Chassis Wars

[BTExpress]

I think we would all agree that the top 4 selling DLM chassis, as we speak, are Rockert, Longhorn, Black Diamond/Club 29 and Capital surpassing Mastersbuilt, Barry Wright, Warrior and GRT, etc from years past. My question is just how many new chassis a year do the top four actually build on a yearly basis?. I heard at one time Rocket built over 100 new chassis a year or maybe more. I am sure Longhorn, BD and Capital have captured some of that business, but maybe I am just looking at the national scene and not aware of the local sales throughout the country. Any thoughts?

[Josh Bayko]

I think we would all agree that the top 4 selling DLM chassis, as we speak, are Rockert, Longhorn, Black Diamond/Club 29 and Capital surpassing Mastersbuilt, Barry Wright, Warrior and GRT, etc from years past. My question is just how many new chassis a year do the top four actually build on a yearly basis?. I heard at one time Rocket built over 100 new chassis a year or maybe more. I am sure Longhorn, BD and Capital have captured some of that business, but maybe I am just looking at the national scene and not aware of the local sales throughout the country. Any thoughts?

Rocket does far more than 100 cars every year, and most of those cars go to local/regional drivers and crate teams.

And I'm not sure on Longhorn's numbers, but I do know there's a backlog to get one and they're having a hard time keeping up, so I'd say they're building a crapload of cars these days.

[DEKconsulting]

Does anyone know a true number for cost of the new xr1

[jrkracing54]

Pancho's in Pennsylvania has them on their website for $40,675. John 1*

[mud duck]

Pancho's in Pennsylvania has them on their website for $40,675. John 1*

Amazing how the cost of these things have risen!! Basically, for tubing and aluminum. I know the suspension parts and rear end are included in that price. But, still!! I don't know how most of these guys do it!!

[BTExpress]

And yet........Hundreds & hundreds of new chassis are sold each year, by not only the top 4 manufacturers, but all the others as well.

[plunks7]

Pancho's in Pennsylvania has them on their website for $40,675. John 1*

Is this Pancho Lawler by chance? If it is I think he will do very well on the WOO tour. Myself for a guy I know little about or heard of. I was impressed with him.

[W2Racing09]

Not that you would want to buy one, but is Rocket still producing the Blue/Grey style cars or is an XR1 the only option? That is quite expensive for a Crate racer running for $500 to win most nights, maybe more palatable for an SLM driver who could possibly win that much in a few big races.

Thanks,
Jeff.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Not that you would want to buy one, but is Rocket still producing the Blue/Grey style cars or is an XR1 the only option? That is quite expensive for a Crate racer running for $500 to win most nights, maybe more palatable for an SLM driver who could possibly win that much in a few big races.

Thanks,
Jeff.

I would almost guarantee they are. Why wouldn't you want one?

[W2Racing09]

I would almost guarantee they are. Why wouldn't you want one?

The XR1's are so obviously better that I can't imagine there are a ton of people wanting to buy a brand new car that is already becoming obsolete.

Thanks,
Jeff.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

The XR1's are so obviously better that I can't imagine there are a ton of people wanting to buy a brand new car that is already becoming obsolete.

Thanks,
Jeff.

There is a price difference. And if you are not Josh, the XR1 isn't crushing it. The car is much stiffer. It can be harder to get a hold on if you are not being told everything.

[Barbecueboy]

The XR1's are so obviously better that I can't imagine there are a ton of people wanting to buy a brand new car that is already becoming obsolete.

Thanks,
Jeff.

People are still buying new club 29s............I'm wondering why too?

[DEKconsulting]

It sounds like all of our blue gray deal is goin to go obsolete cause they are not gonna be testing with them anymore so I guess it'll be up to us

[HatTrick]

Most bigger chassis places have to build at minimum a car a day to stay in business. Some build far more than that. But if you look at the fact that Modifieds outnumber Late Models 6:1 in this country, I know what I'd be building.

[K1ngCat]

There is a price difference. And if you are not Josh, the XR1 isn't crushing it. The car is much stiffer. It can be harder to get a hold on if you are not being told everything. 10 days testing,we will find out soon if they are what they appear to be,or if it's just the testing for those tracks paying off..........either way, I bet they have sold a lot of chassis because of it.

[Jdawg]

While Rocket is pricing the XR1 in the $40k range they have built in "upgrades" in the price with better component parts and brakes etc. You can still "downgrade" to the good but not best components and reduce the price. A big part of the higher price is also the use of Docol R8 steel that comes from Europe. They still build blue/grey. Heck some guys still get new black front cars because that is what they prefer.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

10 days testing,we will find out soon if they are what they appear to be,or if it's just the testing for those tracks paying off..........either way, I bet they have sold a lot of chassis because of it.

The 1 is what it appears to be. Guys like Casebolt ain't faster. I am sure it sold a lot of cars. Remember when Erb won that show at East Bay in a Rayburn? Rayburn took quite a few orders the next couple weeks.

[K1ngCat]

The 1 is what it appears to be. Guys like Casebolt ain't faster. I am sure it sold a lot of cars. Remember when Erb won that show at East Bay in a Rayburn? Rayburn took quite a few orders the next couple weeks. I thought Eddie Carrier Jr did pretty good,better than he was running at the end of last season,but he also was one of those guys that did testing.

[Barbecueboy]

Most bigger chassis places have to build at minimum a car a day to stay in business. Some build far more than that. But if you look at the fact that Modifieds outnumber Late Models 6:1 in this country, I know what I'd be building.

Some build both.......

[pink floyd]

keep an eye on the Swartz cars this racing season.

[Krooser]

Win on Sunday... Sell on Monday...

[zyoung25]

I thought Eddie Carrier Jr did pretty good,better than he was running at the end of last season,but he also was one of those guys that did testing.

BShep is a perfect example here. Didn't test down there before the races. Did anyone notice how hit and miss he was? It seemed like to me he done better when the 1 car was at the same track. I'm not totally sold on them being better yet either.

Other guys start cleaning house with them, I'll change my tune.

[MI Dirt Fan]

Most here are rockets, masters, a few Lazer, Rayburns

[Kwd1253]

keep an eye on the Swartz cars this racing season.So we have to watch the tail of the field, right lol jk bro

[MI Dirt Fan]

Mods out number LM. Its not even close. Just because they aren't being run in one state doesn't mean they don't make up for it someplace else.

[W2Racing09]

Please share your source... There isn't a single mod running in GA, but we have 3 different classes of DLM. I like mods but I think your numbers maybe skewed. If you use Racingjunk ads as a measure of the market they run about 50/50 with the majority going to DLM, but it ebbs and flows throughout the season.

In most every state that does not touch the Atlantic ocean there are 10x more Mods than Late Models. Out in the Midwest (MN, IA, ND, SD) there are probably 20x more Mods than Late Models (very few tracks even run Late Models, but just about all run at least two divisions of mods -- usually with very healthy car counts).

Your three divisions of Late Models are probably not running consi's every night. Many tracks in the Midwest are running multiple B-Mains nightly. (I can speak first hand about Nodak in Minot, ND and Dacotah in Mandan, ND)

Thanks,
Jeff.

[old fan]

there might be one swartz in our area, N Dakota n the midwest I didn't know that

[zyoung25]

Mods out number LM. Its not even close. Just because they aren't being run in one state doesn't mean they don't make up for it someplace else.

Mods aren't very popular in the south. I remember them having 22 mods, for a 3k to win at Charlotte one year, and had 60 some lates. You have a 3k to win mod race up here, and pits will be flooded with mods. There are a few in Florida, still not like they are up here in the north. The Carolinas and Georgia, mods are kinda scarce.

[a25rjr]

Please share your source... There isn't a single mod running in GA, but we have 3 different classes of DLM. I like mods but I think your numbers maybe skewed. If you use Racingjunk ads as a measure of the market they run about 50/50 with the majority going to DLM, but it ebbs and flows throughout the season.

They run mods at Golden Isles every other week!

[King1]

There are a bunch of Jackie Boggs tweaked Swartz cars in KY. But for some reason Jackie makes you buy tires from him........ I wonder why?????

[pink floyd]

So we have to watch the tail of the field, right lol jk bro

you are right, they will all be catching and lapping the cars on the tail.

[pink floyd]

There are a bunch of Jackie Boggs tweaked Swartz cars in KY. But for some reason Jackie makes you buy tires from him........ I wonder why?????

does he own poske??

[W2Racing09]

Bingo, BShepp even said that in an interview he gave after Bubba, I think it was. I'm sure they'll improve but I wouldn't be anxious to be the first to buy one, you'll more than likely blow them off the track with the tried and true stuff, Blue/Gray or Black as the season unfolds.

10x, really. So 10 DLM's show up you get 100 mods... I have a little trouble believing that one. I'm told there are somewhere in the neighborhood of 10,000 Late models actively running in the US so we're to believe there are 100,000 to 200,000 mods... I just dont think so, I imagine its close to 50/50. Most of the chassis builders within 2 states of me don't even build mods and if they do its less than 10% of there output. Good Luck.

No, if 10 DLM's show up you don't get 100 Mods.

It's more like 30-35 DLM's show up between the one or two tracks within 150mi of Fargo, ND that run DLM's. Then 350+ Mods show up in the 4 different divisions of Mods run at the 15 tracks in the same 150mi radius.

Thanks,
Jeff.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

No, if 10 DLM's show up you don't get 100 Mods.

It's more like 30-35 DLM's show up between the one or two tracks within 150mi of Fargo, ND that run DLM's. Then 350+ Mods show up in the 4 different divisions of Mods run at the 15 tracks in the same 150mi radius.

Thanks,
Jeff.

No wonder Rick Aukland moved to Ohio.

[Jim11h]

Northwest Ohio don't run mods often. Millstream Speedway ran limited schedule and they were on it few times. Limaland, Eldora, & waynesfeild run weekly.

[powerslide]

Central to western part of the US its tough to find late models. Regional stuff is about all they have. All the tracks within 2hrs of me run 1 class of mods, some up to 3 classes. IMCA, USRA, IMCA SSM or USRA B-Mods. 1 track had late models for 2 years and averaged less than 10 cars I would say. Couple others about 3hrs have weekly shows but none are what I would call a true super class. Most guys have steel blocks w/ Alum heads, some have basically a street stock motor in them. The track that runs weekly the promoter runs in the class and doesn't run mods weekly, that is my guess why they still run them.

[King1]

no but he sure buys em from poske and sells em. I've asked a few 4b guys why they gave up their tire deals to pay full price from Jackie but cant get a straight answer.

[pink floyd]

no but he sure buys em from poske and sells em. I've asked a few 4b guys why they gave up their tire deals to pay full price from Jackie but cant get a straight answer.

your nose is growing

[MI Dirt Fan]

One track here can get more IMCA mods in one night than 3 UMP tracks combined can get UMP LM or even UMP mods

[Kwd1253]

you are right, they will all be catching and lapping the cars on the tail.Yeah you right, who going be in Swartz this year pink?

[NormP]

Yeah you right, who going be in Swartz this year pink?

The rooster, Dustin Linville, drove one from 14th to 4th this weekend and finished right behind Jimmy Owens.

Give him the support he needed and he would come along and compete with anyone racing right now.

[SuperEight]

No, if 10 DLM's show up you don't get 100 Mods.

It's more like 30-35 DLM's show up between the one or two tracks within 150mi of Fargo, ND that run DLM's. Then 350+ Mods show up in the 4 different divisions of Mods run at the 15 tracks in the same 150mi radius.

Thanks,
Jeff.

My money says its about 50/50 nationwide. Central upper Midwest probably does have more mods, but starting in eastern Texas going east thru Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia are solid DLM states with some mods in the mix but no majority. Indiana, Ohio & Pennsylvania runs Sprints, DLM & Mods. From Virginia up the Eastern seaboard is solid DLM country blending in Big Block mods the further north you go on up into Canada. I'm not trying to get into a urination contest, but maybe because of where you are it just seems like the world is all about mods...

Ever read, "Area Auto Racing News"? That periodical covers everything and gives I think a realistic view of the country's racing population. After my wife graduates from getting her masters we're considering moving to Indianna, since they run everything but Big Block mods and I'd love to give a,"DRC chassis" wingless sprint a go. Be well.

[W2Racing09]

My money says its about 50/50 nationwide. Central upper Midwest probably does have more mods, but starting in eastern Texas going east thru Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia are solid DLM states with some mods in the mix but no majority. Indiana, Ohio & Pennsylvania runs Sprints, DLM & Mods. From Virginia up the Eastern seaboard is solid DLM country blending in Big Block mods the further north you go on up into Canada. I'm not trying to get into a urination contest, but maybe because of where you are it just seems like the world is all about mods...

Ever read, "Area Auto Racing News"? That periodical covers everything and gives I think a realistic view of the country's racing population. After my wife graduates from getting her masters we're considering moving to Indianna, since they run everything but Big Block mods and I'd love to give a,"DRC chassis" wingless sprint a go. Be well.

Once you move to Indiana you will see what we mean.

I live in PA, and in PA there are barely any mods and a pretty good amount of Late Models.

But you just mentioned an area of the country (Texas and East to the Carolinas) that has notoriously low car counts. I keep up to date on racing out in those areas and the tracks running a consi weekly are few and far between. Now lets look at the areas of MN, IA, WI, ND, SD and West all the way to Washington, Oregon and California, and then back East to Texas and everything in between. Those are all areas running Mods almost weekly with many tracks getting full fields in multiple divisions of modifieds every week. You also mention Virginia and North up to the North East. I can say from experience you don't get too far into PA before the Late Model racing is non existent and you have a bunch of BBM tracks instead. In fact up in NE PA and Southern NY there are significantly more IMCA Mods running weekly than there are any type of Late Model. Here in Central PA we have a bunch of LLM tracks but the car counts are likely to be in the mid teens to low twenties at most (more often than not in the teens, and that is at the tracks with big car counts)

I would love to say that Late Models were as healthy as mods but I just don't think it is true. I love racing here in PA and wouldn't trade it for anything (not that racing in the Midwest is bad) but the thing that stuck with me is no matter where you went you saw HUGE fields of Mods.

Thanks,
Jeff.

[pink floyd]

Yeah you right, who going be in Swartz this year pink?

the guys that are winning.