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the finishline bodies are very exspensive for what they actually cost to bend up, bead roll and do yourself. I love the outlaw type stuff and, as a lifelong resident and racer up there until moving down here, that's how it is in Michigan everywhere with outlaw bodies. unfortunately, it is not helping the car counts but, then again, it is not hurting it as the issue with late models right now is how costly they are to run overall. when the BBSS stuff hit and guys started wanting more and more rebound, the costs to have just one set of shocks can be $4000-$6000 & then you have to have spares with how touchy the set up being just right is so the cost of shocks & several other new suspension things going on went through the roof & there are more who simply cannot afford it and are stuck with conventional which cannot contend or keep up with the BBSS set ups that are dead on. I run sportsmans up there for years & that class has now been turned into a template bodied Late models down here with what is allowed BUT the motors allowed are as good if not better then whats allowed down here. strut clips, racks, quick changes, wildwood calipers.....I mean you name it, it is basically allowed in a sportsman up there. has to be steel headed motor, wet sump but roller cams & all the bells and whistles are allowed on them cars. 8 Inch wheels is the rule but on a premium 970 tire which is the best treaded tire hands down. Only way to get em better and faster is going to slicks. There is hardly ANY Late Models allowed or running slicks as they are also on a 9 inch 970 tire with 10 inch wheels. With that said, the Late Model class up there is dying more and more each year. One track run a $7500 to win show a couple weeks back and there was only 13 cars show up. they just run the sizzler at New Paris paying 20K to win and they had I think 22 cars total. the Klash is coming up at Kalamazoo & there is a lot of worry about how many cars they will get. the Klash & Sizzler has always had 35-45 cars running them & now they are hopeful they will get at least 24. Kalamazoo is the only track up there right now that gets decent numbers in the class but a lot of tracks have went to once a month or no Lates at all with a special show or 2 for them during the season.
My honest opinion from what I have seen and read is the outrageous prices for fuel, tires & the motor rules in the late model class down here. there seems to be a couple motor builders down here who have cornered the market for these spec motors and such and they cost well over 20k or better. being able to run full blown dry sump, big cubic inch motors or whatever you want or can afford are not even allowed. On top of that, & probably the largest issue is all of these extra fees as well as such stuff as $30-$40 pit passes depending on the event, mandatory purchase of fuel and tires for some events at the track the event is run & then the fuel is $10 a gallon or more, tires are $120-$150 each, slab rental fees and all this stuff combined is just too costly for most folks to do anymore with how things are.
Tires there are $100-$110 and that includes mounting, dismounting & getting rid of the old tires. Fuel is roughly $7.50 a gallon, there is NO entry fees for any event other than end of year weekend shows and even then its $35.00 or so, pit passes are $25 weekly. Even then, the class is a lot smaller then just 3 years ago & the big culprit is the economy & unless your some Old former racer, grandpa, parents or sponsor with loaded & endless pockets to back you whether you have talent or not, wreck the car or not, don't matter to those more fortunate.
Down here, there needs to be a lot more emphasis on saving racers some money. I am not saying to give stuff away nor do I think that owners of tracks should not make some money as having a business period is not about breaking even or losing every week. However, with not having to spend $3000-$3500 on template bodes, or big money for a replaced panels that blew to pieces when there was a little contact, versus building your own body for less than $1000 saves money. having the pit passes at $25.00 when some drivers/owners is paying for everyone to get in on the team so they can have help makes a huge difference for the average short track team. getting rid of entry fees & slab rentals all together helps. not charging fee's for dismount/mount/dispose of old tires when the tires are bought from the track & the tire costs already being much higher then they cost the track would help. Finally, taking some of the money off of the top 3 spots and spreading it out through the middle would help. Just my observation down here everywhere I have raced at but, is what it is & doubt it will change so those who can afford to keep doing it will be there every week and the others, which is the majority by far, just cannot afford all the little extra costs and fees so they leave it on stands in the shop until they can or just get tired of seeing it sit when they really want to be racing, they sell out so it stops being a reminder every time you see it.
My honest opinion from what I have seen and read is the outrageous prices for fuel, tires & the motor rules in the late model class down here. there seems to be a couple motor builders down here who have cornered the market for these spec motors and such and they cost well over 20k or better. being able to run full blown dry sump, big cubic inch motors or whatever you want or can afford are not even allowed. On top of that, & probably the largest issue is all of these extra fees as well as such stuff as $30-$40 pit passes depending on the event, mandatory purchase of fuel and tires for some events at the track the event is run & then the fuel is $10 a gallon or more, tires are $120-$150 each, slab rental fees and all this stuff combined is just too costly for most folks to do anymore with how things are.
Tires there are $100-$110 and that includes mounting, dismounting & getting rid of the old tires. Fuel is roughly $7.50 a gallon, there is NO entry fees for any event other than end of year weekend shows and even then its $35.00 or so, pit passes are $25 weekly. Even then, the class is a lot smaller then just 3 years ago & the big culprit is the economy & unless your some Old former racer, grandpa, parents or sponsor with loaded & endless pockets to back you whether you have talent or not, wreck the car or not, don't matter to those more fortunate.
Down here, there needs to be a lot more emphasis on saving racers some money. I am not saying to give stuff away nor do I think that owners of tracks should not make some money as having a business period is not about breaking even or losing every week. However, with not having to spend $3000-$3500 on template bodes, or big money for a replaced panels that blew to pieces when there was a little contact, versus building your own body for less than $1000 saves money. having the pit passes at $25.00 when some drivers/owners is paying for everyone to get in on the team so they can have help makes a huge difference for the average short track team. getting rid of entry fees & slab rentals all together helps. not charging fee's for dismount/mount/dispose of old tires when the tires are bought from the track & the tire costs already being much higher then they cost the track would help. Finally, taking some of the money off of the top 3 spots and spreading it out through the middle would help. Just my observation down here everywhere I have raced at but, is what it is & doubt it will change so those who can afford to keep doing it will be there every week and the others, which is the majority by far, just cannot afford all the little extra costs and fees so they leave it on stands in the shop until they can or just get tired of seeing it sit when they really want to be racing, they sell out so it stops being a reminder every time you see it.
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