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

The sport cannot survive with 6 or 8 high dollar teams, its needs the mid and low level funded teams also to put on a show. The lower dollar teams see this Knoxville NSL deal as a kick in the nuts, the rich supporting the rich.  Knoxville has always had teams that only race knoxville and they cannot afford to travel. These teams would like to see a little more purse money to help them survive. Unless you own or have been diretly involed with funding a team you have no idea what it takes. Every race I walk thru the pits and say to myself where the hell does all this money come from to fund these teams.

Its a shame that NSL has turned into a two track series and that it is dictating teams were to race, all over BMS going to Sat. nites. All because Knoxville might loose two cars, maybe three. Knoxville has always had a great weekly purse, however I can see were this is a slap in the face to local teams.

Whoa dude.  I think you've got me confused with someone else.  First thing I get out of this is that you're taking cars going around in circles on dirt way too seriously.  Secondly, since when have railroad clerks been considered haves?  Hell, I'm 210 miles from Jackson and haven't been down there for four or five years.  Haven't been able to justify getting a motel so I don't have to drive home after one of the Stock Car and Modified marathons with 18 Sprints tacked on at the end of the night.  Knoxville?  Haven't been there in years, same deal, six hours and at 64 I don't do those redeye all night drives anymore.

I made no reference to the NSL, they're a good series.  I only said that some racers have to limit their racing schedule to fit their personal circumstances and can't commit to a full schedule no matter how big the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is.  That's just racing 101, been that way since I saw my first race around 1960 and it's moreso now on account of how much everything costs.  That simple fact is played out with every track and series across the country.  It's simple economics. 

As far as the NSL offering an incentive to follow their entire schedule I get that but I also understand that there is a lot of pent up anger on account of purses not keeping up with the cost of fielding a car.  It's a complex issue and getting into a pissing match about something we thought we read between the lines isn't going to solve anything. 

Stan Meissner

Exactly, Knoxville will be fine with Husets going to Saturday. There really weren't a weren't many Knoxville guys making the trip on Sunday so its not like there's anything to be gained by deferring to Knoxville. Some of the Sioux Falls guys that race in Knoxville might stay home but that remains to be seen. Biggest winner will be the fans in Sioux Falls.

Knoxville will probably have the biggest car count but Saturday nights might be a plus for that track in Brandon.  Maybe some NOSA drivers might go to two nights a week, you never know. 

Stan Meissner

So the NOSA guys are capable of leaving ND to race for the pawn star's $ but the Knoxville guys aren't capable of leaving Marion County to race for the extra $'s Todd is offering ???

Good post! StanM doesn't think it out evidently. In one statement he thinks the working class driver that runs Knoxville can't afford to run two nights a week, but the working class NOSA drivers might be able to? And to top it off, the drivers that aren't neccessarily as a rule top five or ten, would make more purse$$$ running 100% incentive at Knoxville/Jackson than the NOSA drivers would running at home and at Huset's. (Still Huset's to me!)

I am going to stick up for Stan M here and say some of YOU folks aren't thinking it out. A Knoxville driver that has a 8-5 Monday through Friday job would need off pretty much no later then noon Friday to race at Jackson. How long would that last at YOUR job? The NOSA drivers run their HOME track on Friday allready, so travel on Saturday to SF and home on Sunday. So if they have a 8-5 Monday through Friday job no problems. Here is an idea, maybe Knoxville should run on Sundays. The local drivers could travel somewhere on Saturday and be home Sunday and race at Knoxville Sunday night and be at work Monday morning.

Dave Boy

I was merely speculating that some might decide to do that. 

Stan Meissner

Thanks, whoda thunk that speculating in October 2015 about something that isn't even going to take place until April 2016 would raise their ire?  There are a lot of bitter angry people just waiting for the slightest provocation to go off about something.  I don't get that. 

Stan Meissner

Knoxville and jackson are 1/2 miles. The others are not correct?   Huge motor bill difference.

My understanding was that they were going to cut Jackson down to a 3/8 mile but the size of track they run on is a factor with budget racing teams.  I think because of Knoxville's size and how it works over motors that is probably going to influence how much a low dollar team travels if they run there weekly.

Stan Meissner

I understand that is a problem for some teams but there are also a lot of drivers that are self employed that never leave Marion Co for a race.

I'm not necessarily saying that they should race anywhere else but I really don't think they have any reason to piss and moan about the whole NSL $'s if they don't want to race the NSL races.

Also, I don't think Huset's is going to get the big car counts that some people seem to think they will.     Huset's has had plenty of good paying races in the last few years with <20 cars.    Actually I think the races with <20 cars would be atleast double the number of races with >20 cars.  And that's counting all of the cars nevermind when half of the field is filled with 360's.

Time will tell but I wouldn't bet on Huset's Saturday night program being worth the ticket $'s.

so, which drivers would those be.  The following drivers that raced in Kville in 2015 actually live in Marion County, everyone else is from out of Marion County and in the 410 Class, 9 out of the 22 drivers that finished in the pointslive outside of the State of Iowa border.  Those that live within Marion County see to have traveled to races over the past few years, so I wouldn't say they don't travel either

410's

Bronson Maeschen -- has made trips to Florida, Eldora, and other WoO or 410 races when his time allows

Tasker Phillips -- followed NSL this season

RJ Johnson -- travels to other shows

Even most of those in the 360's that live within Marion County borders travel

Joe Beaver -- hits Sprint Invader shows when he can (has even missed weekly shows if his job requires it as he repairs (or supervises maybe now) high line repairs after storms

Tony Schilling  -- Sprint Invaders

Jon Agan  -- Sprint Invader Champion in 2014

Jamie Ball -- travels as much as possible from what I've seen

Calvin Landis

Sawyer Phillips -- seem to travel when I look at results from other tracks

Alan Zoute

Everyone that has been racing Knoxville full-time that is complaining about the NSL purse structure needs to remember that they get benefits for Racing at Knoxville Full-time (or finishing in the points) that those that only race occassionally there do no (Insurance through the KRCO, safety equipment through the KRCO, prizes at the banquet, reduced or free pit passes for the following season if they make 100% of the regular races, etc., etc..   Maybe someone like Josh Boughman that raced at Knoxville quite a bit this past season (ASCS National Tour regular) should be complaining because he doesn't get any of those INCENTIVES.  But again, he didn't support Knoxville 100% or even 75% like the rules state to get those incentives.

My guess is that both Huset's and Knoxville will be fine, the real question is will there be enough butts in the seats at either track to support the purse?

And less than 20 cars at the good paying was primarily due to who owned the place and was promoting it. The "family" chased a lot of people away from that track that might...................I repeat, might return.

All I know is I'm getting tired of this pissing contest already and it's only October........................................

You pretty much summed up my opinions on this deal.  I can't see a dozen teams hauling from Grand Forks to Brandon every week but maybe a few might consider it if they've got the funding.   Weekly racers that limit racing due to work, family and finances are most likely going to continue to do so.  As I pointed out earlier, purses haven't moved much and everything has gotten more expensive so there is a lot of pent up anger with people looking at the increased dollars as weekly racers getting shafted.  The extra money was presented as an incentive to run both tracks and that has been made clear but it's hard to reason with some folks when they've already got a burr in their saddle to start with. 

Like I said, I seldom get to any of these three tracks anymore so if it makes some folks feel better to insult me because of my opinions and prognostications I'm glad I was able to brighten their day.  I don't think anyone can deny the influence these tracks have on all of Sprint Car racing in this region.  If a driver isn't running NSL 410's at Knoxville and Jackson that's what most of them are going to aspire to.  In a way if the NSL is successful with this two track series it's kind of like coming full circle.  Jackson is closer and I recall going to weekly shows and some of their Nationals before the Modifieds and Stock Cars were added to the program.  Those were some awesome times and we saw some great racing so it would be nice to come full circle and see that again.

Stan Meissner

It isn't even November 1st and everybody knows the answers.  It's going to be a looooonnngg winter at this rate.