[767]

cost aside, half mile races are normally just not as good. Most of those races are very predictable. They become very "one lane". No matter what the series, most 1/2 are won by the big drivers. You do not see as many upsets. Just my opinion. I was raised on bull rings.

[Stevensville Mike]

I-96 Speedway was actually on the path of a great idea, IMO. Back before the turn of the century they had a 1/4 mile flat track completely within the 1/2 mile track, with the exception of using a little bit of the front straight. There was an All Stars race there in the mid-90s where the big track could not be prepped in time due to early rain so they used the 1/4 mile track and it was actually a great show. IRA Sprints were there, too, and they had like 56-60 cars running. So the 1/4 mile track was suited for sprints. Joey Saldana won it.

Ownership then changed, if I recall, and the 1/4 track was abandoned and essentially 'plowed under'. Then in the early 00s they decided to make a 3/8 mile banked track within the 1/2 mile while using the front stretch, Turns 1 and 2, and the back stretch. but they kept the 1/2 mile track intact and used it for big WoO shows for a few years. The problem they saw, though, was that the exit of Turn 4 on the 3/8 mile track was compromising the exit of Turn 4 on the big track. The banking on the inner track was the issue. It essentially made Turn 4 on the big track very narrow and the cars had to go to the wall to avoid the 'hump', so to speak. After a few years, new ownership again I think, the big track was abandoned and went to the current status that it is now. But this initial thinking was actually good, it was just the implementation that did not work.

Hartford on the other hand just threw in the towel and cut a flat wide swath across the infield for a new Turn 3 and 4 as they shortened the 1/2 mile to a 3/8 mile. Never even pursued keeping both.

However my point is it would have been very nice for the fans for both tracks to keep both the big track and the small track. But it is not my money nor is it my decision. Now that it is all said and done I am just glad they didn't just flat out pull the plug on either or both tracks and close down.

[Jonr]

Originally Posted by flagboy55 .... if you watched the High Limit show from I-70 you heard about the plan’s to shorten yet another big track.....

As a person that has attended most of the races at I-70, this was an absolute requirement. The track at I-70 was too fast. The racing there was absolutely a bore. Most nights the person that led the first lap would lead all of the laps. There was never a time that I remember a position being traded back and forth. Usually, once a pass was made the person would check out from the passed car.

The newness of I-70 has worn off and it was needing to produce great racing to keep people to keep coming out. With the current configuration, it was not conducive to great racing. I applaud the track for recognizing an issue and moving to fix it. I look forward to attending races there again in 2025.