Francis to Lucas Oil Tech

[Kwoods25]

Might be some new rules coming this off season

[BloomerHarvickFan]

We all know from his recent interview, how he feels about the aero situation. We might see some rules that bring the bodies back into check.

[slmcrewchief99]

Will Lucas Oil do the right thing and let Francis enforce the rules and reign in the over-the-top bodies that are not in legal specs. That is the question.....

[Kwoods25]

Based off the DirtonDirt post it kinda looks that way

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Other tech guys have wanted to enforce rules too. It didn't work that way.

[Bigdirtfan]

The rule enforcement remains to be seen. More importantly another hall of famer is done racing. I still remember the first time i saw a car on three wheels, thank you steve francis. I personally was hoping he would race regionally for a while, so maybe i could see him out front one last time. I still remember the daytime world where owens got him on like lap 85. Sad to see the colonel go.

[GEAR_HEAD]

This is great news! Reel the bodies back in, make them less aerodynamic, and slow the cars down. It will make the racing better and there will be less stress on the drivetrain, therefore taking a little bit of the expense out of racing for everyone.

[MI Dirt Fan]

What issue I could see is, Lucas enforced this rule but if I go run a WoO and they don't enforce this rule then what. I've seen guys be in the grey area at this track and the inspector is ok but the track the other night, there inspector isn't ok with it and gives you a week to fix it.

A uniformed set of rules need to be written to cover all tours, national and regional, local, sanctions and tracks for open LM. And they need to be enforced the same at every venue

[JustAddDirt]

What issue I could see is, Lucas enforced this rule but if I go run a WoO and they don't enforce this rule then what. I've seen guys be in the grey area at this track and the inspector is ok but the track the other night, there inspector isn't ok with it and gives you a week to fix it.

A uniformed set of rules need to be written to cover all tours, national and regional, local, sanctions and tracks for open LM. And they need to be enforced the same at every venue

WoO has a new tech man too. might need to do a good ol' fashion set down meeting and discuss what they are going to do at say PRI. get the rules out promptly

[MI Dirt Fan]

WoO has a new tech man too. might need to do a good ol' fashion set down meeting and discuss what they are going to do at say PRI. get the rules out promptly

That would be a good idea. I do like the idea of having a now former veteran racer who is currently familiar with series to be on board in that department. I wish him luck.

[Hoosier_Dirt]

Please please please let Steve enforce body rules!!! The ones we have now are hideous!

[Illtsate32]

Get em colonel! Walk around pri and tell them guys dont bring that gaudy stuff to the track!...

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

What issue I could see is, Lucas enforced this rule but if I go run a WoO and they don't enforce this rule then what. I've seen guys be in the grey area at this track and the inspector is ok but the track the other night, there inspector isn't ok with it and gives you a week to fix it.

A uniformed set of rules need to be written to cover all tours, national and regional, local, sanctions and tracks for open LM. And they need to be enforced the same at every venue

I disagree about all the way down to local rules. Local racing doesn't need to constantly update rules to the latest Lucas witch hunt, knee-jerk reaction. We already have Lucas rules at the local level that local tech doesn't have the know-how to enforce.

[ptown]

This can only be a good thing, hope WOO follows if any body rules etc are changed.

[Phatdaddy]

What issue I could see is, Lucas enforced this rule but if I go run a WoO and they don't enforce this rule then what. I've seen guys be in the grey area at this track and the inspector is ok but the track the other night, there inspector isn't ok with it and gives you a week to fix it.

A uniformed set of rules need to be written to cover all tours, national and regional, local, sanctions and tracks for open LM. And they need to be enforced the same at every venue

Great post! I definitely see people going to the other series for not wanting to conform to rules. UDTRA was great for a year or two. Wonder why the sanctioning bodies at the time got away from universal rules.

[Tireguy17]

The only way a major change, like body rules, will be reigned in effectively is by the Dirt Late Model Council, so it can be implemented by all the touring series.

[Barbecueboy]

What issue I could see is, Lucas enforced this rule but if I go run a WoO and they don't enforce this rule then what. I've seen guys be in the grey area at this track and the inspector is ok but the track the other night, there inspector isn't ok with it and gives you a week to fix it.

A uniformed set of rules need to be written to cover all tours, national and regional, local, sanctions and tracks for open LM. And they need to be enforced the same at every venue
Like say.........the tire rule?

[Josh Bayko]

The unified rules council basically sets the rules for both tours. It’s the tech director’s job to enforce said rules. This idea that Steve is going to come in and fix all that’s wrong with the bodies is incredibly flawed.

[Nobody]

The council is a complete joke. Just to show you this is in fact true, said Council voted to outlaw the air shock back in May. Here it is November and it's still not in the rules, why do you think that is? Is it because some member had enough pull to overrule the entire Council?

[Matt49]

I'm the first to say that enforcing current rules is where it needs to start. That being said, I don't think the technical director's job is or should be limited to rules enforcement. This person should understand the technology and economics involved in running one of these cars. And understand the negative/unintended consequences of a new rule before it is proposed. Francis fits this mold.
I'll never forget the first time I saw a "no canister shock" rule in a crate series. A rule implemented in the name of keeping high dollar shocks out of the crate world. And these rules were implemented AFTER the Integra IDAs, Genesis Extreme, etc. bulb shocks were already on the market. My first thought (and final thought on the matter) was what a stupid rule that was obviously proposed and written by somebody that really doesn't know the sport very well.
Long story short, a guy like Steve Francis would never propose such idiotic regulations. Sadly, Lucas Oil has many of them.

[JabberJaws83]

The council is a complete joke. Just to show you this is in fact true, said Council voted to outlaw the air shock back in May. Here it is November and it's still not in the rules, why do you think that is? Is it because some member had enough pull to overrule the entire Council?

Isn’t outlawing the air shock kinda dumb anyway?

[slmcrewchief99]

The council is a complete joke. Just to show you this is in fact true, said Council voted to outlaw the air shock back in May. Here it is November and it's still not in the rules, why do you think that is? Is it because some member had enough pull to overrule the entire Council?

Careful because Mark Richards is on that council. Somebody may point a finger at him and then this thread will get deleted. LoL

[Nobody]

I thought the whole point of the council was to have a discussion and then vote on rules. Well they did that and voted to Outlaw it, right or wrong it was voted to Outlaw it. However a couple of people who are board members had a serious vested interest in it cause such a big stink and had enough pull to get Lucas Oil and World of Outlaws to never actually put it in the rules.

Doesn't really matter if you think it's right or wrong. If one or two people can overrule the entire board something's wrong.

[Nobody]

Careful because Mark Richards is on that council. Somebody may point a finger at him and then this thread will get deleted. LoL

This is only one item of many in a list of things that gets voted on and then changed how the rules are written so they allow certain things and not others which some people may be able to sell. That's what's going to happen when you have people on the board that have a financial steak and how the rules are written. You think it's strange that's something you can't or the person isn't willing to sell is illegal get something that you couldn't Buy yet, then become available got overruled on whether it was legal.

The whole counsel deal is only as good as its Transparency. I made this post before and included a lot more info and it did indeed get deleted.

[Hovlane]

The air shocks are cheaper. It's not about banning high cost components, it's all about banning components that take more than 3 brain cells to adjust. Just like Rumley's left rear device....

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

No dumber than what happened in 2015.

[BloomerHarvickFan]

Wasn't the UDTRA back in the 90s an attempt to unify body rules? It seems like STARS and HAT and other smaller regional series all agreed to that set of body rules. I don't remember if UMP was on board or not.
I do remember Bloomquist and others complaining about the UMP rules and having to change their cars, or use different ones in the World 100 back in the day.

[NormP]

He'll only be as successful as the bosses let him be.

If the drivers (or high dollar component manufacturers) start complaining enough, he'll probably get reigned in.

[dirty-white-boy]

The rule enforcement remains to be seen. More importantly another hall of famer is done racing. I still remember the first time i saw a car on three wheels, thank you steve francis. I personally was hoping he would race regionally for a while, so maybe i could see him out front one last time. I still remember the daytime world where owens got him on like lap 85. Sad to see the colonel go.

Hes been done racing for over a decade, just made it official :)

[slide-skill]

The council is a complete joke. Just to show you this is in fact true, said Council voted to outlaw the air shock back in May. Here it is November and it's still not in the rules, why do you think that is? Is it because some member had enough pull to overrule the entire Council?Winner winner chicken dinner

[MILLER7FAN]

The rule enforcement remains to be seen. More importantly another hall of famer is done racing. I still remember the first time i saw a car on three wheels, thank you steve francis. I personally was hoping he would race regionally for a while, so maybe i could see him out front one last time. I still remember the daytime world where owens got him on like lap 85. Sad to see the colonel go.I still have a Francis shirt that says The 3 wheel Bandit. Sat beside his mother and ? at Tazewell in late 90's also, good people/times. Another 15 will be missed

[Bigdirtfan]

Ha its funny you mentioned the other 15, that was one of my thoughts as well. Man birky and francis gone it just makes me feel old. As far as dirty white boys comment, maybe out of the national level for two years not a decade.

[ptown]

I still have a Francis shirt that says The 3 wheel Bandit. Sat beside his mother and ? at Tazewell in late 90's also, good people/times. Another 15 will be missed

You remember Mikes Used Cars sponsorship and that ugly Mopar car?

[Krooser]

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