McDowell

[MI Dirt Fan]

Why doesn't he ever run East Bay during Speedweeks?Hasn't been there since 11'.

[Tireguy17]

For a team not racing for Lucas points, running East Bay is a financial loss. 1/2 of the races don’t pay enough for the wear and tear EB usually produces.

[MI Dirt Fan]

He's not running WoO points but he's still going to be at Volusia

[stewart fan]

Petroff said years ago it was a quick way to burn through sponsorship money for nothing.

[MI Dirt Fan]

East Bay is

$5k
$5k
$7k
$7k
$12k
$12k

Volusia is

$7k
$7k
$10k
$10k
$10k
$10k

I think that's only $6k difference. I didn't mean like the first two nights. So subract those. Also hit the Bubba race on the way to Volusia would be another $10k race.


Just a curiosity question is all.

[MI Dirt Fan]

Petroff said years ago it was a quick way to burn through sponsorship money for nothing.

Is that why he sponsors so many?

[zyoung25]

A driver told me the one time he went, he went 66 tars in a week. I could see why if you didn't follow lucas why you wouldn't want to go. He said he wouldn't never go back.

[tb1545]

The track is about the most abrasive surface I've ever seen. The clay has a ton of sand and seashells in it that just eats up tires no matter if its slick or hammer down. And that crap gets in the smallest nooks and crannies of your car. We were finding seashells a year later washing the race car when we went down there.
Also eastbay doesnt seem to fit mcdowell's driving style imo. Volusia seems more fitting. Eastbay doesnt really compare to anywhere else so its not the greatest barometer of success in the upcoming season.

[james white]

Those prices are for the winner,most drivers run for 3 to 500.

[chupp n bloomer fan]

McDowell’s driving style does not fit East Bay. Just the same as it doesn’t fit Scott’s.

Volusia is entirely different from East Bay.

[Josh Bayko]

Could be as simple that he just likes Volusia and doesn't really care for East Bay.

[chupp n bloomer fan]

Could be as simple that he just likes Volusia and doesn't really care for East Bay.Exactly. And he runs a whatever I feel like doing schedule.

[King1]

The last time Tim Logan took Francis down there they won $29,000............ it cost em $29,800 to race down there. Not a good idea unless you need a tax write off, have more money than you know what to do with, or you're in the business to sell race cars and parts.

[Josh Bayko]

Exactly. And he runs a whatever I feel like doing schedule.

He more or less stays around the south except for a few big races in other parts of the country, and I've noticed that he's way more relaxed that most of the national touring guys. Funny how that works.

[MI Dirt Fan]

Thanks for the answers.

[huskerdirt]

Could be as simple that he just likes Volusia and doesn't really care for East Bay.

Exactly. When the Dillion boys were running mods. They always ran volusia the week before, so of course they couldn’t really run Eastbay because Shane was with the modifieds.

[dirty-white-boy]

Why doesn't he ever run East Bay during Speedweeks?Hasn't been there since 11'.

Because hes a smart man!

[chupp n bloomer fan]

He more or less stays around the south except for a few big races in other parts of the country, and I've noticed that he's way more relaxed that most of the national touring guys. Funny how that works.Yes he is.

[MI Dirt Fan]

Moyer Jr said Volusia is too expensive for him to run.

[Krooser]

I ran the IMCA Florida Series during Speedweeks in 1987. When I got home the driveshaft broke in my hauler and we didn't have a quarter between us to call a wrecker... Got the Milwaukee PD to call.

[Highwayman]

Moyer Jr said Volusia is too expensive for him to run.

I would think Volusia takes big HP and the engine prolly stays higher in the revs longer, but I've never seen it in person, only video. Unless you can pull off a streak like Moyer and Don Oneal have done in years past and just win the bulk of races you enter, then Speed weeks is a money loser all the way around. Can't understand why so many peeps don't understand, that racing in such a way as to make a profit is "smart". I watched a video a week or so ago where Moyer Jr won at Duck River and some a-hole from the crowd hollered at him during his post race, "why he wasn't at Eldora?". How stupid is that? Its as if they imagine everyone racing has a huge sponsor that pays for everything and a driver salary, so they can just run where ever they want, regardless of profitability.

[RW57]

He is very smart you figure a minimum of 1000 to 1500 a nite in tires fuel getting into track for you and crew and you see why he's doing it. People don't realize the cost .Talking about tires I was told from a reliable source that Clanton had 70 new tires and 6 drums of fuel he took to speed weeks. The person had helped prep the tires himself. This was a couple of years ago when Clanton was looking after this drivers car ain't no telling now what the top teams spend.

[MI Dirt Fan]

People don't realize the cost

I think people understand the cost. I wasn't expecting him to be there every night anyway. Thurs- Sat only. Not just singling out McDowell here but when you have top level equipment more than likely you have some pretty good backing otherwise you wouldn't be doing the stuff your doing. If a guy doesn't want to go there for personal reasons that's ok. But saying it costs to much isn't a valid argument. Everything costs alot.

[Jim11h]

People paying the bills understand the costs yes, but normal fan, no. Think of it this way, you have a budget to race within, are you gonna eat it all up in 1st month of year?

[stewart fan]

Mi dirt fan when was last time babb ran east bay? He probably gets the most support from petroff.

[MI Dirt Fan]

Mi dirt fan when was last time babb ran east bay? He probably gets the most support from petroff.

I don't know. I don't know why he doesn't. Can't say I'm a fan of him but can't say I don't like him either.

[Highwayman]

People paying the bills understand the costs yes, but normal fan, no. Think of it this way, you have a budget to race within, are you gonna eat it all up in 1st month of year?

You nailed exactly what I've been trying to say. I know we need fans or none of this happens, but in years past, before social media, message boards and instant info gratification I don't remember so many fans calling drivers out for missing events. Heck, David Pearson was one of the best to ever strap in and most of his career he did NOT run the whole Nascar schedule. They have no idea the costs involved or what the sponsor situation is for a given team. To call anyone out for choosing not to race is disrespectful and indicative of a spoiled fan, IMHO. Just because a guy has scraped together some top notch equipment and shown he has the skills to run with the best, does NOT obligate him or her to run every race on the calendar. Its the difference between trying to turn a profit(Ie, eat food, pay rent, etc) and racing for bragging rights. Personally I think we need a third National series and another track or 2 running against East Bay and Volusia so more guys have a chance of at least making the main event. Either that or spread the purse out more over the field instead of running top heavy(which is only fun in the bedroom).

[RW57]

They will never make money at it .I think going down there is the same as going down the interstate and throwing 100$ bills out the window this is why late models are slowly dieing.

[t4g2]

Babb last trip to east bay was 2012 his last at Volusia was 2013 and yes part off
Babbs last time at east bay was 2012 his last at Volusia was 2013 and petroff throws a lot of $ to babb. Babb has said recently in interviews if it wasn't because of petroff he wud have to quit racing.

[Illtsate32]

The fan understands the money, maybe not down to the dollar, but the gist of it. Like RW says its all coming at a loss. So talking about it not being economically sound to go down there sounds funny to the fan, isnt it all lol? Your spending hundreds of thousands of dollars racing for pennies, just a few less pennies in Florida...