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

As far as sprint car racing goes I can only make it to one track realistically and that's Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, California. I would dig it if they'd have 5 or 6 drivers from the first few rows park in the infield just prior to the A-main and introduce themselves and just connect a little better with the fans in attendence. Each guy need not say much, just hold the mic and say his name, where he's from and a couple more quick sentences. Just my thoughts.

The Question:
As a fan who is at the race track what could improve your experience?

(other than free beer)

Every time a pit lizard snaps a selfie, a piece of clothing must be shed. First the hoodie, then the Vans........

You know the drill. 

Less driving to get here!

Starting on time and ending before the next day would be nice.  Some places are great at it others struggle.  Unlike some on here I enjoy pretty much any type of racing and go to a variety of tracks each year.  One thing that a lot tracks around me do that I wish more did to help with this is if you cause a caution in the heat you're done.  The 2 yellow rule is only applied for the A main. 

E-mods get a total of 2 laps, 2 cautions, or 2 minutes of racing. Whichever comes first. 

Good food, clean restrooms, I hate and hate Port A Johns.  Start races on time, get crews to clean up  wrecks instead of standing there and looking at it.   When a race is over have next race pulling onto track 1 min. after last race off of track.  You need other classes to fill in program with some common sense.  You would not want say 5 more classes.  If you had 24 sprintcars, you would have 3 heat races and a feature.  That would take about 1 hr..  I could go on but will stop now.

Usually I can tolerate most situations and enviroments as long as the races are moving at a decent pace. As someone who worked at a hockey rink and cleaned many restrooms while in college I can say that restrooms are a pet peeve of mine especially now that I take a little one. My expectations are pretty low as I do not need a golden toliet or an attendent in the bathroom, but it would be nice if some places at least attempted to clean them after an event or spray some water. We have all been into some where it looks like they have not been touched in years and none of the toliets work. Some of that is on fans as well as you do not need to put a full roll of toilet paper and flush at once, actually pee in the urinal not the floor, and if you clog the toilet or it doesnt work tell a track worker. You can even lie and say it wasn't you. And if you see someone who has made it to the track before you and they are sitting with their child  and there are plenty of other seats either at the track, in that section or in that row, do not choose to sit directly behind or beside them and light up a cigarette, take your butt someplace else. Even if it is just on the other side of the row 

Other than that just keep the program moving at a good pace and as others have mentioned the lower levels need to have some stricter rules as far as spins and bringing out yellows.  

Get rid of the intermissions.  Nothing worse than sitting there looking at an empty race track for 20 minutes for no good reason

Get rid of 2 lap rule for tires and work area.

Don't have 4 classes or more..Fillers are good but run them quickly..No intermission..Get the show over by 10:30 and start on time..Most tracks now do some farming between races, it takes time but keep the show moving..

Nothing. I'm not in a hurry to leave the track so intermission is fine with me unless it's running super late. Never understood why so many people are in such a hurry to leave and want things to be fun lightning quick. I'd rather be at the track at 11pm on a Saturday than anywhere else.

Imit the number of extra classes running so show runs in decent amount of time. I drive 4 hours back and forth to see sprints not wanting to watch 2 more divisions. Start on time, run dual car time trials if you must run them, wooden toilet seats and outhouse stalls, when you have to drive far and support the tracks running the show efficiently is a big plus

I am lucky enough to live in PA where tracks are different than most of the rest of the dirt tracks around the country. So this isn't as much as an improvement for me but I think could be for others.

Experiencing the races from the infield.

Yes, you do miss a little bit of the action because you can't see the entire track, but you still see majority of it. And I don't care about the parts I can't see because you can always watch the replay of whatever you missed almost instantly on your phone thanks to modern streaming services at many tracks. The trade off of what you do see is worth it.

More pros:

- You're so much closer to the action that you see, hear, and feel so much more than you could in the stands. Being eye level or below the cars on the track rather than above them is just so much more of an intense and interesting way to experience the races.

- Don't have to pack in the stands and worry about moving around/tripping over other people if you need to leave to the bathroom or something.

- Most lawn chairs are more comfortable than a wooden or metal grandstand seat. Same priced ticket you pay for a 3ft space in the stands gets you youre living room recliner in the infield.

- Dust blows more to the outside of the track, which you end up with a clearer view than you may even get in the stands or watching on stream. (Why more streams don't have more inside cameras set up is beyond me. I get cameras add production and equipment costs but c'mon man)

I'm curious how the PA tracks are different than most of the rest of the dirt tracks around the country.

How many tracks outside of PA can you buy a general admission ticket and sit in the infield (not the pits)? I know its not many. I'm having a hard time thinking of any to be honest.

PA you have:

Williams Grove

Port Royal

Lincoln

Selinsgrove

Sharon opened up their infield last year for general admission. It hasn't really caught on from the couple shows I've been there, just usually a handful of people down there 

That's perfect.   That way I've got just enough time to run to the bathroom while they're running them.   

Start on time

Don't run more than 2 classes for a special show, especially if it's a mid week race.

Decent food

Restrooms where you don't gag as soon as you get within 50 feet of them

Announcers that think there funny or scream into the mic

Long intermission so they can sell that last hot dog

Someone that put effort into the track surface

No more than 2 div and less time trials.

3 divisions at the most.  If there is qualifying and 1 car is out of turn they lose their time and start in back of heat.  1 heats leaves the track the next one is being pushed on. 2-3 minutes between heats.  Time limit/lap limit for lower classes.  AND a section for people who want to drink and act like idiots.  You know the one....who spends more time going up and down to get beer than sitting down and watching the races.  If I wanted to be around a bunch of idiotic drunks Id go to a bar.  Why I usuallly go to pits.  Good food and clean restrooms are a plus as well.  

On a side note I now live in TN (originally from Oregon) but how many damn late model classes are there??  geezus some tracks seem to have 4-5 classes of late models.