Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
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The Masters Classic is BROKEN

Last weekend I attended the World of Outlaw 3 day show at Knoxville. It was the annual Hall of Fame Induction weekend, which means it is time for the Masters Classic. I hate to say it, but this format is BROKEN. You have drivers like 71-year-old Ernest Jennings then you have folks like Swindell and Lasoski. After Sammy broke the 360 track record, people in the grandstands started mumbling. Then when he all but lapped the field in the A-Main tempers began to flare. In the post-race interview Sammy indicated it was their plan to lap the field. Those comments did nothing to change his image with most fans.

On Saturday the campgrounds was a buzz about Friday. The majority of fans would like to see some restrictions placed on who can compete in the Masters Classic. If the only restriction is a driver's age, then it is felt that participation will continue to fall off year after year. Why would people like Steve Hainline or Roger Clark, who drove in the 70's even consider participating. They haven't been in a racecar for 25-30 years and to come run with current World of Outlaw racer would be not worth the effort. Several us began to wonder if there were any additional restrictions to the Classic and no one could come up with any other than age.

I think the Hall of Fame should re-work this program and make it meaningful to the drivers that participate and also to the fans. We paid $30 to get in and to watch Sammy lap the field was not what I was seeking. I wanted to see some of my old heroes go wheel to wheel like they used to. I would have loved a battle between Randy Smith and Mackie Heimbaugh that would have been worth the admission price. I think they should move the Classic into the 305 class and only allow drivers who are actually not driving for living participate.

As always I take ownership of these words and you can always reach me at [email protected]

I agree. The intent of the Master's Classic was lost this last year!

My opinion is to increase the age requirement to 55years old and require that the driver had not competed in more than 6 events the previous year. The original intent was to stage a race for former drivers that had retired from a full time schedule.

Have you ever seen the crowd (or lack of there of) when the Masters Classic was a stand alone race?

It was beyond horrible ...like under 200 ....and how many of those were 'freebies?'

The Masters Classic isn't broken .... it is a NON EVENT that is a $$$$ LOSER and has become even a bigger embarrassment (15 cars this year)

Put all the 'restrictions' on entries you want ...it is NEVER going to 'work' as anything but perhaps a non paying exhibition (with wall plaques or trophies for all participants.) That non paying part will take care of the 'pros' entering and get it back to a true 'old timers event. Tie it in on Friday night with a different style of cars (non wing??) or just a 2 day WoO show or something as the REAL crowd draw.

R.A.

S.H.S.

The 305 idea is golden. That's a no-brainer.

Idea about not driving 6 times in the last year... brilliant. If someone drives less than 10... let them in, too.

The whole "lap the field" stuff is kinda silly, not really that big a deal to me. Lasoski & Swindell racing against Earnest Jennings... that's silly. I like them all... but that doesn't equate to fair or "bang for the buck".

Definitely come up with something worth watching on this special event. It's not the speed of the cars people are craving in this race... it's the names from the past. If they're in 305s... so be it.

The first several years of the Masters was great and the concept good but I agree that it should be reworked or maybe dropped though I hope not. In the beginning I think they thought they could draw some of the big names to Knoxville to run for the fans. Probably not Foyt or Andretti but maybe a Poncho or Parnelli or even an Unser. They never got that but had some great racers from the past take to the track and show what they could do. Without the Masters I'd never got to see Earl Wagner blasting the cushion, Rager battling Ferkel, Leroy Van Connet on the gas or Lloyd Beckman working traffic. Seeing Randy Smith and TJ Giddings, from my youth, is just awesome and brings back some great memories. I hope there is a way to save this great idea of a race. I also really don't care for seeing active WoO drivers lapping the field but I hope there is a way to get participation back up. Just to add some more: Billy Engelheart, Jimmy Sills, Shane Carson, ect..

This race should never have people competing that are still regulars anywhere. I was disgusted!

I wonder if the move to make it a WoO weekend partially was to get Dude in the event? I bet they hoped Steve and Jac ran too when planning this out.

...

Sammy would prolly still lap 1/2 of them at 60!!!

Steve Kinser ruined the Nationals for a number of years and Sammy & Lasoski ruined the Masters Classic! LOL Shame on them for staying so fast for so long.

The $30.00 to see this was a big joke, yes I paid it and will not pay it again. There should of been a regular WOO show with this mess.

Well when you race as much as Sammy and Lasoski and drive good cars like they do, it's easy for them to whoop up on a field like that. But yes I think Steve and Haud should have joined in on this race. It's a bit of shame that Steve has been strictly a WoO racer for years and not participate in some other extracurricular events.

Redo the whole weekend. Make it a three day non wing event, 10,000 to win on Thurs and Fri with a 30,000 to win 1,000 to start 40 lapper on Saturday! Knoxville needs a new cash cow and a three day Hall of Fame Classic could be the answer. Lets bring back the teams from the west coast to do battle with the midwests best, maybe we can recapture some of the essence and the atmosphere that has dissapated over the last several years. As for the Masters Classic, ban all active drivers let them cherrypick somewhere else.

Member of this message board since 1997

I think something kinda relating to the 4 Crown Nationals would be pretty cool for the HoF weekend since not all Inductees raced with the outlaws. 3 days is a nice little vacation for families who enjoy racing and for the die hards its a great way to gear up for nationals.

I'd like to see:

Thursday: Masters & 305's

Friday: Midgets & Non Wings

Saturday: Outlaws and 360s

-Austin Rankin

Great idea, I would come from west coast to watch that.

I dont plan to step on any toes.... but i am sure i will anyways..

They are missing the whole point of this race.. Yes Sammy is over 50 .. ok so is Danny... fine.. But there cars are 2010 and there engines have probably less than 3 races on them...

It would be really cool if they didnt make this a "race" so everyone brought there killer stuff.. Maybe have them bring cars from the era they raced.. like they did with Doty at eldora... even if these cars arent around anymore.. have replicas built.. and if the drivers arent able to drive anymore still have someone drive the car around the track and give a biography on whom ever they are representing.. these drivers need to be honroed and they are not going to come if they are only going to get in the way.. I bet alot of them would love to come if they knew they could drive there old car just like back in the day.. Danny Smith brought the Gambler house car.. they are still out there... Give them there night to shine not only in paper and in cyberspace... give them a chance to relive.... Sure I think they should turn some laps.. but without the idea that someone is out there with the intent to "LAP THE FIELD" that is not what this should be about...If you still want to have this race like you have now... fine if some of them want to run like the way it is now... lettem fly... but still let those that just want to have some fun.... have there moment too... after all they are why the sport is here today!!

Denzil Smith

Sioux Falls , South Dakota

I agree the system is broken .We raced the Masters for two years & ennjoyed it very much, but if we wanted to race with the outlaws, we would drive 2 hours to Williams Grove instead of 26 hrs to Knoxville.We race between 6 to 12 races a year.NO full time Driver or a driver with over 30 or 35 races a year should be allowed to run.We were returning this year untill we seen it advertised that the outlaws were running.I beleive it was a perfect weekend for the race, but shall have restrictions.If they run next year they will be down to 10 cars if changes are not made.In closing I do want to Thank Knoxville for allowing us to race & for the memories. Jack &Judi #121

I'd buy into that in a split second!!

I do have to agree the qualifications to run the race could use a little fine tuning. I like the 6 race rule that was mentioned earlier. However, there is absolutely no reason to bash Sammy and Danny for running the event. They were within the current qualifications to race and to bash them about "cherry picking" is rediculous. I know for a fact the DUDE had no intentions of running the race until he was asked by a certain well known car owner who wanted his car in the event with a good driver behind the wheel.