Why are there no "NASCAR" modifieds, down south?

Being from the north, I have always wondered this... The NASCAR Tour Type and SK Modifieds are spread through most of the east coast with the exception of Virginia and Georgia, so why not in Florida?

[RSB]

Because we're hoping that will keep the Yankees from moving down here. Obviously it didn't work on you or Jerry B. LOL!!!

[Don Nerone]

Because we're hoping that will keep the Yankees from moving down here. Obviously it didn't work on you or Jerry B. LOL!!!

RSB easy on those transplants. Just rib a little moss on ur but and you will be a craker like RSB..lol
Tour Mods..We cant afford the redneck cars we have now. The tire bill would feed a family of 6 here for a month .


Just kidding

Don62

[jbonez21]

Being from the north, I have always wondered this... The NASCAR Tour Type and SK Modifieds are spread through most of the east coast with the exception of Virginia and Georgia, so why not in Florida?

What's the difference between the Open Wheel Modifieds they run down here and the SK/Tour's they run in the North?

[BallewM]

NASCAR tour mods run a 16" tire, adjustable coil overs, and dry sump motors. FL mods have 8" tires, steel body shocks, coil springs, and wet sump motors.

[jbonez21]

NASCAR tour mods run a 16" tire, adjustable coil overs, and dry sump motors. FL mods have 8" tires, steel body shocks, coil springs, and wet sump motors.

Cool thanks for the explanation!

[scottgarrity07]

Northern Mods also have more in common with a Super Late Model than a FL OWM. Full tube frame, rack and pinion steering and fabricated spindles. I think it would be tough to try and start up a division like this from the ground up down here with the economy the way it is. Even with SK or SK Lite (602 crate) rules. You get 'em for 8 of 9 nigths at NSS in Feb. and that's it. However with NSS now a NASCAR sanctioned track, they could bring in the Southern Whelen Modified Tour for an event. That is, if they wanted to pay the hefty event sanctioning fee. About $50k last I heard for a Northern Tour event. I wouldn't hold my breath...

[Jimmy McKinley]

New Smyrna and Orlando started the "open-wheel Modifieds" in Florida back in the mid-1980s. The class was meant to be an asphalt version of the IMCA Modifieds run out in the midwest (Iowa, Nebraska, etc.). It quickly got out of hand with "big motors" and big tires - at least that's the version I'm sticking with. Nothing even close to the NASCAR Modifieds - they used to run a stock Chevelle frame, no coil-overs, steel somewhat-resembling-a-Cavalier body. Nowadays, you'll even find a PT Cruiser-bodied "open wheel Modified" (it was posted on Facebook the other day).

There *is* a NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour. They mainly run at tracks in North Carolina - the class is a weekly show at Bowman-Gray, I believe they also run at Ace and Caraway. They run the same cars as the "regular" New England NASCAR pavement Modifieds. There's just not as many down south.

[Frasson118]

Actually, there are at least 4 of them in Fla.

Gary Fountian, Johnny Kay, Jeremy Gerstner and Dalton Baldwin all have Tour Mods..... but nowhere to run them other than NSS in Feb.

[MJM10]

I have three people committed if they start a class...that makes 7 total.

[Phil Jacques]

I honestly think it's a better car than the IMCA style cars... They ran IMCA style cars up here at Thompson for 8 or 9 years and they failed miserably... at the end they were averaging 5 cars a week...

I already lived down south for 12 years, I am thinking about coming back next Summer... I know all about where the WMT and SWMT run... I was just in Bristol and chased the SWMT back in 06 when I was living there.

I just will hate not seeing SK's every week when I do move down... I will almost feel lost! lol

[Frasson118]

I would think that it could be a fairly affordable class to run down here... at least to start, until somebody ruins it with big money.

There are a lot of used cars, parts, pieces, that are available. On the highest levels, a couple year-old car is obsolete for the 'Touring' racers, and they are always looking for buyers.

Run once a month at several different tracks, and it could turn to be something big. It's DEFINITELY different from what any casual fan sees at their local track, and with the wide tires, side-by-side action is the rule more than the exception.

Even if it was just 7 cars to start, it will build from there, and wherever they run would be my primary pick of the week of tracks to go to.

Orlando and Desoto come to mind as perfect tracks for that class, but they also race real well on flatter tracks as well.

I would LOVE to see something like this come together.

I can only dream though....

[andre]

With the right management, you could have pretty much any kinda cars series.

The TBARA ran very strong for long time. The Super on dirt couple years ago ran very strong early, then expanded to other states, the paved Super Late under the Anderson was very well started.

If done right, could work.

As far as ''How Much $'', if the plan is right, management serious, the racers will come. There are racers with mucho money out there, in bundle, serious series are fewer.

Let's just say you hold a meeting in central Fl about a Mod series, and on top of 15//20 medias representatives, you have a Home Improvement stores chain CEO as sponsor sitting at the table, 2/3 differents race cars manufacturers, a GM Performance Products representative, 5 race track owners, all ready to step in. That is what I'm talking about seriousness.

With a scenario along those lines, racers will step in. There are racers, and there is money. But in order to ask about spending serious money, first you have to build a serious plan.

[Jimmy McKinley]

Since New Smyrna *is* NASCAR-sanctioned now (correct?), why not lobby to get the Whelen Southern Modifieds either for a couple of Tour points races, or as a weekly division (like Bowman Gray)? The Mods come down for the World Series every year (and have since 1976), and, in my opinion, it'd be cool to have the locals "defend their turf" against the Northern guys like Preece, Lia, Blewett, Christopher, and them guys. Maybe even some top Late Model guys could pick up a ride - I know Trickle would jump into Brady's #00 a few times.

[MJM10]

I've always wondered why they have built motor's for the SK's,. From what I understand they are somewhere around 450-500hp...so why not REALLY bring the cost down and run a crate motor, like a 604/347 like the pro lates, or run SK Lites like they do up North, which is with a 602, kind of lame but it would keep the cost down for the class. Maybe we could have a class like that, and make the only difference between it and a full blown Whelen mod be the motor, that way the couple of times a year the Whelen Southern mods come down, just switch the motor and go. Or just run the class as a full blown Whelen Mod but only run them once a month to try to keep the motor rebuild cost down. I think they are so much cooler as our modifieds, from a fans perspective. Like Frasson said, there is a ton of old cars and parts around for those cars.