I missed one last week and I think I was there.

I'll probably be there. I'll miss the USAC cars, but injoy the old timers and if you have never seen the winged sprints at Salem it is a must see. They do things on that old track that would and have got non winged driver's killed. The first time I saw one of those things drop off the bank and head for inside of 1 and 2 turn I closed my eyes. They look like they were designed for that track and put on one hell of a good race.

DAD

Tracy Hines and High Banks, thank you for setting the facts straight on the James O Conner Memorial race at Salem.

767, while I have never considered a low car count at a race track pathetic, I do believe many race fans over look what factors can cause that low car count. Tracy pointed out in this case it is scheduling conflicts. All racing series have been facing low car counts over the past several years and the reason is never the same. Just recently ISMA traveled to a new track for them in Canada an only had 13 supers started the feature. Did the fact that it was eight hours one way for the teams hauling from Central N. Y., the need for a passport or enhanced drivers license play into the low car count for this race? It is probably a safe bet that answer is yes.


Todays economy has effcted the racing community as it has just about everything else - hard. Travel expenses for the teams are higher, sponsorship money is harder to fine and teams are finding it harder and harder to get to the race track on a regular bases.

Over the past several years there is only one racing situation where I have personally seen car count increase significantly that required the sale of Oswego Speeday to achieve. The past sevral years they were lucky if they had a full field of 24 to start the feature, this year the last race I was at two weeks ago they had to run a 12 car consi. Car counts being high enough to run a consi probably haven't happend in the past eight years at Oswego they have become the normal again at Oswego.

Please don't feel I was calling 767 out for any reason, his use of the word pathetic and the fact that Oswego is closed this week for the Sandusky Classic along with the low vendor turn out this weekend at this years Harborfest Event in Oswego just started me thinking.

Todays economy effects everything not just racing.

Patti

Here is news on the ticket prices from Salem's website:

PNC pits open at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, with spectator gates opening at 3 p.m. Practice is set to start at 3:30 p.m., with qualifications at 5:45 p.m. and the first race at 7 p.m.

Advance adult general admission tickets are priced at $18 for adults and $3 for children, age 7-12. Kids, age 6 and under, are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Advance reserved seat tickets are priced at $23 each. All prices are $2 more on day of race.

no thanks, no salem this time

You can count me in, I'll be there!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Isn't it obvious USAC had no intention of trying to run this race once they booked the race the night before in Lincoln, NE. I'm guessing this is their way of pressuring Belleville to bring them back for the Nationals. This date no longer fit into USAC's plans. If the track was serious about keeping this race going they would have agreed on a different date that was more condusive to a good car count. My suggestion would be to make it a Sliver Crown race until they figure out what to do with the sprinters. How many winged sprint car races did Joe James or Pat O'Connor race in. They would be insulted by this.

i'd say if usac isn't able to provide a full field of pavement cars, no one'll book em next year

As previously pointed out by Tracy Hines and ThrowbackRacingTeam, it sure seems like scheduling is to blame more than anything else. USAC runs in Lincoln, Nebraska on Friday, Salem on Saturday, and then Knoxville, Iowa on Sunday?? Seems foolish to schedule like that. Maybe an honest mistake, or maybe an attempt to hurt Belleville Nataionals....

Even under the previous points structure, which included pavement, there would not have been a very good car count. Only those still in the hunt for the championship would have even attempted it in my opinion. But, when the pavement is irrelevant to the 'main' sprint car championship, who will show up to compete in this particular instance? Never should been scheduled in such a way......

Just my opinion.

Patti sorry if i offended you by using the word pathetic. Come on this is a USAC show. Its also a sprint car show. Sprint cars are one of the most popular classes in Indiana. I understand this is a pavement race, but if things were changed they would have no problem getting a full field of cars even with there schedule conflict. It wasn't all that long ago that there were only like 7-10 usac regualrs that would show up. The rest of the field would be filled by a variety of drivers. Heck some guys used to be able to make a little money by showing up to a pavement race. Where are all of those cars that ran or failed to qualify for the little 500? not all of them were winged cars, not all of them were from outside of this area, and not all of them are purpose built for that race. What does it take to get 6 to 10 of them to show up? The lack of effort is the frustrating part. I'll leave it be though. I enjoy the wings.