Oakshade needs to lose its SN dates.

[CILDirt]

That was an absolute joke. If I was a SN regular I wouldn’t waste my time or money making that trip. Could have been a decent points battle down the stretch but the track did not allow it. I know track bashing hurts the sport and I am usually against it, but this is a different story. The SN championship was on the line and Oakshade failed. WRG needs to look themselves in the mirror, sack up and move the final races. I could be a homer, but the final stretch needs to be in Illinois.

[GEAR_HEAD]

It's a shame, years ago when they did the Attica / Oakshade swing the track was good. They would even mist it between heat races. Now they just take everybody's money and don't put any effort into prep at all. There was no excuse for those conditions for 2 days with all the rain we've had. They should just move the last 2 races to Attica! That would be awesome.

[hoosier race fan]

Jokeshade is an awful place to host the finale. They can always guarantee a good car count though, and at that stage of the tour Driggers likes the way it makes the SN look. Personally, I think the tour needs to end at Fairbury.

[t4g2]

it's been at oakshade for a long time. dedication an commitment goes along way. so get used to it unless your taking over ump

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Oakshade used to do a great job with the track. It's a shame.

[golddirt]

So are there different people in charge now at oakshade

[cgrace]

-------------- it's been at oakshade for a long time. dedication an commitment goes along way. so get used to it unless your taking over ump --------------well make the track racey. Give the lapped cars who are blocking for their buddies black flag. One lane from lap one deserves plenty of complaints.

[Highside Hustler25]

Oakshade used to do a great job with the track. It's a shame.

Yes! My only trip there about 10 years ago, it was black slick from top to bottom and they were using the whole track. What happened or what changed?

[Madcat]

I will agree. We used to love the Attica owkshade weekebd. Both tracks were awesome, and the racing was top notch.

We stopped going when the Attica date stopped being one as the “fans” at oalshade were there more for just byob and the party then the races.

The last time we went there was a full blown domestic dispute in our section and the police escorted several people out. Not saying that doesn’t happen elsewhere but it was obvious it was just a big party, no interest in racing.

The track that year was fine just dusty as heck. My dad went a year or few years later and said the surface so was dusty he couldn’t see the race from the top of the hauler in the pits from about 30 yards.

Did they ever update any facilities? I drove by forcwork a few times the last few years and it had no improvements that I saw.

Used to love it like I said, but not sure I’d go back hearing al this.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

The trips I made, it didn't even get slick. They misted the track every opportunity they got. It didn't delay the program and it was effective.

[dirtyboy]

The first and last time we went to Oakshade (around 2006) it was so dusty you couldn't even make out the numbers on the cars when they were racing.

[TerryM]

Went there one time (in the early 2000s). It was so dusty, the people working the souvenir trailers behind the grandstands were wearing scarves over their faces. I’ve never seen anything like it anywhere else. And half the local late models looked like street stocks. It was one of those things you’d have to see to believe.

[dirt junkie]

The last 3 nights of the tour should be
Thursday Macon
Friday Farmer City
Saturday Fairbury

Guaranteed all 3 tracks would be jam packed with fans.
I know I’d plan a vacation around it and I live 350-400 miles away

[427c.i.]

As I posted in the Shirley thread..The bulk of the dates are Illinois tracks but the finale’ is two states away. Put the Michigan swing and one date at Oakshade somewhere in the middle and end it in Illinois. Farmer City on Friday and FALS on Sat. Very little travel between the 2 tracks and I bet both places would be packed! 12,000 to win each night and make a big deal out of it. Finishing at Oakshade just takes the wind out of the sails of the core base fans that follow it. There wasn’t even updates on here for the last two nights.
Seriously UMP, rethink this!!!

[golddirt]

Agree on the updates 427! And DoD was not on top either

[james777777]

Amen to the original post!!!

[chopter]

idk about losing their dates but some lights would be nice.

[Shiny Side Up 18]

The whole schedule needs a shake-up.

[dmr37]

idk about losing their dates but some lights would be nice.

they do have good food at the concession stand.

[play4kps]

The place has really gone downhill, and honestly it never had far to go. 10 years ago the racing there was great. Now its not so great, but honestly racing has not been very good most places over the past few years, Oakshade has terrible bathrooms, and the food prices are higher. It has or had so much potential and to see it neglected and a lousy racing surface the past 3 years stinks. And the green car that was racing Feger and Robinson raced the winner just as hard, To say his buddy blocked for him taints an awesome victory for a guy who probably needs the money and did his part to win the race.

[cgrace]

And the green car that was racing Feger and Robinson raced the winner just as hard, To say his buddy blocked for him taints an awesome victory for a guy who probably needs the money and did his part to win the race. Not trying to knock the guys victory. But the guy in the lapped car said that, so it is real. He wasn't letting them by. Just would have been nice to see a race between the winner, Feger and Robinson instead of a lapped car not letting them by.

[dlmfan]

yea lets do away with all the out of state races then it can really be called Illinois State hell tour

[t3r3e3]

yea lets do away with all the out of state races then it can really be called Illinois State hell tour

Tracks that can’t prep a decent surface or are just plain bad for racing don’t deserve a date. Plenty of tracks in the upper Mississippi Valley that could take races from the Oakshades and Terre Hautes of the world. I like the Wisconsin/ Iowa swings, they just need to make logistical sense. Sometimes if feels like Driggers throws darts at a list to decide the schedule.

[TS FAN]

looks like everyone is in agreement on this deal. Racing was awful, track prep was awful. Obeying the move over flag awful. Whoops was a move over flag thrown???/smile

[Mams]

Haven’t made the trip to Oakshade since they didn’t schedule a race at Attica. The Attica/Oakshade weekend was one of my favorite race weekends. The last time at Oakshade was just plain awful with dust, drunk fans, etc. The first 5-6 times l went they were constantly watering the track & racing was great. Last time not so much.

[B_K]

Which two races had the highest car counts again?

Fighting windmills here I’m afraid.

[WildBill32]

I have been to this race three yrs. in a row now. I'm not one who likes to bash any track. Some good things about Oakshade... $14 to get in for a 10k to win race is a great deal. & it was $12 to get in the last 2yrs 4 10k. I went. Free camping and I talk to one guy who sad he was in line to get in on wednesday. The campers packed that place. The food prices are the best I have seen at any track.(And good too) I like how they let all the kids sing the Pledge of Allegiance & I don't know who the lady was that sang the National Anthem on Saturday. But, it gave me chills(Wow she was good) Also, I like how all the fans come up to the fence before the A-main for driver intros & they turn off the lights & all the drivers have glow sticks.(cool) People/Fans well... Lets just say... you will see some things there that you're Mamma warned you about. Lol... Also, I have never seen Soooooo many Rusty Schlenk haters. Track prep... It has to be the worst track prep I have ever seen!(& I have been to alot of tracks over the yrs.) That mister they use there is like pi$$ing into the wind. When the track is all ready as dry as dust. Its kinda like Baseball for me... Three strikes you are out & you are out for good... I will not be back...

[Clayton_Wetter]

I have been to this race three yrs. in a row now. I'm not one who likes to bash any track. Some good things about Oakshade... $14 to get in for a 10k to win race is a great deal. & it was $12 to get in the last 2yrs 4 10k. I went. Free camping and I talk to one guy who sad he was in line to get in on wednesday. The campers packed that place. The food prices are the best I have seen at any track.(And good too) I like how they let all the kids sing the Pledge of Allegiance & I don't know who the lady was that sang the National Anthem on Saturday. But, it gave me chills(Wow she was good) Also, I like how all the fans come up to the fence before the A-main for driver intros & they turn off the lights & all the drivers have glow sticks.(cool) People/Fans well... Lets just say... you will see some things there that you're Mamma warned you about. Lol... Also, I have never seen Soooooo many Rusty Schlenk haters. Track prep... It has to be the worst track prep I have ever seen!(& I have been to alot of tracks over the yrs.) That mister they use there is like pi$$ing into the wind. When the track is all ready as dry as dust. Its kinda like Baseball for me... Three strikes you out & you are out for good... I will not be back...

Track prep worse than Brownstown???? How can that even be possible??? My sympathies to the local fans!!!

[jensenracing18]

the place is a complete dump.. they use to get away with it due to the low ticket cost, high car counts and halfway decent racing.. last 4 trips have been a snooze fest and we won’t be back. raise the gate cost and put some money into the facility the place looks like a 3rd world country.

[play4kps]

Another thing, I am just blown away at how dark the track is! 10 yrs ago the track was a hidden gem, now its just a neglected dump. They raised the prices, now spend that money for track prep machinery, real bathrooms and some charm. On a positive note, the kids saying the pledge of allegiance and the girl who sang the National anthem was great.

[88racing]

Maybe eldora ,atomic or limaland Kentucky Ohio with florence

[play4kps]

Eldora cost to much to run, a lot of cars would skip it! Florence and Atomic are not UMP tracks, Im not sure if Moler is anymore. Waynesfield and Limaland make sense. And Tony only wants big show at Eldora.

[golddirt]

Well this is two years straight and they have two nights of racing and from everything I have heard and read two years straight everything was as bad as bad as you could get that if something isn’t done to correct this I don’t know what Else it would take to convince someone not to give them to date to start with and quit making it the finale at Oak Shade has been previously said most of the races are run in Illinois so that just makes absolutely no sense whatsoever Else it would take to convince someone not to give them to date to start with and quit making it the finale at Oak Shade has been previously said most of the races are run in Illinois so that just makes absolutely no sense whatsoever

[GEAR_HEAD]

I would really like for Limaland to have a show. And get a show at Kokomo again.

[play4kps]

Lawrenceburg was always a good show.

[WildBill32]

Track prep worse than Brownstown???? How can that even be possible??? My sympathies to the local fans!!!Yes, track prep worse than Brownstown... Lets put it this way... You are sitting at you're camp site wishing for cloud cover and rain. So that you can see a track that you can pass on. The last three yrs I have seen six A-Mains there. And all six were a rubberd up train race on the bottom. Oh well things happen... I guess... Ugh...

[ThebigE]

Attica runs laps around Oakshade. At least Attica invests money back into their facilities, always have good competitive races, and run a nice program. I used to enjoy going to Oakshade, but the last time I was there was 3 years ago for the SN's and it was a joke. I haven;t been back since.
They have a large car count, but 90% of the cars are a bunch of locals that only run Oakshade and maybe Attica on a weekly basis.

[Links]

I appreciate the comments on the Pledge. I take great pride in getting the kids down there for that when I am at the track. The National Anthem singer was a ringer that nobody expected...including myself. Her name is Britney Benton and she is from Wauseon as far as I know. She did one helluva job!!

[play4kps]

I think we have to be real honest about the changes in Dirt track racing over the past few years, most of the changes do not make the racing better, most drivers are looking for clean air, and ways of going thru the motions out there instead of hard racing, the technological changes to the sport has lead to a lot boring races. And honestly I think anyone out there who doesnt believe that is in denial.

[LM1M]

I don't think car count is a selling point for Oakshade, most of those cars are B-main material at 90% of the SN tour races. Would rather see quality over quantity any day.

[dirty-white-boy]

Maybe eldora ,atomic or limaland Kentucky Ohio with florence

Yea, Because Eldora needs another 'special' race!

If Oakshade is really that bad why not just not go? There are millions of other things you can do on a July Saturday night than pay money to go to a place you are just going to complain about online the next day!

Be happy you have a racetrack where cars show up at.

[goincircles]

CLAY CLAY CLAY the track hasnt replaced it for 8 years to me knowledge it you want to keep a little moisture in the track there needs to be something there can absorb and hold pouring gallons of water on dirt and sand does nothing it's a shame where this track was 6 7 or 8 years ago hopefully they wise up get some good clay mix it in have Dane Miller show them track prep

[lokwaidid]

I think we have to be real honest about the changes in Dirt track racing over the past few years, most of the changes do not make the racing better, most drivers are looking for clean air, and ways of going thru the motions out there instead of hard racing, the technological changes to the sport has lead to a lot boring races. And honestly I think anyone out there who doesnt believe that is in denial.

this is 100% true. this is why car counts are half of what they use to be just 15-20 years ago. why a lot of tracks have dropped late models . how often do we read about another track closing?

[CIRF]

I think we have to be real honest about the changes in Dirt track racing over the past few years, most of the changes do not make the racing better, most drivers are looking for clean air, and ways of going thru the motions out there instead of hard racing, the technological changes to the sport has lead to a lot boring races. And honestly I think anyone out there who doesnt believe that is in denial.Absolutely spot on play4ks!


this is 100% true. this is why car counts are half of what they use to be just 15-20 years ago. why a lot of tracks have dropped late models . how often do we read about another track closing?I was going to say the exact same thing but ya' beat me to it, lokwaidid.

[Clayton_Wetter]

Yes, track prep worse than Brownstown... Lets put it this way... You are sitting at you're camp site wishing for cloud cover and rain. So that you can see a track that you can pass on. The last three yrs I have seen six A-Mains there. And all six were a rubberd up train race on the bottom. Oh well things happen... I guess... Ugh...

I know what you mean. I always wished for rain on Saturday morning when going to Brownstown. Trouble with that is, they cancel pretty easy when some rain does happen.

[GEAR_HEAD]

I know what you mean. I always wished for rain on Saturday morning when going to Brownstown. Trouble with that is, they cancel pretty easy when some rain does happen.

And you'd think after how good the Jackson was last year they'd keep trying to replicate that by disking the track and watering the crap out of it!

[Clayton_Wetter]

And you'd think after how good the Jackson was last year they'd keep trying to replicate that by disking the track and watering the crap out of it!

The had a rain out saturday and knew they had better water it well for the day race. And it was the best it had been all season.

I don't believe they even keep a disc on the grounds.

[GEAR_HEAD]

The had a rain out saturday and knew they had better water it well for the day race. And it was the best it had been all season.

I don't believe they even keep a disc on the grounds.

Well there's the problem!

[ThebigE]

From what I heard, the gentleman that owns the track is 72 years old and wants out. He is putting it up for sale at the end of the year... Whoever buys it will have to dump a ton of money in the junk hole.