Again living in winged car country I have noticed they don't like water. It's common for the tracks to take rubber and that is what they seam to prefer. If that happens at a non wing race the crowd is ready to hang the promoter, At a winged car race the majority of the fans only talk about how awesomely fast the cars were and wipe the layer of dust off their vehicles and smile all the way home.
That seems to be something the winged car fans have in common with the NASCAR, Modified, and late model fans. They don't car if the race is single file. A lot of fans don't seem to care if there is actually any racing going on. (although they do get excited when someone "moves" a car with the bumper is seems)
I went to a USMTS race a couple of years ago and the leaders caught the lappers with 8 laps and just followed them to the finish scared to get out of the rubber and get freight trained. Sitting at turn 4 you couldn't see the cars in turn 1 and most of 2 for the dust. Going to the car all you heard was how awesome that race was.

Don’t call Jac exclusively a winger. He ran both effectively

Yup, seen him run NW many times and I think still the highest single purse winner in sprint cars ever at 200k at the Mopar Million. And who came from fifteenth to lead a third of that race eventually finishing third two two guys who race three or four times a week... Dickie Gaines A guy who's father I paid respects to tonight at the Burg. DIckie had car problems and couldn't run.

Random thoughts. Sprint cars are never going to seriously compete with the money that comes with the billboards on the sides of winged cars. There are a significant number of fans who start out watching WoO and eventually get bored with never lifting HP races, dry slick tracks and freight train racing. Some like me are fortunate enough to live a couple hours away from Tri State, THAT, LPS, Springfield and DuQuoin and can get exposed to sprint cars and the historic Big Cars. In my case once I saw those sprint guys struggling to keep four wheels on the ground compared to the winged cars I was hooked.

Promotion is the key and USAC just isn't there yet. Look at the signage after a race, and the posters they put out before a race. It is hard to see where they put "USAC"! This brand just is not being properly managed. And I realize the promoters have to be involved better as well, even though they are already bearing 99% of the risk in putting on a race. I don't pretend to have the answer. But there are more ways to promote the sport. Heck, pay Larson to come sign autographs. Put more ads on facebook and twitter. Go see how the Helfrichs draw good crowds most races. Everybody probably has an idea of something they would like to see done better. God bless USA and pray for the hostages in Afghanistan.

Every time I go to races in Indiana (which is becoming rare since I started taking care of Mom) I meet guys who drive from Pennsylvania Wing Country cause they prefer non wing....

TRUE. I will be meeting up with my Posse Pals this week in Kokomo. They love the non wing racing over the admittedly high quality wings in PA.

We may have met a few years back. I always try to talk to guys with Pa. plates. Where do you usually stay?

Not so sure I would promote that as a victory for Dickie vs. "these guys" that race three and four times a week. Dickie was racing about every weekend and was traveling at the time in his career and winning and won at Osky in that time frame. Dickie's career was largely non wing with the exception of when he first started and he ran some wing stuff.

Just be glad Quaker State wouldn't release Steve from the WoO show in NE that weekend or this conversation gets more slanted.

Stevie Smith had never driven a non wing car till that weekend. Steve Smith actually called people up to understand how to set up the car because they had no idea how to set it up. There is a reason some of these guys are professional racers.

In regards to Jac, he's old school. He started without the wing much like all his peers in his age group. You can't say Steve, Sammy or Wolf are exclusively wing because they started without. The one thing they all did was make sure they got paid to be a professional sprint car driver and followed the money, which is exactly the epitome of this post.

Spot on all you hear is how fast. I go to the races to watch passing. Their format of fast cars up front really sucks I won't pay $30 to $40 to watch that.
Living in Wisconsin means I have to travel 6 to 8 hour for a good nonwing show. I do that a few times a year and have my ticket for Huset's

I know everyone see's everything different, even picking apart racing into a million little pieces... "I HAVE TO SEE PASSING, OR I"M NOT GOING BACK!" or I HATE WINGS ,IT DOESNT TAKE ANY TALENT TO DRIVE THOSE THINGS" or "IT WAS TOO DUSTY" or "IF I DIDNT SEE HIM RUN AT KOKOMO HE ISNT A REAL DRIVER".... Really people? Are we son spoiled that if we dont see EXACTLY what we want at a race we are miffed beyond repair? What about just enjoying being at the track and watching the fastest guys hustle it around and win? Hey sometimes the fast guys stink up the show but who cares? Lets be a little more realistic, do you really want someone to MANUFACTURE close racing? That what NASCAR tries to do and not too many people are happy with them!!!
Besides if you aren't a hardcore race fan(Someone that finds other things to watch if the battle isn't for the lead, among other things) you can always get out your phone and doodle a bit if you get too BORED if the race isn't going exactly like you want it to...