Anybody see the Pro Stock final?

[Ed Wright]

I had been away for about thirty years, when I started going back to watch a few. Couldn't believe how the stand emptied after the fuel cars. That is about all most spectators watch anymore. Maybe a third stay to watch Pro Stock, if that. Most of them leave when the sportsman cars come out.

Back in the '60s and '70s the stands used to be packed at divisional races.

No more. And people complain we get treated like filler. Guess NHRA sees the people in the stands too. I'm glad we still have a place to play.

[cad]

During the Sunday driver intros, Mike Edwards was asked who he would vote for the extra spot in the K&N Horsepower Challenge. He said Warren Johnson...why not vote for someone that cant catch you??? Hmmm.

In regards to walking...I was at Joliet and Topeka spectating, and raced the ET Finals in Topeka last September. For spectating, Joliet is, BY FAR, heads above Topeka. Do a Google satellite and compare both facilities. I may not go back to Topeka to spectate again. Walking is ridiculous there. Every seat at Joliet has a back rest....EVERY one of the them. And they dont charge extra to sit in "Blaine Johnson" seats.

Joliet was a great experience...except for the tornados that were 5 miles south of our hotel.

Clark Doukas
Omaha

[Bobby DiDomenico]

Originally Posted by cad

During the Sunday driver intros, Mike Edwards was asked who he would vote for the extra spot in the K&N Horsepower Challenge. He said Warren Johnson...why not vote for someone that cant catch you??? Hmmm.

In regards to walking...I was at Joliet and Topeka spectating, and raced the ET Finals in Topeka last September. For spectating, Joliet is, BY FAR, heads above Topeka. Do a Google satellite and compare both facilities. I may not go back to Topeka to spectate again. Walking is ridiculous there. Every seat at Joliet has a back rest....EVERY one of the them. And they dont charge extra to sit in "Blaine Johnson" seats.

Joliet was a great experience...except for the tornados that were 5 miles south of our hotel.

Clark Doukas
Omaha

Clark,

I'd think he'd want you to vote for the guys cutting .190 lights!

Never been to Topeka, but Joliet had a Brittany Spears concert when it was new (they said it was going to have many concerts when it opened, and a road course, I wouldn't want to be the one who couldn't make the right turn and hit that brick wall trying to head under the tower tunnel) so all the seats had to have back rests. The traffic jam for that was so bad many with tickets did not even get in to see it. To build anything without seatbacks is lunacy.

Not sure what the Blaine Johnson seats are, but they do charge more for the south side vs the north side. Did you notice many of their food stands were closed? Had a friend who searched and finally gave up looking to get a cup of coffee.

Ed,
They sure looked packed for the Norwalk Divisional! I remember when the Grove would have fans in the stands as far as you could see, now I'm afraid to walk that far down at night it is so barren. The foot prints have become fossilized.

[Ed Wright]

Maybe other track operators will take a clue from Norwalk and give free tickets to the spectators. At least they would sell some consessions to people that would not be there spending any money at all otherwise. Div 4 points races might have thirty or so, the stands look pretty empty. I found an old picture of Pete Perry's old Vega on the startng line at a Div 4 points race at La Place, LA from the '70s. Pete said "look at the people in the stands!" But, remember top Fuel and Pro Stock used to run the div races then. The people didn't vacate the stands after the fuel cars ran back then, either. Different world now, different spectators. Only watch the noise and fire. The ones you talk to, for the most part, aren't very knowlegable.

They probably watch professional wrestling too.