Basically it looks like they are picking up where SOD left off - a 360 c.i. series running ASCS rules (basically). TJ has a really good write up on it when he compares them to the new SOD series. As long as they do not step on each other and schedule races on the same dates, we might actually have something good brewing here with both sanctioning bodies.
As a lifelong Michigander and fan of SOD, i just can't see the need for 2 traveling series. Look what has happened on pavement, the fans suffer. Hope for the best.
I hate to be a doom and gloimer but from what I have heard sod has announced that the gloves are off. Nothing good will come from this. Teams and fans will suffer because of sods decisions. I think what Barry is doing is great and I hope this doesn't cause too much turmoil. It has taken a lot of work to keep the car counts up where both MTS and sod has had full fields.
Nick Landon
This year at Butler there was close to 30 cars at the SOD. There was probably around 35, 360 sprints that raced at SOD events not counting guys from NRA. Only 3 ran every race I believe. SOD did not give much incentive to run for points. It looks like this new series will. The question is if this series does well, who will race with SOD? Will cars come out from other areas? Like you said 2 series is probably a bad thing for fans. If you split up those 30 drivers and don't add any...well do the math.
The 20+ nonwing teams that run with MTS are pretty true to nonwing racing too. Only a handful of them run with a wing. The only thing I see happening is sod taking shows based of their established history and not allowing the other two series in. I have already been through the battle of helping to get nonwing shows that sod has made nearly impossible.
Buying new wheels, lighter weight parts, and I'd imagine that the prices of tires will not be much different than the tires that the rest of the country runs. Ever buy a 100 inch left rear tire? Last on I bought was pushing $230. Sounds like a bargain to me. All for tires that will never be competitive anywhere else in the country.
Sorry to do this but I have a question for Nick. You do not have to answer this if you do not want to. Ok the question I have is SOD and MTS leaders sit at the same dinner table. Is this fight going to spill over into the MTS camp? If I had my pick we just need one traveling winged group in Michigan. Look at the mess the wing pavement cars have with 2 groups. Is this fight going to be about the open rules or more of just the tire part?
The Ohio 410 crowd new 2 series wouldn't work and got their differences solved, this is nothing unique it happens all the time someone thinks the series that's been around for 30+ years is going to fail and they're going to save the world, good luck.
