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

Well  , I am  an older  fan  but  I saw  things  in racing  that  the fans  of  today  have  not . While  I have  nothing but respect for  all the present  day  drivers  , I would  like  to see  the driving  put back into the drivers  hands , for  you to see  racing as  it was . More  passing , not   all slide  jobs , more laps , more  cars  coming from behind  , constant  action , no  fuel stops , yes  they  pitted  but made  up the ground . Unfortunately  the drivers  of today are  happy the way the winged  cars perform . So  to free  up the cars  it  changes  there  timing  or actual   driving  of the car , so to free  up the winged  cars it might  scare  some drivers , as  lot of drivers  have  tried to drive non-wing cars  but  some can't . So  I personally guess I have  to catch more  non-wing  racing  to see more  side by side or more passing . I guess  most  people  are satisfied with today's winged racing  ? are  you ? I know  track conditions and more  play  into it as well , I know more then most think on here . All  my thoughts  on here  have  been for you our  fans  to get  the most  from your buck ? but most  are  satisfied as  they say ? I'm  not as I know  more can be done to make  a  better  experience  for  you .

I just told a guy the other day that if 360 winged quit around here that some would probably fold up shop, go 410 or modifieds. Allison is about 60. I'd be really surprised to see Yoakam, Dancer & some others run without a wing.

Waynesfield has put on some damn good racing the last couple of years.

I too am and older fan who remember when the drivers made the difference. If you want to loosen up the cars, reduce the top wing and side boards by 10% - 15%. Limit the overall witdth and height of the rear tires. Both changes are easy to measure and enforce.

Just my humble opinion but, from what I've witnessed the past 2 years at Eagle Raceway, the 305's are more competitive throughout the field. From top to bottom, you don't have that huge disparity that you see in other sprint car classes. You don't see 2 or 3 drivers dominating each and every race every single week.

The racing is closer, the # of lapped cars is fewer, the finishes are more dramatic; everything that you would want.

Basically, this is what the OP was talking about. Take out the cubic dollar aspect of it, and you put the onus back on the driver and the set-up.

I am lucky enough to work at one of the best tracks 
anywhere.

Great  comments and  opinions  guys , most  fans of today  have no  concept  of how  racing  was  and could be  ? if only they  would  make a  few  adjustments  but  they  are  satisfied  the  way it  is , I guess.

I think this thread will get everyone to change their minds, keep it up winning drive, your constant threads about "better racing like it used to be" should have a lot of impact on the 2015 season. One question for you winning drive, Why do you continue to go to the races when you already know you wont like what you are paying to see? seriuosly, every week its another thread about how dull todays racing is, and how todays fans are ok with it, and how great it was when you were younger. What are you trying to acomplish? What will make you stop starting threads like this? Winged Sprintcar racing is as popular as its ever been throughout history and you cant find one good thing to say about it except that Port Royal is doing a good job. Yes some races suck and yes some tracks are worse than others, but so what. Aparently, most fans enjoy the racing, whether you like it or not dosnt matter. If I go to restaurant and i dont like the food, I stop eating at the restaurant. You would continue to eat there, and then get on a message board adn tell everyone how crappy it is and then you would return and spend more money, eat the crappy food and then complain again on a message board? Why? Just stop going to the races for God's sake and let us naive fans believe that we are seeing good racing even if you saw better racing as a younger man.

i go to the  races  I like , not just  outlaw  races  , I try  to take in what  I like  and support  all  local races  more then the Outlaw  brand . I am going only to races  I want to see not just  any race , I  don't really  take in hardly any WoO races anymore . I am not telling anyone  to stop going to see  what they like  , just my opinions . I am not complaining that is your interpretation of what i  write . I am  only interested  in reading  opinions  like yours  as I learn from each one, yes  there is some good in WoO  racing  but  it is repetative using  the same  nightly  stick by Johnny Gibson  and there  procedures and rules . Don't worry  Stagger  , I won't  ruffle  your feathers  to much , i just  don't care  for  ways  and means  of  WRG , that  is why  I don't take in many  races of  WoO ANYMORE . Only  special events  like Knoxville ,or the race  at Port Royal because  they  are  events  more  then just  races . I have  the most  respect   for  all  drivers  not some  of  the  decisions made  by WRG or how they take advantage  of your passion or loyality .

If I stopped going to the races now, winning drive would still never catch me. I was just at the Port Royal race and the World Finals. They were two of the best races I saw this year. He should quit typing , whinning , and complaining and open his eyes and see that the racing now is as good as ever. The reason there was so much passing "back in the day" was because there were only a few good cars at each race. Those cars could dominate from ANY starting position of any race.

I rremember the " good ol days " when people knew how to use a space bar! 

I was at the Port race, what made it " different & better " than any other WoO race ??????? It was run EXACTLY as every other normal Outlaw race. Same pill draw, same lineup format, same qualifying and time trials, same dash format.

I'm starting to think your one of those Port Royal " groupies" that feel the need to tell everyone how great Port Royal is in every thread possible.

For 3+ years  now all I hear about is how great the "Lastest " improvement Port Royal made is. My God man was the place that big a Sh*thole that it's been a 3 year and counting project just to get it a respectable facility. You want to see a nice facility go take lessons from Lincoln Speedway. And before you bring up the only issue with Lincoln, the new bathroom permits are in hand and construction has started.

^^^^ This

That's the exact opposite of the 305 class at Knoxville. It's getting better but much of the racing is still like watching paint dry. Week after week the same cars are fast and the racing isn't all that exciting and some of the cars look like they are dragging an anchor.
I don't think 305's are a good class for a big 1/2 mile.

I  am not  a  Port  groupie  as  you put it  , I am glad  you  are  a FAN OF LINCOLN , good  racing  seems  to be all that matters with most fans . Many  ways  to measure a  quality  of race , Lincoln is tight  , not like it use  to be  ,when racing there  was evn better  . You  are entitled  to your opinion  sir , I support   all  racing  even though  I sometimes  do not care for the facilities , and I am  not bringing  up  any other  issues  with Lincoln or other  tracks .  I am  glad  the  restrooms will  be improved  at  Lincoln  , just  maybe Port  had something to do  with that ? as  they  are will  be building  new ones as  well  soon .

Wanna see passing, watch Schatz.  Doesn't matter where he starts, he passes cars as he once again proved at the World Finals after tangling with Madsen and spinning out and going to the back then making it back up to 4th.  Madsen made it back up to 5th. Racing today is just fine.  900+ horsepower in a 1300 pound car and on a small track. 

Lawlessness + liberalism = HELL -  NYC, Detroit, Chicago, 
Seattle, LA  Who the H runs those cities. 

Madsen made it back up to 5th from where? I'm guessing you weren't at the race.

Just go to a Non Wing Race!

The "accept it the way it is or you're a hater" mindset of some people on this forum runs in complete contradiction to what we see throughout American culture, not just racing. When Americans don't like something the way it is, they either change the existing formula shift their attention (and dollars) elsewhere. People speak with their money. The stands at the races are no longer the revenue, we all know it's the pit gate.  Promoters often have little incentive to prepare racetracks well to provide a quality show to their fans as a result.  They are either incompetent or lazy, or some combination of both. 

That combined with cars that are clearly over powered with too much traction,  and you get what you have. Slide job is the only way to pass. I still go occassionally, but not like in the late 80's. Call me a crumudgeon or hater, I frankly don't care. I'm a self directed individual who will choose to spend my entertainment dollars elsewhere. Simple as that

Smaller tires, less aero, less horsepower is all it takes. This is not a mystery, the recipe is in the history if you choose to think and look at it.  Bunch the cars up, create side by side racing with multiple passing techniques, and you'll see my money again. 

I could go waaay out on a limb and suggest inverting along with this idea. Inverting with modern track prep and cars is punitive to the fast guys, we all know it. Change the cars and tracks, and whala, inverting works again, just like it did in the 70's and 80's. Inverting makes the best work through the field, and produced what I would argue was the greatest sprint car racing ever in tghe 70's and 80's at Nor Cal racetracks. Prime example was Calistoga in that era. Havent seen a race the likes of that era in a very very long time

I've been saying it on the forum for nearly 15 years now.....Unlimited cubic inches and fuel....Keep the wings and wheels the same....But put bricks on all 4 corners and only one set per night. Do that and you will see more cars and more passing...

Member of this message board since 1997

....and more rubber spun on the track from spinning the hard tires...Thats not my style of racing by far !

I got no complaints on where sprint car racing is now. and I was around for it's peak in popularity.

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