If Only

My favorite support class was the Camaro based Pro-Ams that ran at the now closed Sunset Speedway in Omaha.  Pro-Am may seem like a contradiction, but the drivers who raced in this division were tough, experienced competitors.  To win a feature at Sunset was a highlight for many competitors. 

Of course the track had a point average invert, so a win one week normally relegated a driver to the back of the starting grid in his heat the following week.  Stiff competition made it tough for this driver to qualify for the A main through his heat.  Many times a winner one week had to run a B or even C feature the following week.  And sometimes did not manage to qualify for the A feature.  It was a tough, tough division with lots of cars. 

Although this was a support class at Sunset Speedway, it did not mean these drivers were inferior in anyway.  It was a hobby for them.  But they were very good at their hobby.  Most could not afford to move up to the late model class or did not have sponsors with deep pockets.  For drivers like this, a sponsor was the big if only that kept them from becoming solid competitors in a feature class. But it certainly made for top notch racing. 

Today, the IMCA hobby stocks and stock cars are not unlike the old Sunset Speedway Pro-Ams.  In this age, no race car is cheap to build or operate, but drivers in these divisions don’t race for the money.  And they put on great shows.  Lap after lap, cars going through turns two and three wide, and down the straight-aways, five or six cars so close you could throw a blanket over all of them.  To me that is racing. 

I don’t care if a race car goes 125 miles an hour on a dirt track, or if it just goes 75 miles an hour.  What makes racing fun to watch is close competition.  And oftentimes, the support class races end up having closer, more exciting races than the more expensive feature classes.  So, don’t go to the concession stand during these races! 

Questions for fans and drivers. 

How has the price of gas affected your racing schedule this year? Do you go racing as often as past seasons, or maybe just visit your home track?  What can promoters do to get you out to the track? 

I would love to hear your comments, and again, I want to hear about drivers/crew/officials/fans in your area that you would like to read about.  Contact me at: ron@therestofthedirt.com. 

Thanks for visiting.

 

~ by Ron Meyer on June 16, 2008.