The older you get.

[lurker]

I was reading a thread the other day on another forum, about the passing of Allen Brown of National Speedway Directory, and it got me thinking.

The older you get are you more selective about race tracks you attend? For whatever reason?

Me personally, yes, I am more selective. I have been for a few years now. My bucket list is pretty much crossed off and I’m rather content going to the three or four race tracks that I know for sure I’ll see a good show, and in a timely manner. I think I’m simply selective because of my age and I think I’ve seen the best of the best, dirt and asphalt, no matter the discipline, over the past 40+ years.

Living in Indiana (since ‘88), I’m lucky to live close (in reasonable distance) to a few really good race tracks, and one track that isn’t my favorite, but I’ll still go occasionally, that being Eldora.

Anyway, what are your thoughts?

( https://www.indianaopenwheel.com/showthread.php?t=122872 )

[Phatdaddy]

agree totally. I used to love tracks with steep banking and tons of speed. Now i really enjoy the slightly banked tracks like Kokomo, Lucas Oil, and Circle City

[GA-DIRT]

Used Allen’s book a many a time, back in our travels too, still try to keep up with the going on, just can’t hang anymore , time has caught up with me 🏁

[Josh Bayko]

I won’t go to any show that has sprints or midgets on the card. I’m not interested in being there for a tragedy.

[BTExpress]

The older I get, the more I enjoy a "Special" show. As a matter of fact, I can not remember the last time I went to a regular weekly show. I do not mind paying more to see a National or Regional tour race. I am guaranteed to see the big names, and most of the time, I know it will only have one or two support divisions. The days of me sitting in the grandstands for five or six hours are long gone. This coming from a guy who spent many years going to the same couple of tracks on a weekly basis. Now I do not mind traveling a few hours to see DLM's, Big Block Modifieds and Sprint Cars.

[over4T]

As a racer who pretty much only runs a touring series anymore and gets to see at least a couple of new tracks every season my visits as a spectator have dwindled to only a couple of visits to a track during our off weekends. Those are usually to see or help a friend in another division. Like BTExpress said about sitting for 5 or 6 hours to watch stuff I don't care about are long gone. I'm a lousy bleacher jockey these days. Eight decades of this stuff will do that to you.

[HoosierDirtFan]

Lurker


I've been on the Indiana Open Wheel website for years (Nathans1012 < used to be my username on 4m as well). I'm the 2nd post on that link you posted.

Met Allen once at Illiana Motor Speedway and have a large number of National Speedway Directory books and 2 copies of the History Of American Speedways. 2 of the best Motorsports books ever published. His National Speedway Directory books are where I learned a lot about other tracks around the country and made me want to travel and see new tracks even that much more. :(

[Black F]

these televised options now days come along at a good time. the older i get the less im going to tolerate inclement weather.

[4Barrel]

The older I get, I’m more concerned with attending events that my family are racing in and trying to be with them. It’s doesn’t matter to me if it’s a crate race or a bomber race, I’ll take family over a crown jewel event.

[Barbecueboy]

All of our racing involves travel so we factor in the drive…..where and when and not so much who.

Love the big super events , but really just want to see a good race no matter the class….I used to hate the bullrings when I was younger and just wanted the speed and horsepower show. Now I’m the opposite and don’t really care for the bigger tracks like I used to. I’d rather see the supers at a place like the Davenport small track versus some of the bigger tracks….love east bay way more than volusia now. That was different when younger.
Cool thread.

[3 wide]

It seems like the older I get the more classes they want to run use to be 6 or 7 now it's 7.8.9 an 10 we got one track that ran 11 last year at least when they don't have a crowd they'll know why.

[Highside Hustler25]

If I remember correctly, there were only 2 classes back in the early 70's at my local track. Every time a class was created, it was to cut expenses. That sure didn't work.

I thought this thread was going to be about dry poops and wet farts.

[Black F]

7,8,9,or 10?? classes what the?? lol. ok.

[dirtcrazy4u]

I was a track rat in the 60's ,70's and 80's. What a great time, I mostly crewed on a late model or a big block mod dependent on the race. I had enough connections that I made in my trips to the PRI show and rec'd enough product help to assemble a sprint car for 4 seasons. 88 was my last year and it's hard for me to go sit in the stands and watch divisions that I have no interest in whatsoever. I enjoy my trips to port royal now, they run a good show and get people in and out at a reasonable hour. I can no longer go if there is a chill in the night air, I find myself watching how the cars are handling and it's what I enjoy watching. I only go to special shows at the BIG tracks in central pa. my favs now are the smaller tracks grandview puts on a heck of a show.

[gorj]

Hope all is well Brownie,
We used to buy a new issue of Speedway Directory every year. Allen was a soft spoken gentleman. Sorry to hear he passed.

[Finnfan25]

Attending from a fan standpoint, I'm a lot more strategic in my parking location. When I was younger, all I cared about was getting to the stands as quickly as possible and I always stayed for the last lap of EVERY race, regardless of what class (saw way too many of the old 4 cylinder classes), what time I left was irrelevant. Now I'm usually heading out from the stands when the leader enters turn three of the last lap of the SLM feature

[TBSprintFan]

Totally agree with too many classes and for a week night, tonight's show at Eldora was a perfect example. When having a Late Model touring series come to your track there should only be 1 support class and then that class should just have a draw for their lineups instead of time trials, especially when these classes constantly have drivers spinning out on the track. How many yellow flags tonight in the Late Models compared to the other 2. This Castrol series used to run their mid week shows in a timely manner but definitely not tonight.

[Barbecueboy]

I get people having issues about going to the track and sitting through classes they don’t care about or want to see because it takes a bunch of effort to get to the track etc……but complaining about a race you can change a channel on or off and get out of the recliner and walk upstairs to the bedroom is kinda just beachin to be beachin isn’t it?

On the flo televised stuff, put as many or few divisions as you want….I know how to work the remote.

[Mopar DLM]

I understand having a few other classes with the late models mostly because without them there would be zero time between races for the late models and the crew would never have enough time to change/grind tires or even put fuel in the cars much less make changes or cool the engines. Especially at Eldora when the temps are a little warmer than last night.

[B_K]

I’m kind of at an odd place with the sport. I still enjoy it. I still follow the results closely. I still have my favorites and favorite places. Last year I went to ZERO races. First time in my life that’s happened.

There’s a myriad of reasons why. I watched several on my phone at my daughter’s travel softball tournaments. I’d rather miss seeing my favorite driver winning the world 100 than miss one pitch she throws. My dad was going through chemo during a portion of the year. If he couldn’t go I wasn’t going either. Off weekends for the kid you still have to date your wife so races just didn’t happen for me. I’m obviously fine with it. I miss the smell mostly. I miss a right rear grabbing a handful of red dirt and throwing it at me. I miss the echo a Clements roars off Fort Mountain. I just don’t miss it enough to make it a priority.

I’m pretty sure I’ll hit one or two this year and it’ll be to watch a friend or just to roll down hwy 225 and feel 21 again for a minute. The days of worrying where everyone is going to be are past me.

[dirtcrazy4u]

^^^^^good post. Hope you and dad make a few.

[weatherman85]

I've def gotten more selective as I've gotten older as to the shows I attend. Still enjoy a weekly show here and there even though I do hate the amount of local classes. When I was a kid/teenager, the only features you would find me actually sitting and watching would be the Limited and Super Late model features. All other classes, I hated and would be hanging out with my friends on the playground or around the track somewhere. Now, I actually appreciate the pure racing a few of the lower classes produce. Stock V8 class and stock 4 cylinder which I actually just started racing on asphalt. Very rarely does a winner come from anywhere other then the front row in late model features at local events around here.

I've also gotten way more sensitive to the dust that tracks produce. When I was young, I could care less if it was dusty or not or whatever time we left the track. Now, I'm selective depending on the track's rep of being dusty or if they regularly run late.

Got a few select events my Dad and I go to every year. World Finals, Dixie Shootout (When it was happening) Rome Rumble, Bowman Grey Opener/Season Final, and Few regional shows. Number of events will probably dwindle more now that I've started racing but will still be at a track supporting it.

[Barbecueboy]

“ the pure racing some of the lower classes produce” ……yes sir weatherman, agree and as I’ve gotten older I really, really appreciate the racing and the efforts these guys make to get their cars to the track in those support divisions.

[Morgs153]

The older I get, the fussier I get. More selective I guess you could say. Years ago, wherever they were running supers, I'd try to go. I spent a bunch on not so great "races".

Now I plan for attending races that have a high probability of not disappointing me. Where I live I'll be spending some time driving (two hours to Red Cedar, three to MTS or CLS) so I'll have to watch a forecast rather close. I watch a lot of what is on Flo/DoD and still have my wish list tracks to get to but it has also helped me make some decisions not to go back to certain places. I've made the trip to Eldora but based on what I've seen lately from a couple drivers/one car dominating I'm not in a hurry to get back. I really want to go down to Davenport or Fairbury to see a show, that's for sure. Like others have said, appreciate the bull rings.

In my area the Dirt Kings regional tour runs at some tracks reasonably close to home and that is a great value for a fan. Decent gate prices and very good racing depending on what track they visit. I've also come to appreciate what is on the undercard and running on skinny tires. That is where I see some actual "racing" when the supers aren't as good as expected (IMCA stocks/mods, WISSOTA, USRA, USMTS mods).

[Henry Every]

Definitely selective these days, with experience and rising costs, its necessary to maximize your choices. No more time or money to throw away. Now if somebody else wants to pick up the tab I'd reconsider.

[Jerky]

When I was in my teens and 20s, I was a madman - typically 100 races a year or more. Now I'm over 50 with a wife, one boy who excels at a sport and plays it year round, 8 months of the year traveling and his little brother is a special needs kid. Over the years I've gone from 100 to 50 to 25 to 10-12 races a year. My brothers are 10+ years older than me, so now it's "let's make a weekend out of it" events where we can go golfing, and have a nice meal or two mixed in with the races. World Finals are an annual get away, we try to do East Bay/Volusia, and one "bucket list" event a year. This year we're eyeballing California for a sprint race (Gold Cup) or midget race (Turkey Night GP).

The fact my two local tracks (Winchester and Hagerstown) have stopped running supers means I don't go to them - I'm not paying money to watch support classes, sorry. That means I have to drive at least 2.5 hours to watch weekly supers, so I don't watch weekly supers. I still love the sport as much as ever - it's literally my only hobby, but now I get by on Flo and DirtVision mostly. The money I don't spend going weekly to be disappointed ($15-$20 at the gate, $25 in gas, $20 on food/drinks) adds up quick and funds the streaming subscriptions and bucket list trip pretty well.