Bloomington Speedway’s new owners are hoping fans will find this week’s sprint car feature race twice as nice.
That’s because they’ll be watching the longest race the venerable track has offered in maybe 50 years or more.
The clay oval’s new ownership group, Bloomington Speedway LLC, which took over this year, has been looking for ways to drum up more interest and provide something new for the regulars. One of those ideas is the introduction of the Legends 50 for the 401 non-wing sprint cars.
That’s right, a 50-lap feature, twice as long as the usual features that have become the norm over the past decades. The purse has also been upped to encourage more drivers to give it a try. The winner gets $3,000.
“Years ago, 50, 75, and even 100-lap feature events were not uncommon,” track official Andy Bradley said in a press release. “But it has been years since that has been tried.
“You have to do something different to keep the public interested. The battle for the entertainment dollar is fierce, and you can’t stand still.”
Cars now have smaller fuel tanks, making sure tires last, and making sure the track holds up are all features that put some risk into running such a long race.
“They used to be common on Sundays and in the daytime, it’s always more precarious,” said long-time Bloomington Speedway track announcer Patrick Sullivan. “It’s dustier, rubber gets all over, you can’t go very fast, there are more spins. So everything evolved into races of 25 or 30 laps.”
New owners, new ideas, new attitude
The 102-year-old Speedway has had some turnover in ownership and fortune since Mike and Judy Miles moved on. A few thought its days were over. The new group in charge thought otherwise.
They’re banking on its history but also looking to the future. Several improvements to the track include work on the catch fence, track surface, bathrooms, PA system, concession stand/press box, and the addition of a new flag pole. Several of those projects remain ongoing.
“When the new group took over, it was really important the community got involved,” Sullivan said. “That race track has such an incredible history. It’s iconic.”
That’s how the ‘Legends’ name came to be attached to the race. The track already has several races attached to local heroes, but there are just too many more, so this name embraces them all.
“And it was my idea to run 50 like we used to,” Sullivan said. “It’s a big experiment. We’re paying a little more, so it’s a bit of a risk. We laid it out there early and got some feedback. You’re dealing with people who grew up around the race track, so there’s nostalgia there.
“We raised the purse. There are thin margins there already, but there’s also the long view. We might lose some now, but if you want it to grow, you have to invest.”
The driver’s response? There was concern about tires and being harder on the equipment. But they also said it sounded like fun. Sullivan said they talked to a USAC official who said the car limits for fuel are 50 minutes or 120 laps, which would include pace laps and those under caution.
If, for some reason, they would exceed that, a red flag would halt the race and allow for refueling.
“It is going to require them to manage their tires,” Bradley said in the release. “And fuel consumption can be an issue. That is a part of the challenge.”
Ready for the green flag
The Speedway is hoping the novelty will draw fans and drivers alike, but they won’t know for sure about either until the gates open on race night.
One of the drivers expected to show is a local favorite in the 2024 track champion, Brayden Fox of Avon. His grandfather, Galen Fox, a Bloomington native, raced at the oval in the 1960s but was renowned as a mechanic, on dirt tracks and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway alike. Brayden’s father, Brad, was the 1997 track champion, and his uncle Steve is currently one of the top mechanics in the nation.
The rest of the evening will conclude with the usual slate for 305 winged sprint cars and super stocks, hoping all is done by the track’s curfew.
Tickets will remain $15 for general admission, with kids 12 and under free. Coolers are welcome, but no glass bottles. Gates open at 5 p.m., practice at 6, and racing at 7:30.
The Legends 50 isn’t the only big deal coming up. Next week, the Speedway will hold the Kevin Huntley Memorial for the 305s, with the winner walking away with $10,000.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: ‘It’s a big experiment’: How Bloomington Speedway is breaking the mold with a special race
Reporting by Jim Gordillo, The Herald-Times / The Herald-Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
