"Limited Late Model Sportsman"--formerly Sportsman

[OldSchool+]

So, Mr. Garrity, Bronson is on board with a name change! (they are getting closer!)

Here are the rules:

http://www.bronsonspeedway.net/rules...tsmanRules.pdf

You probably have already discussed it, but are they close to the NSS & Desoto rules?

[scottgarrity07]

So, Mr. Garrity, Bronson is on board with a name change! (they are getting closer!)

Here are the rules:

http://www.bronsonspeedway.net/rules...tsmanRules.pdf

You probably have already discussed it, but are they close to the NSS & Desoto rules?

The rules are pretty close to Desoto and NSS. However, this is more like calling a dog a thoroughbred, in my opinion. Bronson has decided not to run Super Lates (aka the Anderson division since they brought more than half of the woefully small field) for the rest of the year. When you take steak off the menu and your hamburger becomes Chopped Steak your really not serving upscale cuisine. That is what is going on with the name change. Why not Super Pro Sportsman? Or Limited Super Late Model? A rose by any other name is still a rose, so is a skunk but they emit different fragrances. Changing the name doesn't make a difference to the savvy fan. Besides, the owner Ann just makes one bad decision after another. In a few weeks they will run the third leg of their Limited Late Model Sportsman Triple Crown. To compete for the full purse you will have to had run the previous two races in the series. If not you run 50 laps for $400 to win. Bronson struggles with car counts more than anywhere currently operating. Me and Aaron Williamson tried to explain why this was a bad deal and would not draw cars. As usual they didn't listen. 12 cars the first leg, 8 cars the second leg.How many will run the third leg since only 8 are eligible for the full purse? It's too bad. Bronson is an awesome track. A true drivers track and I love the challenge of the place. The latest debacle is forcing drivers after time trials to engage in some type of humiliating contest to establish the redraw. Musical chairs and who can put on a frozen t shirt the quickest has determined the starting order for the last few events. What's next, pin the tail on the donkey? I'm sorry, we labor on our cars and spend our hard earned dollars to make them faster. After I time trial to the best of my ability a child's party game determines where I start after I humiliate myself in front of the grandstand? No thanks. I'm all for entertaining the fans and think we don't do a good enough job of it but this is not the answer. Deal all the drivers a poker hand and redraw from that. No one has to play pet monkey. Anyway, this is just another gimmick from an owner who makes repeated bad decisions. Like having no tires or race fuel. Like making racers take used tires home. Like not allowing radios. Like allowing the racers who show up for a meeting in a remote area to make the rules. Like penalizing for a quick change or allowing a super clutch in Sportsman (which no other track does). Like wising up and changing your mind on the previuosly mentioned mistakes and making zero formal announcements that you have done so. I have to say that I commend Ann for reaching out to the community in Archer and Bronson and using the track to be a good neighbor AND to giving the Emod guys a place to race. But for every good choice they just can't help but make a bad one. I hope eventually things get worked out but, for now, they are completely off my (and a lot of others) radar. When you list Big Wheels as one of your divisions, well.......

[Boneman]

"Limited Late Model Sportsman"? Really? I am not an albee who criticizes everything, and I really am pulling for Bronson to succeed, so in that light I'd like to add the following observation: that name sux.

And for several reasons. Racecars are supposed to be flat out fast and exciting, so their names should never include the words "stock" or "limited". Would the Miss Universe contest be the same if the name was "Miss Pretty Good Looking Girl-Next-Door?" No, it would not.

It is also too long and confusing. The racers know what is going on, so it is the fan that has to find it appealing. How will that sound on a commercial for the track? It is not descriptive at all.

Even the name "late model" means nothing to a new fan. Sure, we know what it means, but aren't we trying to win over new fans to the sport?

The idea for the class has merit, and it is a good class to build the track's future success on, but why not get it started on better footing?

[OldSchool+]

Scott,

Am theoretically trying to be supportive...

But to continue your analogy:

I was used to steak, and lots of it ('64 Chevelles). It was steak, and it was good!

Then time went by and "late models" became "Kobe Beef" and it is difficult to find, much less enough to survive on (todays "SLM"). And when you do, as you are chewing your expensive morsels the question is..."Damn, is this really better than steak?".

I would suggest, but I know you disagree, that the Sportsman class is the steak I grew up on.

There is always room for Super (expensive) Late Models, too.

[scottgarrity07]

Scott,

Am theoretically trying to be supportive...

But to continue your analogy:

I was used to steak, and lots of it ('64 Chevelles). It was steak, and it was good!

Then time went by and "late models" became "Kobe Beef" and it is difficult to find, much less enough to survive on (todays "SLM"). And when you do, as you are chewing your expensive morsels the question is..."Damn, is this really better than steak?".

I would suggest, but I know you disagree, that the Sportsman class is the steak I grew up on.

There is always room for Super (expensive) Late Models, too.

You hit the nail on the head. Aside from discussing Bronson's other shortcomings Sportsman racing ain't broke (unlike other classes). Whatever you wanna call it, it is close, side by side, fender banging, slidin' sideways AFFORDABLE racing. I'm fine with just leaving it alone. I really don't disagree at all.

[ocalasp76]

Well said by ALL of you. One note here though, she does have fuel now, and Nerone is the tire vendor. However, last trip out the track was out of fuel.
-JIM-

[scottgarrity07]

Well said by ALL of you. One note here though, she does have fuel now, and Nerone is the tire vendor. However, last trip out the track was out of fuel.
-JIM-

Thanks Jim. I also have to commend you on continuing to support Bronson despite what appears to be an ungrateful attitude towards your attempt to help support the place at times. I know Ann reads this board so hopefully she can continue to learn from her past mistakes and maybe try not to make new ones. I wish nothing but success for the track and for the fine folks I have met who race there.

[Renegade Racing Fuels]

Well said by ALL of you. One note here though, she does have fuel now, and Nerone is the tire vendor. However, last trip out the track was out of fuel.
-JIM-

Rick Maguire in Williston has race fuel. 352-528-2494

[Don Nerone]

Well said by ALL of you. One note here though, she does have fuel now, and Nerone is the tire vendor. However, last trip out the track was out of fuel.

JIM-

My son has had tires there for the past 2 seasons.
I think that there was 2 weeks with Leroy that he did not make sure that the racer didn't have what they needed.
I haven't been in a year but from what I hear its going well.

As far as what you want to call a class.
went from
hobby stock
Thunder cars
sportsman
limited late
late model stock
pro late
super late

In the 70s they called them Thunder cars
In the 80s we called them sportsman cars.. They would fight and crash so much that it was a joke when we changed the name to sportsman.4 tracks did it at the same time and told them to act like sportsman. It was also done to try to help the drivers to get sponsors.
In 85 we stoped them from having to run stock bodies.
In 1987 we started calling them limited late (The USA tour was born)
the street stocks became sportsman agin. some of the cars went up and some went down.
The ones that went down are back to late models and the cycle has come full turn . The car of today I think is the best deal ever . a out law looking racecar on a buget.

fan of sportsman

don62

[elmer]

I remember back in the 80's at Desoto you could take a Camaro and start in the Bommer class. Then at the end of the season the rules would change a little they would let you run a Holley 4412 maybe bolt on some headers let you put in a rear view mirror and now the class is called Streetstocks. Then you would run another season with the changes that where mandated in that off season. Then the next season would come along and they would open the rules a little more like put you on take off tires from the late models. Maybe a high rise intake aftermarket A Frames then they would call the class Sportsman. All that being said they where encouraging you to take that Bommer car and now it's a Sportsman car. What it was encouraging you to do is move up each season. Now these days everything is aftermarket and the old Camaros & Montes are all but depleted. I wish tracks would somehow try to run by this model again. I think it would encourage the working man to get into racing, and he sees he can move up and not have to spend a lot on money.

[smith-00]

Name change

You can refer to the class as what ever you wish, but if you look at the head rule for Bronson you can run any steel head. No valve size rule, just steel. I'm not complaining because my little crate motor car is doing well there, but I would love to have the horse power Cooper has. I feel they are getting a little away from where the class started.

[Lurkin]

I kind of like Late Model Sportsman, although if it ain't broke. But Limited Late Model Sportsman is a bit much.


"remember when" is the lowest form of conversation. - Tony Soprano

[scottgarrity07]

I like Late Model Sportsman too. They were calling us that for a while at Desoto. Conjurs up images of the old NASCAR class that pre-dated the Busch Series. I loved the Novas and Skylarks that they used to run. Like our class it was DIFFERENT.

Thanks for the kind words for our class Don. My comment on tires was about when Ann first opened. Not now. Donny does a great job supplying a good selection of tires at every track he is a vendor.

[OldSchool+]

Agreed!

Late Model Sportsman.

Heck, it even has the same letters in the acronym LMS (SLM).

And, come Saturday afternoon, when trying to pick a track to go to you can always refer to them as, well, you know...

ps--Remember Lee Roy Yarbrough's Pontiac powered '53 Studebaker? Aero before it's time.

pps--You know, you show up and race, whatever they are calling them in the tower, but for my two cents worth, anything beginning with "limited" has at least a strike against it up front--expectations are set and reinforced over and over. "These are only limited something or others..." (as Boneman previously mentioned).

[scottgarrity07]

Late Model Sportsman...