observation #2, a revolution?
 

As I started off my 2018 racing season at LPS a couple weeks back, I noticed a trend that, in my opinion has gone too far. I believe it was the 6 car, Clouser's I believe, that looked from the grand stand to have only about 3 or 4 inches of visibility out the right side of the car due to the ever growing panels attached to the frame. If they had a square tank, it would look almost like the old supers that ran at Plymouth and South Bend that dad used to take to watch back in the early 70s. Now I know in sprint car's, the horse is way too far out of the barn to make a call for change, but I think we should call for a revolution for the silver crown cars that there's no body work above the driver's sight line over the hood. I'm not asking for cars to look like the Kurtz 30 or the Delrose 12, but let's keep it so us fans can at least see their helmets! Anyone else up for a revolt?

Having those panels may hurt the fans seeing a drivers helmet, but it sure helps the driver deal with not only sun, but the glare of the lights at some tracks is really bad. Sometimes they are starting features right at sunset and it can literally be zero visibility on certain parts of the track.

Re: observation #2, a revolution?
 

Originally Posted by cshuman:
Having those panels may hurt the fans seeing a drivers helmet, but it sure helps the driver deal with not only sun, but the glare of the lights at some tracks is really bad. Sometimes they are starting features right at sunset and it can literally be zero visibility on certain parts of the track.

Good point. All the more reasons for going on central time.

I think every car should have to look like the plastic express, delrose & holt, and leader card cars. Looks like a slab of plywood stuck to the sides on all of them now. Go ahead and list all the reasons why they need it, and about things progresssing as I’ve heard in the past. But, they don’t look like the race cars they are supposed to be in my opinion. Grant King and A. J. Watson I’m sure would agree. They didn’t have, or need these ugly things they call bodywork until recent years and did fine. The last car that impressed me with its appearance was the “Besecker Special” sprint car. I thought the Marten Machine 48 silver crown car looked like a race car also!

Re: observation #2, a revolution?
 

The Besecker Special was one of the best looking cars I've ever seen

Re: observation #2, a revolution?
 

No revolution here. I just like seeing a good healthy car count. Being in Central time zone, I kind of like the rest of you cats being on Eastern time as I get home a hour earlier than what I think it is!:6:

I just want to see a good race. I want to see fast cars being raced hard and maybe even passed by fast cars. I don't really care what they look like.

Re: observation #2, a revolution?
 

I think if somehow we could get back to seeing the driver working in the cockpit, like the non wing cars of the 70's it would bring in more new fans. We all talk about how to do just that all the time and no one has any answers...... Remember watching the drivers hustle???? THAT was one of the main things that hooked me and I would wager others.
How about some clear Plexiglas that would "expose" the drivers body and hands...If one team was to do that I would wager they had better have a bunch of T shirts ready.

Street cars have changed, and made things much more comfortable for their drivers over the years as well. That being said I hope your street car is still from the 70’s, and you don’t use any of the new developments like A/C, cruise, power seats etc. I mean you don’t need them anyways.

Simple statement and/or opinion on my part. I guess some people do think a car today looks better than the old tamale wagons and cars from previous decades that I really thought were appealing, beautiful cars. I don’t think so. I also think a 70 Chevelle looks much better than a 2018 Honda Accord. I’m simply stating the apppearance of cars in recent years doesn’t do much for me. Maybe they can get A/C in a sprint car?

And that last post is not meant to be a “dig” at anyone or their likes or dislikes. I just like the older stuff.

My point was, many of the body panels (not all) are there for a reason, and that reason is to help the drivers. Our sport, just like all the others are evolving, especially when it comes to safety. I agree that some of the cars back in the day looked badass. I think the same about some cars today as well. Sprint cars at one time had no roll cage, but that doesn’t mean we should do that now, just so a fan can see the drivers move their arms. Sprint car racing is more competitive then it has EVER been in my opinion. Doesn’t matter if it is local non wings, or the WoO there has never been such good racing. Go enjoy it 👍

Don’t disagree with that at all. After reading my post, it came off kind of smart a** and it wasn’t intended that way.

Re: observation #2, a revolution?
 

A 70 chevelle might look better then a new Honda but pales in all ways compared to say a new 700 hp Challenger or Camaro or mustang. I love old cars and never thought I'd say it but I'd take a brand new muscle car compared to a 60's or 70's car. As far as race cars, they hit they're peak with the gurney eagle.

Originally Posted by flagboy55:
As I started off my 2018 racing season at LPS a couple weeks back, I noticed a trend that, in my opinion has gone too far. I believe it was the 6 car, Clouser's I believe, that looked from the grand stand to have only about 3 or 4 inches of visibility out the right side of the car due to the ever growing panels attached to the frame. If they had a square tank, it would look almost like the old supers that ran at Plymouth and South Bend that dad used to take to watch back in the early 70s. Now I know in sprint car's, the horse is way too far out of the barn to make a call for change, but I think we should call for a revolution for the silver crown cars that there's no body work above the driver's sight line over the hood. I'm not asking for cars to look like the Kurtz 30 or the Delrose 12, but let's keep it so us fans can at least see their helmets! Anyone else up for a revolt?

Coming from a former racer, trust me that those panels help a lot when the car in front of you spins a rock at you at 100mph plus. I have had some go completely through 2 panels and still bruise my arm.

Looks matter. If all I cared about was good racing, I have two weekly stock car tracks in my hometown that provide that. Instead, I travel many hours to see sprint cars and like them because they look like sprint cars. Or, at least they used to. Don't go quite as much now and the look of the cars has a lot to do with that along with dusty tracks and the disappearance of most half mile racing.

Some good response from all of you and of course Casey I certainly value your opinion as your still out there getting it done on numerous levels. But like you said they ran without cages at places like Langhorne, seems not an unreasonable request to have no panels above the drivers sight line. Like I said, there's too many sprints and midgets to think about changing it,but the Big Car's, a series that I think should perhaps try to straddle the line between past and present, I think it should be considered. I still love it all, but some food for thought

The post about I just want to see just good hard racing, I don’t care what it is,has to be the most illogical statement ever made on these pages.if I go to the Indianapolis 500 I want to see Indy Cars,not mini stocks.When something ceases to be what it once was it is no longer that.Exhibit A,formula one cars with halo.Personally,I don’t mind the look of the Sprint cars and Midgets of today,but I know of many people who could care less because they bare lttle resemblance to the cars of the past.They are sprintcars in name only.One of only many reasons why this type of racing is dying.

Re: observation #2, a revolution?
 

Originally Posted by flagboy55:
As I started off my 2018 racing season at LPS a couple weeks back, I noticed a trend that, in my opinion has gone too far. I believe it was the 6 car, Clouser's I believe, that looked from the grand stand to have only about 3 or 4 inches of visibility out the right side of the car due to the ever growing panels attached to the frame. If they had a square tank, it would look almost like the old supers that ran at Plymouth and South Bend that dad used to take to watch back in the early 70s. Now I know in sprint car's, the horse is way too far out of the barn to make a call for change, but I think we should call for a revolution for the silver crown cars that there's no body work above the driver's sight line over the hood. I'm not asking for cars to look like the Kurtz 30 or the Delrose 12, but let's keep it so us fans can at least see their helmets! Anyone else up for a revolt?

I agree with you. Some may argue for visibility, but thats kinda tongue and cheek, its about aero. The more surface area you can face into the wind, the faster you go. Simple as that. I like a cleaner look myself and being able to exit the car on the left side if need be.

Re: observation #2, a revolution?
 

There is a delicate balance between safety and sports entertainment. I continue to be concerned about the spectator being able to connect with human element of the sport. IMHO this is one of the reasons that various forms of motorsport prosper while others are on the wane. No one wants to sacrifice safety, however, it would seem their should be reasonable compromise for fan enjoyment and competitor safety.

Re: observation #2, a revolution?
 

I'm not much of a purist, heck, I like wing cars better than non wings, but I do think the rule should be in place, that you have to be able to crawl through the openings on both sides of the car. And this is coming from somebody that thinks wing cars with left side arm guards are the way to go.

Re: observation #2, a revolution?
 

I personally like the sun visors and bigger arm guards to help with the sun and even mud or rocks getting thrown at you from other cars. I know for fact both cars of mine that had a open left side I had either big mud clods or a rock thrown at me from the right rear of another car and usually it hit straight into the chest and that's just 1000cc mini sprint. I wouldn't want to even imagine what that feels like with a lot more wheel spin of a sprint car. On another hand is I think Clouser's right side is just too closed off. I agree with a few when they say you must be able to get out the side of the car.

Re: observation #2, a revolution?
 

Originally Posted by hoscalecody:
I think Clouser's right side is just too closed off. I agree with a few when they say you must be able to get out the side of the car.

Full containment seats pose a problem for that line of thought.

Re: observation #2, a revolution?
 

The drivers are the ones risking life & limb. If they want more sheet metal, more power to them

Re: observation #2, a revolution?
 

Originally Posted by david mitchell:
The post about I just want to see just good hard racing, I don’t care what it is,has to be the most illogical statement ever made on these pages.if I go to the Indianapolis 500 I want to see Indy Cars,not mini stocks.When something ceases to be what it once was it is no longer that.Exhibit A,formula one cars with halo.Personally,I don’t mind the look of the Sprint cars and Midgets of today,but I know of many people who could care less because they bare lttle resemblance to the cars of the past.They are sprintcars in name only.One of only many reasons why this type of racing is dying.

Thats ridiculous. Sprint cars look pretty much the same as they did when roll cages became mandatory in the 70s, unless you're going to get picky about a piece of sheet metal here or there....

How about making them look like stock cars,and all the protection that goes with it,and still call them Sprint Cars.That reasoning taken to its conclusion is the result.Not really,safest race car is a parked race car.There’s your conclusion.

Re: observation #2, a revolution?
 

I look at it from two different views. Im a purist, the more of the driver you can see elbow's up. the better IMHO.

However, I look at Sprint Cars compared to say LM's and see so many teams only last a couple years. Im sure there is many reasons but injury is one for sure compared to the other brand where you see a ton of 20-30 and even 40 years racers, Also Sponsors also want their names in big readable letters. That other Brand I also see many decades old sponsors on. It's a handful in NW racing that stick around for the long haul. I said it ten years ago when Mopar, Chevy and a few others were here, That they could be gone as quick as they appeared.

So if a side panel takes the whole cage side minus a sliver within the cage, Protects the driver so he can be around a long time and A big ole STOOPS FREIGHTLINER is down the side. SO BE IT!