Forum: Minnesota Dirt Track Racing Forum (go)
Moderators: StanM

Due to all the engine issues The UMSS and the management at Oglive Raceway decided to postpone the Sat. Aug.7 makeup race. Ron will work hard to find a spot to replace it as Oglive wants to before our Oct. 2 show. " It is in the best interest of Sprint Cars racing and Oglive Raceway to postpone" Ron told me.

Joe

So not only has the bad fuel at Elko affected the teams that had motor problems, now it has negatively affected the teams that didn't have motor problems, and has affected the whole series that has to cancel a race because of this? all this after 8 rain-outs to begin the season!? and still no one is doing anything about it? As far as cancelling a race because of "expected low car counts" I don't agree, I am pretty sure tracks like Redwood, Jackson, and Arlington didn't cancel the sprints when they had 5 to 7 cars show up several weekends in a row.

I feel Elko Speedway should be held accountable for knowingly selling tainted fuel after the first weekend's motor troubles were brought to the track's attention. This issue was always terrible but now it's gone too far to ignore.

-Long time sprint car fan/ Hosehead forum reader, first time poster...

So what are they supposed to do about all the rain-outs? You wrote: all this after 8 rain-outs to begin the season!? and still no one is doing anything about it? Again what can be done about mother nature?

And as far as trying to run a show with less then 10 cars is not good for any type of racing.

So Ron and Ogilivie made the right choice about canceling this show for this weekend. There are other weekends to run this race.

Plus the 360/410 Knoxville Nationals are going on the next 2 weekends. That takes alot of fans from this area that wouldn't be at the shows around here.

Then it makes perfect sense to have two regularly scheduled shows on Friday August 13th and Saturday August 14th running in opposition of the Knoxville Nationals.

Wing Slider

I don't think it makes much sense to run against the Knoxville Nationals. But that is my opinion.

I for one will be sitting in front of my tv watching it on tv.

I did not mean the rain-outs could have been avoided.....the series has had a great come back after the weather earlier in the season. My emphasis is that after the problems(weather) that were in nobody's control the sprint cars did not need a problem like this to cause trouble on their schedule. I know if I went to the Holiday store and filled my car up with gasoline that was really 50% diesel I would hold the store liable for my damages.

It was just that you wrote, no one was doing anything about it. I figure you meant the rainouts being it was in the same sentence.

As far as the fuel at Elko, if it were my car, I would be talking person who is responsible.

I know it's a bad deal and someone should be responsible, but I know many years back when I had my car, another track, had the same thing happen and nothing was ever done for the cars involved.

It teaches these car owners a lesson not to buy fuel from any track.

Lesson learned here. Too bad it cost alot of money. and effected some racing for later dates.

All in all, the UMSS will bounce back from this.

It can be difficult and against DOT regulations if not contained/secured and placarded properly to bring enough fuel for a weekend of racing, The Arlington/Redwood fuel vendors are very reputable as I am sure many other track vendors are. What was the fuel at Elko allegedly contaminated with?

As I understand- Elko does not regularly have an alcohol fuel class- It sounds like they put alcohol in a thought to be empty gas barrell but apparently still had some gas in the bottom of the tank. An unfortunate happening for the car owners & track. This is how it was explained to me. Hope everyone gets thru this-it cost some teams alot of money & downtime & may have even ended the season for some teams-It was surely very unintentional-Put the shoe on the other foot- I'm not sticking up for the track-but I can's see a liability case that would stand up legally-As racing goes-NO GUARANTEES!! Best of luck to all involved. Pat

Actually Pat, there is a liability issue here.

The Track sold a product that wasn't what they said it was.

If it was done accidentally, it is Negligence.

If it was done intentionally, it would be Fraud.

Pat, Pat, Pat! Unless Elko is a not for profit business and or gave the stuff away they may not have a leg to stand on. Just be happy racing folks are a nice crowd to work with and no one got burnt up or hurt. I hope Arlington raceway has better standards then "No Guarantees" when it comes to insurance, etc.

No worries about Arlington's insurance. My kid tested the hell out of it back in July, 2004 and we were very pleased with the coverage and the service from the insurser. The phone call from Sue on the following Monday to check on Erik's condition and to help get things going with the insurance was both helpful and extremely thoughtful!

I think they meant to say Elko.

Stan Meissner