Eagle Says No to NASCAR in 2012

Here's a follow up to the recent information that Eagle Raceway had been offered to run a NASCAR sanction on Sunday nights.

From their Facebook page:

Eagle Raceway has declined the offer for Sunday Night, NASCAR Sanctioned shows in 2012. We decided that it is more important to continue putting 150% effort into our already existing Friday and Saturday Night shows. We are looking forward to continuing to grow in our 2012 racing seasons at both Mini E Raceway "America's mini Home Track" and Eagle Raceway "America's Home Track".

SLMR 2012 Schedule

2012 SLMR Schedule

Friday, April 6 I-80 Speedway Greenwood NE

Saturday, May 12 Junction Motor Speedway McCool Junction NE

Friday, May 25 Crawford County (Tentative) Denison, IA

Friday, June 8 I-80 Speedway Greenwood, NE

Saturday, June 9 Adams County Speedway Corning, IA

Saturday, June 16 Riviera Raceway Norfolk, NE

Thursday, June 21 Raceway Park Jefferson, SD

Saturday, June 23 Junction Motor Speedway McCool Junction NE

Wednesday, July 4 Wagner Speedway Wagner, SD

Thursday, July 5 US30 Speedway Columbus, NE

Saturday, July 7 Junction Motor Speedway McCool Junction, NE

Sunday, July 8 Dawson County Raceway Lexington, NE

Thursday, July 19 I-80 Speedway Greenwood, NE

Sunday, August 12 I-80 Speedway Greenwood, NE

Saturday, August 25 Junction Motor Speedway McCool Junction, Nebraska

Friday, August 31 Crawford County Speedway Denison, IA

Saturday, September 1 Shelby County Speedway Harlan, IA

Sunday, September 2 I-80 Speedway Greenwood, NE

Sunday, October 14 I-80 Speedway Greenwood, NE

I-80 2012 Schedule Released

From I-80 Speedway

Start times at 7:15 PM

I-80 Speedway will be racing the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series on Friday nights. The
Series will include Super Late Models, A Mods, Pro Ams, B Mods, Grand Nationals &
Hornets. Most weeks one of these classes WILL NOT be racing and that class is noted
each week.

April
Fri 6 SPRING MELTDOWN, SLMR, ASCS Sprints, Non Sanctioned A Mods
Sat 7 SPRING MELTDOWN, MLRA/CBC, ASCS Sprints, Non Sanctioned B Mods
Fri 13 JACKPOT WEEKEND, Non Sanctioned A Mods, B Mods, Grand Nationals,
Pro Ams, Hobbies
Sat 14 JACKPOT WEEKEND, Non Sanctioned A Mods, B Mods, Grand Nationals,
Pro Ams, Hobbies, Hornets
May
Fri 4 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series, No Hornets
Fri 11 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series, No Grand Nationals
Fri 18 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series, No A Pro Ams
Thu 24 ASCS NATIONAL SPRINT CARS, Non Sanctioned Grand Nationals, Pro Ams,
B Mods
Sun 27 ALPHABET SOUP RACE-CBC/MLRA/NCRA, Non Sanctioned A Mods, Hobbies

June
Fri 1 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series, All Classes Racing
Fri 8 SLMR/NASCAR Weekly Racing Series, No Grand Nationals
Fri 15 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series, All Classes Racing
Fri 22 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series, All Classes Racing
Fri 29 MIDWEST TRIFECTA-CBC, MARS, MLRA, ASCS Sprints,
Non Sanctioned A Mods

July
Fri 6 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series, All Classes Racing
Fri 13 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series, All Classes Racing
Thu 19 SLMR, Non Sanctioned B Mods & Hornets, SILVER DOLLAR
NATIONAL Practice
Fri 20 SILVER DOLLAR NATIONALS-LUCAS OIL/MLRA, National USMTS Event
Sat 21 SILVER DOLLAR NATIONALS-LUCAS OIL/MLRA, USMTS Casey's Cup
Qualifier
Fri 27 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series, All Classes Racing
Sun 29 CHARLIE CLARK MEMORIAL, Non Sanctioned A Mods, B Mods, Hobbies



August
Fri 3 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series, All Classes Racing
Sun 12 SLMR/NASCAR Weekly Racing Series, No Grand Nationals
Fri 17 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series, All Classes Racing

September
Sun 2 ALLSTAR CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY, SLMR/NASCAR Weekly Racing Series,
All Classes Racing

October
Fri 12 CORNHUSKER CLASSIC, Non Sanctioned Complete Show with features
Sat 13 CORNHUSKER CLASSIC, Non Sanctioned Complete Show with features
Sun 14 CORNHUSKER CLASSIC, SLMR, Non Sanctioned Complete Show with
Features

2012 ASCS Midwest Schedule Released

Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (January 24, 2012) - The 2012 schedule of events for the Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest Region has been set as the series gears up for its eighth year of competition.

This year's ASCS Midwest slate of events currently calls for 19 nights of competition at seven different tracks throughout Nebraska and into surrounding areas of Missouri, Iowa and South Dakota.

The 2012 ASCS Midwest season will kick off with the annual two-night card at Greenwood, Nebraska's I-80 Speedway on April 6-7, the first of four scheduled nights atop the 4/10-mile clay oval including one in conjunction with the Lucas Oil ASCS National series on May 24.

The Midwest forces will tangle with the National contenders on four other occasions as well over the course of the season including June 8-9 at Eagle Raceway's Eagle Nationals, July 3 at Missouri's U.S. 36 Raceway, July 6 at Rapid Speedway in Rock Rapids, IA, and July 7 at South Dakota's I-90 Speedway.

The ASCS Midwest contenders will also square off with the Speedway Motors ASCS Warrior Region on three more occasions at U.S. 36 Raceway near Cameron, MO.

The season will wrap up on the weekend of September 8-9 with the third stop of the season at Junction Motor Speedway followed up by Eagle Raceway's Nebraska Cup.

Springfield, Nebraska's Jack Dover is the reigning Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest champion, taking his second series crown by a healthy margin in 2011.

2012 Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest Region Schedule
April 6 - I-80 Speedway (Greenwood, NE)
April 7 - I-80 Speedway (Greenwood, NE)
April 20 - Eagle Raceway (Eagle, NE)
April 21 - Eagle Raceway (Eagle, NE)
*May 24 - I-80 Speedway (Greenwood, NE)
May 25 - Junction Motor Speedway (McCool Junction, NE)
*June 8 - Eagle Raceway (Eagle, NE)
*June 9 - Eagle Raceway (Eagle, NE)
June 15 - U.S. 36 Raceway (Cameron, MO) - vs. ASCS Warrior Region
June 22 - Junction Motor Speedway (McCool Junction, NE)
June 29 - I-80 Speedway (Greenwood, NE)
*July 3 - U.S. 36 Raceway (Cameron, MO)
*July 6 - Rapid Speedway (Rock Rapids, IA)
*July 7 - I-90 Speedway (Hartford, SD)
July 13 - U.S. 36 Raceway (Cameron, MO) - vs. ASCS Warrior Region

July 20 - Crawford County Speedway (Denison, IA) Now off schedule as of 1/28/12

August 31 - U.S. 36 Raceway (Cameron, MO) - vs. ASCS Warrior Region
September 8 - Junction Motor Speedway (McCool Junction, NE)
September 9 - Eagle Raceway (Eagle, NE)

* - Indicates events held in conjunction with Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters National series.

The 2012 season marks the 21st year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing for the American Sprint Car Series, which brings the best of Sprint Car racing to dozens of different tracks throughout the nation and into Canada. Anchored by the Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters, ASCS also consists of ten different Regions throughout the nation.

Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com

Eagle Raceway offered Sunday NASCAR Sanction

According to Eagle Raceway's Facebook page, they've been offered a Sunday NASCAR sanction - ostensibly to fill the void left by I-80's move to Friday nights. They're taking some fan feedback now on classes, and have made NO commitment to actually running on Sundays at this time.

My opinions on NASCAR short-track sanctioning are well known (and not favorable). And remember, Eagle dropped its Friday NASCAR show in the early 2000's due to lack of attendance and participation. Running two nights would put Eagle into a very unique place as very few tracks run two nights anymore. If you count the kart track - that would be three nights. Finding staff may be a trick - and without upping the staff pay (and expenses) definitely a labor of love as gas prices are expected to run well over $4/gallon this summer.

For the reasons I mentioned in my thoughts on I-80's move, I don't see why it would work any better at Eagle. It's not about the track, it's about the day. And save for the pre-Labor Day shootout, and the Nebraska Cup special - Sunday specials haven't been blockbusters for Eagle.

But, as the saying goes - it's not my money.

Thoughts on I-80's Move to Friday

Probably the biggest news in this area (in terms of scheduling) is I-80’s move to Friday night racing from their long-time Sunday home.

I think for so many years, there was this secret desire to build the next “Sunset Speedway,” and the need to recreate Sunday night memories of NASCAR sanctioned stock car greats battling around the paper-clip oval while thousands of poultry-fed fans stared into the summer sun as it descended behind the backstretch.

But, like the original plans of the first owner’s “Daytona of the Midwest,” these dreams just never materialized.

The world changed and Sunset Speedway was not just a casualty of urban sprawl, it was a casualty of the changing times. Finally, with the move to Fridays...the legacy can be laid to rest as the track was so many years ago. As Thomas Wolfe wrote, “you can’t go home again.”

But it’s a progressive move. Some may say a survival move, the last move.

No longer will a city, even as big as Omaha support a track on its own, especially when the travel has essentially doubled. People cite the geography “it’s only 20 minutes” but in reality, cutting across town, getting through traffic, leaving at a time to guarantee you a spot - the time is much longer. Eagle is only “12 minutes east of Lincoln.” If you’re on 84th and O. Living on the North side of town, it’s a 30-40 minute trip. The trip from I-80 to wherever makes for a late Sunday night when you have to be up the next morning. Yes, I-80 is in the middle between Omaha and Lincoln - it’s also as far away as possible from each without being close to the other.

And, now that the fan isn’t driving the revenue - the back gate is - and what was a 50-60 car show won’t pay the bills without the packed stands. The shrinking pool of cars has to be drawn from further around. And that time adds up again. Sitting in the hottest parts of the day from 4-6 PM to get an early arrival home isn’t making things much more fan or racer friendly in the end.

The move to Fridays makes sense. No start times have been given, but I’m guessing...hoping that a later start is in order, to allow teams travel time after leaving work and let the activities begin as the day begins to cool.

There will be complainers. There will be hangers-on, there will be those few who are so terribly inconvenienced, they will go elsewhere...or complain like they will. But the benefits outweigh the losses. Does it impact other tracks? Perhaps, but cooperation will only go so far, no matter how well intentioned promoters are.

-Jason

I-80 Moves to Fridays

The NASCAR Whelen All American Series returns to I-80 Speedway on a new night for the 2012 season...Fridays! The all NASCAR Whelen weekly show will feature the return of the Super Late Models as the 1st tier;this is not to be confused with the SLMR Series. The 2nd tier will be A Mods, 3rd tier is Pro Ams, 4th tier B Mods, 5th tier Crate Late Models/Grand Nationals and 6th tier Hornets. I-80 Speedway worked with Adams County Speedway and McCool Junction on scheduling these tiers. Joe and Lee are finalizing the schedule; they are waiting on a few additional dates and hope to have it out soon. They are not running all 6 classes every night, but there may be a few nights when all 6 do run. This will be reflected in the schedule when it is released. The SLMR Series (which is NOT the 1st tier NASCAR at I-80 Speedway) currently has 16 dates scheduled and a few more are being finalized. Officials are also working with the owners to finalize the rules for the season. Any questions about rules, times, admission prices, running more than one late model class, etc etc will be answered in the coming weeks as we work to finalize those answers for you! We look forward to seeing you this year!