Originally Posted by Charles Nungester:
So where are the other seventy cars supposed to race that know they got little shot at making the feature of a USAC race?
Having just attended the Knoxville Nationals, I get confused when I see statements/questions like this. 101 cars participated at Knoxville over the opening 2 qualifying days. 71 of those cars failed to qualify for the Saturday “A” feature or first 10 spots of the Saturday “B” feature. Now, I know that even the “C” feature Saturday night at Knoxville pays 5th place more than the winner gets for a Saturday night feature win at most tracks in IN. I get that, but there were guys racing at Knoxville that had no prayer of advancing out of the “E” feature, and I have to believe they knew that before they ever unloaded on their first night, yet they were there racing and competing.
We’ve attended the Knoxville Nationals off and on since 1986, which was the 25th anniversary race. It’s had it’s ups and downs, but it has always been The “Nationals” for (initially) sprint cars, and now, winged sprint cars. It attracts participants and spectators from around the world, and it attracts sponsors as well. Most sanctioning bodies and tracks of winged racing (even 360 sanctioning bodies) don’t schedule against it.
If every year, just 5 of those “other seventy cars” would come compete, maybe the Smackdown event would grow to where it attracts bigger crowds and bigger sponsors, which equals bigger purses.
Last nights car count of 46 at Smackdown was very good, and there were racers from PA, NJ, and a few from CA, so the event is growing in stature. Hopefully it continues progress.