[hoosier race fan]

Originally Posted by Chief Wahoo Well that didn't stop the dirt Zamboni from cleaning the walkway on the front stretch during down time even tho nobody was sitting there. Unbelievable.

Fortunately, the no carry-in policy provides enough funding that they can afford to make a few extra passes with the zamboni.

[Rpracing1]

Isn’t that technically a Dirtboni?

[Charles Nungester]

Zamboni, I imagine if they just let it pile all night it would be much harder and deeper and might not even be able to do it if the dirt were a inch thick.

I got no idea what the real number of missing people were. 800-1000 What was the gate? $30. Take away 30k in gate alone. Remove probably another 2-3 grand in food and drink from them fans not being there buying. A Grand from souvenirs.......

From sources, Im told the flow pay on each USAC races would maybe cover the Kokomo Sprint winners share and nothing else. Sure they got several grand in a crew of three and a announcer getting em to the tracks and paid and whatever it cost to broadcast..

It hurts and can hurt huge. Especially when weather is a issue (IFFY, COLD)

Midgets, i said it years ago. We used to get two or three at most tracks every year when Cora, Nammars and USAC all were in the area. Heck the only race I ever went to at the old Tri County Speedway was a Nammars race.. Then there was thursday night thunder. Midget week plus a few here and there isn't much support. A hundred grand motor that needs rebuilt every handful of races............. Should just go full D2 if you ask me.

Me, Im in a hour from home situation. Used to get over 30 races in person a year This year I've been to one with about 7 more penciled in.

No, I don't know everything. Just seeing, deducting and figuring things out. Like I said. You don't go in person, These tracks won't exist.

[Grocery Guy]

I have several thoughts on Kokomo, but I gotta be careful with comments because the Kokomo regulars will crown any negative remarks.

No longer can Kokomo just swing open the gates and fans will flock there. Just look at how few regular season dates are left there. Sunday nights are gone. Three thunder car and modified dates all year. These are your local racers. What's the incentive to build a car, race or even come to the track if you can't race there. You mean you can't have a promotional night for just the local racers drawing more local fans?

I see very few promotions by the Kokomo track. Fireworks? How about getting creative like back-to-school night, scout nights, big wheel nights....anything to bring in the 57,000 people that are estimated to live in Kokomo. Advertising and social media? Look at the Kokomo Speedway Facebook page. It's pretty well a repost of USAC Racing and local teams. THANK YOU for at least re-posting other posts.

Regarding the new stands, the Speedway should have been shouting all the new efforts they put into those stands. About the only info I saw on them was Nathan and a few others reposting photos. Unless I missed them, I see one post about the new stands made by USAC. Want to see a track capitalizing on positive social media? Check out all the photos Bloomington Speedway and Pat Sullivan has posted about all the new improvements at their track. Their posts make me want to go to Bloomington opening night!

Final comment sure to get me crowned: Get rid of the hashtag GYATK. I don't see any other tracks using the word ass in an advertising slogan.

Wishing Kokomo Speedway nothing but success in 2025.

[jdull99]

Originally Posted by Crankin Good questions in there, as well as your other post. One thing for sure is Midgets rarely draw good crowds… Which is a total shame because racing quality is more times than not, top notch! Midget Week draws good crowds, but after that, there are no other National Midget races in the state??? There’s probably a lot of answers to those questions in that alone. Heck, the biggest Midget track in the country (Sun Prairie) hasn't had a Midget only race in probably over a decade. Yet for 70 or so years, it was Midgets only. Almost all of their races now have some form of Sprint Cars with the Midgets. I have often wondered if a field of Midgets being driven predominantly by “kids’ has hurt grandstand attendance? Please don’t roast me for that, it just something I’ve always kind of wondered, and those “kids” put on some fantastic racing. With that said, in my lifetime it has gone from Midget only races to multiple classes. From 40 lap features to 30 lap (and some are 25). And, from being able to watch a race from the stands, go into the pits afterwards, and have a beer with the heroes you just watched. To a lot the drivers not old enough to drink a beer. Again, not putting anyone down, I’ve just always wondered if that had any affect on attendance? Another thought is the decline in the amount of Midget racing in the country. In the early 80’s, i can think of 15-18 Midget sanctioning bodies running all over the country, off the top of my head. Now, I believe there’s only 5 National dirt Midget sanctions. At first, i was on the other side of the fence about Flo. I thought all the exposure was great! It still is for maybe the Chili Bowl, but i am starting to think that it is hurting attendance at tracks. I could go on for awhile on this, but I’ve babbled on too long already. One thought i did have, which probably won’t be popular, is area blackouts within a certain amount of miles from the track. I do realize there is technology to get around being blacked out, but it could help getting some butts in the seats at these tracks? Not just the blackout, but no replays in that region either, for 2 weeks. Just some thoughts that your post provoked. Then of course there is the cost of Midget racing, and what that’s done. But that would be a whole other book.

Agree about the thought of "kids" racing. It takes a while to get to a point to be interested in following 15-16 year olds (maybe if their dad raced, or once you saw them run/win a time or two...etc).

Also agree about FLO. I will never believe it gets a measurable number of fans to the tracks (it helps in different ways however; overall interest / sponsor value / allows for national following / and so on....). I just think the promotors should get more of a cut (I do not know about a USAC race, but I've heard numbers as low as $500...BUT, how many REALLY are watching on FLO? I do not think 20,000 people were tuning in to watch these midget races this wknd. MAYBE 2,000 people from a 3-hour radius of the track? & that would only be cuz it is was in Indiana...other parts of the country, I suspect even less. I think in every case, the black out idea would be great!).

Now, I do have to point out, since 2022; there HAS been "MIDGET" only races scheduled at Angell Park, on Labor Day weekend...the Fireman National shows feature separate events for the USAC and BMARA versions. Both are great shows. The BMARA version is not known as a "National midget" but other than an OEM block, head, and crank (& 2.4 L); it's basically the same car and the top ones go faster or as fast as the USAC cars. I like watching both forms (this show is the only time I see the USAC version anymore) - it works out well. This year's (the 40th!) is scheduled for Sunday only; August 31st...(how many laps will the features be...???).

[jdull99]

Originally Posted by Grocery Guy I have several thoughts on Kokomo, but I gotta be careful with comments because the Kokomo regulars will crown any negative remarks. No longer can Kokomo just swing open the gates and fans will flock there. Just look at how few regular season dates are left there. Sunday nights are gone. Three thunder car and modified dates all year. These are your local racers. What's the incentive to build a car, race or even come to the track if you can't race there. You mean you can't have a promotional night for just the local racers drawing more local fans? I see very few promotions by the Kokomo track. Fireworks? How about getting creative like back-to-school night, scout nights, big wheel nights....anything to bring in the 57,000 people that are estimated to live in Kokomo. Advertising and social media? Look at the Kokomo Speedway Facebook page. It's pretty well a repost of USAC Racing and local teams. THANK YOU for at least re-posting other posts. Regarding the new stands, the Speedway should have been shouting all the new efforts they put into those stands. About the only info I saw on them was Nathan and a few others reposting photos. Unless I missed them, I see one post about the new stands made by USAC. Want to see a track capitalizing on positive social media? Check out all the photos Bloomington Speedway and Pat Sullivan has posted about all the new improvements at their track. Their posts make me want to go to Bloomington opening night! Final comment sure to get me crowned: Get rid of the hashtag GYATK. I don't see any other tracks using the word ass in an advertising slogan. Wishing Kokomo Speedway nothing but success in 2025.

I remember when it came out and I remembered what it meant, for a year or two, but I forgot since; what does "GYATK" even stand for? I know it was smthn BC said and I saw an article that he had the sticker on the Indycar. That is all I could find on the www