In all fairness THAT last race (MSCS) had several hours of RAIN before the start time, as you well know. Last nights rain was a pop up and not all that much, but the worst of timing. Mama Nature must really be pissed at THAT. Plus a few fans. A 410 Sprint Hammer is is an expensive track packer and a tool best used when the hammers down.

I got there at 7 and when I saw the track, I about turned around and headed home, but thought well I'm here I might as well stay. The only highlight for a long time was the skid driver's collision with the water truck and watching the grader try to get stuck. Mike King's apology to me seemed sincere and giving each team a gas card to cover fuel costs was about the smartest thing that happened all night. I am glad I stayed, because once the racing started, it was some of the best racing I have seen at THAT in years. Cars could run any line, cars dicing with each other all over the track, dust wasn't an issue so we could see what was going on all over the track. In the end, I saw a very good race, and was out of there before 12. It surely beat sitting home watching TV or surfing the net complaining about a race I didn't even go to.

My take on THAT last night.

1. Who ever is in charge of the water truck should be shot.

2. Kudos to the drivers who risked damaging their cars to go out and wheel pack. Otherwise the track would have never been in any shape to race.

3. Promoters should have made some type of concession to the fans, sim to the drivers gas card. You advertise a 6pm start time and you run 3 hours late because of your own stupidity, then you should compensate your paying fans in some way.

4. Last night would have been a good night to have the modifieds on the card also. They are pretty good at wheel packing.

5. I had asked in an earlier post if THAT had brought in extra track prep equipment for this event. Answer was , NO. I don't understand why the wreckers or the push trucks never helped run the track in. Can anyone explain this to me.

6. At a USAC sprint car event, part of the show is to watch qualifying. Some great runs come during this time. We were all shorted of this experience. Thanks USAC. 25 Bucks is a little steep for 4 races.

7. Race turned out to be a Terre Haute classic in the end. First lap crash was just a racing deal, had nothing to do with track condition. Fastest that I have ever seen Terre Haute. As long as you stayed off of the inside 5 feet of track you were ok.

8. Congrats to CoonDog. Epic battle between you and Levi. DD also made an impressive run. Wish DC would get his stuff straighten out. Would like to see him run for a win again. I got home at 12:30 am cst. Not horrible, but not good as this should have been a 10:30 pm arrival.

9. Will I be back, probably. Hopefully all learn from this and make adjustments to the next event.

This just isn't true. I live three miles from the Action Track and was there from 3 to 4:30, to get my tickets and talk to friends. Then back there from 5:00, until the checker was thrown. There was no rain at the track before that time and only a brief, almost nonexistent shower after that. Now, a ten miles away or so, in the Riley/Cory area is a different story. My father called me on his way to the track and said he was driving through a downpour. So, unlike the last race there, Mother Nature had nothing to do with what transpired. It was 100% self-induced. Thankfully, Jerry Coons and Levi went out there and put on one for the ages, to close this bizarre evening out.


Jerry

Too bad, you missed the 4:45 shower that transpired. I have seen it rain in turns 3,4 and the pits and the sun shining in turns 1&2. Three miles?

You are absolutely right Jerry...that SPRINKLE that was no more than 5 minutes long, did NOT cause that. But what a Great race.... afterwords, I forgot about the first 3 hours I spent there!

Race as reported by NSSN.

http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/node.php?id=3912

Interesting. It WAS a great night of racing even though it took some time to get it. I was a little disappointed about the cancellation of quals, because that is when I can make sure I get a shot of every car. No one mentioned anything about the two parked cars that Justin Grant landed on in the parking lot. Just shows that you never park outside the turns at a race track.

Nevermind, just seen it. He must have had quite a bit of momentum to get that far.