Those trying to make heads or tails of what will become of the 2013 weekly racing schedule at Thompson International Speedway were handed another possible clue on Thursday.
Thompson Speedway
Officials from the Valenti Modified Racing Series posted on their Facebook page that the Sunday July 28 event they announced last week would take place has now been moved to Thursday July 25.
It means at least two known Thursday night events now scheduled at Thompson Speedway for the 2013 season.
Thompson Speedway management has been quiet about possible major changes to weekly racing at the track in 2013. In October track owner Don Hoenig said he wasn’t sure what the weekly racing schedule at the track could look like. Since then a schedule at the track for 2013 has been a mystery along with what the future holds for the possibility of the creation of a road course at the facility.
Hoenig also indicated in October that the track may look to change weekly racing from Thursdays to Sundays.
At least three dates have been agreed upon for NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events to be held at Thompson International Speedway in 2013 according to sources close to the track and NASCAR.
One of those dates is Thursday Aug. 15. The track will also host the Whelen Modified Tour as part of its season opening Icebreaker weekend and its season ending World Series weekend.
The Valenti Modified Racing Series had previously announced three events for 2013 at Thompson. They had also announced a Sunday May 19 event and a Saturday Oct. 19 event.
Thursday’s announcement of the change of the July Valenti Modified Racing Series event to a Thursday seems to indicate the track is leaning toward continuing Thursday weekly racing at the facility.
Thompson Speedway manangement has said a 2013 schedule should be finalized within the next two weeks.
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weekly series racing will continue to diminish on Thursdays. Lets make it fun and what most competitors want. No points, all cash, run what ya brung open/out law support races to compliment touring divisions on select Sunday shows. Now guys who run weekly around the region can bring a car from various tracks with out making huge non set up changes to their cars. Weight and safety rules only, and you buy tires from the track. Or something along those lines.
Unless there's more to it that I'm unaware of, running Sundays seems like the simplest and possibly the most effective move from here. They used to run Sundays in the past…hoping for the best.
sundays is easy, but then you compete against picnics, football, hot daytime temps, taxi racing on TV (that doesn't cost anything). Sure was a ghost town for the final sunday race in 2012. surprised all the "sunday" posters didn't come support it.
Sure running thursday nights makes the most sense! Not! Hell I will drive 2 hours to race with 3 cars – talk about an empty victory! Sounds like somebpdy needs a big eye opening!
I can argue for Thursdays and I can argue for Sundays… Sundays would be a great day for the racers… Especially ones from other tracks who want to come run Thompson once in a while, but the fear of destroying a car on Thursday when they have a race either Friday at Stafford or Saturday at the Speedbowl have kept those drivers away on Thursday Nights. With Thursday it's more of a "fan" friendly night and a bad night for the racers… The fans probably don't realize that we have to show up at the track at 2:30 or 3pm on a regular Thursday, (Earlier on a Tour or MRS night) in order to get un-loaded, and run practices before the heat races kick off at 6pm. It's easier for a fan to make plans for a Thursday night at 6pm or so when they get off of work. Unfortunately, with no car counts due to some racers not being able to take the Thursday off coupled with other "issues" that the track is currently working hard on resolving, the fans have not been showing up because honestly, who want's to see 4 cars on the track? That's not a race… Hindsight is always 20/20… There are arguments for both, pro's and con's of both… I sure as hell would not want to be in their shoes making decisions haha! Just my 2 cents…
I just hope they get it out soon as we are building cars now. I am glad they are running this year. Great track with a lot of memories.
Just a note, they used to run wednesday nights, and had full fields consisting of Prostocks, latemodels, strickly Stocks and mini stocks…Perhaps the night isnt as important as the divisions they offer….
If I was Don, I would bring back the 300 weekend as an open comp race, pay 25k to win – 1k to start. The modifieds need a true open race with no sanctioning bodies picking his pocket and see what happens.
They tried running sundays a few time last season and there was no noticeable difference in the stands or the car counts……most of the Thursday night competitors prefer Thursday so they can have Sunday as their "family day". Especially when there is racing elsewhere Wednesday, Friday and Saturday….Sunday is the only day to spend with family. I would like to see the weekly Thurday shows continue with about 4-6 Sunday Tour Type mod shows with maybe some fender cars added. The Tour Type shows were picking up steam and then they stopped them……not sure why they killed that.
Race on Friday nights. Only competing with Lee and most people don't have to work in the morning.
Stafford runs Friday, so thats a definite -no can do……
Stafford runs friday
Bad idea for everyone if they compete against another nascar track specially in same state!
Thursdays are just not doable anymore. sunday like it or not I think would work better We tried it a few years back with work it was just too hard on thursdays. Good luck on what ever they decide..have too keep that track.
Albert Einstein said the definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over again and expect a different result. Thursdays did not work, as they are considering scrapping the weekly racing program. It wasnt working because there was not enough cars to make a show worth the price they were charging. I don't see it improving on Thursdays nights without some changes.
I would try Sundays and see what happens. I think those Sunday shows late in the season were up against the NFL, and nothing beats football in America. Like other people posted, going to Sunday you might pick up some waterford and Stafford cars as their home track weekly efforts will already be concluded or rained out.
Thursdays worked fine for many years…had a ton of cars in all divisions….mostly the negative publicity chased cars away then officiating and then it just snowballed. I don't think it is the day…. either is ok with me, but I think most running weekly there would prefer Thursdays and most would welcome some
Sunday shows as well.
The best racing Thompson EVER had was on Wednesday nights and they didnt run modifieds. As soon as they started swapping events between running mods and prostocks, the counts went down, when they axed the prostocks for mods it went down more and finally while they run 5 divisions of mods and no heats for anyone they have NO cars…..The night of racing doesnt mean half as much as what they are racing…….Think about before you bitch about someone speaking up about your beloved modifieds. Ramming them down everyones throat hasnt doen Thompson any favors…..or racing in general.
"Insanity" would be changing race days with the same divisions. a plan would include a lot more than changing seats on the titanic.
Why not run the MRS as a weekly division not a car shortage there. or just run every other week for all the divisions lets face it times are tough.