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

Last night while I love the track at Port Royal , the fans , the officials , drivers and the facility itself . It became clear to me why I dont' like that thing they call a fuel stop . With 11 laps to go the race was halted for a fuel stop which changed the possible outcome of this race and more of a delay followed which in turn delayed the drivers to leave for Knoxville . Yes, I know the program moved too slow with all the ceremonies , but these fuel stops have to GO. But  I guess it won't happen until the rules are changed or larger tanks or fuel cells are added to these cars at the expense of making boring RACING .

As I said in my first message Port Royal has become my favorite track for what they've done with the facility , how they care about the fans ,but I think the racing has to improve as do most 1/2 mile tracks unless the track becomes very racy . It was in great shape Saturday night but the speeds , how these winged cars are locked down causes them to be strung out, which doesn't make good racing . When the racing becomes good you get a fuel stop because of accidents , accessive laps or something that makes these cars  use up there fuel . To me its as though the small tracks like Lincoln , Path Valley and Grandview are the tracks of choice to see good winged 410 racing .  My wish for fans is that some how these excessive rules would open up to free up these cars but I don't see it happening until car counts , crowds ,or something causes these tracks in Pa to open up and do there own thing or the WoO to tweak the rules . No , I don't proclaim to have the answers I just want to see good racing for all fans and help bring in new fans.

OK, so they do get strung out in the heat races but there was passing everywhere in the A.  Holy crap, lots of it!!!  It was a great race.  The track was FAST, times were still in the 16 & 17 second brackets.  Some people just like to bit#$.

It was a somewhat of a great race until fuel stop , and know I am not bitching , just stating facts as I see it , thanks for your opinion .

I am not sure how the fuel stop affected the racing, it still took ten more laps of hard racing for Hodnett to get the lead. It is not like they stopped the race just for the fuel stop, the caution was already out. I have always thought that fans who think that they can't live through a fuel stop should sit in a burning sprint car while fire crews put the fire out, then when it is almost out someone can throw that other five gallons of fuel that they want these guys to carry on it. It really doesn't happen that often at Port and was a thirtyfive lap race. As for the racing on different size tracks I only say each to his own.

For the love of Jesus, how the hell can you call that a “somewhat good race"? If what you saw last night is “somewhat good" keep your ass at home because you'll never see a good race. There's been racing like that all year at Port. Lincoln and The Grove have seen their share of good racing as well. I don't know what some you people want. Every race can't be a barn burner with 37 lead changes and the guy who took a provisional picking up the win from 26th. It never was that way and it never will be. There have been great races, good races and bad races since men have been racing cars and there always will be. I seriously don't understand what more you want. You sit there and watch a great race on a well prepared track where the winner has to completely drive his ass off after starting 8th and somehow, its a “somewhat good" race. Unbelievable.

I count the laps at Port Royal among other duties. At the time of the yellow which then became a fuel stop 38 total laps had been run. With the 11 laps left to run that left 6 more laps to reach the 55 lap mark which is where a fuel stop is mandated. there would have been at least 3 more yellow laps until the green would have been waved. It was too close to let it go. Anyone that was there saw several cars run out of fuel in the first 16 lap semi with a total of 34 laps run. It dosent matter the size of the tanks, the crews will still not put in anymore fuel than they think they need for that race. Sometimes they win, sometimes they lose.

I still think you should take it to the 55 lap limit though. It's not fair to the teams that did fill up (I know we did) and carry the extra weight the others didn't , and then they get another break when the race was stopped early for fuel. Go by the rules man !

Can you explain why the rule book WAS NOT followed?

Think 30laps really should be the max on a 1/2 mile.  Way too easy to have a fuel stop with 2 cautions after that, and I think the attraction with sprint cars is the "sprinting" part. 

It would be hard to have a Tuscarora 50 with your idea.    I'm OK with a fuel stop.  Just top em off, push em off,  and get back to buisness.