The Pace Lap - May 29, 2007

I've got a cynical tongue today...

-Last week saw a lot of bent sheet metal at Eagle Raceway. Interestingly, this was the first week a Sport Compact didn't roll. Lots of fender banging, bump jumping action if you're into that thing. I'm not. Given the amount of rain that fell on the track, they were lucky to get the show off. They still are having issues with the track rutting up and after talking to Roger Hadan, he's very concerned about the issue. Anyone who thinks he's content with it is wrong.

A fix at intermission trying to roll in the ruts helped some, but they came back as the small-tired cars cut new ones in the track. I'm not placing blame on them though, but it did lead to a question that maybe the sprints should run their heats/features first in these situations. I'm sure there will some of the "premier class" fans whining but several racers and officials I talked to say it's better than the alternative.

I agree.

-Let me preface this next comment by saying I do not blame Junction Motor Speedway or Delmar Friesen. I want to make that clear before I go on because I'm not going to be nice.

OK, here goes: the car count at the POWRi midget show on Friday was pathetic. Eleven cars went out for heats with 13 coming out for the A feature. That's awful and I place the blame on POWRi. I hope for JMS's sake that they have a clause in the contract that deducts from the sanctioning fee if a car count isn't met. And the thing is, that does no justice to the fans who paid a premium ($15) to see a two-class premier level show and got 1 1/2.

It's not the promoter's job to bring in these cars for other sanctioning bodies. As I've said over and over: it's like asking the mayor to provide the elephants when the circus comes to town.

My feeling is this: if it's your show be it weekly or your own special then yes it is the promoter's duty to bring the cars. But once you have to pay that magical sanctioning fee, that fee that one has to pay for the "privilege" of having that group come to your track, it becomes that group's responsibility to hold up their end of the bargain to the promoter. Anything less is not fair to the promoter and worse, not fair to the fans.

A red flag in the midget A feature brought a smattering of drama and created a nine-lap battle that partially redeemed the show. But as a fan, I'd be demanding something back. Maybe I'm too picky. Maybe three cars battling for nine laps is a good show to some midget fans.

But for a promoter, where the lion's share of the purse is in that top 15, it's a hell of a price to pay to fuel the fantasies of a few fans. I hope they appreciate what Delmar's done, sticking his head into a financial guillotine.

I swear that after the lights went down I saw someone in full Native American dress dancing in the infield chanting toward the sky and clouds started rolling in....

The ASCS/NCRA sprints represented well, with an ideal 36 car count. I just wish they'd invert at least a couple of rows in the A feature...the passing point lineup system is OK up until the fast guy sits on the pole. The racing was not great, but not horrible. Watching Toby Chapman race to the front in the B feature was fun. And Natalie Sather did a great job holding her own for a fifth place finish. She was also more than gracious to all the well wishers and fans wanting her autograph and picture afterwards.

I just wish that these sanctioning bodies would start to look to produce better shows for the fans. I CAN'T be the only one who thinks this?

-Speaking of car counts, there is much uncertainty regarding the first non-wing show at Eagle this coming Saturday, especially with the recent track condition. Will the fans accept the non-winged cars at a likely reduced car count? I know there is concern on the part of Eagle Raceway - but I have to give him credit for trying. He does have a sponsor commitment - if the show falls flat will it go on?

But what if it does succeed? What next? It will throw another variable into weekly racing's future. Either way there will be some tough decisions to be made for promoters.

-I spent my late hours Saturday night/Sunday morning in the race trailer of former driver, car owner, trailer race Grand Champion and all-around good guy Dennis Parker. One interesting question came up while our group was talking: of all the cars he's driven, be it stock, late model, sprint, or midget what was his favorite?

The answer: "A midget, by far."

I regret not asking why.

-The one night only World of Outlaws show is coming to Eagle Raceway next Saturday. My personal opinion is that if one looks at this in terms of supply and demand economics, this one-night, one-chance only show could be a blockbuster. If it's not, the question becomes how much interest in the WoO does this current Eagle Raceway market really have?

-Better news: Stu Snyder had a great weekend in the Beers' #2d sprinter this weekend with runner-up finishes in North Platte (Lincoln County) and Wakeeney, KS, finishing runner up to Garry Lee Maier, who swept the weekend's racing.

-Jay Russell has finished in the top three of the sprint A feature each week at Eagle Raceway, except for the night he flipped in his heat race. He picked up his first win of the season on Saturday night.

-I'm mad I missed the Alphabet Soup race at I-80 Sunday. Sounded like a hell of a show with much drama. Kelly Boen and Terry Phillips had a to-do on the front stretch with Boen getting tossed out and Al Purkey taking the win on the final lap. 66 cars made the trip. Regardless of which sanctioning bodies are part of the show, this has become one of the "must see" events on the racing calendar.