2017 Lucas Oil Schedule

**slmcrewchief99** · 10-16-2016, 02:48 PM

Exactly MBracer. Money doesn't make a Crown Jewel race.

**old fan** · 10-16-2016, 02:57 PM

but it certainly helps the wallet out

**formercrewguy** · 10-16-2016, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by slmcrewchief99

Exactly MBracer. Money doesn't make a Crown Jewel race.

Sure it does.

**Josh Bayko** · 10-16-2016, 04:49 PM

Originally Posted by formercrewguy

Sure it does.

No it doesn't. A race doesn't really become a crown jewel until it has a pretty deep history. The term crown jewel is wildly overused in late model racing.

**cutman** · 10-16-2016, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by Josh Bayko

No it doesn't. A race doesn't really become a crown jewel until it has a pretty deep history. The term crown jewel is wildly overused in late model racing.

I agree. Did anyone think this years Buckeye Nationals was a crown jewel?

**zyoung25** · 10-16-2016, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by cutman

I agree. Did anyone think this years Buckeye Nationals was a crown jewel?

I just saw it as a big money race. It's not established enough to be considered that yet. I think that word is used wayyyy too much anyway. To me theres big money races and the crown jewels.

**Pennsboro23** · 10-16-2016, 06:04 PM

Glad to see the Hillbilly 100 is staying at Tyler County.

**MM90** · 10-17-2016, 12:02 PM

How long does a race have to be in existence to be considered "Crown Jewel"?? 10years?

I also don't consider money to make it a Crown Jewel race. And this is a track I raced weekly at.

**Josh Bayko** · 10-17-2016, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by MM90

How long does a race have to be in existence to be considered "Crown Jewel"?? 10years?

I also don't consider money to make it a Crown Jewel race. And this is a track I raced weekly at.

I don't think there's necessarily a "time" when a race becomes a crown jewel. It's about a race that ends up attracting all of the best drivers and those drivers start saying things like "This one is one I need to win to be considered one of the best".

**badacefaist19** · 10-17-2016, 12:47 PM

Miss the days of regional/national series coming to North Georgia, Sugar Creek, Cleveland. Those were some great shows. The reason they were so good though was because some of the national guys would be off more often and able to race the regional shows, now they have no breaks and no chance to race close to their home. I think that is what is killing our sport.

**GEAR_HEAD** · 10-17-2016, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by badacefaist19

Miss the days of regional/national series coming to North Georgia, Sugar Creek, Cleveland. Those were some great shows. The reason they were so good though was because some of the national guys would be off more often and able to race the regional shows, now they have no breaks and no chance to race close to their home. I think that is what is killing our sport.

How is having national guys come in and take money from the regional and local guys good for the sport? Keeping the national guys away give the guys who really need the money a chance at some nice paydays in regional shows. Your theory that making more money available to regional racers is killing the sport defies logic.

**Bubstr** · 10-17-2016, 05:11 PM

I'd be willing to bet, if some track offered a 100k race with 3k to start, next door to a crown jewel paying less than half of that on the same date, we would have a different crown jewel in no time at all, depending on sanctioning support and being a track that most drivers like the same. The buck does stop here, just like the popular saying. Who really cares if it's called a crown jewel? One big money race would take the place of that crown jewel. This is a sport, but it's a money sport. That comes down to, what have you done or me lately, not prestige or glory. The only one that possibly could be immune, would be the World 100 and it's hold on race teams has been sliding as we can see by the car counts. The ones that just want to be a part of it are slipping.

**fryefan** · 10-17-2016, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by formercrewguy

The Silver Dollar Nationals at I-80 has officially become a "Crown Jewel Race", paying $53,000 to win. Second highest purse of the year.

It already was. It is a MUST see event.

**badacefaist19** · 10-18-2016, 08:03 AM

I didn't say a word about money being given to the national guys. More than likely they will win it, but you tell me... When you have 12 or less super late models show up every week and race on a terribly prepped racetrack, and the same person wins every single week, do you think that is going to put people in the stands? Absolutely not. I have been going to the same track for years and I can see why racing is hard to get into as a fan around here, because people never get to see the national drivers much. Used to, you would see Clanton, Owens, Mcdowell, Cook, Madden, etc at nearly EVERY big show. I can't tell you the last time all five of them raced at NGS together....2007?

Point is that if you don't run exciting races with exciting drivers the fans aren't going to be there (other than me) and the tracks will continue to close or go through "new management" over and over and fail over and over. That's what I mean when I say killing the sport. Sure, it has a little to do with the economy, but there needs to be more effort getting the national guys back to their roots more often, instead of them having to solely focus on running 50 races on one series.

**kazual** · 10-18-2016, 08:36 AM

Format matters to many race fans. Kudos to I80 for going against the grain with drivers, and LOLMDS, that whine because they can't time trial for starting position. I don't care if you want to put the over promise and under deliver term "crown jewel" on it or not, it has become one of the top weekends in dirt late model racing and with an increase in purse only stands to get better.

**birky time** · 10-18-2016, 09:04 AM

north/south, I80, DTWC, probably the crown jewel for the fans because of the passing point deal? which is great and all the other crown jewels except for the world should do the passing point?