Nationals Location?

[IraceLegends77]

Brian, all three class had a full field. I do think that they where hoping for a better car count but with gas at $4.00 a gallon probable didn't help things. I know if that where the case the year before I wouldn't have pulled 1100 miles one way to go. Don't get me wrong I had a great time in Missouri but if I have my choice I would vote for something close. My Mom and Dad came from Oklahoma to watch though. I think that the grand kids might have somethig to do with too. Hope to see you this year.

Scott

[jgrimracing]

My brother just got home from the banquet, he said they are still trying to get the details finialized before they anounce where they will be.  But for some reason he seemed to think Lowes.  Although he didn't really say why he thought that.  I uess we just have to wait and see.
Scott, I read in the AARN paper this week Diamond is not having us back at all this year, they are not running any 4 division shows, so I guess that would not mean the nationals couldn't be there though.

[JGRacing]

That last Nationals race in Missouri at Midway Speedway had 56 cars if I remember correctly.  The thing that surprised me at Midway was that the stands were not very crowded for Saturday.  Not sure what it was like at Big Diamond.  Do not want to see stand alone races like this turn into something like road races without many fans in the stands.  Missouri is starting to get a better following for dirt legends cars and I think there are a good number of dirt legends racers out in Texas.  Moving it North and South in the Midwest from year to year would probably make the most sense.  Assuming the car is working all season I might be willing to tow up to 8 hours, but probably not beyond that. 

I agree that a good purse is the key to drawing cars.  Something this big should be $1000 to win minimum.  With that and some good promotion, I would think 100 cars and a decent crowd would be well within reason.       

[Racinjj]

The crowd at Big Diamond was horrible, maybe 100 people and they all came for the enduro after the Legends racing was done.

[JGRacing]

Just an idea, but should the Nationals races be mid-summer when it is easier to get people in the stands?  The Nationals does not decide a championship, so block of a week on INEX sanctioned races for of the dirt nationals in July and have a good purse.  Fans who show up for racing every week might come out to see the legends cars with a few good local support classes.  What kind of fan turnout do they get the asphalt nationals?   Without people in the seats the purse will not improve much. 

As far as locations, Indiana has some good dirt tracks and would be close enough to many of the dirt racers to put into the mix for a nationals race.   

[bback58]

I didn't think Midway had THAT bad of a crowd.  They had several other classes of cars and I'm sure most of the people came to see them.  Also, I believe they had another big event going the same weekend at another area race track.  The year before at Lucas Oil Speedway, the crowd was TERRIBLE.  It was sad to see this huge, beautiful facility pretty much empty.  I'm sure there weren't more than 100 people there.

[JGRacing]

I had never been to a nationals race, so I guess I was expecting a bigger crowd than what they had at Midway.  The track and Missouri Legends guys worked to promote the race along with having some local classes, but I think that by that time of year fans are a little burned out on racing.     

[IraceLegends77]

when we where at Midway they had really Big football game on Friday and a monster truck show in town on Saturday. The crowd at both last year and this year where bad. I know that the racing is good but just hard to get a crowd out to support it. I have also heard that the track has to pay a good sum of money to get the race. The year that it was at Midway it wasgoing to be held at Lowes because no one had came up with the money to hold it. I think that Lowes is the "fall back track" because 600 racing can get the track for free. I think it would be a nice place to run but not a lot of dirt track racing in that area.

Scott

[IraceLegends77]

I heard yesterday from a dealer that he heard the Nationals will be back at Big Diamond. I don't know if that a done deal just passing on what I heard.

Scott

[knoxracing]

I heard one of the NASCAR folks bought a dirt track near Charlotte, it is the front runner at this point.

[Racinjj]

Ray Evernham bought East Lincoln Speedway in NC.

[IraceLegends77]

This from 600 racing today,

Scott,

It looks like the weekend of the 17th of Oct here in Charlotte .

Darrel


I'm thinking that no track has signed on to host it. Lowe's is always there fall back track.

Scott

[Vern Houseman]

I herd  it was going to be at east lincoln ?

[JGRacing]

I think that East Lincoln is pretty close to Charlotte.   

[IraceLegends77]

That could be. I just took it to be Lowes.

Scott