There was plenty of good racing this past weekend in central Indiana, but the question that begs answering is, ‘Where are the fans?’
Winchester Speedway played host to the Champion Racing Association Super Series late models last Saturday and the ARCA stock cars the following Sunday.
From reports at the track, only about 500 people attended the Saturday night show for the super late models and the grandstand on Sunday was about half full.
The fact that more fans didn’t attend the ARCA event came as a surprise, since sponsor Menard’s was offering a discount ticket. Charlie Shaw, owner of Winchester Speedway, and ARCA officials are hoping to make the Randolph County stop a regular feature of the schedule.
Winchester Speedway draws excellent crowds for Labor Day weekend and the Winchester 400, but fans are missing out on an opportunity to see the young talent competing with ARCA.
Young guns Brennan Poole, Erik Jones, Alex Bowman, Chris Buescher, Matt Lofton, Mason Mingus, and Chad Hackenbracht put on a good show at Winchester Speedway.
Some of these young drivers could eventually find their way to rides with NASCAR in the future.
“We didn’t expect to hit a home run,” an ARCA official said of Sunday’s event. “We’re trying to build for the future.”
If fans won’t support racing at tracks like Winchester, Anderson, and Lucas Oil Raceway, it makes it hard for promoters to bring quality racing to the area.
The McGunegill Engine Performance late models staged probably its best race of the season last Saturday at Anderson Speedway before what can be described as a good crowd.
Six drivers battled for the top spot which produced plenty of side by side action throughout the 35-lap feature.
Today, Anderson Speedway hosts the Ivy Tech Community College 200 for the Champion Racing Association EDCO Welding Street Stocks.
There’s normally an excellent field of cars in the event with plenty of racing action for the 200-laps.
In other racing news:
n With the decision made by the IZOD IndyCar Series officials not to travel to China for a street course race on Aug. 19, I was disappointed that another location was not found to stage a race. With the loss of the China race, a questionable venue at best, that leaves IndyCar with 15 events in 2012.
I would have liked to have seen another oval race added to the 2012 schedule, particularly in light of the great oval races staged at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Texas and Iowa speedways, and the Milwaukee Mile.
Series officials have to start work now on securing a 16th race in 2013, hopefully on an oval.
n The three NASCAR touring series — the Camping World Truck Series, Nationwide, and Sprint Cup — will all be in action starting Thursday at Kentucky Speedway. Track and state officials have gone the extra mile to make sure the traffic and parking problems of a year ago have been resolved.
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