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

I don't know if there are other tracks with similar situations, but I think there is a real problem with the Knoxville track and I feel we need taller barriers at the corners. In the past few years I have witnessed a tire flying over turn one and hitting a van passing by, a fuel tank ending up in the middle of Hwy 14, a front end ending up in Dingus's parking lot, a fuel tank a couple weeks ago ending up in Casey's parking lot, and last week, a car ending up over the fence in turn 4. I just don't think the 4 X 8 sheets of plywood are doing the job, other than providing advertising. Any opinions on this and possibly other tracks?

My wife told me if I went to one more Sprint Car race 
she would leave me.................I'm sure gonna miss 
that ol' gal. 

Ah finally a subject myself and two brother's talk about all the time.

It's funny just today I was on line looking at safer barries, after what happend in F1 yesterday.

What Knoxville needs to do is.....

1)Shorten both corners by 8'., With a safety wall.Shrink the infeild by the same amount.

2)Two foot safety wall on straits.Shrink the infeild by the same amount.

3)Move pits out of center of track., Put in field in turn 3.exit track in turn 3.

4)Come on track in turn 4.Just like the dirt track at LOWE'S.

We have had WoO driver's tell us that they will never fiil the stands at the nats. untill the track get's shorter.

Have'nt the people that run K-V seen enough driver's KILLED OR WHAT!.

OK this is how I should of replyed to the safty barrier post in the first place.

Then people would'nt of had to get there panty's in a bunch!

.

A Bad Day Of Sprint Car Racing Is 10 Times Better Than 
A Good Day At Work!

yeah, ok

Trophy Cup......Best race of the year hands down!

The day they bring mods in instead of 360's is the day I will quit going to Knoxville.

There are plenty of tracks running rolling dumpsters already. Leave Knoxville alone as far as their all sprint car line up. Not sure what you have been looking at but the racing has been pretty damn good from what I've been watching. Back to the original post, it is time for Knoxville to look into keeping the cars and parts from landing outside the track. Seems like it is happening quite a bit more recently and should be addressed before something bad happens.

Knoxville already has the highest fences of any dirt track track I have ever been to. And I am only talking about the actual guard rails, not the billboards above them. Perhaps the easiest thing to do would be to install 5 to 8 feet of catch fence like they have on the straightaways above the existing steel railings in the corners. But with the speed they carry into the turns I don't know that even a 20' fence would catch everything.

Having said that I still think Knoxville is about the safest place you can race a sprint car. In my opinion the danger at Knoxville is solely due to the speeds they reach.

Hey Rick, there will be 120 mods here on Tuesday night! Come on over! ...and nice knowing ya, I'm guessing your time is about up on this board...LOL

If this post isn't results, stories or something c
constructive, it isn't me! 
@BillWMedia
www.OpenWheel101.com

Y'all are funny! I was laughing at the Kings Royal when I was listening to people talk about how great it was to have a race with just 410 and 360 sprint cars. It really made me appreciate how great I have it now. I told them that was our weekly show. Except, of course, this year they've thrown in some 305s sometimes. I love modifieds and like to see a good late model race now and then. But, why would you ruin having such a great thing going?

The Mermaid

It's the " Sprint Car Capital of the World " having modifieds weekly at knoxville would make it " Just Your Average Dirt Track "

Taller fences wouldn't have stopped the front axle from flying over to dingus...it happened on the front stretch and it was still gaining altitude when it passed the suites. . Some parts are launched up-wards more than out-wards so your always going to have parts that are going to get past the tallest fence unless you cover the track.

As far as containg cars and part from flying over the fence, The only thing I could think of that would be cost effective would be catch netting but even that would be expensive and still wouldn't catch everything.

To bad they don't have the room to put more suites in at the corners, Of course they wouldn't be able to have any outdoor seating like the Hall of Fame does but it would still be some of the best seats in the house.

I guess dinner plans are off between you guys.

While I agree there can never be enough safety involved at a racetrack, I also commend Knoxville for the safety they do have. Yes there has been some scary incidents in the past, but it is racing after-all. No one ever said it was a safe sport. I hope the next step for Knoxville is a SAFER Barrier type of fence around the corners as the railroad ties behind the guardrails have little give when hit directly head on. Although the fence they have is certainly better than a concrete wall. Overall I would grade Knoxville a B+ for safety as far as the facility. The safety crew on the other hand is the best there is and they porve it every week.

The 360 class at Knoxville was born through Modified if any of you are old enough to remember. Modifieds was the support class originally in the early 80's and then they evolved into a sprint car with a limited engine size, until we have what we do now.

I know sprint car fans like to pound their chest at how their sport is the best (and it is IMO), but there's WAY more Late Model and Modified fans in this country than there are sprint car fans. Iowa has over 50 dirt tracks in operation and only 2 hosts sprint cars on a weekly basis. Knoxville, and 305's at Bloomfield. The rest of the country other than PA and Cali operate at about the same ratio also. Knoxville is the finest dirt track facility in the world, and every form of racing would like a chance to race there. By adding the Late Model Nationals, the Harris Clash, they are making use of the facility. And the Late Model Nationals may end up being a bigger event than the Sprint Car Nationals in 10 years the way it's growing. Some people thought Indy was crazy for bringing in Nascar too....

Eric Arnold
Social Media Manager & Track Historian
Knoxville Raceway

EA, you forgot Rapid Speedway in Rock Rapids, IA. On Friday nights, the HRA Wingless Sprint Cars run there and yes that's every Friday night.

WTF thats like comparing apples to prunes

No kidding.... I had no idea. I saw they are on the Sprint Bandits schedule the Sunday after the Nationals. I've never heard of the track until a couple of months ago.

Eric Arnold
Social Media Manager & Track Historian
Knoxville Raceway

While safety can always improve, I'll have to agree w/ LLLosingit. I think no matter how high you put fences there will always be an instance where "Debra" flys over the top. Grandstands are on the front and back stretch only for a reason.

Keep It Real

Yet another dumb ass comment form a dumb ass computer geek

Ideas...

1) Wrap the drivers in Bubble wrap.

2) Move the back grand stands to the front, so it looks more like the brickyard.

3) flatten the track more so they don't get, "High Speed"

4) Forget those darn 410's. Get Farley Flyers or Wedge cars.

5) Tether everything to the car with 200mph tape.

6) Stop using plywood as a fence and get some metal fencing....

7) Move the track 10 miles down the road to Williamson, IA.

8) HAVE A RED FLAG PIT STOP in a SPRINT CAR RACE!

9) Dingus is in the way, of flying parts, so move it into the in field across from the Hall of Fame.

10) Just re do the whole track and make it look like Lowe's or Chicago land. They have some of the best wash board dirt races.

11) Enough with the real Iowa creek bottom dirt. Bring in some Arizona sandy clay.

12) Teach the drivers to play poker instead. That way they can play a sport and never have the fear of an injury.

oozing with sarcasm

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A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

I bet there will be more than 2000 people in the stands also.

A Bad Day Of Sprint Car Racing Is 10 Times Better Than 
A Good Day At Work!