INDIANAPOLIS — There was a time when I couldn’t wait to run to my mailbox to see if my weekly edition of National Speed Sport News or Hawkeye Racing News had arrived.
If neither showed up before I departed for the race track on Friday afternoon, I was sorely disappointed. If I was in luck I would pack my cooler, throw one or both papers in the car and hit the road.
There was a particular pattern to my reading habits.
I began with the weekly columns, Chris Economaki with SPEED SPORT was always my first read, then with Hawkeye, it was Keith Knaack and later Bill Haglund. I would glance at the letters to the editor, and sometimes I was bold enough to send one myself. Then, came a ritual I would really enjoy — perusing the ads for the upcoming races.
Enticed by the promise of a big event and armed with Allan Brown’s National Speedway Directory and a good road atlas, an adventure was in store. It was always interesting to go to new tracks and pick up the local flavor. It would be fun to see what the concession stand offered, listen to a local announcer and if I had done my homework get a chance to watch the regional hotshots in action.
So often you would see T-shirts proclaiming that auto racing was America’s No. 1 sport, and even attendance figures were offered to support this claim. We can argue about statistics all day long, but I still proclaim that local weekly short-track racing is the backbone of the sport.
When it dies, racing is in real peril.
I understand that what hat follows can just seem like the lonesome wail of the old guy. I beg to differ. I think today’s drivers have every bit the skills and ability of those who came before them. In fact, I believe a case can be made that in the open-wheel world the talent pool in the major traveling groups has never been deeper.
One can cry, moan and cast aspirations at “these damn kids” all you want, but those kids have often been racing for years. Some of the best from my early years never even stepped into a race car until they were 18 years old or older. Nothing beats seat time.
I’m not worried about the talent pool, what I’m worried about is grassroots racing in general.
There is a phenomenon known as winning the press conference. Major college basketball or football programs, hope to make a major splash with the announcement of a new coach. Dominating the headlines is cause for congratulations. One hopes it attracts the best athletes and major donors.
As a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs, I have laughed out loud at the outrage about the attention given to Travis Kelce’s girlfriend (Taylor Swift). At an estimated 123.7 million viewers, the 2024 Super Bowl was the most-watched television event of all time. That’s a win.
Which brings me back to racing.
Thus far, the World of Outlaws and High Limit Racing have absolutely won the press conference. The split, if you wish to characterize that way, has dominated every form of media that covers sprint car racing. Suddenly, Rico Abreu was like a top NFL quarterback entering free agency. This nearly crowded out the rest of the short-track, open-wheel racing world.
One can easily argue this is great for sprint car racing. This mini drama may ultimately elevate the profile of the sport. More money may pour in if people enjoy the product. It is even possible that sprint car racing can become nearly mainstream.
The first races of any season are highly anticipated. Maybe it is just me, but it appeared that the interest this year was at an all-time high. Rain thwarted the High Limit opener, but it seemed as if people just couldn’t wait to see what happened.
People cared enough to argue about the quality of music played during the event. We have dicey tweets, people with scorecards tabulating the performance of Outlaws vs. High Limit drivers and on and on. It all seemed like a tempest in a teapot to me, but in the end, fans were engaged.
My concern is very simple. This isn’t the only sprint car racing to be had.
Not only are there other traveling groups, but there are weekly sprint car tracks from coast to coast that present interesting and entertaining events. Are enough people going to attend these races to allow local tracks to survive? I understand this may seem a bit dramatic, but is it really?
I have listened to all the arguments, and for the record, I have been a part of quite a few streamed races over the past several seasons. One can talk about the good old days all you want but last night I sat in my home in Indiana and on one streaming platform I could watch USAC, High Limit and late models at New Smyrna Speedway. Unbelievable.
There is no question that these events can (a.) generate interest in racing and (b.) create interest in a particular race track. Ask those who worked at Indianapolis Raceway Park for a confirmation that ESPN’s “Thunder” broadcasts made this track a destination trip for many race fans.
Yet, more than one thing can be true. If one begins to believe that one product is vastly superior to another, interest in the so-called inferior product wanes. Look, I have heard all the rhetoric about the mistakes made by mom-and-pop race tracks. It is a very difficult business.
It is a lot harder business when there is a 40 percent chance of rain and someone can kick back in their recliner and follow the action at three different race tracks. Don’t let anyone kid you. That is an issue. It is far less of an issue for the major players.
If you want to see David Gravel, Brad Sweet, Justin Grant or Brady Bacon in person, there is still a compelling reason to get in your car. Those drivers don’t come around every day. Does that extend to the track champion at your favorite track? I’m not sure.
I love to go to live sporting events. It is how I spend much of my time and money. However, my late father would argue it was almost always better to sit in the comfort of your home and watch a broadcast with multiple television angles and instant replay.
There is one big difference here.
The NFL doesn’t really need people in the stands to survive, but County Line Speedway does. I think local racing is unique and fun, and I certainly hope that sentiment is shared by enough people.