Originally Posted by Charles Nungester:
Not trying to be rude but the Eldora million was capped at 150 and I believe it was 137 that showed up. about 40 of them 360s-305s
I was thinking it was more around 250, according to Eldora's Facebook were both wrong as they have 235 listed.
Friend, It was 138. Theres a huge difference in what your claiming and what was. I was there as I suspect you were. ALL RIGS were in the pits No way that would happen with 250
Originally Posted by openwheelfan1:
What is interesting to me is that there are several comments on here (and in some prior threads) about how teams don't support big money shows because they can't be competitive. There were teams at Knoxville that openly admitted they had virtually no chance of making even the "B" main, but were there simply because "it's Knoxville". I guess what I'm wondering is why can't a non-wing race seem to get to this level? MAYBE the Smackdown can, but fewer cars showed up in 2013 than 2012, not more. That is not growth. And I'm not being critical of Kokomo...I think the O'Connor's have done a great job with the facility and have done a fantastic job promoting the Smackdown.
Look at the purse payout at Knoxville that is why guys who don't have chance still come. Just to start the E main paid $325, D main paid $550 on up.
In my opinion that is where the Smackdown struggles, gotta have some good $$$$ for the b main.
The Mopar Million was a USAC race that had 138 cars there. The Eldora Million was a late model race a few years earlier, that might be the 250 that you read.
Originally Posted by kb78:
The Mopar Million was a USAC race that had 138 cars there. The Eldora Million was a late model race a few years earlier, that might be the 250 that you read.
This is true, However the Mopar Million entry list was capped at 150. The only World 100 I went to 88-89? Had 178 and the Jackson 100 that year hand nearly that many and as it was a one day show got done at 5:30am
Originally Posted by Charles Nungester:
This is true, However the Mopar Million entry list was capped at 150. The only World 100 I went to 88-89? Had 178 and the Jackson 100 that year hand nearly that many and as it was a one day show got done at 5:30am
I'm not talking about the Mopar Million, I'm talking about when Donnie Moran picked up a million over there a few years before that, which was the first dirt event of its kind to offer that kind of payout to a winner, still is I'm pretty sure. Sorry I guess I should have clarified more, I figured since I said "late models" in the first post that would be description enough.
However I will say the Mopar is another great example, put enough cash in the pot and cars will come.
Originally Posted by DaveP63:
Didn't fail. The US Dirt Nat's then moved to I-70 in Odessa, Mo (when it was dirt) and there it died.
I don't remember it going to I 70. I went to it in Pevely, I think 2 years in a row. It wasn't as big of a deal there. It died at North Vernon as GLOSS show with non wing sprints with a rain out. Not saying it didn't go to Oddesa, I just didn't remember that. That was one big fast place. Went to the I70 Nationals there in 1984 WOO and MARA midgets
Originally Posted by Nate:
Even if USAC continued to sanction the Smackdown if the payout was big enough teams would still come.
Best example. The Eldora Million drew 250+ cars. Now obviously many of those guys knew they didn't have a shot against the best late model drivers in the world but for that kind of money, what the heck.
I'm not saying we need a million dollar purse but if someone was willing to shell out enough cash, cars would come from places you've never heard of.
I think you may have the Eldora Million mixed up with the World One hundred The Mopar Million was stopped at a 150 cars
Originally Posted by ThrowbackRacingTeam:
USAC will book against any big non-wing event they want to be a part of. Therefore taking the best cars and drivers with them until the promoter relents.
How about some empirical evidence to support this assertion.
