[racefan20]

Think you guys are all barking up the wrong tree here. Think separate series not the elimination of pavement races.

[1121]

Duke, I respect you and all the other drivers that ran cars without the cages back in the day. And although I'd like to think I'd have what it would take to strap into a car without a cage, I guess we really don't know until we try it. But I do know that there have been a couple of wrecks that without the cage, I wouldn't be typing this right now.

But I'll bet if you were to travel back in time and talked to a few old racers back in the 60's, you'd find that they thought the racing in the 50's and 40's were better then what they were seeing in the 60's. It's just human nature.

And I share your frustration with 14, 15 and 16 year old kids having the best equipment their daddy's money can buy when I had to work two jobs for two years to buy my first sprint car and it was a 10 year old Shores car. I'm not denying that many of them can really push the pedal, but yes, I'll admit it, I'm jealous.

But we can't go back in time. And obsoleting a bunch of cars is definately not the answer. But let me clarify my tire response.
I have no problems with Hoosier tire. I think the tires now are better then the tires we were using 10 years ago. Back then, it was common for sombody to have a tire worn down to the cords after a 30 lap feature. Partly because we were sliding around a lot more. Now, I can't remember the last time I saw a pavement tire blistered or taken down to the cords. And we are running a harder tire then we were back then.
Yes, they are expensive. And I'd like us to use a cheaper tire. But it is the guys that are bolting on 6-8 new tires a night that are causing the problem. Nothing is more depressing then to be rolling out for the heat race and see a guy with new biscuits on. For a heat race that pays nothing.
New tires will always be faster then used tires (yes, yes, I know, way back in 1906, you could run tires for ten years and they never dropped off. And the only reason you had to replace them is because they dry -rotted....LOL) The only way to get out of this is by three simple rules.

1. You can only buy two tires a night. Don't care what two, but you can only buy two.
2. You have to run the same right rear all night. If you have to run a B-main you can run another USED tire.
3. All the major pavement organizations (USAC, HOSS, AVSS, etc.) have to run the same compound tires.

I really feel these three simple rules would raise the car counts in USAC and keep the car count up in the other organizations. You can change all the cars to dirt cars, but if you don't solve the tire problem, you're still going to have 14 cars running the feature.

Tom Paterson

P.S. I ran Spartan Speedway once this last year and I had a good run and had a lot of fun. But it is three hours from home and it is a friday night. It's hard to work for a living and still run there.

[dadams17]

Not sure if someone already brought it up but I think John is on to it. USAC National Series is all dirt, but from what I understand there will still be a separate pavement series. Similar but not the same as the previous regional series, 12 races with a new tire rule coming out. Possibly only 2 tires a night or something around that. Tracks ORP, Winchester, Salem, Toledo, Anderson? with a smaller purse. Not 100% positive on all of the facts, but this is coming from a reliable source. Now teams won't have to worry about spending the bucks on expenses to be able to compete against the huge budgets (besides testing, but that is track revenue not USAC) and the National teams don't HAVE to run them. I think it is a step in the right direction and hopefully it works and draws cars otherwise it is probably the last straw...

Donnie Adams

[#1jackhewittfan]

i just got off the winchester website and they have dates for 2011 season with a 2 day open wheel event may 14 and 15 with no info on whats running anybody have any inside info what this maybe. got my fingers crossed for super modifieds.
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[Tim Watson]

Originally Posted by #1jackhewittfan i just got off the winchester website and they have dates for 2011 season with a 2 day open wheel event may 14 and 15 with no info on whats running anybody have any inside info what this maybe. got my fingers crossed for super modifieds. Posted via Mobile Device

I do believe May 14 and 15 is the Badger/USAC midget weekend at Angell Park. Oh man.

[Mud Packer]

Originally Posted by #1jackhewittfan i just got off the winchester website and they have dates for 2011 season with a 2 day open wheel event may 14 and 15 with no info on whats running anybody have any inside info what this maybe. got my fingers crossed for super modifieds. Posted via Mobile Device

No real inside information but I would plan on the Must See Extreme Sprint Series to be the focal point of the weekend. In a discussion I had with one of the former promoters, he told me that they had talked with the supers (MSA?) and the members weren't too eager to run Winchester. Seems the speed is an issue and I am sure that the track not being very smooth won't help either. I guess we can still dream though.

[racefan20]

Originally Posted by dadams17 Not sure if someone already brought it up but I think John is on to it. USAC National Series is all dirt, but from what I understand there will still be a separate pavement series. Similar but not the same as the previous regional series, 12 races with a new tire rule coming out. Possibly only 2 tires a night or something around that. Tracks ORP, Winchester, Salem, Toledo, Anderson? with a smaller purse. Not 100% positive on all of the facts, but this is coming from a reliable source. Now teams won't have to worry about spending the bucks on expenses to be able to compete against the huge budgets (besides testing, but that is track revenue not USAC) and the National teams don't HAVE to run them. I think it is a step in the right direction and hopefully it works and draws cars otherwise it is probably the last straw... Donnie Adams

You are hearing the same thing I am.

[openwheelKT]

Originally Posted by dadams17 Not sure if someone already brought it up but I think John is on to it. USAC National Series is all dirt, but from what I understand there will still be a separate pavement series. Similar but not the same as the previous regional series, 12 races with a new tire rule coming out. Possibly only 2 tires a night or something around that. Tracks ORP, Winchester, Salem, Toledo, Anderson? with a smaller purse. Not 100% positive on all of the facts, but this is coming from a reliable source. Now teams won't have to worry about spending the bucks on expenses to be able to compete against the huge budgets (besides testing, but that is track revenue not USAC) and the National teams don't HAVE to run them. I think it is a step in the right direction and hopefully it works and draws cars otherwise it is probably the last straw... Donnie Adams

That sounds alright to me. Pavement needs SOMETHING to be done to help it. I'll always pick dirt over pavement, but I do like to mix in pavement as well so I hope this type of change helps. I'd hate to no longer have any reason to go to some of the great pavement tracks around IN.

As for those that say running both is what set USAC apart, it used to, but really doesn't any more. Think about it, there were about 40 races run this year, 7 on pavement. That comes out to about 18% of the races. So really you don't have to be GREAT at both. I'm not saying you just show up and make laps on pavement, but you only have to race 15-20 cars 7 times out of about 40. Years back you truely had to be good at both or you couldn't win the championship.

The sprint series has really been a dirt series for a while. I think it's good to split out pavement if you control costs. I certainly would hate to see it go totally away, something needs to change.

[short track scott]

Well, let's see who can blow up this thought:

In the next couple of years, USAC creates a pavement series with a new rules package (Schwanke 377 type).

There is no reason pavement has to have a 410 limit just because it is on dirt. Dropping the division now when there is an alternative (wing) to use those cars and engines in cleans the slate for the now "regional pavement " plan to move ahead.

It allows USAC to (if they want to) implement controls to hold the costs down, for a while again anyway. At least reset the cost escalation cycle.
Posted via Mobile Device

[racefan20]

My question about the pavement only series is that the only reason they had 12-18 cars was because the guys running for the sprint title were forced to run the pavement for the points. With those guys now relieved of the expense of running a pavement program because they no longer award national points who is going to run this series? Some new cars will have to magically appear otherwise I can see 5-10 cars showing up.