I was around in the 50's, 60's and 70's. And you are right Dennis. It was not a problem back then nearly as much.

But there are several reasons for it.

1. Some tracks either oiled the dirt or used calcium chloride. It helped quite a bit. Tougher environmental laws now forbid doing that.

2. AAA or USAC shows had maybe 15 - 20 cars at a race with pretty NARROW tires. Qualifying, dash, heats and a 12 car feature. And that was it. No 4 or 5 support class stuff.

That made for some pretty racy dirt surfaces even in the daytime. One would ocassionaly get dry/slick, but not that often.

The EPA regulates what the tracks can put down as far as chemicals to keep in the moisture in the daytime.

the tires dug in! Not wheel pack the track like the steam rollers!

No truerer words spoken of days gone by!
aXe

Sunday afternoon races are just plain cool.

I was at Tuscon last week, where rains moved the finale back to Sunday. I loved it, and it was NOT a dust bowl. The Silver Crown race had a pass for the win on the final turn of the final lap.

Jim Fisher
www.fscpictorial.com

ok whats your point? Was it black slick? Yes!

Dad took me to my first race which was a USAC Du Quoin 100 lapper. Foyt battling to the win with Parnelli, Bettenhausen... ect. I was hooked. While rubbing elbows with the top finishers post race on the front stretch dad dropped his sungalasses on the track and shattered a lens. That was a HARD dirt track!

Afternoon races on dirt tracks have always been dusty, dry slick and hard but two of the worst for all three of those were the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines in the fifties and El Dora in the sixties.

or cheap sun glasses!

---------- Post added at 12:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:17 PM ----------

did you look at the posted ken coles photos? Or have dick wallens movies from that era?

I have seen both the Coles photos and Wallins videos AND I was at both places in that time era.