Is Benton Mo. Still Running?
- Thread starter ghost67
- Start date
harrison84
New Member
I was told that they did race last night.10 sprints.I wonder why the sprints are not supporting this track?Are the sprint cars declining in the mo area?
jeremysutton
Member
No i dont think sprint cars are declining in Missouri. Farmington had 21 cars i belive last week and thast about the average for them, ive heard thier not paying much, therefore a lot of guys wont travel very far to run at benton.
opnwhlmnd
Member
Weeky 410 sprint cars are slowing disappearing.
In the midwest you have Famington, Benton, Knoxville, and Huset's in Sioux Falls SD.
There is no 410 weekly track further west. They do have the touring King of Califorinia Series running around middle to Northern California.
To go east, you have non-wing weekly stuff in Indiana. Ohio has 3-4 weekly 410 tracks left. Pennsylvania has 4-5 weekly 410 tracks.
That pretty much it in the whole nation.
360 sprints are growing.
The World of Outlaws are set with 20-24 traveling teams now and do not need the local racers anymore.
In the midwest you have Famington, Benton, Knoxville, and Huset's in Sioux Falls SD.
There is no 410 weekly track further west. They do have the touring King of Califorinia Series running around middle to Northern California.
To go east, you have non-wing weekly stuff in Indiana. Ohio has 3-4 weekly 410 tracks left. Pennsylvania has 4-5 weekly 410 tracks.
That pretty much it in the whole nation.
360 sprints are growing.
The World of Outlaws are set with 20-24 traveling teams now and do not need the local racers anymore.
Jamie Hall
Member
Sprints are definitely declining in southeast Missouri.
Farmington's count is still decent (still down from their average of 30+ in the 1990s), but all the sprints that used to come from the Cape Girardeau and Jackson area are pretty much gone. And dthe sprints that used to come from southern Illinois have mostly hung it up, although a few have gone to non-wing racing. And the ones that used to come from Memphis probably won't travel for the kind of money Benton is paying right now.
If Benton will stay open the rest of this season and keep the track in good shape, and then make plans to open up again next year, I think you'll see a few more local sprint cars competing. I'm not sure you'll see it this year, though.
Farmington's count is still decent (still down from their average of 30+ in the 1990s), but all the sprints that used to come from the Cape Girardeau and Jackson area are pretty much gone. And dthe sprints that used to come from southern Illinois have mostly hung it up, although a few have gone to non-wing racing. And the ones that used to come from Memphis probably won't travel for the kind of money Benton is paying right now.
If Benton will stay open the rest of this season and keep the track in good shape, and then make plans to open up again next year, I think you'll see a few more local sprint cars competing. I'm not sure you'll see it this year, though.
opnwhlmnd
Member
Devil's Bowl does not race 410 sprints anymore. They have ASCS 360 rules there now. Kevin Ramey usually wins there.
Think there are 6-7 All-Star regulars. They lost some of their guys to the Outlaws this year.
NCRA doesn't have a 410 series anymore. They are 360 now.
IRA in Northern Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan has 20 or so regulars up there.
Think there are 6-7 All-Star regulars. They lost some of their guys to the Outlaws this year.
NCRA doesn't have a 410 series anymore. They are 360 now.
IRA in Northern Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan has 20 or so regulars up there.
Last nite Farmington had 24 sprints, this count is typical most every Sat. nite. I am told track conditions & most of all the purse is the biggest problem they have. $1000 to win & 100 to start isn't enough for most teams to drive 2-3 hrs. for. For Benton to draw cars the purse will have to increase. I haven't heard about fan attendence, if the fans aren't there it doesn't matter how many cars are there.
nuts n bolts
New Member
benton
if they run a show like they did fri they will not draw a croud and wont be open long its a great facility but they just dont know how to run the place they had maybe 50 cars total at the track an still didnt get over till 11 just drag there feet to much ....could of been finished by 9 easy with no cars
if they run a show like they did fri they will not draw a croud and wont be open long its a great facility but they just dont know how to run the place they had maybe 50 cars total at the track an still didnt get over till 11 just drag there feet to much ....could of been finished by 9 easy with no cars
Sprints were over by 10:15
I think they are running the track fine!!!!! The sprints were over by 10:15 I was at home buy 10:30 I have been to alot of tracks and not many get over by 10:15. There were only 10 sprints but it was still a good race. Joe Dirt aka Tommy Worley put on a good show from the back to 2nd. There are only a few local 410 cars right now and very few street stock cars but what do you expect everyone sold their stuff when it closed the last time. If the track owners keep getting the races over by 10:30 or so then there is no reason for people not to come and watch. $8 is a bargin to watch a race. The track has no sponsors and the crowd count is decent at best but I think is is better than no racing at all. Please give the track promoters time two.... weeks is not enough time to throw in the towel. They will be adjusting the classes to get more cars. I think they will have to change to 360's to get more cars but you have to give them credit for trying to keep 410 racing alive.
I think they are running the track fine!!!!! The sprints were over by 10:15 I was at home buy 10:30 I have been to alot of tracks and not many get over by 10:15. There were only 10 sprints but it was still a good race. Joe Dirt aka Tommy Worley put on a good show from the back to 2nd. There are only a few local 410 cars right now and very few street stock cars but what do you expect everyone sold their stuff when it closed the last time. If the track owners keep getting the races over by 10:30 or so then there is no reason for people not to come and watch. $8 is a bargin to watch a race. The track has no sponsors and the crowd count is decent at best but I think is is better than no racing at all. Please give the track promoters time two.... weeks is not enough time to throw in the towel. They will be adjusting the classes to get more cars. I think they will have to change to 360's to get more cars but you have to give them credit for trying to keep 410 racing alive.
DIRT IN MY BEER
Member
Looking at the names from Friday night at Benton I suspect half or more of the cars are already 360 cars.
Farmington will average around 24 cars. But their driver list will be larger. It seems Farmington has about 18 or so that run every week. Then other guys that are hit and miss. If they all showed up there'd be 30 + cars. They have some 360s mixed in with the 410s. Not sure how many. Until you get on the bigger tracks you can't hardly tell the differance.
I still think there are plenty of cars. It's all the sanctioning bodies pulling cars away that give the impression of lower car counts. Used to you had to run a local track that ran your class. With all the differant groups running you no longer have to support one spicific local track. These sanctioning groups bounce around to tracks that don't typically run sprints. Everyone of these are pulling cars that would other wise be running one of our local tracks.
Farmington will average around 24 cars. But their driver list will be larger. It seems Farmington has about 18 or so that run every week. Then other guys that are hit and miss. If they all showed up there'd be 30 + cars. They have some 360s mixed in with the 410s. Not sure how many. Until you get on the bigger tracks you can't hardly tell the differance.
I still think there are plenty of cars. It's all the sanctioning bodies pulling cars away that give the impression of lower car counts. Used to you had to run a local track that ran your class. With all the differant groups running you no longer have to support one spicific local track. These sanctioning groups bounce around to tracks that don't typically run sprints. Everyone of these are pulling cars that would other wise be running one of our local tracks.
Scott your answer is on another post. When are you going to get your car out and get it dirty and a few dings on it?
Jamie Hall
Member
I'm not aware of any sanctioning bodies that pulled away any local sprints last weekend. The USCS, ASCS, World of Outlaws and other series didn't race Friday night. As far as I know, most of the sprints from the Farmington and Memphis areas took the night off instead of racing at Benton.
Not sure what this weekend holds in store, since the World of Outlaws is at Granite City on Friday.
