Longhorn chassis

[W2Racing09]

Kevin Rumley is one of the smartest dudes I have ever talked to in racing. If your talking pure brain power MAYBE randy sweet is up there with him ... But considering how fragile the sweet products are I kind of doubt it . To say you would take those obscure random
Brands over a horn is just flat absurd ..

Huck, I agree with BBQ -- despite the fact that we disagree this is one of your best posts on 4m to date. With your knowledge of racing you would be one of the most respected members on 4m if you could post like this when you disagree with someone instead of cussing them out.

The first thing anyone has to remember is that there is a 0% chance I won't have a Rocket. There are 100s of them for sale on RJ as we speak. This post is based on what I would buy before a Longhorn. There are a few factors to keep in mind.

First, I'm new. There are not many LH chassis in this area, so if I need help or suggestions from other drivers it would be difficult because nobody else is running them.

Second, LH is based quite a distance away. If I need work done then I have to drive all the way to NC.

Third, LH is one of a few companies that seem to have the business model of building their business from the top down. I would say Club 29 and obviously Bloomquist if you can call his company a business have the same strategy. They are providing cars to the top level drivers in the WoO, Lucas and regional series. So as a CLM driver I don't think I would receive the same level of support that drivers like Roberts and Weaver receive (which by all accounts is great support). I understand Rocket is in the same boat in terms of offering support to the little guys. The difference is that everyone and their mother has a Rocket and so if I need help or support I can go to just about anyone at the track to ask questions or bounce ideas off of.

The other small chassis that I listed are either local to me (MBH, Lazer) or are a top tier chassis that I would prefer to run (BWRC, Capital, and MBH again) or have built their business around providing great support to the lower divisions (Lazer, CVR, Trak Star, MB Custom).

If I were to win the Powerball next week and decide that I want to go out and race (DNQ for all events) the World of Outlaws I would certainly do so in a Rocket. But my list from there would change a little bit because at that point I would probably be considered a worthwhile customer to many of the other chassis companies.

Thanks,
Jeff.

[Dante Toledo, OH]

Argument over what chassis are better is pretty stupid. I am positive if you take the drivers that have been winning so far this year. Carrier, Richards, Clanton, Davenport, O'neal, Moyer ,Bloomer, Pearson etc and put them in a less popular chassis like a Pierce or swartz, or Lazer. In a month they would all be right up front. Most of these guys have different reasons for running what they run. Some guys are dealers so they run whatever gives them the best deal. Some guys run for the family business, some guys are trying to build a business for after their career. Other drivers that are a tier below the top, makes no difference. Landers went from a BWRC to a Rocket, to a Sweet Bloomquist with the same results. Boom Briggs changed same results. Lannigan won 15 races and outlaws title in a Rocket, switched to Club 29 and won 16 races and a outlaws title.

[hpmaster]

Argument over what chassis are better is pretty stupid. I am positive if you take the drivers that have been winning so far this year. Carrier, Richards, Clanton, Davenport, O'neal, Moyer ,Bloomer, Pearson etc and put them in a less popular chassis like a Pierce or swartz, or Lazer. In a month they would all be right up front. Most of these guys have different reasons for running what they run. Some guys are dealers so they run whatever gives them the best deal. Some guys run for the family business, some guys are trying to build a business for after their career. Other drivers that are a tier below the top, makes no difference. Landers went from a BWRC to a Rocket, to a Sweet Bloomquist with the same results. Boom Briggs changed same results. Lannigan won 15 races and outlaws title in a Rocket, switched to Club 29 and won 16 races and a outlaws title.

If everything was stagnant I would agree with you but things are far from staying the same. There are some builders developing more rear tire loading and others who are not. The way this is happening is not all that simple to create or copy easily.

[jog49]

One thing's for sure and that is the old Longhorns were nothing more than a pile of scrap metal. Earl Pearson tried his best to do something with them as the designated driver and it, for the most part, whipped him.
Along comes engineer Kevin Rumley who evaluates and solves the chassis issues and voila....it's a quality piece.
The Labontes are finally happy that they have a saleable chassis and Pearson is really happy back with Dunn-Benson
Ford and the Lamms, a Durham engine, and a Black Diamond chassis; having won several already here early in 2015.
All is good in the World of Dirt!