoor venue and Fairbury, Illinois. I saw all 3 USAC divisions along with Powri and MOWA shows. The lowlight of the year is obvious, we lost one of the nicest, most talented drivers way too soon. For me, the Bettenhausen being rained out again just leaves my year incomplete also. On the bright side, I made it to the Ted Horn for the first time in 15 years. I also witnessed some dynamite races at THAT, Jville, and Fairbury. Look forward to getting started next week in Tulsa. Everyone have a great 2017!

GYATK94 · 1/6/17, 9:36 PM

I had a fantastic 2016, probably my best year of racing so far. Started out by getting down to my old home track, Haubstadt, for the April USAC race. The month of May was awesome. I was at IMS for almost all of the Indycar practices in the morning while also getting to a couple Kokomo shows. The last week or so of May I hit USAC Terre Haute on Wednesday, Hoosier Hundred Thursday, partied with some friends at IMS Friday and Saturday, 500 on Sunday, and the WoO Lawrenceburg show on Monday, probably my favorite week of the year. Another highlight was early July, Lawrenceburg sprint week, all three nights of the King's Royal, and Terre Haue sprint week all in one week. Made it to all nights of Smackdown for the first time. Got to Four Crown. Capped the year with the sprintacular at Eldora. Had some other shows scattered throughout the year, too.

Of course, it's tough to discuss 2016 without mentioning the loss of BC. I've never been hit so hard by anything in my time following racing. I'd followed his career ever since moving to his hometown 11 years ago.

Excited to get 2017 going. I just graduated from college, so I decided to take a graduation vacation and get to my first chili bowl. These next couple days can't pass quickly enough, ready to be in Tulsa.

revjimk · 1/7/17, 4:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by revjimk

I'll have to check the notebook I keep for all the details when I get back home from vacation (Lafayette, Louisiana.... dancing with lots of great women!)
But some highlites were my first 4 Crown, watching Lance DeWease beat the Outlaws at Williams Grove, 2 Indiana Midget week races & a really pleasant surprise, my 1st POWRi race at Belle Clair in Illinois
New tracks: Putnamville (Lincoln Speedway), Bloomington, Belle Clair, Lebanon Valley in upstate NY (pretty drive from Connecticut) & I can't recall the name of the track south of St. Louis in Missouri (Saint somebody County, maybe?)
Also got to meet BrentTFunk & the notorious Kevin Eckert!

OK, found the notebook: 15 races, 12 tracks, 6 of which were new for me (Left out Eldora, how could I?) 7 states: Arizona, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pa., N.Y. (No home track, have to travel for ANY dirt track)
Oh yea. "Saint somebody" = St Francois.... & while we're on the subject of saints, St. Genevieve Ferry across the Mighty Mississippi!

Stevensville Mike · 1/7/17, 4:06 AM

Oh...! And on a sidebar, the OTHER highlights of my 2016 year were meeting IOW standout Old Coyote, racer Devin Fairchild of Montpelier fame, and Cindy Elliott.

I also finally found out Critter Malone's real first name. I was apprehensive when asking this..... for no one would REALLY name their kid Critter....... or would they?

ByronMack · 1/9/17, 4:35 PM

Not good this year, only made five or six races. Bad knees kept me off the bleachers. This was also the first year in probably thirty years I didn't deer hunt. I'm going to be having bariatric surgery in February, so hopefully by this time next year, I'll be about half the man I am now with brand new knees for climbing the bleachers and hills lol.