Hartford MI: Possibly raising weekly payout $1500 win/ $200 start Drivers IL-IN-MI-OH

[HoosierDirtFan]

Hartford Motor Speedway
Hartford, Michigan
just talk to the tracks webmaster Jonathon Huston on Facebook and they are considering raising the tracks weekly payout to $1,500 to win & $200 to start. They would like to gauge the interest from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, & Ohio drivers. There looking for about 15-18 drivers to Committ. 2015 Season Opener is Friday, May 15th 2015.
Proposed Payout
01. $1,500
02. $950
03. $600
04. $500
05. $400
06. $350
07. $300
08. $275
09. $250
10. $225
11. $200
12. $200
13. $200
14. $200
15. $200
16. $200
17. $200
18. $200
19. $200
20. $200

Late Model Dates
May 15th
June 5th
June 12th
June 19th
June 26th
July 3 - Possible Big Show!
July 10th
July 17th
July 31st (Conflicts with the ALMS @ Attica Raceway Park in Ohio)
August 7th
August 21st
August 28th
September 4th (This Date is still in Question s it runs against ALMS @ I-96 & Farmer City)

[hpmaster]

Hartford Motor Speedway
Hartford, Michigan
just talk to the tracks webmaster Jonathon Huston on Facebook and they are considering raising the tracks weekly payout to $1,500 to win & $200 to start. They would like to gauge the interest from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, & Ohio drivers. There looking for about 15-18 drivers to Committ. 2015 Season Opener is Friday, May 15th 2015.
Proposed Payout
01. $1,500
02. $950
03. $600
04. $500
05. $400
06. $350
07. $300
08. $275
09. $250
10. $225
11. $200
12. $200
13. $200
14. $200
15. $200
16. $200
17. $200
18. $200
19. $200
20. $200

Late Model Dates
May 15th
June 5th
June 12th
June 19th
June 26th
July 3 - Possible Big Show!
July 10th
July 17th
July 31st (Conflicts with the ALMS @ Attica Raceway Park in Ohio)
August 7th
August 21st
August 31st
September 4th (This Date is still in Question s it runs against ALMS @ I-96 & Farmer City)

Great news! A few more tracks need to step up to this all over the country!!

[Spi-nex]

FYI... the "August 31st" date is a typo... supposed to be August 28th.

-Jon Huston
Hartford Speedway

[goincircles]

FYI... the "August 31st" date is a typo... supposed to be August 28th.

-Jon Huston
Hartford Speedway

Is this a done deal? $ 1500.00 t win and $ 200.00 to start

[hpmaster]

Talked to a guy who has raced Hartford. Per him he said it is a hammer down big motor track that is very hard on engines, comments?

[HoosierDirtFan]

Talked to a guy who has raced Hartford. Per him he said it is a hammer down big motor track that is very hard on engines, comments?

Hard on engines a little bit but I think some of that has to do with gear choice and set up. Brian Ruhlman gets around that place very well and never really has a problem. Would be great to hear from guys who actually race there. This news is going over very well on the tracks Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/pages/Hartford-Motor-Speedway/143212159037952

[nagified]

Hartford is not any harder on engines than any other track and much easyer on tires. The biggest thing we noticed when we started racing there was we do alot less body work then when we race short tracks! Fun place the new promoters fill the stands and are working hard to fill the pits.

[MI Dirt Fan]

Hard on engines a little bit but I think some of that has to do with gear choice and set up. Brian Ruhlman gets around that place very well and never really has a problem. Would be great to hear from guys who actually race there. This news is going over very well on the tracks Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/pages/Hartford-Motor-Speedway/143212159037952
Not everyone can run a 25 or 30 grand motor like Mr. Ruhlman.

[HoosierDirtFan]

Not everyone can run a 25 or 30 grand motor like Mr. Ruhlman.

Never said they could.

[Spi-nex]

Is this a done deal? $ 1500.00 t win and $ 200.00 to start

Still talking with drivers. Give us some time to gather a list of commitments. This only went public on Feb 1st. If it helps, one of the more notable commitments so far is Mike "Opie" Spatola.


Talked to a guy who has raced Hartford. Per him he said it is a hammer down big motor track that is very hard on engines, comments?

In the past it was a berm "hook & run" and let the horsepower eat track, but with the new owner (Tim Dibble) came a new track prep team that keeps the track smooth and equalizes the "elite" equipment and the "so-so" equipment. The field has become very very competitive with $7k engines running wheel to wheel with $30k engines.

In all of the 2014 season there was only 1 Late Model engine failure. That failure belonging to Phil Ausra.


Hartford is not any harder on engines than any other track and much easyer on tires. The biggest thing we noticed when we started racing there was we do alot less body work then when we race short tracks! Fun place the new promoters fill the stands and are working hard to fill the pits.

The tire wear has been very economical. Most teams have reported getting several weeks out of a single right rear.

In 2014 our worst crowd all year was 1800 (on a cloudy, gloomy, rainy night). We were never rained out and the races started on time at 8PM and were always over between 10:30 & 11. Our efficiency and fan friendly amenities by allowing fans to come down and interact with the drivers before the races has proven very successful. In the off season we have widened the track to 85ft and continue with more facility improvements.

We would like the opportunity to earn the Late Model racers business. Our outstanding fans deserve to feel the thunder of a full field of UMP Late Models blasting around a half mile and the drivers deserve a more modern approach to race purse.

Hartford Speedway is doing things differently than most other facilities and we would very much like to hear from the drivers who would be interested in racing with us in 2015.

Thank you for your time folks.

-Jon Huston
Hartford Speedway

[HoosierDirtFan]

Still talking with drivers. Give us some time to gather a list of commitments. This only went public on Feb 1st. If it helps, one of the more notable commitments so far is Mike "Opie" Spatola.



In the past it was a berm "hook & run" and let the horsepower eat track, but with the new owner (Tim Dibble) came a new track prep team that keeps the track smooth and equalizes the "elite" equipment and the "so-so" equipment. The field has become very very competitive with $7k engines running wheel to wheel with $30k engines.

In all of the 2014 season there was only 1 Late Model engine failure. That failure belonging to Phil Ausra.



The tire wear has been very economical. Most teams have reported getting several weeks out of a single right rear.

In 2014 our worst crowd all year was 1800 (on a cloudy, gloomy, rainy night). We were never rained out and the races started on time at 8PM and were always over between 10:30 & 11. Our efficiency and fan friendly amenities by allowing fans to come down and interact with the drivers before the races has proven very successful. In the off season we have widened the track to 85ft and continue with more facility improvements.

We would like the opportunity to earn the Late Model racers business. Our outstanding fans deserve to feel the thunder of a full field of UMP Late Models blasting around a half mile and the drivers deserve a more modern approach to race purse.

Hartford Speedway is doing things differently than most other facilities and we would very much like to hear from the drivers who would be interested in racing with us in 2015.

Thank you for your time folks.

-Jon Huston
Hartford Speedway

Seems to be a lot of interest from driver. Seen a couple of drivers committ to racing there. Wish the best to the staff at Hartford Motor Speedway in 2015. A lot of tracks could learn a thing or two from the folks there at HMS treat the driver/ crews & fans.

[hpmaster]

What tires/sanction you planning on running? I was talking to a guy in your back yard that drives 150 miles to NOT run Hoosiers. He said MI. is very anti Hoosier Tires right now.

[Spi-nex]

What tires/sanction you planning on running? I was talking to a guy in your back yard that drives 150 miles to NOT run Hoosiers. He said MI. is very anti Hoosier Tires right now.

Hartford Speedway will be UMP for the 2015 season and on Hoosier tires. Hartford has been UMP since, 2004 (or 05?) and has no plans on changing.

The only 2 tracks near the Indiana border (Hartford and Butler) are on the very northern frontier of the core UMP territory. When you get north of Hartford & Butler, the rest of Michigan becomes a very different racing world.

Most of Michigan is in a state of flux right now on whether to be UMP, to run Hoosiers or AR's, etc. No one has announced anything. With Michigan being a land locked state it is difficult to pull cars from out of state if you are a track away from the southern Michigan border. What other tracks are doing in the state is what they feel they need to do to stay in business, however Hartford Speedway will be staying consistent as it has for 10 years ... UMP and on Hoosier tires.

When you see places like Fairbury doing something about the LM tire rule, it does give optimism to other facilities about trying such a rule. 2015 may prove to be a pivotal year in the tire game. A lot of Mod tracks are already running A/H only, WoO no longer running open tires, and other tracks trying to get off the LM20, I think some places are starting to wake up to a core fundamental flaw of local racing. It is rather distressing for the racers when you see an open comp LM tire cost $130 and a UMP tire cost $160. I just sincerely hope over the next few years UMP can get onto a single cost effective compound with at least two manufacturers. Competition would bring the tire costs down and would return to the drivers a core American right, the right to choose what works best for them.