Dirt From The Stands by Greg Cybulski

Time For Change

Well race fans, I was not aware that sitting at home and listening to the Knoxville Nationals on Hoseheads Radio was more important than supporting a sanctioning body's point race. 

I was, however, proven wrong when poor scheduling and lack of communications contributed to an embarrassing total of 9 Sprint Cars pitted at Estevan Motor Speedway on Saturday, August 9th.  Of these 9 teams, two were locally-based and one team came from Alberta.  According to my math, that means that 6 regular teams from the Grand Forks, North Dakota region made a commitment to travel from I-29 to southeast Saskatchewan to race  First, let me say that each of the participating teams were sent a note of thanks for their commitment.  To the organization that is the Northern Outlaw Sprint Association, there is only one thing that can be said...

Estevan Motor Speedway is an ideal track for sprint car racing.   Estevan Motor Speedway wants sprint car racing.   After 5 years of hosting the Northern Outlaw Sprint Association, Estevan Motor Speedway deserves better than what they got. 

It is the feeling of this writer and many others that this group's policies must change to become more inclusive to enable more teams from out of the territory to support long distance tour dates.  Especially in times of economic struggles, additional cars are essential for a successful race event.  In this regard, the NOSA Sprint Tour has failed.  In this era, standardization of rules for a car class, such as the ASCS program for 360 sprints, has made it possible for teams to support different events without concern.  These teams know that they can unload their car and race no matter where they are.  Throwing additional money into a standard purse is not the only answer to greater car counts, policy reform towards inclusion is the greater answer.  It is my sincere hope that there will be a commitment to improve the quality of the open wheel experience in Estevan and other facilities which require a long tow and to provide the best possible show for the race fans of those regions.

In 2004, I penned a little article for Bernie Hill's Rollcage Dirt Track Racing Magazine entitled "Time For Change" in which I echoed the same sentiments as today.  The article was a comparative of NOSA and the Northern Latemodel Racing Association.  I wrote of the NLRA's success as a touring group because of their ability to gain additional regional teams for their tour dates, whereas, I suggested that perhaps NOSA should "tour" as a 360 group in order to have additional Wissota teams participate in their race dates. 

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of sprint car teams in our region are 360's.  Grand Forks, North Dakota is an island for weekly 410 sprint car racing, surrounded by a sea of 360 sprint cars.  There is a universal truth that states, "pride will come before the fall".  It makes one wonder how great the pride of 410 sprint car racing will be for NOSA at River Cities Speedway while the island is slowly sinking into the sea.

Until next time...

Take care and good racing,
Greg Cybulski

Prairie Dirt (2005)
http://ca.geocities.com/prairiedirt/home.html