parity vs. good racing, why the TBARA rocks

[Boneman]

Name me a pavement series that passes more than the TBARA! You can't, they are the most competitive pavement series in the state. This weekend, I saw 3 features in a row where the winner started 12'th. The whole field jumbles up with the fast cars on the move and the rest heading backwards.

Why is this? I think in part it is due to fewer rules. Sprints are about as far from "spec" racing as you can get. For years, many series have strived for "parity" between cars. That has been the stated objective from NASCAR through years of rule changes. Well they have achieved parity in NASCAR, and what is the result? Cars that can't pass. They line up and follow, which is the bane of race fans on both short tracks or superspeedways.

Currently, Dave Steele and Troy DeCaire are consistently the fastest sprinters. In fact, Dave tends to be a lot faster, so the race looks like its the whole field lined up against him. It reminds me of the good old days in NASCAR when there were a few fast cars that could be counted on to go to the front: Petty, Pearson, etc. Those were better races, and there was no emphasis on parity

Of course there are other factors about why the TBARA races are better. COURAGE and skill stand out. Money and preparation will always play a role too. But I think it is the wide open playing field that makes these races so compelling. Need proof? Consider last nights crate LM feature. Most everyone had similar equipment with "crate" motors. The result? Eleven laps of mayhem, frustration, destruction and delay.

Lets banish the words "spec" and "parity" from racing. Let the best team win (and start them 12'th)!

[laszloRacing]

that's why the superstocks and strictlystocks are some of the most entertaining classes for weekly events, although the same car winning every week gets boring, for both the drivers and the fans.

[Todd McCreary]

Well they have achieved parity in NASCAR, and what is the result? Cars that can't pass.

they can pass.

it's just that there's not a snowballs chance in hell that a slow car is going to pass a fast car when the slow car gets lined up behind the fast car.

[Dana Barlow]

True true true;
" not a snowballs chance in hell that a slow car is going to pass a fast car when the slow car gets lined up behind the fast car."
__________________ I just think it may be stated off a bit,but I'm hearing what your cooking. LO

[andre]

Last year, one night that I had nothing to do, I wrote that article that I think applied to what you are talking about, parity, Spec this, Crate that... I have already post this on this forum but that was a long time ago, so let's refresh our memory:

What’s wrong with
Weekly Short Track Racing?

As we all know, WSTR (Weekly Short Track Racing) is not what it use to be. Beside a lucky few, the large majority of paved short tracks in America are dwelling. They’re closing left and right. The 1/3 mile and larger tracks taking the worst beating. This sad reality is being blamed on everything: economy, 400 channels on the home tube, computer, Internet, Drift cars, Saturday night Cup races on national TV, boats, bikes, campers, all of those supposedly hurt our beloved sport, Weekly Short Track Racing.

But are these the only, or should we say, the really things which are hurting us????

We all catch ourselves talking about how it used to be, how it was fun, how it was exciting!!!! So what did change so much that it’s not like it used to be.

Among all those changes, here’s one that might have played a major role and impact the sport more than we think in the last few years. Have you heard these words lately: ‘’Spec’’, ‘’Crate’’, mandatory this, mandatory that. Well, I’m sure you did, and, as a promoter then, I even implemented it at our track. I started my first sealed engine program in the winter of 1997 for the 98 season, way before it became so advertised and adopted almost everywhere.

In an attempt to bring more cars & participants, promoters across the country and beyond looked at the whole picture and told themselves, ‘’let’s cut the cost of the biggest expenses and level the playing field’’. Make it easier and cheaper for the racers to come aboard and be competitive quickly. Build driver friendly race cars. And from there it went, Spec Motor, Spec this, Spec that, mandatory this, mandatory those.

We all thought that by having them build more identical cars and cutting HP, WSTR would become more attractive to people. And we were right, car count went up, for a while, until racers found out that it costs almost as much to play with the toy than before and parked them. And to our saddest disbelief, FAN base started to go down. I guess we did not hit the right button. Or did we?

So what went wrong FANS wise with that whole picture? I think we forgot the point one of our industry, FANS ENTERTAINMENT.

We have put Street Stock level motors in state of the art short track rocket ship. Low power motors in high tech racing missiles do not equal to very exciting racing. Don’t believe me: look at the grandstands at the majority of paved short track in America.…empty, some lucky one are half full and very few are still full. Want to go higher: IROC, ‘’All Spec Cars’’, where is that series today and they had the best drivers of all the highest racing leagues in the world driving these babies.

So what do we do to fix it? Some promoters just quit the project and now rely on all night entertainment shows, like Crash-o-whatever, Rock concert, different expensive Tour races, EXTRAVANGANZA X,000$ to win enduro that packs the house, and all other kinds of FANS friendly and cheap family fun night. So what about WSTR that packs the pit and stands??? What do we do for that?

I still think and strongly believe that the ‘’Spec Motor’’ idea is good, but some more thinking will have to follow up. From what we have seen, some issues should be address. For one, what race teams don’t spend on motors, they spend it on something else, i.e. : latest chassis technology, shocks, titanium bolts kit, fancy quick change, low friction latest discovery, tricky trick carburetors, and, at the end of the day, whoever use to win still wins. The next natural step to bring them back and keep them racing would be to look at’ how much does it cost to play?’’ Second would be to bring back the excitement for the FANS.

Let’s look at some examples. First, we’ll look from the FANS side of the fence. Let’s keep the Spec motors system in place but with more powerful ones. Let’s not use anything under 425 HP. Do not forget, FANS are here to see a Late Model or Super Late Model race where drivers are suppose to pass each other. Not a follow the leader, FANS displeasure, type of racing. It’s supposed to be exciting racing after all. You can get a 425 HP Spec motor in a price range that any average Late Model or Super Late Model team can afford and they are as reliable as the lower HP one. Now we are back in business power wise and FANS are happy because the car speed is back.

Then, we’ll take a look where we can save some money to racers. If we save them enough, maybe the purse structure will be more affordable to promoters and they’ll be able to pass the saving to the FANS by dropping the ticket price. This…is one of the very best FANS draw.

Now, let’s say you go racing for a 100 laps show, being a Super Late Model 550HP Series or a 425 HP Spec Motor Series, or even a 350HP Spec Motor series, if you are there to win, you will buy as many tires as rules allows you to. Almost anywhere, they will allow you to buy at least 4 tires, some series 6. What did you gain in expenses using a Spec motor here? Nada, same tire bill. What about rock hard tires that would last 2 or 3 shows??? At least the left one would, and then you would need only right side for the next show or two. This cuts your season tire bill almost in half. Also, harder tires remove grip, put drivers back in the seat, and create excitement for the FANS.

Same with fuel, 100 laps is 100 laps, big motor or small, bill is close to the same. What about cutting some laps out of these races? Let’s say running 50 to 75 lap main event. On a 15 races schedule, by shaving 25 laps per race, at the end of the season, you have save the fuel for five75 laps features. Sprint car shows are 25 to 35 laps and nobody can argue that they are not exciting and THEY still pack the grandstands! An action packed 75 laps Super Late Model race will please any entertainment hungry race FAN.

What about fast cars starting in the back…. Ever been to the Milk Bowl at Thunder Road, Vermont? Well, if not, you definitely should. What is more exciting than watching your favourite hero starting last, drive his way through traffic, rub fenders here and there, and win the race……..Remember, now they can pass each other, we put the power back in them!!! That makes FANS happy, then talk about it… and come back with their friends. Also don’t forget that every restart, to the end of the race, should be double file. That is a real FANS pleaser.

And those famous practices, endless hours of fine tuning. What did you do to your car since the last event to make it so out of shape?!? Or do you do it just because you’ve seen it done on TV coverage of Cup racing? At some short track shows, they allow more practice time than a Cup race, how much does this cost? A maximum of two 15 minutes runs should be allowed, that’s it. That’s an average saving of anywhere from ½ hour to one hour of track time. How much fuel and tires do you use up in a one hour period of time? That’s the equivalent of a 100 laps feature.

Body work, that’s the best one. Is it really necessary to have those 3000$ template ABC bodies that no week end warrior can afford to scratch for WSTR…..Let’s go back to those cheaper Sportsman bodies...even these Outlaw one if we have to, with tiny side rails and rub fenders a little, this might please and bring in some FANS.

I could go on a lot longer on the subject but this will be it for this feature event. We’ll save the rest for further articles. Hope you enjoyed.

And in conclusion, we all have seen and heard all kind of gimmicks to put butts on those seats, but an outstanding three hours, filled with excitement and action pack WSTR, is still the best proven road to achieve our common goal, which is to bring the FANS back.

Respectfully yours,

André

PS: And don’t forget to support your local short track!