Showtime Speedway 5/24 Purse Payout

[scottgarrity07]

Howzboutdis? (It's right up Yoho's alley) Bounty on the Z1. If you can beat him, $500 extra to win OR Z1 starts tail end of the field, if he wins then he gets the extra $500. (I think Daniel almost pulled this off the night he ran his Super at Adale then jetted back to Showtime to run the Z1). That oughta draw the cars and the fans! How about it Rick Day??? As an added bonus: Cage Match at intermission. Robert Yoho vs Gary LaPlant. Loser agrees not to schedule on top of the other ones dates!

[CCuzzone9788]

It's a play station controller Patrick. .. and it a disadvantage just like little tiny short lower a - arms. I can't tonight though and neither can Daniel, he's gotta do some lettering job

[Patrick Thomas 25]

Can you get Daniel to make me the number Z2?

[Patrick Thomas 25]

And your controller is no disadvantage, or you wouldn't be using it.

[scottgarrity07]

I know somebody who ordered an old controller and it was 10 times what the new controller costs. It's just what everybody will be going to now, it's not really an advantage even though Beaner is the only one that has one! Lol

[Matt Albee]

Where in my post can it be construed I'm complaining? As for "passing tech", well that depends on the racetrack...

It's pretty easy to construe...you don't want to race against the Z1 car because it's ' exotic ". You don't want to race at Showtime because you'd have to spend money on some wheels.
Passing tech is exactly that, which track doesn't make much difference. Or are you complaining again?

[Matt Albee]

As for the looks of the cars, well I would love to see us be able to run something like this. Problem is that these bodies cost as much as a crate motor ($3K+). But I think you are in the minority, Matt. Most people seem to like the diversity of the look of the Sportsman cars. Besides, the there are no other affordable options.

Now you have to remember we're talking about Sportsman cars in Central Florida here, i might be in the minority. But the majority would be about 30 people. Not knocking your class or anybodies Sportsman series, but come on, these cars aren't the reason fans go to the track. They put on a good show in most cases, and certainly help fill the program. But they're not the headliner.
Nice looking car. But i disagree about no alternative. I think you meant to say no easy alternative. Because if you're looking for diversity, why not just mandate STOCK bodies. That's a very easy and affordable alternative. And look at the diversity of body styles that gives you. You might want to outlaw old Monte Carlos, Cutlasses, etc. But there's plenty of 80s and 90s cars and bodies available for cheap. Yeah, i know...that would be hard work for some, just old school for most.

[Lurkin]

I don't know where this cache of cheap 80's and 90's bodies are please enlighten me. If there is such a thing they're definitely not that appealing to kids as they aren't familiar with them and a bunch went to the crusher under cash for clunkers program they aren't driving around. I think the outlawish Sportsman bodies are "cooler" looking to the younger crowd.

[scottgarrity07]

Hi Matt. Welcome back to the discussion (complaining, whining, defense, etc.) I can always count on you for a spirited debate from the fan's perspective. Let me clarify myself on a few things. I don't race against the Z1 because I feel that the car has an unfair advantage. The car has had a rule made expressly for it at Citrus, is illegal according to the rulebook at Showtime and has been asked not to return to your favorite track until it is not "exotic" anymore. So the track kinda does matter. To be truthful rims are not the only reason I won't go to Showtime (although it wouldn't make much sense to buy rims for just one track since I like to travel around). As I get older I don't have much taste for the one groove, smash and crash bullrings anymore. Fixing needless damage just costs me time and money. Also Yoho has been hot and cold on Sportsman and usually adds and cancels dates with not much notice. I usually work on Saturdays so I have to plan my race dates well in advance. The bullrings I do visit are places that you can pass at.

I do agree with you on the look of the cars. I feel they should look more stock. Personally I don't care for the look of the wedge bodies and that's why I run the ABC. It's also what came mounted on my car so, once again, changing would cost me time and money. I wish the Camaro-Mustang-Challenger bodies were made out of durable plastic (like ABC's option) and less expensive. I would buy one. Fragile and expensive just sucks. So does gutting junkyard stock bodies, like I used to do. If our car counts were way stronger you could start granting a yearly increasing weight reduction for the muscle car body to make it attractive. For now, the diversity thing is probably the best option.

As far as the Sportsman not being enough of a draw as a headliner, this Saturday's race will be a good litmus test. They are the headliner at Showtime. But yeah, mostly we are a good #2 class most nights. I'm ok with that. I just want good clean, competitive somewhat affordable racing with drivers with their heads screwed on right. Sportsman racing provides me with that.

Back to the Z1, my whole rant is based upon the fact that I don't want the guys in our class to feel that they have to make expensive rule changes to be competitive and throw their hands up and park their cars (like it has done to the Mod Mini and Limited/Pro Late Model classes). I think you would agree, as a fan, that watching races with five car fields sucks.

[Lurkin]

AE Racing Bodies

There's a guy near PCola that makes a nice stock appearing GM body out of Aluminum for about $550 that they run on dirt that probably could be massaged a little more under the sportsman rules to make a really nice body cheaper than you could find one and gut it out.

[Frasson118]

I LOVE diverse bodies on these cars. Cookie-cutter cars, whethers it's ABC bodies, Monte Carlos, or Pintos, doesn't appeal to my eye as much as something different about every car.

While I agree that the Sportsman are usually a 'second-tier' class, there were several fans, myself included, that would go wherever the Southern Sportsman Series was racing. Great fields of diverse cars, a great format, many different cars that could win...... It was well worth the trip to anywhere to see this class run.

[OldSchool+]

>That is one cool body for $500!

>To Scott's point, the last late model event (last year FUP, I think) they knocked all of the fenders off all of the cars at least once.

>Further agree that Robert is ambivilent when it comes to the sportsman. He is a promoter. No cars = no show.

>Finally, if a car tech's legal, it is legal. It is then up to the other's whether they want to participate or not. To "expect" someone with a winning car to change for the rest of the field is not...appropriate. Simple.

[Lurkin]

<Finally, if a car tech's legal, it is legal. It is then up to the other's whether they want to participate or not. To "expect" someone with a winning car to change for the rest of the field is not...appropriate. Simple>

I think it's the other way around?

http://aeracingbodies.com/

I don't know the guy so I have no vested interest in promoting his stuff but I agree it's a great body for a damn good price. I do know he has a good reputation so I don't think you'll get ripped off.

[CCuzzone9788]

Again, there is no "unfair advantage" to this car. Kevin and Auburndale's promoter and tech man at the time built that car with the idea of it being a concept car to cut cost down on more expensive parts. My complaint with everything you are saying Scott is:
#1- when Z car wasn't at any of the FUPS races you still didn't win (not being mean, just stating facts... neither did I for that matter).
#2 you have an ABC body on your car when you have the option to have other body options, I realize you like the look, but its literally worth 2-3 tenths EVERYWHERE, probably more at places like lake city and nss)
#3 you have 0 interest in going to Showtime, why start issues for another car/driver that's going to support local races, you have no dog in that fight.
#4 that car has been to Showtime I believe 4 times and passed tech with flying colors every time.
#5 the car is different and everyone has opinions over it but for the record, lake city, Orlando, and Showtime are all 100% ok with it. The original tech and Auburndale was ok with it. The tech when Kevin Williams had Desoto was ok with it. Citrus is ok with adding weight to it (which was dropped to 50lbs for your records after studying the car more) NSS has told them to bring it based on what the Z1 team has told them so they can look at it. Oh, and FUPS looked at it and was fine with it but overruled by Adale due to personal reasons between owners.

[Matt Albee]

Hi Matt. Welcome back to the discussion (complaining, whining, defense, etc.) I can always count on you for a spirited debate from the fan's perspective. Let me clarify myself on a few things. I don't race against the Z1 because I feel that the car has an unfair advantage. The car has had a rule made expressly for it at Citrus, is illegal according to the rulebook at Showtime and has been asked not to return to your favorite track until it is not "exotic" anymore. So the track kinda does matter. To be truthful rims are not the only reason I won't go to Showtime (although it wouldn't make much sense to buy rims for just one track since I like to travel around). As I get older I don't have much taste for the one groove, smash and crash bullrings anymore. Fixing needless damage just costs me time and money. Also Yoho has been hot and cold on Sportsman and usually adds and cancels dates with not much notice. I usually work on Saturdays so I have to plan my race dates well in advance. The bullrings I do visit are places that you can pass at.

I do agree with you on the look of the cars. I feel they should look more stock. Personally I don't care for the look of the wedge bodies and that's why I run the ABC. It's also what came mounted on my car so, once again, changing would cost me time and money. I wish the Camaro-Mustang-Challenger bodies were made out of durable plastic (like ABC's option) and less expensive. I would buy one. Fragile and expensive just sucks. So does gutting junkyard stock bodies, like I used to do. If our car counts were way stronger you could start granting a yearly increasing weight reduction for the muscle car body to make it attractive. For now, the diversity thing is probably the best option.

As far as the Sportsman not being enough of a draw as a headliner, this Saturday's race will be a good litmus test. They are the headliner at Showtime. But yeah, mostly we are a good #2 class most nights. I'm ok with that. I just want good clean, competitive somewhat affordable racing with drivers with their heads screwed on right. Sportsman racing provides me with that.

Back to the Z1, my whole rant is based upon the fact that I don't want the guys in our class to feel that they have to make expensive rule changes to be competitive and throw their hands up and park their cars (like it has done to the Mod Mini and Limited/Pro Late Model classes). I think you would agree, as a fan, that watching races with five car fields sucks.

Thanks, good to be back. If the Z1 has a rule made for it at Citrus, if any other Sportsman wants to race at Citrus and win, they need to do the same thing the Z1 does. Problem solved.
If the ZI races anywhere else and passes tech with the same set-up he uses at Citrus, then all the other Sportsman cars should be doing the same thing because it's obviously legal.
Yes Lurkin, there are a ton of cars out there can be purchased for 2 or 3 thousand. If the 5 Star body is $5000 as i read above, then that's a bargain. And there are still salvage yards that will sell you a stripped body.
But here's a thought concerning both body availability and fan draw. You say the younger fans aren't interested in older Detroit iron. You're right, most younger fans weren't even born when the 79 MC was built. So let's kill all the birds with one stone. Let's develop a class, or change the existing Sportsman rules, to allow American V-8 engines and the usual Sportsman type running gear and chassis in ANY BODY STYLE. Nissan, Toyota, Volvo, Camaro, Challenger, VW Jetta, Cadillac, etc. etc. etc. Guys who want something different can build one of the above. Guys who are determined to stick with old ways can run whatever they're running now.