Madison still a shi.... hole!

[nitrosaint]

they say that they spent some money in Madison to get that track back on par to host events exp in the countdown. So can anyone tell me since i could'nt make it this weekend is it still the same Shi...Hole coming from a spectators view. Ya Ya the pits are amazing the track make be good but im sick of getting splinters in my butt from the granstands and walking miles n miles from where I park to the grandstands? Just asking?

 

[StockersRock]

So, judging by your thread title, you're saying that Madison is a sh#t hole. I open the thread to read why it is, and you are asking if it is, implying that you didn't even go. Between this and the Hagan dive thread, you're on a real roll. Get a decent seat cushion for the bleachers and good pair of shoes, or don't, since you don't even go there.

 

[Doolie]

I don't care about St Louis, I have never been and likely will never go.
Bring a seat cushion is fine for the high school football game.
With the NHRA admission prices it is time for comfortable seats, decent rest rooms and good food service. Putting up with lousy conditions should have ended with cheap seats.

 

[FC138fan]

I wasn't there, but my first impression when seeing it on the TV show was what a unique track. To me anyway it looked like the stands were a bit closer to the track them the newer ones, and the fact that the grandstands didn't extend into the heavens meant that if you were in the stands you were pretty close to the track.

It reminded me of the local track I grew up watching division 3 races at. I realize I am probably in the minority but just my point of view.

Kind of a throwback race track I thought. Wonder if there was that unique smell of baked creosote you get from treated wood under the hot sun that reminds me of summer too. The giant overshadowing stands in the shut down area was a bit unsightly though.

I guess I understand a bit now what the old timers feel when they say they'd sacrifice the quality of today's show with some of the nostalgia of the old days.

I also noticed the freeway in the background. I wonder how many drivers on that highway oblivious to the race were thinking "what the hell was that, an explosion?!!?" as a pair launched.

 

[clwill]

Putting up with lousy conditions should have ended with cheap seats.

Exactly. All the same thoughts could be said about FireBird, and the majority of Pacific Raceways. That was fine in the sixties and seventies when it was "WE'LL SELL YOU A $5 SEAT BUT YOU'LL ONLY NEED HALF OF IT!"

Today, when I can spend the same money at a ballpark for a cushioned seat with in seat service, monster scoreboards, dozens of video replay monitors (even while standing in line for concessions), plenty of clean rest rooms, and hundreds of interesting food choices, the NHRA fan deserves much better.

 

[rckymtn3]

any fan that has sat on old rickity wood bleachers knows you never move side-to-side, always front to back....plus, with those, the least of your worries should be splinters.

give me a baloney sandwich and 32 car fields any day instead of a strip mall serving white wine which happens to have a dragstrip in the middle

 

[clwill]

give me a baloney sandwich and 32 car fields any day instead of a strip mall serving white wine which happens to have a dragstrip in the middle

Fine, then don't charge me for one and give me the other.

 

[tb]

They look Aluminum to me

 

[Doolie]

The material the bleachers are made of is not the point. Friday i will go to Maple grove. The sight lines STINK. NY National Speedway built in 1966 had GREAT sight lines. It does not require rocket science. The tracks where you can't see the cars over the walls, what is that?
Creosote, trust me you would not want to be anywhere near creosote treated wood. It is not even legal anymore. I had years of handling such boards, nasty stuff.
We as spectators paying big money are ENTITLED to 21 century accommodations. I go to the big show about once every 5-6 years. I used to go twice each year every year. I would rather go to small events and dirt tracks.

 

[None]

Exactly. All the same thoughts could be said about FireBird, and the majority of Pacific Raceways. That was fine in the sixties and seventies when it was "WE'LL SELL YOU A $5 SEAT BUT YOU'LL ONLY NEED HALF OF IT!"

Today, when I can spend the same money at a ballpark for a cushioned seat with in seat service, monster scoreboards, dozens of video replay monitors (even while standing in line for concessions), plenty of clean rest rooms, and hundreds of interesting food choices, the NHRA fan deserves much better.

You knock the West. I will take anything in the West over all the Garbage tracks NHRA owns, Clermont, Gainsville, or Commerce.

 

[Pete]

The material the bleachers are made of is not the point. Friday i will go to Maple grove. The sight lines STINK. NY National Speedway built in 1966 had GREAT sight lines. It does not require rocket science. The tracks where you can't see the cars over the walls, what is that?
Creosote, trust me you would not want to be anywhere near creosote treated wood. It is not even legal anymore. I had years of handling such boards, nasty stuff.
We as spectators paying big money are ENTITLED to 21 century accommodations. I go to the big show about once every 5-6 years. I used to go twice each year every year. I would rather go to small events and dirt tracks.

The Grove has horrible sight lines? From which vantage point? I have gone for the past 20 years and sat all over the place....I never found a spot I couldn't see the whole track.

 

[Paul]

The Grove has horrible sight lines? From which vantage point? I have gone for the past 20 years and sat all over the place....I never found a spot I couldn't see the whole track.

That's exactly what I was thinking. In fact, Maple Grove is one of the few tracks where I don't mind standing along the fence as you can easily see down the track with the inclined banking of the ground as you go up higher towards the stands.

 

[Crew Chief Pro]

It is one of the nicest tracks in the country. I know, I have been to all of the national events in the last 2 years.

Pits are fine, if you don't like walking then get a golf cart. Seats are aluminum and perfect as a seat can get. No bad places to watch either.

Shutdown is very very long. We sportsman get to go under the roundy round track to our pits. We don't have to pit in the dirt.

Place was packed, especially on Sunday. Lots of first timers. Put about 10 kids in my dragster so their parents could take pictures. That rarely happens.

 

[scsp390]

I was in St. Louis 2 yrs. ago. With the year off the track has made some MAJOR inprovements. But- it still has some needs for IMPROVEMENT!!! Regardless of how anyone feels this track has signed a 20 yr. deal with the NHRA. It's NOT going anywhere!!! I find it very easy to get around it's one of the smaller facilities on the NHRA Tour. People are very friendly in the Mid-West. Located literally right of I70. Very EASY to get too...

 

[Speed1288]

give me a baloney sandwich and 32 car fields any day instead of a strip mall serving white wine which happens to have a dragstrip in the middle

Fine, then don't charge me for one and give me the other.

or expect to grow the sport

 

[Nick Name]

You knock the West. I will take anything in the West over all the Garbage tracks NHRA owns, Clermont, Gainsville, or Commerce.

You would take Famoso over Gainsville? Have you ever been to either one?

 

[Reese]

It is one of the nicest tracks in the country. I know, I have been to all of the national events in the last 2 years.

Pits are fine, if you don't like walking then get a golf cart. Seats are aluminum and perfect as a seat can get. No bad places to watch either.

Shutdown is very very long. We sportsman get to go under the roundy round track to our pits. We don't have to pit in the dirt.

Place was packed, especially on Sunday. Lots of first timers. Put about 10 kids in my dragster so their parents could take pictures. That rarely happens.

You had a good string of runs going Don.

 

[None]

You would take Famoso over Gainsville? Have you ever been to either one?

I thought we were talking about National Event tracks. Yes I have been to both. If NHRA owns it, it is a dump.

 

[Dave]

I don't think that IRP (Lucas Oil Raceway) is a dump.

 

[Jeff]

So you think the NHRA is really in the market to own tracks? I really bet they got stuck with the tracks more than anything ... otherwise Bruton would have been the one that owned em (obviously an extreme scenario).

More butts in seats is the answer (bigger purses, better facilities, more, better, etc.). Once we get past the current economy (hopefully that will happen), maybe we'll see a spurt of growth in the right direction.