No offense to anyone.....but the car owner list from '79 isn't exactly full of gas station attendents and bell hops. There are some pretty well healed guys on there.

Everyone's right....it isn't the same. The cars,cost, driver personalities and so on. All completely different. Everyone says:If we just do "this", then it will be good again. If we just do "that", it will be good again. Truth is: you could do all of those things and it wouldn't change a thing.

The problem isn't "rich kids" or "money teams"; the problem is that there is no problem. This isn't a piece of machinary where if we just replace a part here or there it will work again. This type or entertainment right now just isn't as popular as it once was. In pockets it is, but as a whole it's not.

No offense to anyone and I truely mean this: but this sports' legacy is dying. Literally. The generations who really took to it have been dying off since about 1979. This type of sport was very much like the spirit of the generation out of WWII. Very gritty and full of daring people. It was a rough and dangerous sport that appealed to a certain type of personality that seemed to be hand and hand with that generation. People wanted to see these brave men/idiots. As the generations have past and the cars have become more common and safer; fewer and fewer people see the excitment in just watching it. Today; we have a generation of people who would rather do than watch and they would rather win than just give it the ol' "college try".

So today we have more racing and competitors than ever before, but that is drawing from a realitively small part of the population. So as more people race whatever division they race, there are less people to sit in the stands and less people willing to be "field fillers". Why get your a$$ handed to you over here when I can search around and win over there.

The only exception to this rule is when something unique like the WoO are running because often times someone will give up a night of racing for themselves to go and watch the "best".

I will say this though; the USAC racing today is as tough as it ever has been and the quality of car is unbelieveable.

Like I said; everyone is right. It's not the same, but then again if you told some of the people in Florida in 1979 who are sitting behind their keyboard right now that in 2010 they would be sitting at home pi$$ing and moaning about the sport on a message board instead of being at the races in Florida; their response would have been: I'll still be alive in 2010? Bull$hit; have you seen the size of computer NASA uses? How would I get it in my El Camino?(Popular vehical many racers lived out of in 1979) What the *uck is a message board? I'll never stop going racing.

I just wanted to say that I'm not bashing or picking on Duke. We all have a right to our opinions and he just wants the sport to be important again.

I do respect that.

Entertainment is a constantly evolving medium. It has evolved to the point that people prefer to don odd glasses and watch blue lizard people in an imaginary 3-D world. The minority to which we belong would rather watch fire breathing monsters shake the ground wearing safety glasses to protect our eyes from flying dirt.

A wise man once said:

"This type or entertainment right now just isn't as popular as it once was."

(Actually it just a couple of posts ago):2:

your correct! I'am in florida now and i'am not going to scca club sprint car racing! A bunch of rich kids driving there dads cars! I really don't care! The only races i go to is to see a group of old friends (chili bowl) i live 28 miles from eldora and have not been there for 3 years!

If there is no problem with sprint car racing. I'd like to ask why is it that 'Tin Tops' as you people call them or 'Taxi Cabs' always have full fields and the stands are packed? You go to a Lucas Oil show, a WOO show, The Dream, The World, North/South you name it, the stands are packed practically standing room only. What's the deal? I have never EVER seen sprint crowds like these mentioned above.

I believe it's because they can relate to the cars themselves and probably a little more geared to the common man. These guys still distinguish Ford, Chevy, Pontiac, Dodge that ole thing. Even though the cars look the same they have the decal and powerplant that sets them apart. Most I know refer to sprints as 'dune buggies' not even cars, they don't realize the challenge it is to drive these cars, nor do they seem to care. It pains me to see some of the replies on here like "move on" or "don't come to races then". what is that? Duke has good ideas along with others on how to lower costs but they just go unheard, or worse made fun of. Over the years it's really seperated the 'have's' and 'have not's' and in recent times the 'have not's' are following the advice of a few and not coming or finding something else to do. Are you just going to ignore the problem until you have 10 Teams racing? It's come to a point in which changes are needed or die out...only time will tell what happens. My guess the stubborn will prevail and fields will continue to dwindle along with the crowds.

your right they have slit the hogs throat now hes bleeding to death!

Run of the mill Saturday Night Stock Car Shows are really struggling. In fact; if you look at the numbers on most nights; the car counts seem to decline as the class gets cheaper. Why? Because the people running the limited classes are barely making it and a lay off or ailment may put them over the edge.

The Late Model classes that run the World 100 and such are extremely expensive to run. More than a USAC Sprint.

Often when people quit doing something or participating in something it's because the have lost whatever that connection is that they felt towards it. You lose your status to it so it loses it's status to you.

Make no mistake about it.....Auto Racing as a whole is very healthy. There is so many different classes that people just pick and choose where they want to run and where they are comfortable. What that does in return though is split and divide everything. You have more as a whole, but less in a group.

jimmy oskie drove the other car! It was tuff only the fastest 50 cars each night got to run a heat each night! Over 120 cars time trailed each nite!

i don't think its healthy nascar cuts purses and ticket prices car counts down everywhere small crowds can you afford a usac sprint car operation to go for the championship?

sorry have not went to a movie in 20 years watch them on dish! The theater in sidney been closed for several years