[Jerry Shaw]

Just the fact that they are stating this as one of their goals, this year, means we are heading in the right direction. When you add what USAC and DHK Promotions are going to try accomplish, to what is already pretty good around here, it should be a great year. I'm ready to get to Eldora and see a damn race!

Jerry

Originally Posted by Dwight Clock I believe that USAC as well as most other traveling series have it in the contracts that they will be run first. That is to say their heats will be before support series heats, their semis before support series semis, and their feature is to be run first. Kevin, can you confirm that if it is so?

No way, at least not the races that Greg Staubb does. Greg is a promoters boy, he will side with the promoter because he was once one of them. Greg was in control when the "phantom rain-outs" of sprint week 06 took place.
How many of you were in Pa.( at the sprint car race that Staubb was in charge of) last year when the owners threatened to walk because the promoter put water on the track just prior to quals and they

could get no support. They could not even get anyone from USAC to come out
of the control tower and talk to them!!

With that being said, the group that USAC had in place at Manzy seemed to be easy to approach, willing to listen, and confident in their actions. The new USAC seems to be making the right moves. If the group that did ISW last year comes back this year things will go well, and baring weather, crashes, and things beyond thier control, I see them getting the job done (races completed by 10:30).

[KOP]

Originally Posted by Ovalmeister Kevin Miller....are you hating life yet? Trust me, it only gets worse. :rolling David.

Nice pic David. I haven't had a smile that large since I had your wifes potato salad :O:

[D.O.]

Sure Greg sides with the promoter, drivers, car owners and Offical cause he has been each of them. The rainouts are history, different promoters and a different group at the top of USAC.
Everybody has bitched about how USAC has to change for a lot of years, Quityourbitchin USAC is starting over and still many are blasting them before their first race in the mid-west. Give them a chance. Just about every racetrack in the midwest has somebody who reads this board and they know racing has to change for all to survive. Kevin Miller has ruffled some feathers with some changes yet brought sponsorship and programs in his first 120 days.
Give them and the tracks a chance. Sure 10:30 is an easy time to kick around and everybody hopes it's true.
Let the season start and see what shakes out. Greg and Kevin are working hard together along with the Jason's and other track officals.
Season always starts out with wet days and rainouts. Once the weather clams down for summer see what happens. Tere Haute won't be a problem with only one class but manytracks need another class in the back gate. Everybody pays to race and they all what to go home early like the fans.

Let see what happens.
D.O.
:dologob:

[AlkyMadness]

I've got a lot of thoughts about this subject.

First, let me say that the fans in the Midwest are already spoiled. The vast majority of races I've been to always get out at a decent hour. If you want to find out how bad it can be, just come on down to Dixie. I lost track a long time ago of the number of times that I didn't get to leave a race at 2-3am AND THE TRACK STILL HAD A FEW SUPPORT CLASSES TO RUN!!! Many times I get home in time to see the sun come up. Consistently worse offenders would be Cherokee Speedway and North Georgia. I've quit getting hotel rooms because I don't get my moneys worth when all I have time to do is sleep three hours, take a shower and leave.

That being said, I think there are several things that need to be done to fix any major, sanctioned tour race.

The easiest thing is to put time limits on the support classes, AND THEN ENFORCE THEM. Also, the suggestion to limit support class participation to the top 20 in points is a good idea. I've seen it and it works.

Example, this last weekend I attended the PASS South SLM race at Hickory. One of the support classes was the Rolling Thunder Mods (also a touring group). The mod feature was supposed to run 75 laps but they also agreed to a 45 minute time limit. After 45 minutes, only 35 laps were run (numerous accidents and one nasty fire) and they did what they said. Everyone was happy with that.

I also have taken issue with how the "old" USAC used to stick to a format when it was obvious that every car there was going to make the show. An example of this would be last years race at Salem. There were fewer than 24 cars on hand and heavy weather was on the way. In that case, why was it necessary to run meaningless B-Mains? Line them up based on heat results and run. I think everyone there would have preferred getting a complete A Main instead of what they got. The only reason the defenders could say was, "it's traditional". Well, I say heck with tradition, I'm there to see a main event. We have a "new" USAC, let's change this practice now.

For that matter, let's do away with useless time trials. MSCS has a great format and it doesn't seem to hurt car counts. Not to mention you are not burning out a perfectly good track prep with TT's.

An example of this would be the Sprint/Midget doubleheader that was run at Concord Motorsports Park a couple years ago (on a Sunday night if I remember correctly). Again, all sprints were going to make the show and line up based on TT's. That rendered the heats meaningless because nobody tried to risk their equipment in the heats. Check the record books. Daron Clayton and Mario Marrietta got heat wins with people like Dave Steele in last place. Single file, run these things for the sake of running them and waste time. That was a show where fans left long before the sprint feature and many saying they wouldn't come back (although almost everyone agreed the midget feature was excellent, at least those who stayed to see it).

Of course, that was also the race that bore witness to the worse travesty and time waster ever: Kenny Wallace MC'ing a midget wrestling match that left most in the stands speechless, booing, or just plain embarrassed. But it wasted a huge amount of time.

I've heard that USAC will allow all entrants to run heats this year. More reason to can the needless TT's.

Finally, when it comes to the order of the main event, I have only one problem with running the main event first. Fans (with the young fans who everyone says are so important to our future) can't get into most pit areas until ALL of the events are finished. Only makes sense. That would be a disaster.

The track announcers always say "Don't forget to go to the pits and meet the drivers and most of them have shirts for sale". That would be great and I remember looking forward to that when I was a kid, but, nowadays, most of the teams have loaded up and are already pulling out before the whole show is over. Bummer.

Sorry, but that's one area where the PA Posse has everyone beat. Go to their tracks and almost every team has someone behind the stands selling their shirts. No reason to go home empty handed there.

Do these things and everyone will be singing to the good time music with a Bo Diddley beat.

Good luck to Kevin and the "new" USAC with this endeavor.

[illiNOISE]

Originally Posted by aussiemidgetfan It is also a fairness thing, in the spirit of competition, qualifying needs to be held. It is not fair that a faster driver should be held up by being stuck behind a slower driver who is not there on merit (something you will find on a poor/slick racetrack).

One other option would be to borrow the typical kart/micro sprint format and run two rounds of heat races. The first round is lined straight up by pill draw, with the second round inverted off the draw. Then use total passing points from both rounds. This way, a driver who draws a high pill number gets to start the second race up front, plus they have the opportunity to pick up passing points from the first race.

This, of course, would take time, but so does time trials.

[Dyno Don]

Originally Posted by Flatrightrear You need to instill a time limit on all races. No way should any heat race ,B-main or whatever be allowed to run to infinity. How many times has a support class basically ruined an otherwise nice night at the track by wasting everybody's time with endless yellow flags? 10 laps or 10 minutes and no longer. Even the main class can shorten their races if they exceed a set time. No more running a race to the bitter end for four cars to transfer when there are only four cars left in the race anyway because of attrition. I hate to see a guy leave with his kids at say, 10:30, because of all the needless jacking around all night All the money he spent - kids might get in free but do like to eat- plus now consider gas money and he is liable to not come back with his kids which does not help build a base for future fans. That is one reason I don't mind going to the track by myself. When I get fed up with all the messing around I can leave if I wish 'cause after a while I just don't care anymore.

The timed race thing reminds me of a race at The'Burg several years ago.

Gregg Staubb was the promoter and he had the 10 minutes or 10 laps deal.

There was an E-Mod heat race where they never got in one green flag lap. The 10 minutes was up and the E-Mods were gone. Every track should do this.

[Ovalmeister]

KOP Re: USAC's time promise -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote: Originally Posted by Ovalmeister Kevin Miller....are you hating life yet? Trust me, it only gets worse. David. Nice pic David. I haven't had a smile that large since I had your wifes potato salad

Hey John! How are ya? Any time you need the wife's potato salad fix just say the word. Plenty of it! Don't you just miss those Saturday pre-Manzy backyard cookouts? As far as the smile, when it's race day and you're in a race car with your name on it, how can you not smile big!! :Steer
Hugs and kisses!
David.

[openwheelKT]

I think the key to ending shows early lies with the support classes. Those drivers deserve as much as anybody to race….they paid their money too. However, if 95% of the crowd is there to see the headliner, that has to take precedent. There has to be a time limit on races in some cases. I don’t think fans should have to sit there and wait through a bunch of yellows. If you can’t get a heat race over in 10 (15 at the most) minutes, there is something wrong. You had your chance to race so it’s time to move on. The support classes don’t bother me (as long as there aren’t 3 or 4….that’s a bit much IMO…if you have 4 or 5 total classes going, that’s too much). You can’t end sprint car heats and be ready in two minutes for the C or B. Support classes to fill time is fine, it’s when they are taking and not filling time that I have a problem with.

[Klepper]

Just to remind you all... Jason Smith was on the radio show last night on racefanradio.com for almost 2 hours willing to take questions and comments from whoever about whatever and we received a grand total of zero calls. I think he actually said when asked if he would answer anything... "bring it..." We even brought up the fact of races finishing in a timely fashion!

It amazes me that we can talk and talk and talk and complain and complain and complain but no one will take the time to call in (say who they are) and actually ask a question to someone who can answer it accurately.

By the way... he is the Senior VP of Race Operations... seems to me to be the perfect person to field all of your questions and concerns.

Thanks for all the kind words and supporting USAC Racing and I hope to see all of you at Eldora and Anderson next weekend.

rk