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

I am feeling about 4 hours driving one way is my current limit.  I do have Flo and just added DirtVision to go with Direct TV. But I still like to sit in the stands.

Do you also have an event ticket price maximum?

450 miles one way for Tuscarora week and 550 to Charlotte for World Finals.

about 30-35 WoO, HL and USAC races within 200 miles this year on my calander.

Local shows if none of the above happening, then about 30-100 miles depending on if going to Attica, Fremont, Limaland or Waynsefield.

Not ticket max, i think $50 is most I'll be paying this year (Kings Royal Saturday and HL 100K Thursday at Eldora).  Paid $80 for the million last year. 

Last year my longest trip was 915 miles, Columbus to Huset's.  I try to visit a new track every year.  Sometimes it a closer track that I haven't had the chance to see and sometimes it's something farther, just depends on what life deals me.  Living in Columbus is a godsend as for as racing.  I can go to Indiana for non wing, stay in Ohio, or go to PA and it's all within easy driving distance.

If it is a "local" show, I will drive no more than 2.5 hours. As I get older, I do not drive much further home than that after the races. A "norma" ride for me to the tracks I attend, Williams Grove, Lincoln & BAPS is 90 minutes. Port Royal & Selinsgrove are two hours from home. Grandview and Bridgeport are 35 minutes.

I'm 65yo and enjoy riding my motorcycle to a track especially if I haven't been there. I'm in sw Ohio and I'll pretty much go anywhere.   I've been to about 200 tracks. It's not unusual for me to ride to Knoxville fora weekly show 
As far as ticket prices $40 is about all ill spend.  I could & would pay more but the shows I go too that's about all they charge. The bigger shows that charge more I usually do not go as the crowds don't interest me. For example I'm 90 miles from eldora and have no desire to go to the kings royal. 

For local events I would say about 3 hours, for special events I dont know if there is a limit. I think the furthest I have gone from Ohio is either, Knoxville or Charlotte as of now.

Heck I am needing a fix now, I am about 92% sure I am going to do the 6 1/2 hour drive to DuQouin this weekend to watch Midgets race probably by myself since I cant convinve anybody else to go. Trying to decide to drive out Friday and stay 2 nights or just drive out Saturday and stay just one night. I am not sure how bored I would get going out Friday.

927 miles to the Nationals.  475 miles to the Kings Royal week.   1.5 hours to Lincoln and Baps. 40 minutes to Selinsgrove.

Let's go Sprint Car Racing!

Knoxville - Best Track In the USA!
Eldora - 2nd Best Track in the USA!

4.5 hours to Knoxville

Twelve hours to Knoxville from N Texas for the Nationals.   I've gone to Memphis a few times over the years for races at the Ditch, which is eight hours.   This year I'm hoping to go to the WoO event at Muskogee, which is five hours.    I've got a daughter that lives about 30 minutes from there so that works out nicely.    And despite my reservations about High Limit I may also hit their event at the Salina High Banks, which is also 30-ish minutes from my daughter.   

Depends on if its a multi-race trip, or if its on the way to someplace else I'm going.

My MINIMUM (for good racing) is 4-5 hrs. from Ct. to Pennsyltucky. I can see dirt track in NY state 2 hrs away, buts its not very good.

My first big race, I flew from Colorado to WG to see Sammy win the National Open. Flew from Colorado to California for Tulare Trophy Cup one time, & to Arizona twice for Cocopah winter 410s. Flew from Ct. to Tulsa for Chili Bowl once... oh yea, Co. to Florida one winter...also flew to Indy this fall for BC39

When my Mom was still alive, before I moved East, I would plan my migration from Colorado every summer to hit certain events, like Indiana Midget Week & Knoxville Nationals.

Now that Mom is gone, I'm gonna try to plan some multi race trips, Indiana Sprint and/ or Midget weeks, definitely Pa. , maybe Ohio or HL races in upstate NY....but I'm aging too (73) & driving long distances is getting harder

How about all those Aussies, Kiwis & Limeys?  I met a  couple who flies from Engand to Indy every year for USAC Sprint AND Midget Weeks!

The drive to Cedar Lake is forty minutes and Ogilvie is an hour (our two local WoO races for the season).  I have been to forty tracks since 1960 when I attended my first race.  A couple Nationals and the 2003 Mopar Million and Lakeside are the longest I have traveled.  Knoxville is 300 miles and Jackson 210 and I have been to both aside from special events.  
 

My wife isn't a racing fan and my son used to travel with me but his girls are teenagers and he has been watching from home.  I don't like driving or going to tracks by myself and solo trips can get expensive.  This year with the split fields I will be watching to see if they're worth the $45 to see a handful of Outlaws and a few locals.  I spent years chasing races and the travel just doesn't appeal to me for a lot of reasons that mostly have to do with age and finances.

I fell in love with the sport as a kid when the best of IMCA and USAC raced at our state fair within walking distance of our house.  The Outlaws would race close to home every year dating back to their second year, 1979.  Since then racing has gotten progressively to become something a person has to travel to see live.  Ironically people say they want the make things better but the grandstand was packed to the rafters every day for ten days in 1960.  Closing tracks, promoters favoring Late Models and Modifieds, and now the races "going to the next level" and rivaling concerts and pro sports at the ticket window.  I can see a trend here, it's getting more difficult and more expensive every year.  

Stan Meissner

You are a bad ass iron butt, I've known some like you. I'm with you on the race admission prices and the crowds the more expensive races bring. I spent several years going to races at the Big E but only attended one KR. Can't hardly stand how these top tier racing fans behave, maybe HL will water them down like it will the racing. safe travels! BTW my longest drive to a track was 700 miles to Fairbury IL. massive 10 races in 11 day road trip, who needs motels..lol..

for a regular weekly show here in north dakota everything is about an hour and a half away or further. So for a a sprint show I would say about 3 hours one way. The furthest I have traveled specifically for a race was from bismarck to Angell Park to was the All Stars so pretty much an entire day to drive one way.

when younger 6 hrs, now that I am 84 2 hrs if I can ride along with a driver.

Generally about 2.5 hours is the limit for me. That means anywhere from Grays Harbor to Douglas County Speedway. If I can get the funds together I would drive further like to the Gold Cup or Skagit Nationals, but that would be a special thing. For a show like WoO or High Limit, I don't have a problem paying $40-$50.  For a lesser show I think $30 is about the limit. Last season I went to see NARC at Douglas County in Oregon and it was $25 for a well run show despite the track conditions being less than optimal. I didn't feel too bad about that one. The next night at Willamette Speedway they were charging $40 for a crappy-ass track and long, drawn-out show that was so bad I ended up leaving early. I felt pretty ill-used on that one and the only reason I paid is because I had my young son with me and he wanted to go. 

Since the late 70's I drive from Omaha to Knoxville and back 370 milesweekly. When I got into my late 70's I spend the night. Now in my 80's the same thing. Husets is 400 round trip, done many times.  All these are done by myself.

I read these and boy it brings back a ton of good memories.  Pa without question  had tracks with large fields everywhere.  After parking it I'd drive to lernerville every yr for there outlaw shows. 3.75 hrs 1 way. All star show at Sharon was also one that I always tried to make.  Been to many more, mostly travel now from my frig, to the bar, to the recliner. Boy do I ever miss that smell.

"Boy do I ever miss that smell.

  I wonder if its safe to burn methanol in one of those old Coleman gas lamps???

Last Summer me the wife and our Granddaughter drove from Washington state to 3 races in Missouri for the All Stars mid west swing and then on to Knoxville. We made a 2 week vacation out of it and saw the sights on the way there and back. We had promised our late Daughter that we would take the Granddaughter on their planned trip to see J.J. Hickle and watch him race when he was running with the All Stars, we really enjoyed it. 

The older I get the faster I was

From northern Colorado, 705 miles, every year in August, to a nice track in Marion County Iowa. Farthest I've driven so far is Eldora for a KR, 1200 miles, but I had a legit excuse, kid had a summer job in Detroit. Also been to Skagit Nationals and Grey's Harbor but I flew in and visited family. Drove to Jackson, MN ,750 miles, for the their nationals and hit Husets on the way back. I-70 and Lakeside then Knoxville back in '84, that was a hell of a vaca, slept in the pickup most nights including Marion County Park. 

I live about 15 miles from a paved track, haven't been there in years. Best dirt around here is 80 miles away at I76 speedway, at least they have midgets a couple times a year. 

This one of the best threads this year. Merry Christmas to all you hosers!