Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

The success of the double Kings Royal & the addition of the Historical Big One to next year's week makes me think that this is now the premier sprint car event in the country.  Any thoughts?

I think it's awesome.  I think the nostalgia and money make it a premier event.  However, until it turns into a multi-day qualifying event, like the Knoxville Nationals, I don't think it will be THE premier event.  Having multiple days of shows, with no real connection from one night to the next, makes it less appealing for me-----it's still #2 on my list, but not as appealing as the Nationals format.  (Yes--I know the winners of the prelim nights in Eldora get to pick their qualifying spot)   You can't win Saturday night at the Nationals without a good showing on one of the other 3 nights.  (95% of the time)   With the Royal, you can be terrible for 2 days and then win Saturday night.  For that reason, I think the Nationals still holds the top spot.  JMO though.  Everyone can feel free to proclaim the King's Royal spot as the new premier event.  

No.  Nationals.

Not even close,  Knoxville by far is the premier race of the year!

The Doty on Monday and a Tuesday rain day makes so much sense.  Not sure if that's been explored and if so, what would keep it from happening.  

Yes-----------it is a great time to be a sprint car fan!  Hoping for an epic Nationals this year!

I'd have said this was blasphemy before this past weekend but if it isn't, it's a lot closer than it used to be. 2 $100k or more  to win shows in one week is pretty amazing. 

+1

Your last sentence seemed odd, so I looked it up.  The last time the Knoxville Nationals paid $50k to win was in 1992 (was $70k to win in 1993) ... King's Royal was $50k to win as late as 2018. 

Both weeks are amazing and should be on the bucket list for any sprint car fan.  The reboot of the HBO next year during KR week is making it really hard to justify NOT going!  

Tod and Co. at Husets/Jackson are trying to build something in late June too.  Pre-COVID, Jackson Nationals was going to pay $100k to win.  Hopefully it can work its way back to that.  

The Nationals. 

The qualifying point system used at Knoxville is fantastic in my humble opinion. Drivers have to be elbows up on the wheel everytime that car hits the track. There is no sandbagging if you want to first, make the Saturday show and second, earn a decent starting spot. A bad qualifying effort or a bad heat race/feature and get stuck in the C or worse. Obviously Saturday night is a great show but I absolutely love the qualifying nights almost as much. 

The atmosphere of an entire town getting behind thier event is pretty tough to beat as well. I just wish they'd bring back the tractor shuttles to and from the campgrounds...

No, not until they start drawing 100 cars like the Knoxville Nationals. It's easily the 2nd biggest event though, but it already was that before they upped the purse. I do prefer the racing at Eldora over Knoxville however. 

A

Maybe another way of asking this question would be whether a driver would rather win the Nationals or the Kings Royal.   

Ask Kyle!!!

I'm fortunate in which I get to go to both events each year. I still feel Knoxville Nationals is the best event to go to. Both are awesome events and every fan should make it a point to go to both at least once. If I had to bite the bullet and pick only 1 as much as it would pain me but would pick Knoxville over Eldora. Maybe it's because living only a couple hours away from Eldora make Knoxville feel more of a vacation and event to me. I just like the format and everything leading up to it, as well as how everyone in town acts. 

Living where I do I'm fortunate that I get to experience a majority of Ohio Sprint Speed week, Kings Royal week, and then Nationals week for vacation.

1. Knoxville Nationals - Can't beat the pressure packed action of having to be perfect every lap.

2. Eldora Kings Royal -  I think of the KR as the mid summer all star break. Has it's own charm. 

3. Williams Grove National Open - Love those rolling hills in the fall for WoO vs Posse. 

4. Ohio Sprint Speedweek  - Summer starting to heat up and you never knew who would show up to run the week. 

And whatever happened to the Gold Cup at Chico?

The kings royal is essentially a winner take all event.  The nationals overall has a much better and deeper purse.  The nationals is definitely the premier event.  I personally find it lame to pay $175k to win and $20k for 2nd place for something that's supposed to be a crown jewel.  

The nine scariest words in the english language 
are ,"i'm from the government and i'm here to help" - 
Ronald Reagan

I interpreted his post as the premier sprint car event of the year-------going forward, year after year.  I guess one could argue that this year's event was a bigger deal with 2 $175,000 payouts in one day maybe?  But going forward, it will only be one again, and I think it easily falls in behind Knoxville.  

An even better question--------ask him what was more difficult to win, the One and Only or the King's Royal?  He had to be good for 3 straight nights to win the One and Only.  One mistake, and your chances of winning were gone.  King's Royal?  He didn't do anything all week and showed up and beat the field during 1 five-hour show.  Not to take away from the win at the Royal because it was special and awesome, but his win last year at Knoxville and August was far more difficult and impressive.  JMO again.  

Knoxville pays 20k or more until 6th in the A main also 10k to start. The Royal was 3k to start. You can get 11th in the B main st Knoxville and still pull 3k. The purse is no comparison to me and I know 175k sounds awesome to win and is good for the driver but would rather see it 100 to win with the remaining 75 spread back through the field. I shouldn't complain though because pay is going up for the drivers and it is needed.

I don't know if you missed it, but they are bringing the Historical Big One back in 2022 for the Thursday show. It's going to pay $100k to win. Thats what I meant by 2 $100k to win shows in the same week. 

Knoxville is the premier event.