Can anyone

[Frasson118]

"If it's so good up north- go home"

Everytime you type, I'm more & more convinced you are a complete idiot. Everyone else is wrong but you. Hope you are happy with 5 car fields, and a completely closed mind on change for the future. 4400 IMCA Modifed racers are wrong, but UREZ has it all figured out...

[UREZ2PASS]

Idiot ? really, you think making every car in Florida make changes for a different set of rules would help racing ? No pal, I'm no idiot, I just look at the big picture. One you obviously can't see. And resorting to name calling is a sign of poor intellect and defeat. Is everyone that disagrees with your opinion an idiot ?

[Frasson118]

The big picture??? This class has been spiraling downhill for 20 years now. $25,000 motors for $400 to win? That makes SENSE to you? For a change, I see a class that is growing (BECAUSE of limited expense), while the full-blown Mods are down to a handfull... and Symons and Tucker are the only 2 winners whenever they do get out there. So we should just leave well enough alone, and let the big-money teams continue to run everyone else out of business? Lets see what kind of field they pull this weekend at OSW.

Dude, you want to talk about big pictures... open your eyes and you will see some. There are no cars left, because they let the rule books get WAY out of hand. Sorry for Tucker & Symons and their investments, but they dug their own graves on this. Somebody has to get things under control, and lord knows you can't rely on racers to do it. It HAS to be forced on them, or only a rich few will be around. Why do you think there are 80 UMP Mods (nearly every one from out-of-state) every year at Volusia for Speedweeks? Because the rules are the same EVERYWHERE. I doubt if there are 80 Mods in the whole state, and you're lucky if 25 of them show up at the same track on the same night. That 80 car figure is not a one-time fluke... they've been doing it for probably 15 years in a row now.

"you think making every car in Florida make changes for a different set of rules would help racing"

Eventually, yes. It would take time for it to come around, but over the years, at MANY tracks, it HAS worked. The ACT series dropped full-blown Late Models and went with Crates, and their series is healthier than it has ever been. When Modifieds were pricing themselves out of business in New England, the S-K Mod was invented. IMCA Late Models were nearly extinct about 10 years ago... now they have 25-30 at most shows. When the 410 Sprints got so expensive that a lot of teams were forced out, Emmett Hahn came up with a 360 engine and a spec head. There are now more 360's than 410's in this country. Sure ther were a lot of people that didn't like it when it happened... but in hindsight, it saved racing in a lot of places. I'd much rather run off 2 to gain 10.

Somebody has to take the bull by the balls, and save racers from themselves. As much as you obviously don't care for the North, you apparently haven't seen any racing up there. Most tracks have about 3 classes (almost always more than 24 cars in each, so getting IN the show is part of the process). DIRT has been the premier Modified group for over 30 years now. WHY??? Because THEY write the rules, and if you want to play, you play by their rules. Nobody gets to make up rules to serve themselves. There have been literally dozens of racers there that have never had a REAL job in their lives... they are full-time racers. Other than Wayne Anderson, give me any other example of a full-time professional in Florida.

Full fields, mean full stands. which equals happy Promoters... which eventually has the potential for more purse money.

If your "big picture" consists of Fascar & pretty much nothing else, you need to open your eyes. The rules for each class should be THE SAME for every track across this state, if not the entire Southeast. If that doesn't make any sense to you, you're hopeless.

Maybe the "idiot" comment wasn't called for, but Dude, I see no suggestions coming from you that are helpful.You seem happy with the way things are, and that nobody should question it, only support it.

Sorry, but I don't roll that way. If I don't get my moneys worth in entertainment, I don't keep throwing money at it. Some track or another will get part of my earnings for the rest of my life... but it won't be the over-priced, under-quality shows that you seem just fine with. Take the blinders off, look around the country, and see what works in other places. They aren't doing those things here.

Ooooops... that would require doing something that the Northeners would do, and we just can't have that around here, can we???


Oh, and P.S. - As far as intellect and defeat, when it comes to racing, I will SMOKE you...

[UREZ2PASS]

I agree with alot of what you have said, except changing the rules which would make every car I own and every engine I own not legal to race. If you had your way and the rules were changed to the way they do it in New York, I and many other people would have worthless equipment. It easy for you to suggest something that does not involve your financial investment. I have a very large investment in my cars and engines. Building new cars and buying new engines ain't gonna happen. Much like any track in Florida changing the rules to force every car owner to spend more money to race. As we say n the south "it ain't gonna happen" anyway. It's foolish for us to even discuss it.

Now I do believe the rules should be the same for the cars in Florida. Tracks have alot of BS rules that really don't make any real performance gains over one another. Maybe allowing multiple track rules could be the answer.
If knowing racing history and sitting in the stands for 40 years makes you the racing authority, you win. You are a good fan, but probably not an authority concerning rules, I may be wrong but you have said nothing to make me believe differently.

Godbless, and I hope you someday realize you are just like the people from other countries trying to change Florida. I hope you don't have a state of new York flag hanging from your mirror in your 1972 Ford Van.

[Frasson118]

If there had been solid rules in the first place (which I am NOT an expert on), you wouldn't have a garage full of obsolete cars and engines. You would have a nice inventory of stuff you could run anywhere you choose to. Not only that, if you wanted to sell out, that same equipment would have a resale value all over the state... not just your local area. It doesn't take a rules expert to figure that part out.

Try selling a Fascar-legal Sportsman (just for example) in North, South, or West Florida... it's nearly worthless anywhere else, because it's not LEGAL anywhere else.

An IMCA-rules Modified has resale value in NY, Nebraska, Oregon, West Virginia, and any of about 40 states in the US (not to mention Canada) Plus, anything you'd need for yours is very readily available. Mass production costs' less than unique pieces do.

I understand that you personally don't want things to change... you are one of the ones it would run off from racing. But, I still stick by my opinion that the health of the sport in general would be better served to lose 2 cars, and eventually gain 10 from it.

That is what I see racers doing right now... coming back in an E-Mod, because they can afford them, where the old "open" rules (or what you suggest would be a run-whatcha-brung format) isn't working, hasn't worked in the past, and won't in the future either.

When you find yourself in a hole, the first thing you do is get rid of the shovel.....

This whole issue should have never happened in the first place. The IMCA rules were what this class was about in the beginning. Once they started letting the racers spend more & more & more, they became "Florida Modifieds". The inmates ran the asylum, ran it into the ground, and you still believe that it should continue that way?

If these track owners & promoters were smart, they would band together RIGHT NOW, and establish 1 common rule book that every track will abide by, no matter what. Don't let "your" drivers re-write the rule books themselves, because it will only serve themselves... not the sport in general. This E-Mod concept is new enough to establish the ground rules, stick by them, and don't let them evolve into a "Florida Modified" again.

[UREZ2PASS]

You are so wrong about my thoughts concerning the Florida modifieds. The FASCAR emods are doing well. I think that was the best concept FASCAR has done in a long time. I think they have an average of about 15 cars a week this year. If you look at osw, they have the highest percentage of weekly racers. It will continue to grow, no doubt about it. The Florida mods are struggling at the FASCAR tracks. I dont know if slicks would help their counts or not, but it seems to be the biggest complaint. Their car counts include emods that run with them. It is no secret that I am a big FASCAR supporter. They are really doing a good job this year. Do I agree with everything, hell no, the admission prices are way to high. If it was my decision I would make free admission on the grandstand side and make my money on concessions.
Are the emods IMCA rules ? If not, you just changed your opinion. Like I said before, I agree with alot of what you have said, except for me being an idiot and making all Florida cars obsolete by changing the rules.

[Frasson118]

In my opinion, it's too late for IMCA rules... but it's not too late to make one standard set of rules for this class all over the state. The IMCA concept works

If they had STUCK with IMCA rules like they had in the beginning, there wouldn't be this mess. A few guys stunk it up for everyone else... and this means racers, tracks and series directors. Too many fingers in the pie.

Nascar has been known for years as a "benevolent dictatorship", which I take it to mean that they will listen, but ultimately, they have the final say over everything. They set the rules, policies and proceedures... if you don't like it, stay home or race somewhere else. Like them or not, their teams DO play by thier rules. The only challenge they ever had to that, was the "Professional Drivers Association" that conducted the only strike in Nascar history. The drivers thought that Bill France couldn't have a race (Talladega) without them. He proved them wrong, the drivers came back with their tails between their legs, and there hasn't been a strike since.

In this case, there are too many cars that are not built by the IMCA rule book, but they are very close to each other. THAT is what needs to be established right now. Some won't like it, others will, but if you come to race, anywhere in the state, your car WILL be by the rule book that everyone works from.

[Frasson118]

Also, I wanted to point out that I am NOT putting the blame solely on Fascar. There is plenty of people to blame in the past, and the current people at Fascar inherited these problems from the evolution of the last 2 decades. I want them to succeed, and become a force in Florida short-track racing. They are building the fastest-growing division around, and I see more racers, veterans and newcomers, going to this concept. I think Fascar has the means to be the leader in this unification of rules, and needs the other tracks to adopt the same rules... and STICK TO THEM.

This could be their savior, or it could be just another washed up failure if it gets out of hand again. I'm hoping for the first option...!

I'd LOVE to see a good E-Mod show, with 30-40 cars showing up, 3 heats and a consi to start 24 in a feature. Thats what I grew up on... it still happens today at a bunch of places. I want OSW and NSS to be like that. Now is the time to rein it in, and keep it in.

[TEDHEAD9292]

So Doug, They are having a 50 lap Emod race at NSS this weekend on the big half mile. Are you going to show up? Who knowns I may even go.

[ocalasp76]

I plan on being there with the e-mod I just put together. had a good practice there last week too. I'm liking it better than the sportsman I ran for 9 years. Guess we'll see how this class goes or I'm out of the game.
-JIM-

[UREZ2PASS]

Frasson118, we are now on the same page.

[openwm53]

Ted

I am racing at citrus this weekend with my FLORIDA MODIFIED....lol
Citrus always has good car counts and there is a lot of really fast and competitive drivers..........They have three weeks off after that so we have been talking about where to go next. The easiest and cheapest would be go to P.G. cause I already have a set of SLICKS for there.........But Heres a couple things we were talking about at the shop......................Taking motor out of sportsman and putting big mod motor in and strappin on 10" slicks and runnin late model at citrus or p.g. We will be out classed but we are in it for the love and fun of racing!! Then we talked about putting sportsman motor in the mod and trying out the E mod thing. Then finally i think i seen that the reg. mods are racing at new symrna in the next couple weeks so thats an option.........I have raced alot of my local tracks.....P.G....Citrus...a- dale....desoto... and sunshine before they closed. hell even been to bronson once. ready to try one or all of the big tracks...........Do they run the same hoosiers we are on ???

[dd38]

Wait a minute! I have a big engine modified that is sitting (1 year to be exact this month). Not because of the engine deal. Well maybe a little. I've built a engine every time they change. Now I have 1 in the car and 3 on the floor that are good for nothing. I'm done building them. But mainly because of the P.O.S. tire they went to. Suppose to be cheaper? No. It actually costs more. Last longer? No. There are people that still bolt on new ones every nite or two. If they were better then people would still not be putting them on every nite or two. I know od several cars sitting because of this tire deal.

[ocalasp76]

The e-mods run the same Hoozier as the sportsman(8" grooved). Talk about tires, I have 3 sets(12) American Racers. 1 set has one race and the others are scuffs. Anybody want some cheap practice tires. The Hoozier treaded tire seem to be lasting a lot longer on the e-mod than on the Sportsman I had.
-JIM-

[openwm53]

Dd38

You are correct...........big motor mods belong on slicks.......Myself and alot of others have to restrict our motors to use them P.O.S. tires. P.G. finally went back to slicks....they are goodyears but still slicks