[dave]

I can't imagine an insurance company touching this deal!

[ISF]

This deal, if it actually happens, will be like a huge train wreck. You know it's gonna' be bad but you just can't look away.

Speaking of dirt lates on The Miles, I went to all but a couple of Sarge's Illinois Fall Nationals at Springfield and you could tell 95% of those guys were real uncomfortable with running there. Unfortunately George Hanley was killed in a IMCA style modified at one of the last IFN's. I have a buddy who was pretty competitive in dirt lates for 25 years and loved running on The Miles but it was terribly hard on engines and they had to rework the sheet metal to keep it from blowing off. Even Billy Moyer looked tentative on The Mile. There weren't but about 3 or 4 of the regular dirt late model guys who truly looked comfortable at those speeds. Jack Hewitt of course looked right in his element. The last time I ever watched Johnny Prior race out of Centralia, IL he wrecked so hard getting into one just after taking the green flag I thought he was a goner. The dirt lates quite simply aren't built to run on Mile tracks.

[48modracer]

http://www.stlracingphotos.com/DuQuo...97348938_89EAh

Here are pics of the modified wreck from 2010 at DuQuoin. Everyone walked away, but it could of been worse.

[Jonr]

Asking a serious question. Why does it work for Silver Crown cars and not Late Models? What is the delta in the speeds. I would think that they would be close to the same speed. If the race is at night, does that matter?

[ronmil]

Wasn't there a fatality on the Springfield mile in a modified a few years ago?
Evansville driver Cliff Johns was fatally injured at Springfield in a sprint car on Oct. 7, 1973 and Doc Dawson was also lost there in a sprint car, in 1978 I believe. Jeff Thickstun perished in a sprint car at the Indy mile, 1983, I believe.
Some cars are not suited to be run on a mile track because of the inherent danger.

[sprintcar64]

Originally Posted by Jonr Asking a serious question. Why does it work for Silver Crown cars and not Late Models? What is the delta in the speeds. I would think that they would be close to the same speed. If the race is at night, does that matter?

Late models would be faster at the end of the straits. A Silver crown car has a 355c.i.d. steel block motor that would put out 700-800hp. A Late model has a 410-440cid aluminum motor probably putting out 800-900hp.

Plus it works for a Silver crown car because you have a 17"-18" wide RR tire to lean on compared to a 14" tire on a late model.

[ISF]

The one lap track record at Springfield for Silver Crown cars is a little over 29 seconds, the track record for dirt lates is just a tick over 27 seconds. The SC track record at the Indy Mile is over 31 seconds and I would bet the dirt late model TR is prolly around 2 seconds under that but I don't know for sure. A Silver Crown car weighs in at 1700 lbs. and late models are around 2300-2350. And, as SC64 said they can lean on that big ol' right rear. I also think most of the Silver Crown guys are more accustomed to the speeds on the Mile tracks. Sammy Swindell has the distinction of turning the fastest lap ever turned on a dirt track by an automobile at the Springfield Mile at 145 MPH.

As I mentioned before, the mod driver that was killed was George Hanley. It happened right in front of the grandstand. It was 2001 or 2002 I think.

[48modracer]

Originally Posted by Jonr Asking a serious question. Why does it work for Silver Crown cars and not Late Models? What is the delta in the speeds. I would think that they would be close to the same speed. If the race is at night, does that matter?

USAC is a little better with safety rules in my opinion. Crown cars use chromemoly that is at least .095 I and are TIG welded. Most UMP modifieds are 1 1/2 pipe that is no where near that quality and only the main cage is .095. Alot of the support bars are .083 and .065. Same with the UMP late models. Most of the material is not even cold rolled let alone seamless so it is inherently weaker. That is where USAC is head and shoulders above some sanctioning bodies.

Midgets used to run at Springfield on the mile till someone went out of the park in I think the early 90s.

[Mud Packer]

Originally Posted by ISF This deal, if it actually happens, will be like a huge train wreck. You know it's gonna' be bad but you just can't look away. Speaking of dirt lates on The Miles, I went to all but a couple of Sarge's Illinois Fall Nationals at Springfield and you could tell 95% of those guys were real uncomfortable with running there. Unfortunately George Hanley was killed in a IMCA style modified at one of the last IFN's. I have a buddy who was pretty competitive in dirt lates for 25 years and loved running on The Miles but it was terribly hard on engines and they had to rework the sheet metal to keep it from blowing off. Even Billy Moyer looked tentative on The Mile. There weren't but about 3 or 4 of the regular dirt late model guys who truly looked comfortable at those speeds. Jack Hewitt of course looked right in his element. The last time I ever watched Johnny Prior race out of Centralia, IL he wrecked so hard getting into one just after taking the green flag I thought he was a goner. The dirt lates quite simply aren't built to run on Mile tracks.

You bring a name up that I haven't heard or thought of in quite some time. Johnny Prior from Centralia, IL. He used to drive a car that a friend of my brother used to help work on and sponsor. I always liked his smooth driving style and he always seemed easy on equipment. I used to watch him run the local bullrings in Southern Illinois back in the day. Thanks for reviving the memories.

[bigq11]

Back in the day, when USAC had a late model division, there were 2 late model shows each year on the mile. One in June and one during the State Fair.