Originally Posted by Jim Gardner:
Why start a new class when the Lightning Sprints are already around looking for quality tracks to run? The cars are cheaper to operate than these 305s will be and I'm certain that the purse is cheaper. (I highly doubt that guys running winged 305s will be happy with 400-500 to win and 100 or so to start) Also, the head of the MMSA and lead distributor of parts, chassis, and engines is headquartered in the backyard. Most of the guys running that series aren't but an hour away so car count should be ok even to start. Perhaps work with Linton to run bi weekly and actually build a young class instead of start something brand new.
Took the words right out of my mouth. I'm pretty sure lightning sprints used to run weekly at Bloomington anyway. I know a home track is needed for us, and Bloomington is perfect. Like you said, most of our drivers are very close to Bloomington if not from there. Home tracks make sponsorship much easier to obtain as well.
I'm with you. Support class racing and traveling don't go well together. After racing at Montpelier a few times I kind of like their position on "Sportsman Midgets". There are a lot of Focus Midgets, Kenyon Midgets, 1200cc Mini Sprints and even 600cc Upright Mini Sprints that could add to the excitement and the car count.
I am amazed at how well a 1000cc Midget can perform with the slightly older Midgets. If these 1000cc cars had been available back in the 90"s one of them could have possibly won the Chili Bowl, that is hard to believe. By keeping the rules basic and Minimal, Montpelier and other track that follow their outline could develop a very competitive form of Midget racing.
If racing orginizations would only set guide lines for the racer to follow and did not make rules that forced racers into a cookie cutter type race car and engine, I think racing would continue to improve and the cost of racing might actually come down.
Why show up at Eldora to race when you know that you would be racing for 5th place money at best and take the chance of blowing up a very expensive although slightly outdated and uncompetitive power plant. If I knew that I would not be racing for First place Money then it is time I start looking for that Hot Air Balloon and develop a taste for wine and campaign.
as was already said who's going to tech these things; if they're sealed we won't run like that because we build our own engines; and are they going to continue to run the original class of sprints. if they continue to run the original classic sprints then we'll come from the GasCity area down there to run. since gas city is going to be doing something different. that is the word anyways. but I planned on running the original sprint class next year
Originally Posted by nathan48moore:
The 305 race saver class is huge. It works. In the Dallas area of Texas there are roughly 200 cars. It's growing and I know when I left they put on good shows and were only a .5 second slower than 360 cars. Inverting fields will make the racing exciting. The problem is to think a sprintcar is cheap. Sure you can build a car for 10k but to be competitive, different story. It's racing and it's not cheap. I spend the same amount racing 410 as I did 305. Don't be fooled there are 25k racesaver motors. New tires, bars, all still help. Good way to get a wing class started. But to say sprint car and cheap in the same sentence!!!
When they first started in DFW, they had many of the same critics and complaints, but it has grown. I am not sure if they are still doing this in DFW, but one of the tennants of the class was to eliminate the top end pay but boost starting pay. It was not unheard of to race for $300 to win, but $200 to start. I took the following text directly from the racsaver web site.
Did you know that the average sprint car purse pays the winner 10 times the amount earned by the 24th place car? Races run under RACESAVER® plan pay the 24th starter at least 1/2 of the winner's purse. A typical purse would pay the winner between $150 to $300 and the 24th starter $100 to $150. No, that isn't a lot of money, but that is exactly the plan. Big money, brings big problems. You can be competitive for under $150 per night. Now you can race, pay the mortgage, and send the kids to school. RACESAVER® growth is very strong. We now have over 600 cars competing in RACESAVER® regions and tracks. The present and future of affordable racing is RACESAVER® . Join us and race better and more often, while spending far less money.
Originally Posted by Jim Gardner:
Why start a new class when the Lightning Sprints are already around looking for quality tracks to run? The cars are cheaper to operate than these 305s will be and I'm certain that the purse is cheaper. (I highly doubt that guys running winged 305s will be happy with 400-500 to win and 100 or so to start) Also, the head of the MMSA and lead distributor of parts, chassis, and engines is headquartered in the backyard. Most of the guys running that series aren't but an hour away so car count should be ok even to start. Perhaps work with Linton to run bi weekly and actually build a young class instead of start something brand new.
They are happy at paragon speedway with 500 to win and 100 to start. Have pretty consistant car cant and have not seen a whole lot of complaining about 500 to win.
Hasn't it almost always been upside down, at least from my perspective, then along comes some extra money, and where does it go, right to the top, it really doesn't matter what you race, the "get there, get in" expenses are pretty well similar for most of the cars on the track, with few exceptions, and I also agree with the comments about a "home" track, that again begins to add some equality to the bottom line, that's where tracks like Paragon fit, and Keith has had that figured out for a long time, everyone has to start somewhere, and I wonder how many have started at a track like Paragon, there is something to be said in support of the "regulars", be it whatever class, and at todays costs, for the racers and track owners, for it to continue, it has to be equalized somewhere, it should be obvious by now, there are few racers who can make a living at it, probably 95% just do it because they love it, and enjoy it. JMHO! Bob
"Being old, isn't half as much fun, as getting there"! Ole Robert I!
Are there any other tracks in the area that are gonna run these 305s next year? It seems that we could use a Saturday night track to go with Bloomington to give racers a couple of nights to race each weekend. Having 2 races a weekend might pull some guys in from farther distances periodically.
If you just want to pad the back gate so it pays the purse... Don`t start the one off crap. Have a 500 to win Hornet show... Have a 1500 to win UMRA show... Have a big money mini sprint show... Have a big purse crate late model show... These are already established classes that have a car count to pad your gate. Bloomington is not the DFW Metroplex that will spawn 200 cheap sprint cars overnight to run for 300 dollars to win... The tow bill and expenses are more than that. Use what is already available and promote these ventures. Learn from history so you don`t create the same failures.
Allright, apparently we arent allowed to discuss it. Case closed folks. I am going to remember this post and come October next year, I'll be glad to eat my words. Will you?
