Good read about Eldora locals!

[play4kps]

https://www.dirtunlimited.com/post/l...nV-hBMzjCrR8BQ

[WisWildManFan]

I guess they could race every Saturday and then they could raise the beer and food prices by 3 times the amount. Super Weekly racing is almost dead across the country... it’s just a sign of the times. My local track closed this year.

[Tireguy17]

When you have a crown jewel schedule like Eldora has, and in this current "racing economy", weekly racing is mostly a money-losing deal. I once heard that Knoxville's weekly racing programs lost money and the Knoxville Sprint Car Nationals basically funded the rest of the season.

After making my 1st trip to Eldora for the Dream this year I think Eldora does everything right to put on a great show at a 1st class facility. I understand that weekly racing has been chopped from the schedule, but there is nothing wrong with running mostly big races as long as you do it successfully, which they are.

[millermw]

If you don’t have weekly racing, how do you get more young talent to race the big shows?

[JabberJaws83]

How do we know locals are unhappy? Zero quotes in the whole story lol

[jensenracing18]

There are plenty of small tracks in the area for weekly racing, A mega facility like Eldora cannot operate in this day and age with a couple hundred people in the stands and a half pit full of mods and stocks on a weekly basis.

[jensenracing18]

I didn't see people lining up to go spend the money necessary to run on a big 1/2 mile like Eldora all year either....

[brsteg]

How do we know locals are unhappy? Zero quotes in the whole story lol

Exactly my thoughts. Purely an opinion piece of one man. And no information about the author of the story is given.

To be an impactful piece, needs to be 5 interviews minimum with local Mod and Stock racers either current or former.

As is, just one guy wishing for the way it was. Not that good points aren't brought up, the piece doesn't live up to the title nor have the impact if could if the piece actually served the title given.

[JimBo]

Looks like the site is run by this guy. Gannon Pritchard who used to have a Facebook Page titled "Living the Dream Dirt to Daytona". The article is credited to Shannon Bolin who I have never heard of. Anybody ever heard of him?

[Krooser]

Just one guy with a website voicing his opinion.

Weekly racing at Eldora would be nice but until.I write that check I have no say.

[play4kps]

The article goes on to mention that Williams Grove and Knoxville which are just as big as eldora still continue to support grassroots level racing. How do you expect the sport to grow when you have one late model team within 60 miles of eldora and only two more within 90 miles of eldora. Nobody around the track is building cars because it's too far to race. The closest track to eldora is oakshade which is probably 2 hours and 15 minutes and then it's probably Florence which is close to 3 hours. It's amazing the people who defend eldora don't live near the track and don't have a track in their backyard that is closed two out of the three months of summer time and continually make excuses for the track not being open. And then cry because of low car counts. Or make excuses when certain tracks don't get a good car count but eldora always gets a pass.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

The article goes on to mention that Williams Grove and Knoxville which are just as big as eldora still continue to support grassroots level racing. How do you expect the sport to grow when you have one late model team within 60 miles of eldora and only two more within 90 miles of eldora. Nobody around the track is building cars because it's too far to race. The closest track to eldora is oakshade which is probably 2 hours and 15 minutes and then it's probably Florence which is close to 3 hours. It's amazing the people who defend eldora don't live near the track and don't have a track in their backyard that is closed two out of the three months of summer time and continually make excuses for the track not being open. And then cry because of low car counts. Or make excuses when certain tracks don't get a good car count but eldora always gets a pass.

Moler is 2 hours. Attica is 2.5 hours. Wayne Co. Is about 3 hours. It's been a long time since John Lawhorn raced. How many cars were near the track 20 years ago? 2 hour tows are fairly normal for guys who want to race.

[JabberJaws83]

Knoxville and Williams Grove have always had a healthy amount of. local main event class cars (sprints) to draw cars. Eldora will never draw enough late models to support a weekly division and be financially viable. It’s not giving them a pass, it’s reality. Like I said above, how do we know people are upset besides the guy who wrote the article?

[Rocky]

I tow an hour to the closest track 2 hours to the second closest one the 2 hour tow is better for me because it’s a Saturday track. I get to the races in time to help my buddy with his street stock on Friday night though cause I am an adult lol.👍 Hey man you could totally get a modified and run Limaland, right? I hear that a pretty cool little joint. We gotta support those tracks that are running every week and if Roger and Tony choose not to compete with the other area tracks, I can get behind that.

Unless you don’t want to of course. If traveling with the big show is your thing rock on amigo.👍

[Rocky]

That last post should have said addict not adult, and edit ain't working. Sorry guys, my phone got me.

[latemodelman]

Well when Eldora decided to change the rules on safety before UMP and all tracks did they had great car counts. Also why run USAC and WOO on the same night when you could run them on different nights and run mods and stocks as a support. Also the UMP Nationals were big when they paid 10,000 to win for late models and 3,000 for mods. Now for me the 4 crown is the race I like.

[play4kps]

Eldora 20 years ago probably had maybe 12 to 15 teams within 90 miles of the track. I believe the article is more modified and street stock based. 20 years ago their was probably 35 plus modified teams that called Eldora their home track and 25 plus street stocks likewise. I believe they only scheduled 3 modified races all year. And Ricky Weiss was track champion this year, imagine how suprised he would be to find that out. running one race outside the Dream and World.

[jensenracing18]

true but 20 years ago every track that's now closed and bulldozed probably had the same car counts as well, it sure is a different world now... and for Weiss considering each night of the dream and world were separate point nights and he never finished outside of the top 10 at Eldora I believe his worst finish was 7th this year

[ThebigE]

I'm a local.... And this is spot on.

[jensenracing18]

I get it people want it open weekly it would be awesome.. but with 4 tracks all within an hour of the big E the area isn't hurting for weekly shows