How much Interest in Circal track racing?

One of the posts I did this week about sponsoring some local drivers at the local dirt track Has to wonder with how many tracks are in this country and how many people race on any given night on local level. How much interest is there among the zine crew and the message boards for some coverage in local or even more general for some articals about the world of local circal track racing from both dirt and pavement racing. if nothing else, mey be not making the print, but what about online for the website for some stuff like many zine have extra stuff on their website.

I'm interested to know more about the bomber/bandit classes that seem like a cheap way for wheel time. Or any personal anecdotes on how much fun it is/how much seat time you get on a typical race night

For fun on the cheap, figure-8 schoolbus racing is hard to beat. It's the least expensive racing I've ever done, and perhaps the most fun.

The last time I did it, a ticket to the event (Crash-A-Rama) was $20.00. Wanna race? Sign a waver and pay your entry fee----- which happened to be----- you guessed it, $20.00--- this included the ticket, so racing was the same cost as spectating! They even provided me with a running, driving bus. That bus was strong enough that I actually finished 2nd out of 22 buses! (granted, this was my 4th schoolbus race, and they knew me by then)

There's a lot of fun hiding at your local roundy-round facility. You just need to grab the bull by the horns and do it!

Sure it's dangerous, but sometimes you need a little risk in life to keep things interesting!

I'm very interested in knowing more about it. Particularly the Hornet class, which could be a good venue for our Chumpcar, which is getting a little tired for road racing.

I started racing circle track as a prelude to getting my vintage racer on the road course. 8 years later I still do roundy round, and now one of my kids does as well. If you have questions, I have answers.

By the time I could afford racing, our local track had closed. The next closest track is 2 hours away. If it had still been around, I'd probably be racing the roundy rounds instead of autocross and Lemons.

I used to work with a guy that did the mini/fwd circle track stuff. I was interested in giving it a try because when you are a mechanic for a living you have access to all sorts of cheap fixer uppers. Then he told me about guys leaving the track in helicopters after they crashed. No thanks, I have kids to raise. Of course he also told me that guys were using exhaust pipe as rollcages, so that probably had a lot to do with it.

Also, seeing a guy that won go on a rant from the podium about how some of his competitors were using tires that were against the rules, proving that is more of the same typical crybaby drama turned me off big time.

I am very interested, again in the hornet/bomber/mini stock/whatever you wanna call it cheap classes. I've lived deep in the heart of circle track country pretty much my entire life, and yet it's a motorsports venue I've basically all together ignored (because real race cars turn left and right.) Now that I've gotten older and less jaded by silly prejudices (plus the whole money thing) the appeal has rapidly grown on me. Seriously considering a foray into dirt track within the next few years.

Everyone gets bent out of shape about the whole turn left and wait for the checker thing but when you are racing the track is just one endless turn anyway. And you pass up....pass down......still turn right a lot.

While I love driving road courses, road racing seems like a considerably larger time and financial commitment per event than the equivalent circle track stuff. I'm not much of one for spectating circle track racing very often, but if I were looking for the adrenaline of wheel-to-wheel competition that's probably where I'd start.

I generally prefer the idea of purpose built racecars over production cars. I like the more open Dwarf car formula, but would probably go with the more popular (but more 'spec') Legends cars just to have substantially more competitive opportunities.

I started out trying to afford racing for a plastic trophy against Castrol, or Any of many top tier teams at RR events, Road Atl held 2 events a year and nothing else was remotly Close, that was around 1970, but 4 different tracks ran round track every Saturday night for Cash Money an Hour or less away so thats what we did. Now I'm retired and want to give RR a whirl again but it will start with The Challenge. sadly there is still no money to be had that I am aware of.

The reason I was wanting to see what type of interest is for some ideas for story ideas for the magazine and if I can have some people on here that would like to know more then it helps push the idea that there might be something to it. The other fact is, the magazine needs new stuff to cover, you can only cover road racing and autocross so many ways before you start to repeat yourself. How many tracks are in a given state where you can drive an hour so and be able to watch racing or go racing. If you autocross or road race, you end up sometimes driving for up to 3 hours to find an event to attend. Lots of tracks run different night of the week with Sat night being the biggest time to be able to find a track any where to run. I have also been doing photography at a local dirt track for the last four years and it has been very fun to see what goes on each week. I remember taking a class a few years ago on motor sports management and one of the books was a guide to 2014 track and racing group guide. In just Wisconsin there was 40 plus tracks. 2 road races, one drag strip. The rest where one off road track and the rest where oval tracks of both pavement and dirt. And that's just one state in 2014. As for the comment about someone having to drive two hours to find a track. We get that every week and then some that go a little father sometimes. We have had Iowa and The land of lakes many times and down state ILL and father for different events. On the 29th of July we are hosting the World Of Outlaws, which is a very big event for the dirt racing. It very interesting to watch the big names in sprint cars come to town to run against the Interstate Racing Attestation that runs a traveling series here in WI.

I can add a few cents to this topic. I've been doing rallycross, autocross, DE, and chump races for years. I've also been spectating at the local circle track since I was about 3. About 3 months ago, while spectating at the circle track, I thought to myself "why the berk haven't I tried this yet?" I scoured the local forums/craigslist and found a dohc neon dirt tracker for sale for $2k. The PO had moved to another class.

I bought the car, spent another $600 ish for paint, tires, fresh 5 point, new stock suspension etc. I had done some chump stuff, so already had a helmet, suit, and hans. I went out there a bit nervous, but confident, and....won my first race!!

It was freaking awesome! More adrenaline-enducing and action-packed than any other form of motorsport I've done so far. It was cheaper to enter ($30) than autocross and even gave me $100 payout for the win!

My second saturday out there wasn't quite as successful as I broke a hub on the 2nd lap, but still fun!

Now I will warn that there is some serious politics in the local circle track world. After I won the first race, there was lots of Facebook chatter about all the ways I was cheating. Maybe it was a blessing that my 2nd race wasn't so successful. I'll be back again!

In reply to ckosacranoid:

I actually have 3 circle tracks within 45 minutes of my house, which are all closer than the closest autocross venue. I'm in Bradenton FL. I'd love to see at least some coverage of the sport. Its incredibly fun and cheap!

Hey, sorry for missing this thread. I can't give it all away right now, but let's say that we have been discussing a circle track project here at the magazine--and even have a very experienced sherpa ready to guide us.

I have said too much.

Lof8 wrote: It was freaking awesome! More adrenaline-enducing and action-packed than any other form of motorsport I've done so far. It was cheaper to enter ($30) than autocross and even gave me $100 payout for the win!

I've been saying that for years. There is no better bang for your motorsport buck than circle track racing.

I once challenged the magazine (after some negative comments) to put one of their autocrossing staff in a dirt mini stock to see a) how much fun it actually is, and b) that it's not nearly as easy as they think it. They refused

Within an hours drive you can dirt track race all weekend near me with a second choice for Sat. and Sunday.

I think all of them have the "hornet" class. they may have different names. Four cyl. Cruisers etc. Problem is, each track has their own rules unlike the higher classes.

Yeah, we have a ton of tracks near here, too. Let's just say that we're in the information gathering stage.

In reply to gearheadmb:

Berkeley that.

In reply to Zomby Woof There are many Dirt and Paved oval tracks around the area (Winston-Salem), being near the center of Stock Car Racing. However, on the money side, I been in Oval Karts in variously degrees for 11 years now. The Girl I'm currently working the tires for runs in a class with hard tires and a $125 Chinese engine where the payout is as much as a Ucar class of more. You can't by a 17 inch G-Force Rival S tire for a set of Oval Kart Tires.

Thank to everyone for the comments on this thread. Still it sounds like a lot of people would like to see some stuff on the this subject.

In reply to ckosacranoid:

It appears that they're going to give us some. GRM, you guys doing fwd or rwd? Don't you have an acr neon sitting around?

I grew up going to La Crosse Interstate Speedway (WI) watching Dick Trickle and other great Midwest Drivers.

If you want to experience Short Track Circle Racing, go there for Oktoberfest Race Weekend. It's four days of alot of car variety, food, beverages, and weather of all 4 seasons

http://oktoberfestraceweekend.com/

The years of domination of numbers of Monte Carlos and Malibus are now taken by the number of cars in the 4cyl classes. The 4cyl classes are cheap and plentiful to run.

A track not too far from Bristol - Kingsport Speedway - runs more than one 4cyl class and also has a 6cyl class:

http://www.newkingsportspeedway.com/2017-schedule.html

If you don't know who Ty Majeski is, after watching him drive several races you'll want to learn more:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ty_Majeski

http://www.nascar.com/news-media/2017/06/22/tj-majeski-xfinity-series-debut-iowa-speedway-nascar-next/

He understands the car. And he's a Badger, so already full of awesome.

One cool thing about Pure Stock Oval racing is that you can have a personal car that if its the same as the Pure Stock you are racing can be use as a support car at the track. Cant do that with Late Models anymore.

I did a little "Jalopy Class" circle track racing a long time ago (1960's) when every other small town in SW PA had a track. Almost every gas station, repair shop in my hometown (Irwin, PA) either owned or sponsored a car.

You could usually find some place to run every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. It was some of the most competitive racing I have ever been involved in.

"Jalopy Class" = Flathead motor with stock carburetors, everything else was open.