[Charles Nungester]

Originally Posted by Sandy Lowe If a promoter can get those drivers to show up for a $1,200 to win show and the spectators to pack the place (for $10 a piece) why would anyone book a USAC race for $4,000 or $5,000 to win?

Thats my whole point, Sure there are a few top teams missing from any regular show, But a LOCAL show with 6-10 of them and the locals battling and having a better chance of making it with 5-6 heats and two consi's is sorry, IMHO BETTER and FAR CHEAPER.

Im clueless, but I grew up watching Milburn, Gaines, Wilkerson, Gordon, Saldana, Krebs running local shows and putting on some DAMN FINE RACING. we still have it today and USACs format is PREVENTATIVE TO THAT.

Theres great racers all over the country that won't join, run or enter USAC races for those reasons and for the COST of doing it.

Be honest with yourself, You can be the best damn driver in the country and on many tracks unless you have all the money tied up in the car that Kahne/Stewart and VERY FEW OTHERS HAVE you'll be lucky to get out of a non qualifiers you sure aren't going to set track records qualifying as these guys do on a tacky track..

The Honest thing of it is, Most drivers and teams aren't full time nor will ever be, They have families to support, full time jobs to have insurance on them ect and cannot afford the 40g motor and two or three tires a night. They do it for the love of the sport, The competition of it and friendships and FUN, Not to be the next Nascar star. Thats why most of them run several more shows than USAC. Yet the teams stay at home, Im guessing mainly due to the cost of running and keeping equiptment to chase a championship..

Without em, There isn't going to be a future as the big time sponsors and car owners ect come and go. You have to set up something clear cut, doable by all parties and make it more interesting than your local track to make it work.

Chuck

[Sandy Lowe]

Chuck,

I think you misunderstood me.

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't you stating that you want more cars to be part of the show. Everyone runs a heat. Then as much alphabet soup as it takes to get to the feature?

Doesn't another competitor want "tow money" for all cars that race?

How can USAC ask the promoter for a few thousand extra dollars to accomplish those goals when competitors will race somewhere for $1,000, $1,200 or $1,400 to win.

Let's bump up the grandstand admission an extra $5 for Sprint Week to pay for everyone to start a heat and get $100 if they don't make the feature.

Is that what you want?

Or would you rather pay $10 to see the competition that showed up to race at Twin Cities?

Sandy

PS:
I love local sprint car races and am in no way knocking the competition that shows up to put on great races at our local dirt tracks.

[Dwight Clock]

Kevin Miller and Jason Smith were hired to turn USAC around. And that is going to take time. You don't restore a rusty old car that has been sitting outside for decades by simply throwing a coat of paint on it. And you will not turn USAC around after decades of questionable decisions in a season or two. Years ago the racing was enough to fill the stands at most events. That is not true today. There are too many other choices for the discretionary dollars of the fans. You must make your series an event, a can't miss once or twice a year happening in your area. Running 50% or more of the schedule in Indiana just will not cut it. Like the WoO USAC will have to travel to many areas of the country, running no more than two or three shows in each area. In order to make that feasible for the competitors the races will have to pay $10K or more to win with special events such as Oskaloosa and the Perris Nationals with their $30K to win. The bottom end of the purse will need to be substantially increased to encourage competitors to travel. Marketing will need to reach in different directions to enlighten the public about USAC and attract new fans to the speedways. If motocross can fill stadiums with 25,000 or more fans than USAC can, with proper marketing and promoting, do it as well. But it will take time. Give Kevin Miller and Jason McCord the time to accomplish what they were hired for. We all just might be winners when it's over.

I may be the only person on this board that feels this way, but I keep hoping that an existing or new series will pop up and wipe USAC, as far as sprints are concerned, off the map. I say sprints because I think midgets are generally garbage, and dirt cars are great but too much of a niche taste.
I know, I know, all the history buffs here will mop the floor with me for saying that, but that's kinda the way I look at it these days. The glory years of the 50s and 60s are over. To steal a quote from Rick Pitino: Foyt, Herk and Branson aren't walking through that door. The crowds, following and promotion you saw back then aren't walking through that door. Reading and Langhorne aren't walking through that door.
After all the (justified) ******** we've seen on here about USAC, why not vote for change? It's no secret that USAC has many, many flaws. That's been true for 25 years. From the shortsighted rule of the 70s that kept drivers from running other series, to the ill-conceived late-80s trial with wings, to the mishandling of probably thousands of judgement calls over the years, to its current spate of problems, the issues have been nonstop.
So, why not go out on a wing and a prayer and make an old idea new? I know, the economic climate is piss poor. But with the right amount of balls, business sense and brains, a cohesive, semi-national, non-wing series really could happen. Get a committed title sponsor, get the backing of all the significant midwestern promoters and a handful of the southern, east coast and west coast ones, and hit the road for a 50-race schedule. Let the best sprint car drivers earn a living through your series.
Maybe the MSCS is a start, who knows. But, if done correctly it's better than the current situation. Hey, it worked for Ted Johnson.

[Charles Nungester]

Sandy, Thats exactly what Im saying, Several top teams along with the normal racers and as much racing in the top class as possible is whats exciting to me.

Im getting that at about every track in indiana without some sanction, Then I show up to one of those shows and half the guys are loaded up after 8 laps.

I like Larry Beck as much as I like Levi Jones and I PAY TO SEE THEM RACE? Oh, thats called a true fan.

Lets get another thing cleared up, Tow money is basically teams own money that they get a little bit back, Only the 5-10 or so in the B is gonna get 200 and if each team brings three and a driver, The tracks still ahead.. IMHO it be far more profitable for a promotor to get more cars and the fans and crews they bring with them and all the pop and burgers they would purchase?

Chuck, given equal distances for a MSCS show at Haubstadt and a Eldora USAC show, Id choses Haubstadt 100 percent of the time, Why? More racing and not only some top teams but the weekly racer as well.

[1021gpa]

Originally Posted by Sandy Lowe Chuck, I think you misunderstood me. Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't you stating that you want more cars to be part of the show. Everyone runs a heat. Then as much alphabet soup as it takes to get to the feature? Doesn't another competitor want "tow money" for all cars that race? How can USAC ask the promoter for a few thousand extra dollars to accomplish those goals when competitors will race somewhere for $1,000, $1,200 or $1,400 to win. Let's bump up the grandstand admission an extra $5 for Sprint Week to pay for everyone to start a heat and get $100 if they don't make the feature. Is that what you want? Or would you rather pay $10 to see the competition that showed up to race at Twin Cities? Sandy PS: I love local sprint car races and am in no way knocking the competition that shows up to put on great races at our local dirt tracks.

can you tell me what is wrong with the competition that showed up at twin cities? i have seen short,gardner,standrough,bland jr,puterbaugh,boesplugh,jones,and i can go on and on and yes i only gave $10 to see it.. dont know about chuck but with competition like that i will take that anytime and can afford to take the whole family

[Charles Nungester]

Originally Posted by Dwight Clock Kevin Miller and Jason Smith were hired to turn USAC around. And that is going to take time. You don't restore a rusty old car that has been sitting outside for decades by simply throwing a coat of paint on it. And you will not turn USAC around after decades of questionable decisions in a season or two. Years ago the racing was enough to fill the stands at most events. That is not true today. There are too many other choices for the discretionary dollars of the fans. You must make your series an event, a can't miss once or twice a year happening in your area. Running 50% or more of the schedule in Indiana just will not cut it. Like the WoO USAC will have to travel to many areas of the country, running no more than two or three shows in each area. In order to make that feasible for the competitors the races will have to pay $10K or more to win with special events such as Oskaloosa and the Perris Nationals with their $30K to win. The bottom end of the purse will need to be substantially increased to encourage competitors to travel. Marketing will need to reach in different directions to enlighten the public about USAC and attract new fans to the speedways. If motocross can fill stadiums with 25,000 or more fans than USAC can, with proper marketing and promoting, do it as well. But it will take time. Give Kevin Miller and Jason McCord the time to accomplish what they were hired for. We all just might be winners when it's over.

Dwight, Your wise and articulate. I agree and what I can't say so Elequently. IT'S got to be something far supperior to what you can get for far less at the local track in order to travel to, Pay more for and get more fans interested in.

[Charles Nungester]

Originally Posted by 1021gpa can you tell me what is wrong with the competition that showed up at twin cities? i have seen short,gardner,standrough,bland jr,puterbaugh,boesplugh,jones,and i can go on and on and yes i only gave $10 to see it.. dont know about chuck but with competition like that i will take that anytime and can afford to take the whole family

BINGO, That or its got to be far superior to what they are offering to choose USAC over it.

Brownstown had 44 cars for 4000 to win? 25 dollar gate and 35 dollar pit pass, TC had 35 cars for 1200 to win. Ten dollar addmission and 25 dollar pit passes.

Who got the better show? Maybe Brownstown with less support classes and from what I hear some great racing.

Im saying if you choose Twin Cities, You still had a excellent show for far less and quite honestly there are fans that want to see the Crates, Bombers, Cruisers and mini sprints too.

Theres not much more that I can add to it

oops

[riskybrisky5]

I never mentioned that I expect show up money. I expect every racer that is there should recieve some prize money. Going home with nothing is a slap in the face. The entry fee has nothing to do with the promoters but is from USAC. It is over and above the pit pass. If I were a promoter I would force USAC to get rid of both the entry fee and not paying everyone. The promoters are the ones losing the most because of this. Less cars less revenue. like I said a minimum of four people on average enter the pits with each car. Then add all the family and friends with each car that either choose the stands or pits. Take Brownstown for example I know for sure I had 10 people in the pits just because I went there to race. They rode with us including the 6 I paid for. I also know of 8 people in the stands. Lets total that $350.00 for pits and $200.00 from the stands. That does not include some of my uncles and aunts that I dont know if they were there. That is $550.00 to the promoter. Well if I am promoter and I know that I am going to lose that income from just 1 driver not being there I am going to be upset. Multiply that times every driver that decides the same thing and it adds up quick. So if I am a promoter I would gladly pay 90.00 more per car in sanctioning fee to make sure those guys come back. It is simple to fix. In the contract state every car over 36 cars is $90.00 added to the purse payable after the event. $40.00 can go to USAC saving us the entry fee and $50.00 for every car that didnt transfer through the non qualifiers. Or best case scenerio find a non qualifiers race sponsor for all season and that money goes to those racers. Again not expecting show up money just some money for competing and a thank you for being there supporting the race.