Crates Only

[balistikmissle]

Lets get rid of the high-cost, low car count classes and put the money into the classes that really support the the tracks. The big-blocks and super late models are both a dying local class. The cost of motors is draining these classes. If you paid the crates 800 to a 1,000 to win, they would show up every week with 40 cars in each class. This crate only idea is a trend sweeping across the country. The low-cost and great racing are great for fans, track owners and racers.

[truth]

You would have a whole lot of empty stands

[balistikmissle]

I dont think so. What would you rather watch a full field of cars with tight close racing. Or 10-15 cars spread out. All the racers are tired of spending the money to keep up these high dollar motors. For what they pay to rebuild their motors they could buy a crate motor. If the tracks would allow the 604 crate motor and let them run some decent shocks, where they can change the valvings to what the car needs, you would see alot better racing. As far as speed goes there have been some super late model races won by crate cars when the track gets slick. If something is not done about the high dollar classes racing will be lost on delmarva. Georgetown is the perfect example. They put up the big money and the guys still wont cross the bridges to come run here. So just make it affordable racing with a decent purse for the local racers.

[racing4life]

1st- theres been 18 superlates past three weeks
2nd- last years champ and the guy whos won SEVEN races this year has a rocket thats alot older than most of the crate cars and a motor thats built in their shop for probally lest than most dwar car motors that run dis..!!
3rd- whoever u are u dont need pro powers or 40 thousand dollar engines to be competitve at dis lingo has proved that
4th- there hasnt been a night at dis this year wear a crate could of won the super lates thats a joke..I DONT CARE HOW SLICK IT WAS
5th-as said earlier the stands would be empty

[balistikmissle]

You're right on the first four. The fans dont care about speed, they want good racing. Thats why fan count is down the past few years, plus to long of a night. You lose the big blocks and supers and the fans will still be there.

[truth]

Your gonna get alot of offers for Lingo's motor if they sell it for what a dwarf motor cost. It's all about being hooked and puttin the power to the ground and 55 is doin it better than anyone else at DIS. I aqree crates have a good field and their competitive, but they just don't do it for me. I think it is a great learing class but I still would rather watch 10 good BB or LM.

[balistikmissle]

Go to a track where there is crate's only, and you wont notice the difference besides the noise. If anybody is a good racer they would rather be in a full field of cars.

[dirtfan]

Gotta agree with Truth on this one. I'd rather watch 15 BB's race than the 26 Crates. It's all about speed in racing. I love to watch the LM's run around the track too. I think the stands would be a little sparse if we only had the Crates. They are a good addition to the tracks, but that's just it...an addition. They make it viable for drivers and owners who cannot afford the BB and LM motors. By the way both leaders right now in BB and LM have 'home grown' motors.

[truth]

Yeah, nothing negative against crates it is a great learing class. Is the motor in Lingo's actually home built or a "store bought" they go over themselves?

[racing4life]

there no store baught motor...just motors they put together over time.. the only thing store bought is the pieces they put in their motors..Mark benston does any machine work they need as far as the heads and they assemble rest...in their shop..Nuthin but homegrown horsepower..i believ hj buntings does the same thing...it doesnt take 40 thousand dollars to make 700 horsepower...but dont forget a good handling car thru the corner makes u look like u have a beast under the hood.. =)

[Racerchaser]

this is a catch 22 deal. Your be dam if you do and be dam if you don't.
I know all across the country crate popularity is growing but you look at the entry list for world 100 or, the dream, or hillbilly 100 and so on. Super lates are going down in numbers but are not dead yet. One thing that hurts us around here is we are not close to another track where we can get new cars, Look at the distance from Hagerstown to say Bedford or even Winchester. I know Potomac is not that far but on a weekend we all know that is a night mare. Down south a lot more teams and tracks are running the crates and Supers and a lot of teams have both class of cars so they have a double pay check at the end of the night.

[truth]

Super Lates are a long way from being dead, in fact, I would say they are more popular then ever. The economy is putting a hurting on many teams, but the fan base keeps growing. I notice it every year at World 100, it just an unbelievable atmosphere, its the one race that everyone should attend. Nascar is losing alot of their true fans, the ones that made the sport. Nascar is becoming far to corprate and politically correct, the stands and tv ratings are showing it. It just seems crazy to me they have all of the suddent become so concerned with minority drivers, crew, fans when 99% of the fan base is non minority. The bottom line is as long as people keep the stands full and promoters can pay SLM will be a the major player in dirt racing. I know it probley won't happen, but if SLM could ever get just one major touring series like sprints the sky is the limit. IMAGINE ONE SERIES WITH: Bloomer, Frank, McCreadie, Francis, Oneal, Boggs, Schleipher, Mars, Pearson, Owens , Moyer, Moran, Lannigan, Eckert, Clanton, Madden, Richards, etc. . Someday..............

[balistikmissle]

I dont think SLM are dead either. They have just out priced themselves from weekly track racing. I have been to the World 100 too, plus the DTWC at Pennsboro, Florida Speedweeks, The Masters, The Topless, Dixie Shootout, The Pittsburger, The Hillbilly, all the big races. They are just a touring division. Bloomer is not doing the touring series thing anymore and Boggs, I hope you dont mean Jackie Boggs. You go to a FASTRAK or STORMPAY race and you will like what you see. When it comes to money just look at last year's FASTRAK champion. Who got $50,000 cash and another $30,000 in products. Thats more then the Lucas Oil Series.
Just keep on dreaming about the one great series, IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN!!!! If it does you wont be able to afford the ticket prices.

[Racerchaser]

BUT HOW MUCH WOULD SERIES OF THAT NATURE WITH THOSE DRIVERS COST A PROMOTER. REMEMBER A LOT OF DIRT TRACKS CAN NOT HOLD A WHOLE LOT OF SPECTATORS. ON THE AVERAGE LETS SAY 4500 PEOPLE, NOW WITH 4500 PEOPLE HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST A PROMOTER TO HAVE A RACE OF THAT MAGNITUDE WITH THOSE DRIVERS. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE PURSE FOR A SHOW LIKE THAT WOULD BE $50,000.00 TO WIN, $35,000.00 FOR SECOND $25,000.00 FOR THIRD HOW MUCH WOULD IT BE TO TAKE THE GREEN $3,000.00. ALSO YOU GOT TO STOP AND THINK THAT A LOT OF THE TRACKS THE SERIES RACE ARE 3/8 MILE AND BEST ONLY A 1/2 MILE AND ONLY START TOP 26 AND MOST OF THE TIME 24 CARS

I just read last week that Virginia Motor Speedway is looking at dropping some of there Big Series races for next year because they just can not keep loosing money on the big races. I have been to VMS four times this year, and I can tell for a fact that for the big three series race they didn't average 2500 people on the property including everybody pits, grandstands and employees for the three races per night. And that was for three $10,000.00 to win shows. The bleachers will only hold so many, and if you price your admissions for a family of 4 the tracks loose money. SAY $15.00 TO $20.00 FOR ADULTS AND YOUTH $$8.00 TO $12.00 so a family can see the Lucas or WoO or MACS series racing. Taking the middle of that price range its $56.00 and that is no refreshments.


just something to think about,
but I don't think you nor I will live long enough to see it happen.

[truth]

Not a Jackie Boggs fan? Bloomquist attempted to start a series of 20 of the best SLM drivers at 20,000 to win each race, but I think his competitors were a little leery of him in control. The only way its gonna happen is if tv or major cooperations get involved so that may ruin the sport anyway. I think it could happen like the sprints series, but I don't know if guys are willing to travel for 10,000 to win each show. I just would like a 15 race series with 10,000 to win each race and a large points fund. I think if 20 of the best are signed to a contract to be there it would work. My 20................ Bloomer, Babb, Birky, ONeal, Moran, Moyer, McCreadie, Francis, Frank, Eckert, Richards, Eckert, Clanton, Owens, Lannigan, Frye, Wallace, Boggs, Schlepper and Mars.

[Racerchaser]

with t-mac's Busch ride, I would replace him with Pearson jr. and also add Madden.

[hertz15jr]

Back to the crates, i think it would be kind of cool to see them racing for a $1,000 to win because things would be so competitive, but then it would just get even more outa hand with the cheating. It wouldnt be about racing to see who is the beat, it would be about who can have the most illegal car and get away with it to get that $1,000 paycheck.

[balistikmissle]

First off you want the late models to be like the sprint series, their purses are even lower then the late model purses. I wouldn't race in a series that bloomer controled either. I would definetly replace O'neal and Frye with Pearson Jr. and Madden. As far as teching the crates dont be afraid to do teardowns in tech, that are open to the public. I know FASTRAK pays for half of the cost of tools to do tech. DMP is thinking of expanding the size of their track, this would be a great class for them.

[Burt Q]

Racerchaser, I was at the VMS Lucas Oil late model show. I was surprised at the lack fan support, although it was hard for me judge the fan turnout because the stands are so big. I find it hard to believe they made any money on this show. One more thing, if it is a special show, don't run more than one support division.

[sunny044]

When sitting at the track last night, I thought about this post .. about Crates only .. NO WAY !!! It's a great mix right now. Even with the Richmond race (alot of ppl from this area attend) all the high school stuff going on, there was still a fair crowd and good car count. All in all .. great racing - a lot of wrecks - don't know what that's about. Aggression? Stupidity? Or Just Racing? Guess there will be a lot of time spent in the shops this week as not to mess up their point standings for the year. Seriously though, I can't imagine going to Delmar and not being able to see the SLM or Modified classes .. such awesome racing. It was great to see Jarvis Jr back. That class is just really packed with talent ~~ love it! You know, instead of constantly looking at all that is "wrong with" the local racing .. wow look at all that is "right with" the racing. There are a lot of total cars - total ppl involved in the sport. Slide for 5 is a hilarious way for a team/person who can't make a full commitment to racing as others can, but want to have fun. There are more affordable classes than ever. This is entertainment. We're all supposed to be having fun. Most people have their families involved and are establishing lifelong friends and relationships. I am sure that if we all took a friend to the races next Saturday night who didn't have any preconceived opinions in his head, he would be able to sit back and enjoy a great show without being worried about how many people are in the stands, how much the 5th place guy made, what track that guy usually races at, how much money is the owner making, who makes more money in their "real job" ... Wow, that guy would have a great time at the races, which is something we all should be doing. We are so fortunate to have a local track that brings in Sprint racing, Late Model WOo racing, etc... Think how far everyone would have to travel if we didn't have a local track. The majority of people involved wouldn't do it. Think of how that would effect some businesses built around racing locally ... We need to think of ways to support what we have and build on it if we are all true racing fans that want our kids and grandkids to have the same opportunities to race that we have.

[balistikmissle]

That is the whole racing to go crate's only. To take the money part out of the racing. Yeah you will still have guys buying $20,000 new cars every year and buying all the high dollar parts, and ending up with about $30-35,000 in a crate car. But you dont need that with the crate motors. The super motors just wear out equipment to fast. To save local racing they better come up with a way to keep costs down. Cause the purses are definetly not going up. If you put the 604 crate motors in the cars and let them run some decent shocks, you wont notice the 1 second difference between the super and crate classes.