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LET'S MAKE RACING FUN
Jok, I race and also work Tech. at Iowa's
newest track, Rolling Thunder in Pacific Junction.
I traveled for 40 years from this area to
tracks and always wondered what it would be
like to be one of those people with a Drag
Strip in their back yard. I was told by friends,family
and co-workers for years that driving several
hundred miles to go to the races was out of
the question. When the track opening was announced
I thought now they will show up and see the
fun and excitement that I have been addicted
too for so many years. Now that the track
is open another set of excuses are popping
up. I hear "When are they going to have funny
cars, Pro Stockers," or the most often, "Is
John Force going to come and race". We have
a consistent schedule, Weds nights, Friday
nights, and Sat day with a Street legal race
late Sat. evening for the Honda people.
I personally don't agree with the Circus
type atmosphere that some tracks use, bands,
wet tee shirt contests, watermelon eating
contests, etc. but I understand that sometimes
it's necessary to "send in the Clowns".
If I was to have someone donate a track for
me to run I am afraid I would try some drastic
changes. I believe that we have lost the Fun
in racing. The major reason is big money purses
and buy backs. I believe that big buck races
will be the ruin of bracket racing. I
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would
have several classes, $20 entry and several
trophies per class. A trophy will probably
be kept forever but a check is usually spent
in two or three days. If you need to depend
on winnings to keep your race operations afloat,
you have big trouble.
I also think there needs to be more interaction
between the spectators and the racers. If
the racers are setting around whining about
whose cheating, who's going to split or block
for their friend, etc. this spills over to
the spectators. When the racers are not enjoying
themselves the people watching will not enjoy
the races either. If a trophy is all that
is offered then maybe $150,000 REDs with stacker
trailers and $3000 weather stations will not
be required. Maybe the potential racer in
the stands will not get intimidated and will
enter his daily driver instead of just watching.
My rational for this is from watching the
Road Race crowd at the Mid-America Motorplex
next to the Drag Strip. They pay for orientation
fees, club fees, and daily fees and all they
receive is track time. No money back, no points,
no contingency money ,they just do it for
fun. The import crowd shows up at the Drag
Strip at 10 on Sat night and they run till
3 in the morning. The average $ bracket racers
whines like a baby if a track suggests they
run that late (or early). The import crowd
tends to be a social event with 200 racers
and 2000 spectators. They don't require handicaps,
reaction times, and most don't even care about
time slips. They just laugh, burn rubber,
joke around and socialize just like I suspect
you and I did years ago when we started going
to the races.
In my opinion all that's required is to get
rid of big money, which isn't much different
than gambling anyway, and replace it with
inexpensive fun. But I could be wrong.
Best of luck,
Joe Keighley
