First off I don't represent the track - I have offered my opinion. Mike Miles owns the racetrack - and in my opinion we all ought to be thankful for all he does and the way he does it.

The question was - "why doesn't Bloomington reschedule? I offered two possible reasons.

1) A relationship with Gas City
2) A pragmatic fiscal consideration - a considerations that fans, drivers, and owners make every weekend with regards to their hard earned cash.

I don't find either possible rationale immoral or a slap in the face to anybody. Nor do I take offense at the question. I'm pretty comfortable with my relationship with the Kinser family and my efforts to remember and honor Sheldon over the years - Efforts that I don't think are confined to one night a year. I don't think that USAC or the folks organizing races named after drivers like Joe James or Pat O'Connor - or icons like Tony Hulman mean disrespect when they don't reschedule them - instead they continue to honor their memory - long after others have forgotten them or others were too young to know them - by scheduling races in their honor year after year.

Well I wasn't gunna get in this but.....................

1st: Real simple, schedule conflict can't do a re-do without steppin' on friendly competitors toes. I find that honorable!

2nd: It is a "memorial race" not a fund raiser for a charity!

3rd: Sheldon Kinser was one hell-of-a sprintcar driver! He was NOT a Saint, not by any stretch! I knew him personally, don't take my word for it ask Galen Fox, Duece Terrell or anyone else that worked on any of his rides. He was a fun guy to be around, IF HE LIKED YOU, if he didn't you had better LOOK the HELL out!

Last: There are plenty of really serious things going on around us right now that make canceling a single race seem pretty insignificant, like people losing their homes, businesses and all of their personal belongings!

JM(not so)HO
Maybe your energy could be better focused on helping some of those people instead of raising a stink about a race cancellation?

[S.Clayton]

Don, I for one would like to thank you for the kind words and your disagreement with the race not being rescheduled. I am also saddened by this as is the rest of my family. We really enjoy being able to get together and honor the memory of my father each year at a track that was so special to him. I understand the conflicts between the two tracks, but why does it even have to be a big money show this year? Cant they make any of their weekly shows an honorary Sheldon Kinser Memorial until next year? Should a rainout make him not be able to be honored in the way he should? JMO, I know I am a little biased!
Shelley Clayton

You might want to run that by Mike, Shelley - But I think it is always intended to be a big deal - special race - and Brad and/or I - are always willing to offer a special tribute at any time

[S.Clayton]

Thank you Pat, that is a very nice offer. I would just like to say I am in no way discrediting Mike and what he does to honor my fathers memory. I think it is awesome that he does make it a special race. Its always so neat to see the cars and other things of my dads they have on display. I just dont want him to be forgotten. Its been 20 years now, and it still amazes me each year to meet all the people he touched and hear all the stories people have!

There wasn't a single word in anything that your wrote that sounded one bit disrepectful - the family -and lot of families who have raced for generations at Bloomington mean a lot to those who have spent years there --

[midget96]

Shelley, had the pleasure of seeing the "big" car that Galen is restoring Monday evening in his shop. While the guys were looking at all the horsepower on the engine stands I was just staring at that "ole red" car. Galen is an icon and so is your father. We have never met but I have a great picture of Sheldon and my dad at Michigan Int'l Speedway laughing:rolling together. And with great pride my brothers and I had our names on the Spirit of Indiana car. Dad and Sheldon was great friends and yes I lost my racing dad roughly 24 years ago, So I know what it means to have a memorial race in his honor. They had one for my dad for 20 years. It is sad not to have the race but he is still remembered even if a little rain messed up the race.:checkered:

[Fred Zirzow]

to bad they can't run it on 7/14,15,or 16.

Fred I know you are just throwing out an idea -- but again - the reason I posted on this topic to begin with - and trust me - against my better judgment - can be summed up in a single phrase - "It's more complicated than that"

This goes back to my original point.

Racing in the middle of the week will aggravate the neighbors - neighbors who have gotten closer and closer to the race track. There have been efforts to get B'ton on the Indiana Midget week schedule in the past but Mike would not do it, in part, for this very reason. Why is B'ton on the schedule this year? Because Jiggs gave the track the Friday date - now how cool is that? .

[stephen]

Originally Posted by psullivan Fred I know you are just throwing out an idea -- but again - the reason I posted on this topic to begin with - and trust me - against my better judgment - can be summed up in a single phrase - "It's more complicated than that" This goes back to my original point. Racing in the middle of the week will aggravate the neighbors - neighbors who have gotten closer and closer to the race track. There have been efforts to get B'ton on the Indiana Midget week schedule in the past but Mike would not do it, in part, for this very reason. Why is B'ton on the schedule this year? Because Jiggs gave the track the Friday date - now how cool is that? .

Very,very cool. In Indiana your tracks actually work together, while down here, all our tracks want to do is play cut-throat with each other, I guess that's why we have tracks closing down and you all don't.