Any Sportman Drivers Interested???

[Frasson118]

Sportsman didn't run at NSS last night. They did have about 10 Super Stocks. Might be what you were looking at to get that number.

[Bill Chapman]

Sorry that was the week before when they ran the limited late models

[fred23]

IF you can get the tracks to agree (good Luck) on one set of rules it can work. The SSS was thriving and could still thrive. One thing about the SSS was they used the Goodyear treaded tire. It lasted a lot longer than the current Hoosier. I would actually like to see them go to an 8" slick. The Hoosier that was being used is a pretty good tire and could be used (at least left sides) for more than one 50 lapper. But you have to get the tracks on board because they are all currently using the Hoosier treaded tire that is junk.
Keep the races at 50 laps, keep the payout uniform the whole season and race once a month. This will allow all the tracks to keep their sportsman divisions twice a month and not over lap the tour races.
There are some cars that will have to change. The cars at Citrus are way off, the FASCAR (OSW/NSS) cars are a little closer, and the LAke City and Auburndale cars are about the same. Not sure what Bronson or PGS run.
THey ran all the cars together at NSS once and it was a pretty good race.
KEEP IT SIMPLE AND STICK TO THE RULES SET. THe problem with the SSS, Trucks and Mini Stocks were that they all had touring series and eventually all the rules changed or morphed and kept allowing more and more high dollar parts and motors and they are all now defunct.

[Bill Chapman]

Thanks alot for the positive message. and i like the idea on the 8" hoosier slick

[Bigbuck]

IF you can get the tracks to agree (good Luck) on one set of rules it can work. The SSS was thriving and could still thrive. One thing about the SSS was they used the Goodyear treaded tire. It lasted a lot longer than the current Hoosier. I would actually like to see them go to an 8" slick. The Hoosier that was being used is a pretty good tire and could be used (at least left sides) for more than one 50 lapper. But you have to get the tracks on board because they are all currently using the Hoosier treaded tire that is junk.
Keep the races at 50 laps, keep the payout uniform the whole season and race once a month. This will allow all the tracks to keep their sportsman divisions twice a month and not over lap the tour races.
There are some cars that will have to change. The cars at Citrus are way off, the FASCAR (OSW/NSS) cars are a little closer, and the LAke City and Auburndale cars are about the same. Not sure what Bronson or PGS run.
THey ran all the cars together at NSS once and it was a pretty good race.
KEEP IT SIMPLE AND STICK TO THE RULES SET. THe problem with the SSS, Trucks and Mini Stocks were that they all had touring series and eventually all the rules changed or morphed and kept allowing more and more high dollar parts and motors and they are all now defunct.

The trucks had good #'s for 3-4 yrs AFTER THE SERIES at NSS until it became too expensive for the average guy.

[wpr60]

Never posted on this forum, only read, but I have a dog in this fight so i figured I'd register and speak up. We LOVE this idea. I say we because we have one car and are in the middle of building a second car. Also have a Bradenton Street Stock we might would convert over. Punta Gorda has a good set of rules that I would highly base off of. A few minor changes and also allow 3 links. Want a quick change, run Late Models. Crate motors, allow them, just tech them right. Have a tread width rule. Run one race a month, maybe Bradenton, Orlando, Citrus, Punta Gorda, Auburndale. 8 inch tires, if you want 10 inch run Late Models. Plenty of great suggestions if you talk to drivers/owners. Will give a couple friends a call in the morning and see what they think.

[RSB]

Never posted on this forum, only read, but I have a dog in this fight so i figured I'd register and speak up. We LOVE this idea. I say we because we have one car and are in the middle of building a second car. Also have a Bradenton Street Stock we might would convert over. Punta Gorda has a good set of rules that I would highly base off of. A few minor changes and also allow 3 links. Want a quick change, run Late Models. Crate motors, allow them, just tech them right. Have a tread width rule. Run one race a month, maybe Bradenton, Orlando, Citrus, Punta Gorda, Auburndale. 8 inch tires, if you want 10 inch run Late Models. Plenty of great suggestions if you talk to drivers/owners. Will give a couple friends a call in the morning and see what they think.

If you're going with a Hoosier slick, the rich teams will win. To win, you WILL buy at least right sides every race. I would vote no 3 links. Get a LLM. Also, TECH TECH TECH! Especially the crates!

[wpr60]

RSB, I agree with what you're saying about the slicks. As far as the 3 links, I know that there are quite a few cars that have them that's why I said that, but on the other hand, it's Sportsman, not Late Models. Either way, we like our leaf springs. Tech, no friends, no enemys, just a rule book and tools. If it's wrong, it's wrong. Personally, I like crates, makes it easier for some teams. Just have to tech them right, teams with legal crates shouldn't care if the engines get checked over thoroughly, should they? We've ran them, changed oil and valve springs only. Just not fair to the teams with legal crates (Yes, they are still out there) to get thrown under the bus all the time.

[blwn93lx]

Not to be a wise guy, but the people griping about the three link need to buy the book "how to build a sportsman stock car" (steve smith) and correct me if I'm wrong but it is based off the a 3-link rear suspension? - was published in the 90's? So why change now? Racing is about learning and advancing your skills on suspension set ups, and it takes a while to understand it, so what happens when u have been racing with a four link or leafs and u decide to move up in classes and when u do, u r lost and have to start all over again?

About quickchanges, what's the big deal? Does anybody here understand that a quickchange rear requires more horsepower to run than a nine inch?
Ger costs? If u wanna travel to a different track u have to buy atleast a gear set costing at least 150 dollars? Vs a quickchange set costing around 60 I just don't get it?????

I thought due to the economy being the way it is we should be trying to reduce costs?

[VeaseyRacing]

I run a legal crate motor in mine and would let any tech man tear into it. I also run a leaf spring car with a 9 inch and wouldn't change to a quick change rear for anything, It's just as easy to change 3rd members.
But that's me. As long as the rules keeps it fair and tech enforces the rules I could finish in the rear and still be happy.

[Buckwheat]

I guess my previous points were completely lost. If you want tracks to run similar rules then why would it be so difficult to have a meeting with ALL OF THE TRACK OWNERS AT ONCE?

Talking to one or two owners here and there and bitching on a message board will not accomplish anything.

And I will reiterate and stand by my earlier post which is that not every division deserves to have a "tour". Touring series should be the top tier divisions, not every feeder division in existence. Touring series' will only work if you can put the best of the best in front of the fans, and you are not going to get that with the lower divisions. There is nothing to market, nothing to sell and no way to guarantee the tracks that you will be delivering a quality product for what they are paying for it.

Yes the SSS was great in its hay-day but I think the majority of the credit there goes to Todd Hutto. Once Hutto left the tour went down hill.

I would also still say that unless you have enough cars to fill a weekly show consistently at each track, for at least a year or so, a tour will do nothing but kill it.

[Benny The Mule]

"Top tier, best of the best".........Why not just say if you don't have a LM you are a nobody! feeder as you call the divisions are actually divisions drivers will spend years in because it fits their budgets so they can enjoy their HOBBY/SPORT on a weekly basis.

Not sure about feeder, most rich kids go from karts straight to LM, some don't even run karts.

SSS series did work with the proper management and this may have a chance with proper planning and marketing.

Think back...............and tell me what the "top tier" cars looked like when there were huge fields at almost EVERY track on any given weekend.

I completely agree a message board is not going to get the ball rolling.

The right people in the right places.............run a short series 4 races or so using everyone's own track rule and see how many will show up, and go from there.

[Buckwheat]

"Top tier, best of the best".........Why not just say if you don't have a LM you are a nobody! feeder as you call the divisions are actually divisions drivers will spend years in because it fits their budgets so they can enjoy their HOBBY/SPORT on a weekly basis.

Not sure about feeder, most rich kids go from karts straight to LM, some don't even run karts.

SSS series did work with the proper management and this may have a chance with proper planning and marketing.

Think back...............and tell me what the "top tier" cars looked like when there were huge fields at almost EVERY track on any given weekend.

I completely agree a message board is not going to get the ball rolling.

The right people in the right places.............run a short series 4 races or so using everyone's own track rule and see how many will show up, and go from there.

You actually just made my point for me sorta. If the budget will only allow a Sportsman car than where does the money come into to travel around the state?

And if you are that good and deserve to be in an upper-tier or traveling series than your resume should be all you need to secure some sponsorship. I know that high-dollar sponsors are hard to find, but you could at least put together a few or more lower dollar sponsors to fit part of the bill if you are truly that good and have some kind of fan following.

My point was that you should have to be "somebody" in order to earn the right to be in a touring series. I agree with your statement about rich kids, but if you truly had the best of the best in the series than those kids wouldn't stand a chance of even qualifying for a race if they didn't deserve to be there. Even the best equipment is only as good as the driver behind the wheel can make it!

A touring series now, in a feeder class, will just thin the pool.

So what you are saying is a Street Stock tour is a good thing? or how about a 4cyl. Hornet tour? Where do you draw the line?

My honest opinion is that on a local weekly show, divisions should go no higher than Pro Late Model (actual Pro Late Models, not the Limited/Sportsman that are out now) and if you want to race a Super Late Model and have earned the right to, than you go on tour.

It is the way it was done up North (there I said it again) for years and it worked, plain and simple. The highest you could get on a weekly basis was an SK modified and if you wanted a Tour Mod than you drove the Mod Tour, IF you could qualify for the race. If not, you go home, do your homework, get some seat time, and try again at the next race. And those are the races that would pack the Pits and the grandstands regularly!

[Tim]

I too was a big fan of the SSS. But I dont think the time is right. The class is struggling too much.

When the FL promotors quit holding on to an already dead LLM class it will benefit the Sportsman class by creating an abundance of chassis. Find a way in the sportsman rules to incorporate all the 2bbl limited motors that were obsoleted by the LLM spec. KEEP THEM ON 8" TREADED TIRES!!!

FL needs to embrace the Pro Late Model class in order to fix its LM problem. Local racing should be PLM and the tour should be SLM. Same chassis diffferent engines. The R&D has already been done to match the LLM specs with the crates and currently the specs are allowed at Pensacola to run with the PLM with the proper restrictor. New drivers start in the PLM class to get their experience, then with the same chassis and an engine swap they can step up to SLM. And these chassis are for sale everywhere already.

JMO

[Benny The Mule]

Buckwheat,

I'm with you for the most part, i understand. That is why i said limited dates and see what happens.

And to be deserving of a top tier spot............as you mentioned there are not enough (owners) out there to put deserving budget drivers into their cars.

As far as a few tour races these cars would merely have a little more gas money to drive to another track if it's further away.

Remember, it's not like they are those big teams you speak about and pay 10 crew members way into the track, buy 6 sets of tires for their 500 laps of "practice" and pump $400 diesel into there quarter million dollar toterhome.


Have you ever been to an enduro? How about a crash-a-rama?

There are no late models in either of those shows.

Thanks for listening