I had to personally thank you for bringing in that powdery dirt in 1999 that ruined my favorite race track. Thank you for gracing us with your presence in row 1 section D at the Action Track. Thank you USAC for having Him there for apparent consulting. Thank you Chris Novotny for the ultra extended scraping session on the front stretch that USAC tried to get you to do less of but apparently You are in charge now. Thank you USAC for the 10 mph 1/4 midget races instead of watering the whole track. What happened to Tommy Helfrich that we were promised? What happened to Bubby Jones that we were promised? I know, they probably knew a day race in July on Gerry Olsen's dirt was impossible. Then again, USAC tried that about 11 years ago for the Hut 100 when Olsen was promoting and the exact same thing happened. Those who don't know history are bound to repeat it. See how positive this was, I thanked all parties involved. Wait... I forgot myself. Thank you me for the 9 hour round trip and the $80 I spent on this trip. Oh, and thank you road construction on the on ramp to I-70 that made my decision to skip the drive to Kokomo for the 16 fire snorters. Thank you Uncle Jim for supplying the race tapes from 1992 we watched when we got home. 42 midgets at Angell Park, the same at Macon with tacky tracks and great racing..... an air conditioned living room with a big screen tv.... cost= $0. Next week I think I'll put in the Hulman Classic from 1984 and watch Steve, Sheldon,Bob, Randy, and Kelly Kinser battle Tom Bigelow, Steve Butler, Jerry Russell, John Andretti and many others in a day race from Terre Haute when there was a capable track crew and GERRY OLSEN had yet to powderize the track!!!!!!!! Why does everything I like end up ruined? I guess that's why old guys are grumpy. I think I've been around a little too long now and of course I'm just some dumb ignorant fan who's only good for his $25. Ahh the good old days of cheap gas, CRA Tours, 40 cars, big name drivers and tacky tracks.....life really kind of sucks now.
Thank you Brent for reminding me to thank the woman president of the fair board that alledgedly ran off last years' promoter, along with Bob Sargent who did the best track prep I've seen there in many years.
---------- Post added at 12:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:19 PM ----------
Thank you to the same Fairboard who ran off Bill Hopton to bring in Gerry Olsen instead........ the beginning of the end.
Originally Posted by ThrowbackRacingTeam:
I had to personally thank you for bringing in that powdery dirt in 1999 that ruined my favorite race track. Thank you for gracing us with your presence in row 1 section D at the Action Track. Thank you USAC for having Him there for apparent consulting. Thank you Chris Novotny for the ultra extended scraping session on the front stretch that USAC tried to get you to do less of but apparently You are in charge now. Thank you USAC for the 10 mph 1/4 midget races instead of watering the whole track. What happened to Tommy Helfrich that we were promised? What happened to Bubby Jones that we were promised? I know, they probably knew a day race in July on Gerry Olsen's dirt was impossible. Then again, USAC tried that about 11 years ago for the Hut 100 when Olsen was promoting and the exact same thing happened. Those who don't know history are bound to repeat it. See how positive this was, I thanked all parties involved. Wait... I forgot myself. Thank you me for the 9 hour round trip and the $80 I spent on this trip. Oh, and thank you road construction on the on ramp to I-70 that made my decision to skip the drive to Kokomo for the 16 fire snorters. Thank you Uncle Jim for supplying the race tapes from 1992 we watched when we got home. 42 midgets at Angell Park, the same at Macon with tacky tracks and great racing..... an air conditioned living room with a big screen tv.... cost= $0. Next week I think I'll put in the Hulman Classic from 1984 and watch Steve, Sheldon,Bob, Randy, and Kelly Kinser battle Tom Bigelow, Steve Butler, Jerry Russell, John Andretti and many others in a day race from Terre Haute when there was a capable track crew and GERRY OLSEN had yet to powderize the track!!!!!!!! Why does everything I like end up ruined? I guess that's why old guys are grumpy. I think I've been around a little too long now and of course I'm just some dumb ignorant fan who's only good for his $25. Ahh the good old days of cheap gas, CRA Tours, 40 cars, big name drivers and tacky tracks.....life really kind of sucks now.
No one seemed to have a problem with the consistency of clay a year ago... I think your a little off your mark here.
The other promoters that were interested wanted the concessions and i don't blame them... but the fair board already had a multi-year contract for the concessions and could not get out of it. Usac was the only one that would do it without the concessions. Maybe we would be better off with it just sitting for a couple years but i don't think so! Whether you believe it or not the fair board wants the circle track and the drag strip to do great things but it not their job to get it done! Yes usac wasn't the best option to get it done but it was the only option. There is no talk of that property being sold. There are alot of other stipulations with that property and what happens to it than alot of people know...
I believe I was at just about every race when Olsen was the promotor of THAT and I can't recall the track ever being in bad shape. Heck I thought the track was always in pretty good shape then. Maybe there was one or two, but overall, the track was usually in good shape. I didn't agree with how he handled a lot of things, but when it came to prepping the track, I thought he did a good job. I'm sure I will get attacked for saying what I said, but that's just my opinion. I dont care who is prepping the track, if they dont have the equipment, you are going to get what people saw this weekend.
I sure hope things turn around when I'm there for Sprintweek.....
