ACT is some cool stuff

[OldSchool+]

Mapping de Wealth:

There are some exceptions, like Californey, but y'all got a lot of it.

It's where, ya know, the stock market & the Federal Government is...

There are many locations that can provide this data. Here is one:

http://www.fastcoexist.com/3022486/v...-the-have-nots

Notice all the pretty lights in the N.E.

ps--I have been a racefan all my life. I am waiting for the guvment "redistribution of racecars" program (but not holding my breath).

[Phil Jacques]

SMH... You just don't get it.

You aren't looking at the big picture, only part of it. Sure, we have a higher average income than FL up here, but guess what. We have much more for average living expenses plus much higher and more taxes also. I'm telling you from straight up experience and seeing with my own two eyes. 90% of racers up here are just like down there. Pure grassroots paycheck to paycheck racers. We don't have anything better in our cars than any of you, just different rules. We run a shorter schedule and don't have ridiculous rules making us spend excessive money to stay competitive on a weekly basis. You see so many cars up here and assume there are more "big buck teams" because generally for 6 cars here, you have 1. We have a much more dense population here, with more people over a smaller area than in the State of Florida any way you look at it. You can't judge anything by looking at your silly map because it only paints a picture. It doesn't tell the full story. I am sorry but if you want to educate yourself a bit on the economic situation in New England and then come back and argue, go for it. But you honestly have no clue. Every single transplant that is living in racing in FL now, will corroborate exactly what I am saying here. I am not trying to be a dick, but you need to look at more than just a map. On average we may have a slight edge on you, but I have seen no more stackers in our pit areas, than I do in yours on any regular racing night. The fact that we have touring divisions like WMT means nothing. If the tracks down there wanted the Southern WMT to show up, they would.

[UREZ2PASS]

OldSchool wins again. LOL !

Proof that we old guys don't BS our way through the interwebs.

[OldSchool+]

Phil, I get your point.

Dunno if you get mine.

You are not well off. I am not well off.

But there are more folks that are well off up there, and they are business owners and car owners and sponsorship providers and promoters.

See--It takes a lot to own a National Football Team, but a late model team...lots of folks your way can cut that--and be "the bigshot".

And my earlier "redistribution" comments were in jest.

More power to them.(pun intended)

ps--Thx EZ, but Phil has accomplished more than I in the racing world.

[UREZ2PASS]

ps--Thx EZ, but Phil has accomplished more than I in the racing world.

You have class OldSchool, an accomplishment most boys under the age of 35 will probably never find in today's world.

[Phil Jacques]

Phil, I get your point.

Dunno if you get mine.

You are not well off. I am not well off.

But there are more folks that are well off up there, and they are business owners and car owners and sponsorship providers and promoters.

See--It takes a lot to own a National Football Team, but a late model team...lots of folks your way can cut that--and be "the bigshot".

And my earlier "redistribution" comments were in jest.

More power to them.(pun intended)

ps--Thx EZ, but Phil has accomplished more than I in the racing world.

Let's make one thing clear, I haven't accomplished SHIT in racing bahahahaha!!!

The way you are looking at it, is that Florida has the same amount of people as up here, but we have more people that are better off. That is how you are portraying it at least.

The truth is, right now at New Smyrna, you have cars from MA, CT, RI, NH, VT, ME, NY etc... A much broader area therefore having a much larger overall population. By the law of averages, with that, you will see more people that seem to be well off than Florida. This is because Florida is 1 single state, and "up north" as you are putting it, is many.

Truth be told, Besides the ACT guys, which are a TOURING division no different than a group like PASS SOUTH, there are only 18 total drivers from my region of the country which you are speaking of. A few from Canada, OH and the Carolinas and then the rest are FL drivers.

Again, as I said, we run much shorter schedules allowing us the luxury of saving some money to do some traveling. There are a number of ACT and Tour Mod teams that are down there right now that are low buck weekly drivers also. ACT only had an 11 race schedule this past year and 17 this year. There are only 3 true WMT teams down there right now racing with you guys. The rest are weekly racers.

Your theory is severely flawed and uneducated. I am sorry.

[OldSchool+]

"Your theory [that there is a lot of dough in the Northeast] is severely flawed and uneducated."--PJ

"The truth is, right now at New Smyrna, you have cars from MA, CT, RI, NH, VT, ME, NY etc..."--Surprise, Phil again!

So, NOW am I edjumacated?

It is all good, man, gotta go for now.

Thx again, EZ

[Phil Jacques]

"Your theory [that there is a lot of dough in the Northeast] is severely flawed and uneducated."--PJ

"The truth is, right now at New Smyrna, you have cars from MA, CT, RI, NH, VT, ME, NY etc..."--Surprise, Phil again!

So, NOW am I edjumacated?

It is all good, man, gotta go for now.

Thx again, EZ

How about you share the entire quote rather than the part that suits what you are arguing.

[scottgarrity07]

Wow, has this gotten heated! Let's see if I can clear this up between my two friends here.

If you're talking about strictly concentration of wealth then Old School is right. The north (namely the northeast) has got it hands down over Florida, and it's not even close. Now if were talking about "money in asphalt circle track racing" Phil is spot on. The crap weather and short season is what makes FL an attractive option for "yankees" (not to mention the tradition). EVERYONE up there knows about New Smyrna Speedweeks racing. An ACT car costs somewhere between an OWM and a Sportsman to build and there are literally hundreds upon hundreds of them in the NE and Canada. Most of them are weekly racers that will never see action in an ACT tour event. Except for a few of these teams, they are not money racers. The money racers up nawth are Tour Mods, PASS SLM's and Supermodifieds. A Tour Mod and a good SLM down here cost about the same and run for similar money. I see just about as many (and maybe more) SLM big budget teams down here as I did Tour Mod teams up there. Things are just more concentrated up there and spread out down here. If you've ever been to the Snowball Derby in Pensacola AND The World Series at Thompson (lucky me!) you will see hundreds and hundreds of Big Money race teams at both events. Not to mention, I have not seen the amount of bought ARCA, K&N and Truck series rides up nawth that many of the lucky young local lads enjoy. I don't think my point of view will definitively settle this squabble so why don't you two agree to disagree and kiss and make up?

[OldSchool+]

Phil,

Well, for two reasons:

a) It is right there just above mine for all to read, and

b) It's the part that suits what I am arguing.

Scott, no heat here, and no need to make up. I enjoy kicking the ball around with Phil.

And I am happily married, so no smooching!

Phil, have a good & relaxing evening. Am hoping you are cool as well, sir.

[OldSchool+]

Scott--batter up?

If ACT cars are affordable, mo power to them. You know that saving the racers money is a theme of mine.

A selfish theme, admittedly, as I want bigger fields.

What about Tour Mods & Supermods? They don't look inexpensive.

And it was very kind of you to go to the Rolex and share your hospitality with your crew--and myself and my son.

But, Dude, can you imagine what a week at New Smyrna must cost for a car, hauler, family & crew from New England? More than many drop here in a season, I will wager.

And you admit there is simply more coin in the Northeast, is it not logical that simply as a numbers game more of it will be available for racing?

True, all the Cup/truck/ARCA/Nationwide stuff is mostly based out of Charlotte, but the rides go to drivers that have...the money.

Speaking of which, where are the Sponsors from? It ain't the Cabbage Patch that is on Jeff Gordon's ride

Greg Sacks, Geoffrey Bodini, Richie Evans...man the list goes on and on and on of NE greats. I am certainly not arguing against the North.

Finally, if anyone sees Mario Rossi say hi for me, his #22 cars were some of the classiest of all time.

[scottgarrity07]

Scott--batter up?

If ACT cars are affordable, mo power to them. You know that saving the racers money is a theme of mine.

A selfish theme, admittedly, as I want bigger fields.

What about Tour Mods & Supermods? They don't look inexpensive.

And it was very kind of you to go to the Rolex and share your hospitality with your crew--and myself and my son.

But, Dude, can you imagine what a week at New Smyrna must cost for a car, hauler, family & crew from New England? More than many drop here in a season, I will wager.

And you admit there is simply more coin in the Northeast, is it not logical that simply as a numbers game more of it will be available for racing?

True, all the Cup/truck/ARCA/Nationwide stuff is mostly based out of Charlotte, but the rides go to drivers that have...the money.

Speaking of which, where are the Sponsors from? It ain't the Cabbage Patch that is on Jeff Gordon's ride

Greg Sacks, Geoffrey Bodini, Richie Evans...man the list goes on and on and on of NE greats. I am certainly not arguing against the North.

Finally, if anyone sees Mario Rossi say hi for me, his #22 cars were some of the classiest of all time.

Well the cost for a week of racing down here would be the same as racing a touring division anywhere. The biggest factor is hauler fuel money (which is thankfully down of late). Six or Seven races in a row in one place is probably cheaper than the same amount of races requiring travel each and every time. I don't think that totals up to a year's worth of expenses in FL. I remember when the World Series at NSS used to draw a bigger field of Tour Mods and even a separate field of SK Mods for a few years. All that big money up nawth appears to be drying up somewhat. Only 15 or so lately. As for the ACT cars, there is a huge pool to draw from. The CT contingient of the Rocco Bros. don't even run ACT Tour events ('cept for this one). It would cost just as much if not more to run a Super in the Snowball Derby, AA 400 or any other big SLM event that a lot of FL racers travel to run.

As far as the theory that since all that wealth is concentrated in the NE so that must transfer to racing too isn't that accurate. All the Fairfield/Westchester County Blue Bloods wouldn't be caught dead at a Stock Car race. Maybe at the Rolex or Lime Rock Park with their Porsches and Ferraris, but not at a short track event.

And you kinda prove my point talking about how the drivers with money get those developmental rides in ARCA, K & N, etc. I see a lot of Florida boys and not too many New Englanders ('cept for Scott Heckert) in those seats.

Like I said agree to disagree. What I DO like is there seems to be more Stock Cars everywhere lately and that's a damn good thing.

So retort if you'd like but I need to go get my hauler out of storage now so I can unload my car in my front yard tomorrow (I DON'T HAVE A GARAGE!) and fire my brandy-new crate motor for the first time tomorrow! Gotta do it now so I can get back and watch all that racing from New Smyrna tonite with a nice big SUDS! Cheers Old School!

[OldSchool+]

Amazingly, am all retorted out (for now...).

Good luck with the new engine!

[Lurkin]

Hate to hijack the thread but wow what a race! Whoever said that the ACT formula is what Crate Lates were supposed to be is 200% correct. Loving the live stream.