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

First off, screw Auld. What professional writer writes an article bashing one of the greatest sprint car towns in the world? Seriously? Isn't he supposed to promote sprint car racing? Been going to the Nationals since I was 10, never missed a night--now 31. To keep this short, I do agree the law enforcement is not exactly looking for the "wrong doers". The majority of fans come to Marion County to enjoy the best racing in the world. The POPO do not need to pulling vehicles over because they left "the race". My ol' man got pulled over on the way to Pella and had to do a sobriety(sorry for the spelling) test--64 yrs old and didn't have a beer. Knoxville Police and the county cops need to forget about the revenue on tickets and think about the revenue on the 25,000 fans that come to their town/county.

I would rather cops pull over innocent drivers and sniff for booze than have drunks killing people on the way home. I spend a lot of time with a buddy that camps at the bowling alley. We see a lot of drivers that should get pulled over but don't because they get lucky and the cops are not right there at the moment. I've seen drunks on Harley's roar down the street toward 14 like they don't know it's there then suddenly try to stop and end up just turning onto the hyway at a rather fast speed. Had any cars or, God forbid, a semi had been coming they would have been hurt or killed.

I do not drink so I am always the DD. I've been stopped driving my buddy's home from bars many times. Once the cops see I'm sober and can blow a 0.00 they let me go. No big deal. I get off work at 1:30 am in Iowa City and the police there pull you over at that time of night for anything just to see if you have been drinking. Using any excuse to pull folks over and check for drunk drivers happens most everywhere, not just at Knoxville during the Nationals.

Cops in my town set along streets leading to the biggest factory's in town to catch people who are running late for work and are speeding. This kind of stuff goes on. If you are doing nothing wrong you have nothing to worry about but wasting a little time.

Keep in mind the good ones don't need to resort to tricks...

-----------------------------------------------------
A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

Sprint777x

The town doesn't get behind the Nationals like it used to and probably never will again since there is little economic incentive to do so.

RU effin kidding me!! You have to be the biggest brain dead SOB on here EVER!!!

Go ask Casey's and Dingus and Hy Vee and Walmart... Ur little shitty town wouldn't even have a walmart without the nationals!!

Incase u didn't READ the article, He basically said: I have no problem with arresting the offenders....I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HARASSING EVERYONE!! Writing liability ins tickets for golf carts and zumas...those two issues could be left alone, drinking beer walking down the sideway... leave it alone!! write tickets to those who deserve it, who are pushing the limits... leave the rest alone...

On the bright side, u just made my day...Ive never smiled so much from someones stupidity!!

Keep It Real

The liability insurance is newly required about 3 years ago by either state law or the city passed an ordinance (don't remember which it was).

To get pulled over on a golf cart, you had to do something illegal (driving on the sidewalk on on Highway 14 for example.

Of the tickets written during this years Nationals (per the article in the Knoxville Journal Express), 75% were written to Marion County Residents according to stat's provided by the KPD and the Marion County Sherriff's office. No stat's given on what the Iowa State Partol wrote (information probably wasn't readily available or the "editor" of the Journal Express didn't ask or look into it....I'll go with the latter).

Bigger issue I see is not so much the tickets written, but the harrassment when a ticket isn't written. People sitting in chairs behind their car in the parking lot BEFORE the races being told to dump their beer or get an open container ticket (those are the issues I have as a resident of Knoxville, as to me, it needs to be treated the same way a tailgating lot is during a college FB game).

As far as the town not having economic incentive to get behind the races, Sprint777x is somewhat correct. We don't have any LOCAL Businesses left that actually benefit. HOWEVER, the local organizations (Boy Scouts, Lions Club, Rotary, athletic clubs) do benefit (BOY SCOUTS get a % of the $$ taken in for parking @ HyVee (the OWNER of the Lease (TERRUS REAL ESTATE GROUP) gets a majority of the $$).

As far as the Wal-Mart thing goes, the town didn't have one until 10 years ago and survived just fine (probably better) because we had 2 other retailers in town. Wal-Mart moved in and ran them both out of business, so I wouldn't ever say Wal-Mart is a good thing for ANY town.

Dingus is a LOCAL BUSINESS (one of the few left), and probably one of the two that really benefit from the Races (the other is Mr. C's). HyVee is a corporation, the $$ coming in during Nationals does not stay local, same goes for Wal-Mart, Casey's, Kum & Go, Fareway, etc.. McDonald's and Hardees aren't locally owned, so the $$ they make doesn't stay in town either (except the wages paid). The Local businesses are uptown on the square (the few that we have), and the City Council DOES NOTHING to help bring people to town or to make them feel welcome when they are here. The Chamber of Commerce does their best, but after less than a year on the job, the director is leaving the post, no continuity in that office for many, MANY years.

"ur little shitty town" I think this is the fastest anyone on HH ever made my sh** list.

-----------------------------------------------------
A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

Vande, I do agree with the corp. thing. Hy-vee and Wal Mart goes out of town. Though places like Pizza Hut and McD's are franchise. Pizza Hut is locally owned by a family and supports the track.

and yeah, we could have done just fine without Wal Mart. I have a 2,000 Hot wheel collection, from the 90's. Pamida and Alco furnished atleast 90% of that collection.

-----------------------------------------------------
A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

Reading this Board before the Nationals got me super cautious, & I don't even drink, so I drove right at the speed limit. Personally, I didn't see much harassment, but I'm not doubting anyone's testimony either. Drunk drivers are a real menace, but cops should use common sense.... maybe its all about $$$?

I was scared to jaywalk (but I did anyway....)

Pizza Hut is locally owned by Wally H. McD's is not locally owned, the owners own multiple franchises and do not reside in Marion County.

Few are far between are local businesses anymore (and that includes all small towns anymore. Even Pella is starting to feel the pinch of big companies).

You better get your facts straight before you post.

Wally hasn't owned the Pizza Hut for quite a few years now.

The owner owns multiple franchises and does not reside in Marion County.

I quit going to the Knoxville Nats. when I realized a much better value at Eldora at the World 100,,,,The Greatest dirt track race in the world. Free parking,,free camping,, alot more race cars and a huge crowd with a great atmosphere condensed into 2 nights and a one ticket for the entire program,,2 nights cheaper than Fridays waste of a night worthless program At The Knoxville nats. The Kings Royal ticket price is also more affordable than The friday night show at Knoxville and they do the entire program in one night with 50k to win again in one night. Knoxville nats. needs some tweaking to the program.. Make Friday nights show worth going to!!!

Oh ok

-----------------------------------------------------
A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

Pizza Hut they don't have the sale date though.

Primary Owner (Deed Holder)
A D M Inc
207 E Washington
MT Pleasant, IA 52641

Carl had alot to say when Family Video came to town. La Verne I think went to the city council to try and not let Fareway in town.

Dairy Queen is still locally owned.

-----------------------------------------------------
A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

https://www.iowacourts.state.ia.us/ESAWebApp/TIndexFrm

Help you out

-----------------------------------------------------
A healthy diet of dirt in my nachos and beer.

Runge 28

Who's the brain dead sob?

As others have stated, there are very few LOCAL businesses that benefit from the Nationals anymore. The townsfolk put up with the crowds and hassle when it helped themselves and their neighbors. That is changing fast.

When the locals stop benefitting economically, the local support goes away too. I'd say about 50% of the local population looks at the racefans in bemusement, 40% in various stages of disdain and maybe, at most, 5-10% actually care to attend the races and many won't go unless they get a freebie.

When people refer to the town the way you did or Auld did, most would say just don't bother coming here. You aren't needed. Your money isn't needed, either.

The Nationals event has become too big for its own good. It's all about money and there is a backlash to that. It attracts a certain kind of people that we frankly don't need. The Nationals event isn't fun for a good percentage of the fans and certainly not for the casual fan or local populace.

I've been to Eldora and beleive, from a fan's perspective, it's a FAR better overall experience without all the rules and hassles. Perhaps that's because fans can stay at the track. That's what Knoxville USED to be like.

Rules and laws didn't need to be enforced as strictly when the event was primarily contained at the track. When you come here now, you are a guest of the townspeople and our representitives. We want to be good hosts but expect you to be good and respectfull guests as well.

Would the town be what it is today without the track?

Are you saying the track is the primary reason for the town's existance?

I don't know many people who move to Knoxville just because the track's here. I'm sure there are some but not many. Knoxville has 7,000+ residents. Many were born here. Many lived here and raised families here because there were good paying jobs nearby or they had businesses that were successful before the onset of chain stores. Many live here because of the close proximity and good four lane roads to Des Moines, where many work and shop but can find a house that's less expensive here without most of the crap you have living in the city. The schools are more manageable. The living is less hectic.

Most people don't care about the track or the Nationals unless it benefits them. So, yes, the town could succeed just as well WITHOUT the track as it can with it.

We welcome those who come here for the Nationals but we don't NEED you. It was a far bigger deal when the VA cut back and eventually closed (costing professional jobs), Maytag closed, ect. The town has adapted. The track and the Nationals really aren't that big of a deal in the real world.

Again, if you want to complain because you get a ticket or somebody doesn't bow down to your waving a couple of bucks around expecting us to dance, well, that's to bad. You control where you spend your money. We'll continue to survive with or without you.

Hey, I have nothing against the races at all. I like sprint car racing and think it's an exciting sport. Yet I've come to realize it's really not that important. The only people who pray for good weather more than the fans are the townspeople, who are happy when Sunday comes and our guests are headed home.

Just don't ever think this town exists for the track and not the other way around.