Another busy night setting up photo orders, sending out some emails and checking the racing boards.
The weather appears like it could capture some of the racing headlines again this coming weekend. I know it's early but the National Weather Service shows 80% tonight, 60% Tuesday, 30% Wednesday, 70% Wednesday night, 70% thursday, 60% Thursday night, thunderstorms likely on Friday (no % given yet), with a chance of storms each day through Monday. This is shaping up to be a very, very wet week. I'm thinking the grounds could be too wet at all the area tracks this Friday. Saturday programs are probably going to depend on some sunshine to dry things out and the tracks won't take much more rain. I hope this forecast changes but we're stuck in a stationary frontal system with the jet stream parked over us and that's never a good thing.
On account of the weather I've only got 8 nights of racing in so far this year. Two of those were indoor Midget races so there have only been six nights of outdoor racing. I don't go to many weekday shows if I've got to work the next day. I'm doing accounting work rating grain shipments and it's kind of a brain bender searching through those grain tariffs. I don't care to do that on a minimum of sleep. There was a time 20 years ago I'd have enough energy to go to a race, not get home until 2am and get up for work after only a couple hours sleep. Not anymore, at 56 (almost 57) I need a good night's sleep to make my 5:15am wakeup call. The vacation roster is top heavy with seniority and I have to save some vacation for the family so I restrict most of my racing to Friday and Saturdays. Actually, I mostly like to go on Saturday nights because then I don't have to get off work early.
There are three tracks where I can work eight hours and still make it before the races start. Kopellah and Princeton are the easiest because I can ride my vanpool to work, get dropped off at the Park & Ride at 5pm. Stop home and pickup the camera and make it to the track. Red Cedar is possible from downtown St. Paul if I drive to work and leave from the office at 3:30 but I only do that for specials.
Some fans on the message board are complaining about the Masters payoff and saying they might go elsewhere. The funny thing about it is that they're saying they'd rather go to a wissota Late Model race than an open motor show. The wissota drivers are good, no denying that, but go to a limited show instead of the Masters? To top it off you've got the IRA Sprints making it the two best regional series in the Midwest, WDRL and IRA. Someone mentioned that it's not worth the ticket price to go to $5,000 to win races. Let's analyze this. First of all $5,000 I believe is the standard WDRL purse. I think back when the Master started they wanted to make it a big event like the USA Nationals. Apparently at some point it became clear that this race wouldn't attain the status of the Nats and they had to make some changes from a business standpoint. Now the WDRL and IRA seem to be turning into a popular combined event that is building a bigger following each season. Both of these series commands a $20 ticket by themselves so I think it's still a good deal with the combined entertainment value of both. But hard core Late Model or Sprint fans would probably never agree with me on this and want their favorite only. On the other hand there's obviously a majority of the not so hard core that are enjoying the Masters just the way it is.
Speaking of the Masters I'm trying to find out what Brooke Tatnell's schedule is going to be the week of the Masters. After I sent them an email I saw where someone posted that the WoO is going to be at Husets that Friday. Man, that's a tough call when you're running your own deal. On the one hand I can understand where they'd want to run with the Outlaws but there's something to be said about racing two nights within 40 minutes of home. Sleep in your own bed, work in your own shop and 120 miles of travel compared to over 600 miles. But if there's an Outlaw race that's probably where they'll be.
That's going to do it for tonight. Later.
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