[ossuks]

The number of cars that are competitive in the Silver Crown is what? 6 or 7 ? there are 3-5 start and parks from guys that try to help the series and pick up some pocket money! Then a few that really lack the resources to finish within 3-5 laps of the leaders.

I think the answer is tire cost.....I have been away from the "inside" for quite some time, but guessing tire bills for those that do it 1st class around $1800 or more (note 1st class). This directly relates to the slower cars that use used tires. The majority of the cars are Beast chassis that are very similar, so it comes down to HP/SHOCKS/Tires and Talent! HP/Shocks cost very similar dirt to pavement....so we are down to the cost of tires? Now, I am not blaming tire company's, I have no clue what it cost to manufacture, transport, ect, tires to the track?

I do not have the remedy but I do believe the tire cost is the #1 reason for the low car counts in all forms of pavement racing. To pay $2000 to start ( $2000 would cover tire bill, fuel, transportation, pit pass, registration) and $10,000 to win to a 20 car field would need a purse in the neighborhood of $53000!! I don't think the fan base is big enough to make this happen?

[david mitchell]

Andy hillenberg rebuilt the usac dirt silver crown division,someone needs to be found who can do the exact mirror image for pavement.they are out there.who is it.that is the question.hillenburg,sorry andy.the job you did for usac silver crown racing is one of the truly remarkable achievements in recent memory.if you read this forum ,is there a way to do the same thing for pavement.

[the1jet17]

Originally Posted by ossuks I think the answer is tire cost.....I have been away from the "inside" for quite some time, but guessing tire bills for those that do it 1st class around $1800 or more (note 1st class). This directly relates to the slower cars that use used tires. The majority of the cars are Beast chassis that are very similar, so it comes down to HP/SHOCKS/Tires and Talent! HP/Shocks cost very similar dirt to pavement....so we are down to the cost of tires? Now, I am not blaming tire company's, I have no clue what it cost to manufacture, transport, ect, tires to the track?

I'll tell you what's stopping me because I've been very close to buying a combo car on the cheap.

Tires and a specialty motor. I have $30k into my non wing 410 engine. I refuse to go spend $15k (that I don't have at the moment) on a decent used silver crown engine. Where I'm going to use it 5-8 times a year. Also, you're spot on for tire costs. During our break, we almost decided to sell the sprint car stuff and go pavement late model racing. Then I talked to some friends and recognized that they're spending anywhere from $2k to $4k every race on tires. Just to make a little bit more purse money than we do in the sprint car. Pavement sprint and silver crown racing are no different. I just cannot afford to blow $2k on tires to make $700 back. Hoosier has made this sport unachievable for the low buck teams.

Here's how you make it affordable.

1. 1 complete set of tires for the whole weekend. And give us choices for tires. Either American Racer (not sure if they make pavement tires but I assume they do) or Hoosier.

2. Use a 410 with a restrictor. Good Silver Crown engines are now in the 700-750 range. A restrictor would bring my motor down to that. (This probably isn't a popular opinion, but it would bring car counts up).

[Avon Open Wheel fan]

Lots of these ideas we already are using in the ILLINI midget series. We allow the national engine's with a restrictor plate even though we are mostly a Ecotec 2.4L stock engine series. Have a one set tire rule using American Racers full set cost $375.

[Aces&Eights]

Originally Posted by david mitchell Usac has done a fantastic job of rebuilding their Silver Crown program on dirt, but for some reason it is not working with the pavement...

Dirt is more fun first and there are more opportunities to run dirt. Pavement anything is much more expensive and has developed to be very specific in setup and car construction. If a tire solution could be found, I think that would help some, but spec tires usually equal boring racing, so... Perhaps the tire companies could formulate a tire that gets better with wear. Just spit balling.

[Stevensville Mike]

Originally Posted by david mitchell I don't think stevensville mike likes nascar.

....anymore.

[LRP36]

If you do it right on pavement you can get by with one set of new tires a race which is just under $800...

[ossuks]

Not every owner has a Bobby Santos!!

[david mitchell]

As far as tire prices go,can you say gouging.i think i know who gets rich in this racing business.with power comes dictating and control.i don't like the purple.

[1121]

We have run winged pavement sprint cars since 1990. When a first started, yes, we just threw some coil overs on our dirt car, a right front brake and went for it. As things progressed, we bought a pavement car, but we've always had a dirt car also. But here's a little tidbit for you tire "experts."
In 1990, a Hoosier right rear cost about $160. And the fast guys put a new one on every night. We were running for $200 to start.
Now, a Hoosier right rear cost $212 and we get $500 to start.
Recently, the Auto Value Super Sprints opened up the tire rule to allow American Racer tires. They even offered a $200 bonus on a couple of races if you started the feature on all four American Racers. I think we had two extra cars show up.
To me, it spoke volumes. It's not the tires.

Tom Paterson