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AERO410SCJA (Offline)
  #31 3/3/11 8:18 PM
[QUOTE=ISF;216217]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.

Didn't Billy Pauch beat that lap in New York?
Likes: jim goerge
ISF (Offline)
  #32 3/3/11 8:23 PM
Originally Posted by 48modracer:
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.
Thanks for that info 48mod. It's been a long time since I worked on my buddy's dirt late model and I had forgotten a lot of the technical structural numbers and I have never been around a Crown car. I remember Rich Tobias took a terrible tumble in his SC car getting into turn 1 at Springfield. It destroyed the car and Rich walked back to the pits unnassisted so they must be built pretty stout.

I can't remember the guys name that went out of the park at Springfield in a midget, but I do remember he ended up with a broken wrist. Pretty lucky I reckon. I think the reason they quit the national USAC Midget show at Springfield was because Danny Drinan nearly died in a horrible crash down the backstretch into turn 3. I believe Drinan's crash and the guy going out of the park occured the same day.

Silver Crown Championship Dirt Cars properly driven on a one mile dirt track are classic poetry in motion. Using that analogy, Jack Hewitt is one of the greatest poets of all time.
ronmil (Offline)
  #33 3/3/11 9:09 PM
Originally Posted by ISF:
Thanks for that info 48mod. It's been a long time since I worked on my buddy's dirt late model and I had forgotten a lot of the technical structural numbers and I have never been around a Crown car. I remember Rich Tobias took a terrible tumble getting into turn 1 at Springfield. It destroyed the car and Rich walked back to the pits unnassisted so they must be built pretty stout.

I can't remember the guys name that went out of the park at Springfield, but I do remember he ended up with a broken wrist. Pretty lucky I reckon. I think the reason they quit the national USAC Midget show at Springfield was because Danny Drinan nearly died in a horrible crash down the backstretch into turn 3.
I believe it was Danny Drinan that had an horrific accident at Springfield. I believe Open Wheel Magazine had a multi-frame spread on it.

Ron Miller
Likes: jim goerge
racephoto1 (Offline)
  #34 3/3/11 11:15 PM
The big advantage speed wise for Late Models is the aerodynamics. Spoilers, the roof , and fenders. There just isn't as much stuff hanging in the breeze.

The mods are scary fast at DuQuoin.I must say though, Schrader, and Shelby Miles look right at home there.
oldfan49 (Offline)
  #35 3/4/11 11:57 PM
Silver crown and Sprint Cars are built with the assumption there is a good possability they will get upside down, both in construction and the cockpit equipment When drivers get in the car they do it with the same attitude.
Late Models and Mods are built with the attitude that race cars don't get upside down and saftey equipment are an uneeded hinderance. They revolt against containment seats, window nets, arm restraints, fireproof footwear and gloves. Head/cage clearance is non exsistant. The cars are basically built like tooothpics as each chassis builder tries to build the lightest car.

A tacky half is pushing the saftey limits for them, A mile track in one of them is plain and simply playing russian roulette.
3 Likes: dirt330, ISF
KingDoodlebug (Offline)
  #36 3/5/11 1:41 PM
This event does not show on the Indiana State Fairgrounds schedule.
treecitytornado (Offline)
  #37 3/5/11 4:28 PM
I had a conversation with one of the main guys over this event and he said they sent out entries about a week ago and are waiting to see what kind of response they get. He said its definitely going to happen if they have around 100 entries by the end of March. He said if the response is good for this race,they may look at having something of the open wheel variety on Friday night. I wish them alot of luck and think it will definitely be a show to go see!
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ShaneMugavin57 (Offline)
  #38 3/5/11 5:55 PM
Originally Posted by oldfan49:
Silver crown and Sprint Cars are built with the assumption there is a good possability they will get upside down, both in construction and the cockpit equipment When drivers get in the car they do it with the same attitude.
Late Models and Mods are built with the attitude that race cars don't get upside down and saftey equipment are an uneeded hinderance. They revolt against containment seats, window nets, arm restraints, fireproof footwear and gloves. Head/cage clearance is non exsistant. The cars are basically built like tooothpics as each chassis builder tries to build the lightest car.

A tacky half is pushing the saftey limits for them, A mile track in one of them is plain and simply playing russian roulette.
While I agree this race is not a good idea and without going Duke Cook on you the only thing dumber than this race is your comments. Maybe in the 60's this was the case but not anymore. Late Models and Modifieds have a weight rule almost everywhere. Modifieds get upside down frequently. When a late or Mod has a big crash you can almost always go on 4m and find a post where they disect how the car held up. They are still commenting on the thread from Duquoin last year where a Father is on there thanking a car builder for saving hi sons life. Randy Lajoie the inventer of the containment seat is at many Late Models show taking care of all of his customers. Fireproof items are mandatory at most place and our cars are inspected often. Drop the eliteest attitude as it does this sport no good at all. I can tell you that a driver would never be allowed to get in a car and turn laps at speed in one of our biggest events with a open face helmet and T-shirt. Can you say the same? I thought not.
oldfan49 (Offline)
  #39 3/5/11 7:39 PM
Originally Posted by ShaneMugavin57:
Fireproof items are mandatory at most place and our cars are inspected often. .
I am glad it is different in other parts of the country. I wish it were that way around here too. The attitude on safety in this part of the country is scarey. Around here the difference in attitude on saftey you see in the staging lane and pits between open wheel and fendered racers is huge.
There has been thread after thread about how poorly the cages on lates and mods are constructed, using small materials, little bracing, and how they fail.
I have worked staging lanes in this part of the country and have seen all i mentioned regularly in the lates and mods. One track tried to require gloves and the drivers would pull them off and stick them under them after getting on the track, we picked them up off the track alot. i had to repeately tell drivers to tighten belts. I have sent driver back to their trailer because they had jeans on. i have had to tell them to fasten or tighten their chin straps We couldn't enforce the saftey net or arm restraint rules because only a few teams even owned them. They also had to give up on neck collars as well. It is not unusual to see helmit that have no cleance, or even negative. And I still see open face helmits.
You don't see those things when open wheel drivers stage though. just a difference in attitude.
Russ (Offline)
  #40 3/5/11 9:17 PM
Originally Posted by treecitytornado:
I had a conversation with one of the main guys over this event and he said they sent out entries about a week ago and are waiting to see what kind of response they get. He said its definitely going to happen if they have around 100 entries by the end of March. He said if the response is good for this race,they may look at having something of the open wheel variety on Friday night. I wish them alot of luck and think it will definitely be a show to go see!
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I'd go watch, it could be interesting. I just hope they have lots of wreckers all around the track.
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