Late Models @ Citrus May 2nd *New Rules and Format*

[Mike Bresnahan]

I have spent the last couple weeks working with Citrus County Speedway, and calling dozens of drivers to get their opinions on the late model situation. Below is the new format we have came up with to help make late Model racing more affordable and appealing to the drivers, teams, and fans. If you drive or own one of these cars and did not receive a call from me, that means I don't have a good number to reach you at. Please e-mail me a good number, I would like to hear what your opinions are. No ideas are off the table. My e-mail is mike@awstoilets.com

May 2nd, 2009
50 Green Flag Laps
$1,500 to win!!! $125 to take the green
NO ENTRY or SLAB FEES!!!

**Rule Changes**
Effective May 2nd, 2009
Crate Cars: 2700 lbs. 58% Left side weight
Limiteds: 2750 lbs. 58% Left side weight
Supers: 2800 lbs. 58% Left side weight

Tires: You can race on goodyears or american racers.
Tires will only be available for purchase during practice hours on Thursdays, and anytime on Saturdays. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!

Like I said we are trying to make this fun and affordable again. We are soon going to be testing a 10" treaded tire. Thanks for reading and we hope to see everyone there!!!

[AJ14]

Mike , i applaud your efforts to increase car count and reduce costs . But i do have a couple of observations . One , i assume that the track will be selling the tires , and i have to wonder why . If race tracks really want to help lower the costs , they will allow the racers to use any brand tire they want . Track tire rules do not keep the costs down . They just allow the track to make money by forcing the drivers to buy the spec tires . Race tires are no different than any other product on earth . Competition among tire manufacturers to sell their products is what will lower the prices . If they have the opportunity to sell their tires at every track , believe me , the price wars will begin . If one brand of tire turns out to be better , then everyone will buy that tire until another manufacturer makes a better one .
And on the subject of costs to the racer , i agree the tire bills are a concern , but honestly i find it hard to have much sympathy for racers who are complaining from the inside of their toter home , a toter home that contains a state of the art pit wagon , one or two spare engines , 20 Penske shock/spring combos , and receipts for several days per week of track rentals for testing . Keeping the tire costs down is a great idea , i just don't think tire costs are really the major issue .

[andre]

Mike , i applaud your efforts to increase car count and reduce costs .

So do I, good job. I'm pretty sure it will catch up. Everywhere they were able to drop the ''how much it cost to play'' have increase car counts.

Track tire rules do not keep the costs down .

I kinda disagree with that. If you open the rule on brand of tire, and I speak by experience, within a couple of events, everybody will be on the same tire anyway, so why bother going through that and leaving a possible helpfull profit on the table for somebody else to pick up. And no tire company will start a tire war for one saturday night track, not enough profit there to get involve for these major corporations.

Congradulation to this race track for their valuable effort and keep us posted on the results.

[AJ14]

Heres why i think prices for race tires would go down . You're right , a price war is unlikely to start over only one track . But if , for the first time in decades , track tire rules were tossed out , every race tire maker , and more important every race tire dealer , would be talking to the racers , advertising , offering contingency payouts , and trying to get their tire onto the track . And as we all know , the best way to be sure your product is represented is by price . I agree that after a month or two there would be a clear favorite tire brand , but that would be all the more reason for the other three or four manfacturers to attempt to compete on price . And thats going to benefit the racers . Once one track starts , its only a question of time before other tracks follow suit . And then the price war really starts .
Any income lost by the track on selling the tires could and would be made up easily by additional advertising revenue from all of the tire makers buying billboards , program ads , etc.

[The Ocala Speedway]

Tires are a tuff situation. The minute you open up the tire rule and someone gets beat by the other or off brand tire some of the drivers will hand your ass to you. Then everyone has to buy those tires in order to FEEL competitive. I'm not knocking the effort I think it's a good idea, just pointing out one of the obstacles.

[Mike Bresnahan]

Citrus and Auburndale have worked together all year by allowing cars to compete on either goodyears or american racers at each track, so this is nothing new. As far as opening it completly up....I really don't think thats the answer. That will mean a super soft tire will win all the races, and your right back to where we currently are, having to buy at least 4 for everyrace. But worse yet, they'll be completely junk after the race and you'll also need to buy practice tires.
Tracks should be making their money selling billboards, arm bands and hot dogs, not tires. Keep it cheap for the "local" racer and he will keep coming back.

[AJ14]

Mike , you're right about everyone running the softest tire they can if they're allowed to . But thats easily controlled by a hardness rule .
No matter what , the people with the money and desire will always outspend everyone else . And i know of no tracks or associations rules that can prevent that . If your 10 inch treaded tire becomes the new track tire , whats to prevent teams from buying a new set every weekend ? Teams with money will buy new sets of tires as often as they are allowed . Period .It has always , and will always come down to money .
Competition is the key to driving down prices . If the tracks get out of the tire business and let the racers buy whatever brand they like ( that fits the rules ) , the companies will compete , the prices will drop , and the racers will benefit .

[ronabneysr]

i got a question for you

how about they make a tire that will last two three weeks and still hook up even on second night as good as first night .. now don't tell me well it's the car its set up or springs or shocks or caster camber or j bar or sway bar no it's the tires if they hook up then they won't last because they are too soft

if they last they don't hook up as good cause they are just little to hard after first heat cycle and you let set little while cool off duromoter reads different . check heat all way cross tire heat is same when you come in

we run two different brands guess which brand is best do you have a choice

did you ever race back when they made mccreary- hoosier - and real good -- good years and they sold two different brands of tires you could run at same track and get five weeks on them if you did not bust them

you want a real laugh any body remember when we ran tubes in race tires and you got new tire side wall cut and you stiched it up put boot in it put new tube in it and ran it again cause it was so good

i will bet you i know this is not the answere but for the tire maker to make a better tire he has to have competion -- like two different tires on same class racing against each other and having some one having a better tire sticking better lasting longer with decent price , and not here today gone tomorrow

[andre]

Here's maybe a way to fix the dilema: the tire will be XYZ but you can buy it from the supplier of your choice. Now every car builders, race shop, speed shop, tire suppliers can go to price war and let the racers benefit from the game.

[AJ14]

That sounds like a good idea . I don't pretend to know how much the tracks make per spec tire , i imagine $20 or $30 dollars . You open up competition to Goodyear , Firestone , Hoosier , BF Goodrich , American Racer , and anyone else out there , prices will drop very quickly . And that means the racer will get better tires at a reduced price .
Lets try it !

[ronabneysr]

i don't have the answere to problem

but after two weeks at citrus and two weeks at auburndale with two different classes of cars open wheel modified and sports man and buying 16 good years and 16 american racers and giving one set that had 15 laps to another open wheel modified and another set with 20 laps to another class i won't say who and praticing twice one brand is faster and last longer don't grow as much and you can get your stagger better and they don't grow as much after a race .. i don't think it would be fair too say which tire is better at the moment

but when some one finds out what i have get in touch with me thanks

[Bobby Diehl]

Great Move.

The Late Model's at CCMP are on the same type of package. In these tuff times it is hard to get car count. We have almost 30 cars for this weeks race. If we would of keep Super’s separate we would only have 18 to 20 Late Models. The Super race had got down to 10 to 12. No fan wants to pay to see a race with small car count. So Mike keep working to level the playing field and your Fans will see full field again. Good luck and try a 100 lapper every once in awhile. This weeks its $3000.00 to Win!!! And $100.00 Contingencies for FAST TIME, HARD CHARGER , and HARD LUCK awards. This is a Good Year Sponsored event. Sorry no other tires. We will announce your rule package for you at the Drivers meeting at CCMP on Saturday.
Bobby Diehl

[blue7]

Citrus and Auburndale have worked together all year by allowing cars to compete on either goodyears or american racers at each track, so this is nothing new. As far as opening it completly up....I really don't think thats the answer. That will mean a super soft tire will win all the races, and your right back to where we currently are, having to buy at least 4 for everyrace. But worse yet, they'll be completely junk after the race and you'll also need to buy practice tires.
Tracks should be making their money selling billboards, arm bands and hot dogs, not tires. Keep it cheap for the "local" racer and he will keep coming back.

Why not just let each team only buy ONE new tire every week after the first set of tire is purchased. They do that alot in the Carolina's

[Frasson118]

A track in Maine is doing something similar. You can start the season on 4 new tires, but each week you are allowed ONE new tire. As an option, these guys can skip a week of buying tires and purchase TWO the following week. But, other than destroyed tires, you can never buy 3 or more.

At some point of the season, the left-sides will need replacing, so that puts an extra week on the right rears. These tires are hard compound and last quite a while.

The track also does inverted fields, double-file restarts, and it's not uncommon for the winner to come from 12th or deeper in the field.

[Round D' Round Racer]

Did I Hear

Someone say "Inverted Fields"?

Seems that has been the buzz lately, other than NSS doing it a week or so ago to the pleasure of the fans - no one has the B-alls to do it...

SHAME SHAME SHAME


Round D' Round Racer
So. Ga