Caraway Speedway 4/6/2013

SpeedPagan

SpeedPagan

The iRacing Guru
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Their names aren't Earnhardt, Johnson or Busch. However, every Saturday night they still do battle in arenas all across this country. They work on their own cars all week long for a chance to capture the checker flag. They may not have multi-million dollars sponsor deals, a large enough garage to have a dedicated engine shop, and if you saw them in Wal-Mart, they'd look and act just like you. However, they are athletes who partake in the same sport as the big drivers do, and they're just as passionate about it. I'm talking about local track racing!

Tonight I went to Caraway Speedway to watch the Hornets, U-CARS, Legends, Late Model Stock, Limited Late Model, Whelen Modified Lite, and Mini-Stock. All I can say is that I had a blast! Caraway Speedway is a half mile track with 13 degrees turn and 9 degrees straight, all of this translate into some exciting races.

The races I found most exciting were the hornets, Mini-Stocks and U-CARS. There were some intense pack racing as well as a few drivers spinning another one out to gain a position during the race. No one got into a physical altercation as a result but I can tell where the feuds are at.

The only race I thought was a let down was the Modified-Lite, which was a let down because there were only three cars and only two of them were actually racing one another. By the end of that race, the third place guy was seven seconds behind the leader.

Late Model races were okay, but I think they have too much HP for such a small track.

However, the $10 admission was totally worth it. The races were exciting and I had a great time. However, the track is obviously showing it's age. It was paved in 1972...and it shows. However that's part of it's charm. The U-CAR, Hornets and Mini-Stocks almost make me want to try my hand at racing, but I suck out loud with a stick shift. :XXROFL:

Here's a photo album of pictures I took tonight. Will I be going back? Hel yea, I may go on 4/20 when the Whelen Southern Modified Tour comes to the track. I'm going to see if I can't get Burt Myers autograph.

http://imgur.com/a/NYkjV
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
If I had gone to a racetrack and they only had six cars for their main event, I would've gone elsewhere.
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*Shrugs* I don't think the Mini-stock was the main event, I think that was just the last class to run for the night. It's certainly no Bowman Gray Stadium or Concord Speedway, but I had a good time for $10.

Speaking of Concord Speedway, anyone know what happened to their 1/2 mile events? They're only running on 1/4 mile on both nights now.
 
SpeedPagan said:
*Shrugs* I don't think the Mini-stock was the main event, I think that was just the last class to run for the night. It's certainly no Bowman Gray Stadium or Concord Speedway, but I had a good time for $10.

Speaking of Concord Speedway, anyone know what happened to their 1/2 mile events? They're only running on 1/4 mile on both nights now.
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Late Models were... glad Robert Tyler won though. Would like to see Ryan Wilson win one soon.
 
I've always thought the best racing for the $$$ , are the local race tracks. Looking forward to BG getting started next month.
 
dirtguru said:
I've always thought the best racing for the $$$ , are the local race tracks. Looking forward to BG getting started next month.
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I'll be honest, I don't get the fascination with Bowman Gray. It's a 1/4 mile flat track which means there's not that much chance of a driver gaining position. Basically if you qualify in 3rd, unless someone wrecks or two drivers get into some hard racing action, you're most likely going to finish third.

The local tracks that have the best racing are the ones that have banks in them or more than one groove.
 
SpeedPagan said:
I'll be honest, I don't get the fascination with Bowman Gray. It's a 1/4 mile flat track which means there's not that much chance of a driver gaining position. Basically if you qualify in 3rd, unless someone wrecks or two drivers get into some hard racing action, you're most likely going to finish third.
The local tracks that have the best racing are the ones that have banks in them or more than one groove.
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I watched a series on TV about Bowman Gray. Miserable little race track IMO. Old football stadium paved running track? Guess they pay well. Watched a similar race this year Daytona speed week. too small for open wheel also, the
Arca race was the best, if you are going to be running into each other, you need the wheels closed up or you are going to be watching cautions instead of racing.
 
We have a small 1/4 mile dirt track here that Emmit Hann owns. Same guy that does the Chili Bowl. The organization is as big a show as the race. As soon as the last car is off the track, here comes the next heat, boom. He has a fleet of four wheelers in the infield, you wreck and can't keep going, boom you are in the infield, stalls are pushed off immediately. If you are not ready to go and lined up at the gate when it is time to go, you are done. Lots of racing in a short time.
 
StandOnIt said:
I watched a series on TV about Bowman Gray. Miserable little race track IMO. Old football stadium paved running track? Guess they pay well. Watched a similar race this year Daytona speed week. too small for open wheel also, the
Arca race was the best, if you are going to be running into each other, you need the wheels closed up or you are going to be watching cautions instead of racing.
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The series you watched at Daytona this year was actually the NASCAR K&N Pro series (they run the same kind of cars as ARCA, the old cup cars). I agree that was the best race at the Daytona short track. The K&N Series actually also races at Bowman Gray. This will be their 3rd year going there. I went to their inaugural race at Bowman Gray, definitely better racing than the modifieds there too IMO. However, Its really not the best track for them. Although the stands were very full. Great crowd the the K&N Series at Bowman gray. Impressive facility for such a little short track.
 
It's amazing how many people talked about how awful the LMSC and Modified races were at Daytona and many of the same people fill up the grandstands every week at Bowman Gray, Kingsport and Hickory to watch the exact same product.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
It's amazing how many people talked about how awful the LMSC and Modified races were at Daytona and many of the same people fill up the grandstands every week at Bowman Gray, Kingsport and Hickory to watch the exact same product.
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I really enjoyed the K&N race at Daytona, but yeah, the Late model and modified races were garbage
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
It's amazing how many people talked about how awful the LMSC and Modified races were at Daytona and many of the same people fill up the grandstands every week at Bowman Gray, Kingsport and Hickory to watch the exact same product.
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The Daytona race, Bowman Gray and the season finale at Charlotte are probably the worst race on the Whelen Southern Modified schedule. Mainly because of the 1/4 mile no bank. If you want a good race period, you're going to need at least 1/2 mile and banking.
 
toledo47 said:
I really enjoyed the K&N race at Daytona, but yeah, the Late models and modifieds were ****
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And all the Late Model races that put on the type of show you enjoy usually have one thing in common - empty grandstands. There's a reason Bowman Gray sells out every week.
 
SpeedPagan said:
The Daytona race, Bowman Gray and the season finale at Charlotte are probably the worst race on the Whelen Southern Modified schedule. Mainly because of the 1/4 mile no bank. If you want a good race period, you're going to need at least 1/2 mile and banking.
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If you like medium or high banked short tracks, go to Southern National. The modifieds probably put on a good show there because of it's banking but the Late Model races are, well, snoozy.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
It's amazing how many people talked about how awful the LMSC and Modified races were at Daytona and many of the same people fill up the grandstands every week at Bowman Gray, Kingsport and Hickory to watch the exact same product.
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toledo47 said:
The series you watched at Daytona this year was actually the NASCAR K&N Pro series (they run the same kind of cars as ARCA, the old cup cars). I agree that was the best race at the Daytona short track. The K&N Series actually also races at Bowman Gray. This will be their 3rd year going there. I went to their inaugural race at Bowman Gray, definitely better racing than the modifieds there too IMO. However, Its really not the best track for them. Although the stands were very full. Great crowd the the K&N Series at Bowman gray. Impressive facility for such a little short track.
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I had a brilliant idea(least I thought so) for Daytona next year. Run the K&N's, run Legends, and those 4 banger sedans, they call them mini stocks around here. The mini stocks put on a good race on dirt around here, plenty of action
 
StandOnIt said:
I had a brilliant idea(least I thought so) for Daytona next year. Run the K&N's, run Legends, and those 4 banger sedans, they call them mini stocks around here. The mini stocks put on a good race on dirt around here, plenty of action
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Yeah lets run a bunch of support divisions that aren't even NASCAR sanctioned and send a big giant middle finger to the Late Model and Modified drivers......... not happening.

The Battle at the Beach will be back next year, they will run the Late Models next year, at Daytona, on the backstretch course, and it will be on FOX Sports 1. Deal with it.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Yeah lets run a bunch of support divisions that aren't even NASCAR sanctioned and send a big giant middle finger to the Late Model and Modified drivers......... not happening.

The Battle at the Beach will be back next year, they will run the Late Models next year, at Daytona, on the backstretch course, and it will be on FOX Sports 1. Deal with it.
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It was an opinion, no need to go drooling over to the troll bucket. BTW read this, it might help ya..but I doubt it.

On January, 22nd, 2010, it was announced that US Legend Cars International would host a Million Dollar purse race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, on July 15–17, 2010. 301 Legends Cars were on hand for the Inaugural "Legends Million" event. The event was televised live on Speed Channel with Daniel Hemeric of Kannapolis, NC, taking home the top prize of $250,000.
The event was hosted again at Charlotte Motor Speedway under the name of The Legends Big Money 100 on August 1–2, 2011. The winner was Kyle Plott of Marietta, Georgia. He held off NASCAR driver David Ragan, a past Legends and Bandolero champion, to win the 100 lap race.
The 3rd annual Big Money 100 was once again hosted at Charlotte Motor Speedway on July 4 weekend of 2012. Tyler Green won the 100 lap feature.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Yeah lets run a bunch of support divisions that aren't even NASCAR sanctioned and send a big giant middle finger to the Late Model and Modified drivers......... not happening.

The Battle at the Beach will be back next year, they will run the Late Models next year, at Daytona, on the backstretch course, and it will be on FOX Sports 1. Deal with it.
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For me the ideal thing would be move the K&N Race back to Irwindale, keep the heat races for K&N, extend the main race. Cut the Modifieds, cut the late models... I've seen a lot of paved late model races running before stuff like ARCA, K&N, Canadian Tire and Hooters Procup. If its not a dirt late model, i'm not interested in late models. The races are either boring, nothing happens at all, or they run 90% of the laps under caution. Even stuff like the old ASA Late models, UARA, the races were just boring... Same with the NASCAR modified tour, All of those I went to except Daytona, were not wrecky, just nothing happened. No passing, boring. I've been to tons of ARCA, K&N, Canadian Tire races. I can only remember a few boring races. Those guys always put on a GREAT show.
 
I'm with ya Toledo the K&N were the show stoppers at Daytona, they ran pretty clean until right at the last they started having cautions. the other two they couldn't seem to run more than five laps without getting tangled up. The legend cars run the same way world wide. Close to a cup car, about all you can adjust is caster and camber, spring rates air pressure and gear ratio
 
StandOnIt said:
I'm with ya Toledo the K&N were the show stoppers at Daytona, they ran pretty clean until right at the last they started having cautions. the other two they couldn't seem to run more than five laps without getting tangled up
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It was exactly the same when they ran this event at Irwindale (the Battle at the Beach is the equivalent of the old Toyota Allstar Showdown). They didn't run the modifieds out west, but the late model races were just terrible wreckfests everytime. I went the last 2 years of that event, during the late model races 90% of the time i was just sitting there watching caution laps, bored, waiting for the real show to start (the K&N Race).
 
SpeedPagan said:
I'll be honest, I don't get the fascination with Bowman Gray. It's a 1/4 mile flat track which means there's not that much chance of a driver gaining position. Basically if you qualify in 3rd, unless someone wrecks or two drivers get into some hard racing action, you're most likely going to finish third.

The local tracks that have the best racing are the ones that have banks in them or more than one groove.
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I do admit that it's not the best racing I have seen, I think you'll find that at the local dirt tracks. It does have alot of history.But BG has alot of centimental value since it is where I attend my 1st race and my wife and I went on our 1st date there. I also like to take my grandchildren there instead of the dirt tracks, because I don't think it good for them to eat alot of dust.
 
dirtguru said:
I do admit that it's not the best racing I have seen, I think you'll find that at the local dirt tracks. It does have alot of history.But BG has alot of centimental value since it is where I attend my 1st race and my wife and I went on our 1st date there. I also like to take my grandchildren there instead of the dirt tracks, because I don't think it good for them to eat alot of dust.
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Yeah I had that thought too, lot of you guys over there go for the tradition and the community. I saw that on the TV special, lots of family and friend there.
 
toledo47 said:
For me the ideal thing would be move the K&N Race back to Irwindale, keep the heat races for K&N, extend the main race. Cut the Modifieds, cut the late models... I've seen a lot of paved late model races running before stuff like ARCA, K&N, Canadian Tire and Hooters Procup. If its not a dirt late model, i'm not interested in late models. The races are either boring, nothing happens at all, or they run 90% of the laps under caution. Even stuff like the old ASA Late models, UARA, the races were just boring... Same with the NASCAR modified tour, All of those I went to except Daytona, were not wrecky, just nothing happened. No passing, boring. I've been to tons of ARCA, K&N, Canadian Tire races. I can only remember a few boring races. Those guys always put on a GREAT show.
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Obviously, I disagree with you. You're a K&N Series fanatic and that's fine but the K&N tour get enough exposure. It's nice for the Late Model guys to get exposure every once in a while even if you don't like the races :rolleyes:

Also, there's plenty of dirt late model racing televised on NBC Sports Channel so you and the four people who watch NBCSN can turn it on.
 
I don't think you have learned the difference with disagreeing with somebody and insulting them.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Obviously, I disagree with you. You're a K&N Series fanatic and that's fine but the K&N tour get enough exposure. It's nice for the Late Model guys to get exposure every once in a while even if you don't like the races :rolleyes:

Also, there's plenty of dirt late model racing televised on NBC Sports Channel so you and the four people who watch NBCSN can turn it on.
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I don't think K&N does get much exposure, most people I know that are into racing knows about ARCA but has never heard of K&N, other than the race at Daytona i dont think anyone knows about or watches their tape delayed TV. I havent kept up, i think it was on like Thursday afternoons on Speed. Who watches Speed during the week? Doesnt seem like great exposure. I'd be a little more supportive of late model races if the races werent always crap when I go. The K&N races are always great, and its usually only $15-20 dollars to get into their events. Best bargain in motorsports IMO.

About NBC Sports,
I don't have time to watch TV very often, the only races i've watched on that channel was 2 F1 races this year and the Indycar race in Florida this year. Didn't watch a single thing on that station last year, had no time. Had no idea they even showed late model races on that channel. I don't really care if they show the dirt LM races on tv or not. Its good for the series if they do, but i dont watch it. I just go to World of Outlaws and LucasOil late model races when I have a chance.
 
toledo47 said:
I don't think K&N does get much exposure, most people I know that are into racing knows about ARCA but has never heard of K&N, other than the race at Daytona i dont think anyone knows about or watches their tape delayed TV. I havent kept up, i think it was on like Thursday afternoons on Speed. Who watches Speed during the week? Doesnt seem like great exposure. I'd be a little more supportive of late model races if the races werent always crap when I go. The K&N races are always great, and its usually only $15-20 dollars to get into their events. Best bargain in motorsports IMO.

About NBC Sports,
I don't have time to watch TV very often, the only races i've watched on that channel was 2 F1 races this year and the Indycar race in Florida this year. Didn't watch a single thing on that station last year, had no time. Had no idea they even showed late model races on that channel. I don't really care if they show the dirt LM races on tv or not. Its good for the series if they do, but i dont watch it. I just go to World of Outlaws and LucasOil late model races when I have a chance.
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Every K&N race is televised live or on delay on SPEED Channel - a deal that was extended with the FOX Sports 1 merger. That's more exposure than just about every other short track racing series gets.

And LMSC "crap" depends where you go and who's racing. Got to know where to go. For starters, any time Philip Morris and Lee Pulliam are on the same track, you're gonna get a race worth double the price of admission.

Just about any race at Hickory is gonna be worth going to. Same with Kingsport unless one of the guys out there (I won't name names) leaves his head at home and decides to crash everyone. Ace Speedway also puts on a good show. Then there are tracks like Caraway and Southern National that are suited more for modifieds and super late models.
 
StandOnIt said:
Yeah I had that thought too, lot of you guys over there go for the tradition and the community. I saw that on the TV special, lots of family and friend there.
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I don't see any insults in here. I think it's great any minor league race, dirt or asphalt, gets televised. Television coverage is sparse for anything outside of the top NASCAR ranks and growing even more sparse by the year. If they move the "Battle at the Beach" exhibition to Irwindale and only run K&N (which wouldn't get televised anyways), it completely diminishes the sole purpose of the deal.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Every K&N race is televised live or on delay on SPEED Channel - a deal that was extended with the FOX Sports 1 merger. That's more exposure than just about every other short track racing series gets.

And LMSC "crap" depends where you go and who's racing. Got to know where to go. For starters, any time Philip Morris and Lee Pulliam are on the same track, you're gonna get a race worth double the price of admission.

Just about any race at Hickory is gonna be worth going to. Same with Kingsport unless one of the guys out there (I won't name names) leaves his head at home and decides to crash everyone. Ace Speedway also puts on a good show. Then there are tracks like Caraway and Southern National that are suited more for modifieds and super late models.
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Their races are on TV with tape delayed coverage on a week day, but does anyone actually realize they are on? Hardcore fans like yourself may know about it, but does the average guy that watches live races on ESPN and Fox have any clue? They dont promote their broadcasts at all. With as good of races as they put on I think there would be more people interested in the series if they actually watch the races.

I've been to late model races at Motor Mile, Greenville, Salem, Thunderhill(Texas), Riverside(Nova Scotia), Barrie(Ontario), All-American Speedway(California), Irwindale, Daytona Short track, probably forgetting a few tracks... They were all either just completely boring and uneventful with no passing, or just complete wreckfests.
 
toledo47 said:
Their races are on TV with tape delayed coverage on a week day, but does anyone actually realize they are on? Hardcore fans like yourself may know about it, but does the average guy that watches live races on ESPN and Fox have any clue? They dont promote their broadcasts at all. With as good of races as they put on I think there would be more people interested in the series if they actually watch the races.

I've been to late model races at Motor Mile, Greenville, Salem, Thunderhill(Texas), Riverside(Nova Scotia), Barrie(Ontario), All-American Speedway(California), Irwindale, Daytona Short track, probably forgetting a few tracks... They were all either just completely boring and uneventful with no passing, or just complete wreckfests.
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Go to Hickory, Langley, South Boston or Kingsport. Those are the good races.

toledo47 said:
They always had live coverage of the race at Irwindale in the past.
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Doesn't mean they would in the future. Not sure if you noticed but SPEED Channel is going to be off the air in a few months and half of their motorsports telecasts have either been cut or exiled over to NBC Sports Network. The Battle at the Beach is locked in on the FOX Sports 1 deal, as is the current 10 race ARCA on FOX package, the Richmond Showdown, the current K&N package and the current NASCAR Modified Tour package. So, it would be stupid for NASCAR to cut the Battle at the Beach because people who don't live in the primary markets that enjoy LMSC racing anyways don't like it.
 
I just like every type of racing. Sometimes you see good races, sometimes you see bad ones. I've been to dirt SLM races that were horrible bores before.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Go to Hickory, Langley, South Boston or Kingsport. Those are the good races.



Doesn't mean they would in the future. Not sure if you noticed but SPEED Channel is going to be off the air in a few months and half of their motorsports telecasts have either been cut or exiled over to NBC Sports Network. The Battle at the Beach is locked in on the FOX Sports 1 deal, as is the current 10 race ARCA on FOX package, the Richmond Showdown, the current K&N package and the current NASCAR Modified Tour package. So, it would be stupid for NASCAR to cut the Battle at the Beach because people who don't live in the primary markets that enjoy LMSC racing anyways don't like it.
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I've heard good things about Motor Miles LM races, they even had some names that are pretty big now when I was there, I think Ryan Truex was there, and somebody else, cant recall the name, were both racing when I went there. The races were boring though. I went to South Boston twice, when they ran K&N and the Modified tour on the same day. Maybe the LM races there are better, those were the most boring of the K&N races i've been to. Pretty much uneventful, they couldn't pass. Same with the modifieds. All 4 races. I figured there is never any passing at that track. Went to Langley, great K&N race, didn't see a late model race. Have not been to the other tracks.

Heard about the Fox sports/Speed deal, have not bothered reading up on it too much because I don't have time to watch the channel anymore. The k&n events at Daytona and Irwindale both had the same problem. The support classes had crap races.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
I just like every type of racing. Sometimes you see good races, sometimes you see bad ones. I've been to dirt SLM races that were horrible bores before.
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Have you been to World of Outlaws or Lucas Oil dirt late model races or just some local stuff?
 
toledo47 said:
I've heard good things about Motor Miles LM races, they even had some names that are pretty big now when I was there, I think Ryan Truex was there, and somebody else, cant recall the name, were both racing when I went there. The races were boring though. I went to South Boston twice, when they ran K&N and the Modified tour on the same day. Maybe the LM races there are better, those were the most boring of the K&N races i've been to. Pretty much uneventful, they couldn't pass. Same with the modifieds. All 4 races. I figured there is never any passing at that track. Went to Langley, great K&N race, didn't see a late model race. Have not been to the other tracks.

Heard about the Fox sports/Speed deal, have not bothered reading up on it too much because I don't have time to watch the channel anymore. The k&n events at Daytona and Irwindale both had the same problem. The support classes had crap races.
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Yeah, I've never heard anything positive about Motor Mile other than they get great car counts. That's the Texas Motor Speedway of short track racing. South Boston is either a really great race or a horrible bore. I've been to some great races there but I've also been to races that made me want to throw random stuff out on the track so it would bring out a caution. The only tracks I've been to that I'm honestly in no hurry to return to are Caraway and Southern National. Caraway would be much better if they got more cars - or at least more competitive cars there but it's hard for them to go up against Hickory, South Boston and the Dirty Dozen. Southern National, I wouldn't mind it if the track was an hour away but the fact that it's four and a half hours away - if I'm gonna drive that far to go to a race, I want to see a good race not follow the leader BS.

I've never seen a bad race at Langley Speedway. I think the 2009 USAR Pro Cup race there was the best asphalt oval race I've ever seen, finish was straight up remarkable. Hickory seems to be getting the best car counts and putting on the best show each week. Kingsport is called the Concrete Jungle for a reason.

UARA I have to cover those races but, from my personal taste, watching a bunch of cookie cutter 14 year old kids all with the same cookie cutter ambitions and the same cookie cutter story doesn't excite me. Part of the appeal with the local short tracks is that you have your young kids there with dreams of NASCAR, guys who do it for fun and just don't give a **** and all sorts of different backgrounds and stuff. Every time I interview those UARA kids- I could write the same exact article about every single one of them just about and just change up the names and a few quotes.

Pro Cup is on life support - they should just pull the plug now. ARCA doesn't have enough of a East Coast presence anymore. Around here, it's all K&N, PASS South, NASCAR Late Models and UARA.

toledo47 said:
Have you been to World of Outlaws or Lucas Oil dirt late model races or just some local stuff?
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Went to a 100 lap WoO race at VMS a few years back and, all things considered, it wasn't a great race. After about six laps, the field was strung out.
 
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