Extreme lack of tech talk

I was searching for something on here and stumbled upon some older tech threads (like 10 years old). I was amazed at how deeply technical these threads were, had lots of intelligent people weighing in, and had way more participation. It seems to me that this has waned in recent years, definitely on this forum. What do you guys attribute this to? Did everyone go somewhere else to talk tech? Did the smart people leave the sport as the series started to clamp down with dumb rules stifling innovation? Do people just not care anymore because they are sucking the rocket/longhorn teet for info so they don't have to think for themselves? The technical aspect is one of my favorite parts of this sport and it sure seems to be fading into oblivion

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Originally Posted by Burke1118

I was searching for something on here and stumbled upon some older tech threads (like 10 years old). I was amazed at how deeply technical these threads were, had lots of intelligent people weighing in, and had way more participation. It seems to me that this has waned in recent years, definitely on this forum. What do you guys attribute this to? Did everyone go somewhere else to talk tech? Did the smart people leave the sport as the series started to clamp down with dumb rules stifling innovation? Do people just not care anymore because they are sucking the rocket/longhorn teet for info so they don't have to think for themselves? The technical aspect is one of my favorite parts of this sport and it sure seems to be fading into oblivion

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I think guys like clanton whining about engineer this and engineer that when he wasn't running good ran alot of people off. People seem to have this "you need a engineer to run good" mentality these days and sadly enough the guys with a bunch of money do. I'm not knocking engineers by any means but the only thing they have over anyone else is a higher education level on the mechanical aspect of the racecar. You can educate yourself for free you just have to put the time in and i think that is the biggest diveder these days people are working harder then ever to go fast witch makes the weekend warrior or part time racer at a bigger disadvantage because they fall behind from lack of effort. Sure things are way different today but most people can figure out how to get going pretty good if their willing to work for it and not just assume anyone faster has some secret part or information line

IMO, it has more to do with the lack of people running LM's or racing then anything.

I knew most of the people on the boards and I would say 90% of them have left the sport.

Shhhhhhhhhhh! It’s all a secret! Lol. I’d say it’s a combination of things though. Though I’ve had good success wrenching on our late model, I consider myself pretty new (only graduated from stock car stuff about 5 or so years ago). People definitely keep some knowledge to themselves but that’s nothing new, it’s always been that way. The difference now, I think, is that a lot of the top teams really don’t know all that much. They pay a shock guy, they pay to have most of the important stuff done. They get help from really knowledgeable guys, but don’t really need to understand much as long as they are getting good help. It makes people nervous to get advice from the guy who knows what he’s doing and does it all himself because he might not be the guy winning even if he knows how.

Convenience. Much easier to buy speed than produce it from your garage. That level of the sport has left home long ago. We are pretty much down to prepping tires, changing a shock or two and weekly maintenance. Look how long it is taking Bloomer to get some speed back after the droop rule deal. He has connections to the best in the business.

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Originally Posted by let-r-eat

Convenience. Much easier to buy speed than produce it from your garage. That level of the sport has left home long ago. We are pretty much down to prepping tires, changing a shock or two and weekly maintenance. Look how long it is taking Bloomer to get some speed back after the droop rule deal. He has connections to the best in the business.

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bloomer and this droop rule lol. It's taking bloomer so long to get going again because they are spread to thin and (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) breaks or falls off. Madden had the same problems two weeks in a row. Their crew guys look like a someone they found on the street. They talk about building a empire but they can't even keep two race cars in working order. They're are people who do this as a hobby in the evenings that are better prepared than sbr

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Originally Posted by Burke1118

I was searching for something on here and stumbled upon some older tech threads (like 10 years old). I was amazed at how deeply technical these threads were, had lots of intelligent people weighing in, and had way more participation. It seems to me that this has waned in recent years, definitely on this forum. What do you guys attribute this to? Did everyone go somewhere else to talk tech? Did the smart people leave the sport as the series started to clamp down with dumb rules stifling innovation? Do people just not care anymore because they are sucking the rocket/longhorn teet for info so they don't have to think for themselves? The technical aspect is one of my favorite parts of this sport and it sure seems to be fading into oblivion

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for me its all the guys just wanting to argue, so i don't mention as much anymore

my dad never went to collage , but he was one h3ll of a machinist and back yard engineer , when we started racing , we made most all of our stuff our selves , shocks were affordable , and we could stumble on to something and win races till ever one caught up , those days have gone by , whether it be from engineering or cost or both.....JMO....

People have to much $$ now days, easier to just buy speed, and when the car don't handle well just call Richards or whoever and get dialed in. You just run your business, whatever it is, make that money, and then buy the speed, its ready available now days. Not to many guys that like to tinker and figure out things.

Problem is the pool of people with adequate $$ to do this is getting smaller.

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Originally Posted by billetbirdcage

IMO, it has more to do with the lack of people running LM's or racing then anything.

I knew most of the people on the boards and I would say 90% of them have left the sport.

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The lone smart guy left on 4m^^^

It seems to me the rule makers and series' are very much digging their heels in to keep smart/hardworking people from doing smart/hardworking things. Part of their argument makes sense, that the more innovation there is, the harder it is for the people just starting to catch up, but what they don't understand is that there are A LOT of people that enjoy the technical, tinkering, building, part of dirt late model racing more than any of the other elements, and discouraging that will cause them to become disinterested AND prevent like-minded new people from entering the sport. If you drive all of the smart people away, you are setting yourself up for failure because you will have less ability to solve the ever growing list of complex problems that arise.

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Originally Posted by Austin34471

The lone smart guy left on 4m^^^

It seems to me the rule makers and series' are very much digging their heels in to keep smart/hardworking people from doing smart/hardworking things. Part of their argument makes sense, that the more innovation there is, the harder it is for the people just starting to catch up, but what they don't understand is that there are A LOT of people that enjoy the technical, tinkering, building, part of dirt late model racing more than any of the other elements, and discouraging that will cause them to become disinterested AND prevent like-minded new people from entering the sport. If you drive all of the smart people away, you are setting yourself up for failure because you will have less ability to solve the ever growing list of complex problems that arise.

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If you join the club, they will let you be a little bit smart.

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Originally Posted by MasterSbilt_Racer

If you join the club, they will let you be a little bit smart.

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I wish that weren't so true.. someone needs to drain the DLM swamp

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Originally Posted by Austin34471

I wish that weren't so true.. someone needs to drain the DLM swamp

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The tail wags the dog. It's a sick incestuous industry.

You guys act like this board is the only one on the internet to discuss all things dirt track.

I can't speak for others but for me, I enjoy the shop time more than the driving part. I'm old school growing up in a time where everyone built there own car and raced their own idea's instead of copying what they read on the internet from some guru that has had success.
I personally have less time to spend making my own parts with buying and renovating a house, my kids are in the sports age, tooling is flat out expensive and I'm battling a health issue on top of that. Too add even further, We don't have any well operated tracks nearby so the thrill has lessened knowing that we aren't going to fair race with good people running it. Instead it's hard headed ass holes and attitudes.

In my area, the deep south, 602/604 crates have saved dlm racing. We are seeing full fields every race and even the tracks are cooperating and not trying to schedule on top of one another......imagine that, they finally woke up!

Sorry fastford, we had a sponsor lined up to purchase a crate Ford, but the local track and series wouldnt cooperate!

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Originally Posted by ZERO25

In my area, the deep south, 602/604 crates have saved dlm racing. We are seeing full fields every race and even the tracks are cooperating and not trying to schedule on top of one another......imagine that, they finally woke up!Sorry fastford, we had a sponsor lined up to purchase a crate Ford, but the local track and series wouldnt cooperate!

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The problem with the Fords was Ford didn't want to play ball you can't build a crate engine for racecars to be better than its competitors that kind of defeats the original purpose. And if anyone thinks it's not possible because of whatever benchracing reason just watch this https://youtu.be/lmvj8JPGXOk

I see no reason not to let the ford engines in other than $$$. I sure know a bunch of Ford guys that are buying chevy though to meet the rules............. LOL

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Originally Posted by Jking24

The problem with the Fords was Ford didn't want to play ball you can't build a crate engine for racecars to be better than its competitors that kind of defeats the original purpose. And if anyone thinks it's not possible because of whatever benchracing reason just watch this https://youtu.be/lmvj8JPGXOk

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Yep, when you have to run a 500cfm 2 barrel to make them fairly even, there's a problem!

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Originally Posted by ZERO25

In my area, the deep south, 602/604 crates have saved dlm racing. We are seeing full fields every race and even the tracks are cooperating and not trying to schedule on top of one another......imagine that, they finally woke up!

Sorry fastford, we had a sponsor lined up to purchase a crate Ford, but the local track and series wouldnt cooperate!

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thats cool my friend , i make most of my living working on them old chebys ....the problem with the ford crate engine , as far as fitting in with the 602s and 604s is the initial cost , that i dont understand , and the two ford options weight wise were either lighter ( 302 based block) or heavier (351 based block) , they could match hp and torque with no problem , but crates were invented by GM and thats how they want to keep it , i like the new open wheel class , put a 2brl on that 347 with N heads on e85 , and i think you have something , i wish they would carry these rules over to the 602 class , i dont mind the 200 extra pounds either......

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Originally Posted by fastford

thats cool my friend , i make most of my living working on them old chebys ....the problem with the ford crate engine , as far as fitting in with the 602s and 604s is the initial cost , that i dont understand , and the two ford options weight wise were either lighter ( 302 based block) or heavier (351 based block) , they could match hp and torque with no problem , but crates were invented by GM and thats how they want to keep it , i like the new open wheel class , put a 2brl on that 347 with N heads on e85 , and i think you have something , i wish they would carry these rules over to the 602 class , i dont mind the 200 extra pounds either......

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Yep, we were pretty excited to run something different and probly have an advantage! But as usual, tracks and series dont cooperate!

And yes, they are def pricey.....always been that way with Ford!

erry body got to fussing and fighting on every post lotta folks just sunk into shadows not wanting the drama! lotta folks got out of it as some one posted to....DWB

there were several that came on the tech section to argue about some thing they knew nothing about and were called out for it , i guess they finally got the message , IMO , the ones that comment here now are very knowledgeable and if you pay attention , you can learn a lot.....JMO....

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Originally Posted by fastford

there were several that came on the tech section to argue about some thing they knew nothing about and were called out for it , i guess they finally got the message , IMO , the ones that comment here now are very knowledgeable and if you pay attention , you can learn a lot.....JMO....

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If you read some of the posts I was reading from the mid 2000s/early 2010s, it makes our tech section now look like 1st grade. High level debates, no name calling, collective effort to figure out how these cars work. The same problems that we have now, but don't care about. All we care about now is the next trick shock we can buy or magical spring load numbers we can sheepishly install

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Originally Posted by Burke1118

If you read some of the posts I was reading from the mid 2000s/early 2010s, it makes our tech section now look like 1st grade. High level debates, no name calling, collective effort to figure out how these cars work. The same problems that we have now, but don't care about. All we care about now is the next trick shock we can buy or magical spring load numbers we can sheepishly install

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and if you are actually trying to help, people only do half of it and wonder why it doesn't work, lmao, nothing has really changed much except rf clearance, it not as hard as some may seem, they have to make it seem hard so they can charge you for it
i also love all the new shock stuff, makes me laugh

your right GRT , every one thinks the soft rt frt and bump stops are new technology , we were running soft rt fronts that would coil bind , which was the basic same principle but not as controlled , in the late 90,s and early 2000,s ....

I'm almost out of dumb questions...but saving up for more.