New Smyrna

[shorttrackcar1]

Who comes up with crap? They should be fired if it's a tech guy. because all this does is run the off average Saturday night racer . The whole point of the crate engine was to keep the cost down and everybody can afford to run the same . And the car count had came up dramatically . sportsman class biggest class running now showing up . Or better yet whoever came up with this ideal decided to do this . explain yourself how this will help the class how it's good for the class I'd love to hear this . And New Smyrna mod class they had 8 cars show for a 50 lapper and like someone said nobody else race Saturday night except DeSoto Speedway so where were the mods parked or up for sale .

[shorttrackcar1]

Old-school the reason why the sportsman class has grown back so strong was because of the crate engine . it's working was working that means leaving it alone if it ain't broke don't fix it ! Proof proven in the car counts at multiple tracks fact .

[OldSchool+]

ST1--There have also been "built" motors for some time. Many, but not all, of the "fast" cars are currently powered by them.

The Sean Bass car has "Gaerte Engines" on the hood. It ain't there for looks...

The big change is that the heads previously required for a built motor are scarce and were costing a bunch to re-work for racing, hence the allowance of vortec heads.

The trick, imo, is for a backyard builder to be able to put together a junkyard motor for less money than a crate costs that will run with the crates, not the built motors with vortec heads to obsolete the crate engines.

[openwm53]

Old school

"Maybe we need a driver coalition and try to tell the tracks what rules should be run..."--OWM53

Seems like a good idea. BUT, I would suggest that it is the racers that are ultimately to blame--for decades.

IMO, the bucks up teams have influenced almost all of the bucks up rules, since, um, forever.

A class gets more and more expensive. Why? Why would a track implement rules to do that? Then car count drops until the class is dropped, or at best run occasionally.

Then, the next class down gets top billing...and...repeat.

I do no completely disagree with you about the racers being part of the problem. But its ultimately up to the track to make any changes. Here's an example.........one team crys they have been doing it for years......next year its in the rules but only at one track. The racers in the mod class did not entertain two types of slicks and a grooved tire. Camaro geometry and late model shocks were brought in by the racer ....But allowed by the track. So forth and so on......................Does anyone know that they are testing another tire at Auberndale ? yep lets bring back the American racer slick.......lol. Guess them grooved POS's are heading out again.......oh wait. you can still get grooved Hoosiers at Citrus ??

[OldSchool+]

Doug, Agreed.

The track is in a tight spot, though. They want to keep the fast guys happy that the fans come to see.

It is all kind of short sighted. The tracks want car count, and the racers want to win.

But, again, it kind of is what it is. The tracks can and do set whatever rules they want.

I am just hoping that the prospects of long term viability for everyone are attractive enough to be considered.

[zerofor]

The fast guys will be happy as long as they are winning. But the guys who are a step or two behind have to feel they at least have a chance.If the rules are let to get where a guy feels like all he's doing is spending to go backwards or hold onto the status quo he will go buy a boat and laugh at all the fools spending more money to go backwards on Saturday night while he's out fishing.

[shorttrackcar1]

Zero4 couldn't agree more it's already happening . That's why most tracks have been struggling . The guys that already went and sold out and got out of it . they're not coming back their done ..There maybe shortages of some parts but there's no shortages of crate engines fact .

[OldSchool+]

Rarely, if ever, are there parts shortages.

Rarely, if ever, is there enough cash to buy the parts.

At this time, crate engines are still competitive.

[JMITCH]

No need to go to Vortec heads when World Products and RHS can supply brand new heads that are.....brand new!

[Lurkin]

If it ain't broke then listen to the racers?