Could You Imagine?

[Zonks32x]

Well...I'm going to take this one and only opportunity to be the resident expert on a subject on 4m, because in this particular case, "I am the resident expert." I live less than 3 miles from the track. Spent many a Sunday evening at Slinger Speedway in my 43 years, most recently at last year's Slinger Nationals.

Disclaimer: I prefer DLM anytime over pavement, but if I'm going to watch "tar-cars", I'm going to Slinger.
The track did indeed start out as clay in 1948, but it did not have the current high banks configuration. That change happened in 1974 as well as the switch to pavement. My Dad tells me stories of the super modified races on dirt at Slinger...I've only known it as a paved track.

As another poster pointed out, the place is narrow especially into 1 and 3 and out of turn 4. Turn 2 is a little wider b/c that is the pit exit. The cars carry such high speeds that if someone goes "bonsai" 3-wide into the corner, they will cause chaos and carnage and it will tear up multiple cars b/c the talent is fast and the talent is deep. You can't run hard 3 wide into the corners at Slinger b/c someone will wind up going up the hill or spinning out and tear up equipment. I've seen it happen many a time, and I've seen more than one car/driver wind up in the catch fence in turn 3. Not pretty!!

For those of you that think the drivers at Slinger just show up for trophies, I'd like to personally invite you to make the drive up to Slinger, and I'll take you to the track and into the pits after the races. I can confidently state that you will be hard pressed to find a better field of talent that drives harder at any paved short track in the country.

Are some nights single file, follow the leader, snoozers? Sure, but find me a person who attends a track where that never happens and I'll introduce you to a liar.

Speaking of Imagining Things....Could you imagine:
A 1/4 mile oval with 33 degree banking in the turns (not a typo) where the Super Late Model track record is 11.095 seconds?
A track who can boast of two former weekly competitors who went on to become Nascar Champions (Kulwicki and Kenseth). That Polish victory lap didn't originate in Nascar!!
A track who can also claim regular competitors such as (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) Trickle, Robbie Reiser, Eric Darnell, Lowell Bennett, Brad J.J. Mueller, Joe Shear, Rich Bickle, Scott Wimmer and more who have all competed in one of Nascar's top three divisions.
A track where, on any given Sunday night, any one of the 22 drivers in the feature could win and the top 12 are usually separated by less than 0.20 of a second in qualifying.
A track who host one of the biggest SLM pavement races in the country each and every year and routinely draws the best short track drivers from across the country as well as Nascar greats such as Harry Gant, Kyle Busch, Dale Jarrett, Rusty Wallace, and more.

I'm not saying I agree with the speedway's decision to outlaw 3-wide racing, but it was done to protect drivers from injury (noble motive) as well as try to reduce multi-car pileups with their weekly drivers/teams that have BIG $$$ invested into their racecars and equipment. They want to put on a good show, and they do just that with competitive side-by-side racing.

http://speed51.com/photo-gallery-51-...-in-wisconsin/

All the best to all of you.
Jason

[chupp n bloomer fan]

Well...I'm going to take this one and only opportunity to be the resident expert on a subject on 4m, because in this particular case, "I am the resident expert." I live less than 3 miles from the track. Spent many a Sunday evening at Slinger Speedway in my 43 years, most recently at last year's Slinger Nationals.

Disclaimer: I prefer DLM anytime over pavement, but if I'm going to watch "tar-cars", I'm going to Slinger.
The track did indeed start out as clay in 1948, but it did not have the current high banks configuration. That change happened in 1974 as well as the switch to pavement. My Dad tells me stories of the super modified races on dirt at Slinger...I've only known it as a paved track.

As another poster pointed out, the place is narrow especially into 1 and 3 and out of turn 4. Turn 2 is a little wider b/c that is the pit exit. The cars carry such high speeds that if someone goes "bonsai" 3-wide into the corner, they will cause chaos and carnage and it will tear up multiple cars b/c the talent is fast and the talent is deep. You can't run hard 3 wide into the corners at Slinger b/c someone will wind up going up the hill or spinning out and tear up equipment. I've seen it happen many a time, and I've seen more than one car/driver wind up in the catch fence in turn 3. Not pretty!!

For those of you that think the drivers at Slinger just show up for trophies, I'd like to personally invite you to make the drive up to Slinger, and I'll take you to the track and into the pits after the races. I can confidently state that you will be hard pressed to find a better field of talent that drives harder at any paved short track in the country.

Are some nights single file, follow the leader, snoozers? Sure, but find me a person who attends a track where that never happens and I'll introduce you to a liar.

Speaking of Imagining Things....Could you imagine:
A 1/4 mile oval with 33 degree banking in the turns (not a typo) where the Super Late Model track record is 11.095 seconds?
A track who can boast of two former weekly competitors who went on to become Nascar Champions (Kulwicki and Kenseth). That Polish victory lap didn't originate in Nascar!!
A track who can also claim regular competitors such as (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) Trickle, Robbie Reiser, Eric Darnell, Lowell Bennett, Brad J.J. Mueller, Joe Shear, Rich Bickle, Scott Wimmer and more who have all competed in one of Nascar's top three divisions.
A track where, on any given Sunday night, any one of the 22 drivers in the feature could win and the top 12 are usually separated by less than 0.20 of a second in qualifying.
A track who host one of the biggest SLM pavement races in the country each and every year and routinely draws the best short track drivers from across the country as well as Nascar greats such as Harry Gant, Kyle Busch, Dale Jarrett, Rusty Wallace, and more.

I'm not saying I agree with the speedway's decision to outlaw 3-wide racing, but it was done to protect drivers from injury (noble motive) as well as try to reduce multi-car pileups with their weekly drivers/teams that have BIG $$$ invested into their racecars and equipment. They want to put on a good show, and they do just that with competitive side-by-side racing.

http://speed51.com/photo-gallery-51-...-in-wisconsin/

All the best to all of you.
Jason

Well said. It's because everyone has to put in politics or generational jabs to make theirselves feel better. While I don't agree with such a rule, I understand it. Especially from someone who posts as well as you, your opinion is a valuable one.

[Cardirt0]

Slinger and Rockford were both built around 1948, Slinger was dirt until the 70's, Rockford was built as a midget track, asphalt form the beginning with a weird "rollercoaster effect in the turns. Both tracks are 2.5 lanes wide with drivers trying to pinch down the corners. You tube has a variety of in-car and professional taped video. I would imagine within 5 years Rockford will be gone due to urban sprawl, track is way to valuable to location in a business district.

Yep Rockford is going to get eaten up by the Town... and $ will rule.... That Race track takes up too much land for the $ they make....

[LeafMaster41]

I have seen a lot of "train" race's on dirt track's too !.. Dry slick dirt track's are like pavement.. jmo. How about it ?.. Pretty much depends on prep...

I've seen some phenomenal dry/slick races, the Show Me 100's from West Plains come to mind.
"Hammer Down" can be just as boring as "One lane".

[dmr37]

Well...I'm going to take this one and only opportunity to be the resident expert on a subject on 4m, because in this particular case, "I am the resident expert." I live less than 3 miles from the track. Spent many a Sunday evening at Slinger Speedway in my 43 years, most recently at last year's Slinger Nationals.

Disclaimer: I prefer DLM anytime over pavement, but if I'm going to watch "tar-cars", I'm going to Slinger.
The track did indeed start out as clay in 1948, but it did not have the current high banks configuration. That change happened in 1974 as well as the switch to pavement. My Dad tells me stories of the super modified races on dirt at Slinger...I've only known it as a paved track.

As another poster pointed out, the place is narrow especially into 1 and 3 and out of turn 4. Turn 2 is a little wider b/c that is the pit exit. The cars carry such high speeds that if someone goes "bonsai" 3-wide into the corner, they will cause chaos and carnage and it will tear up multiple cars b/c the talent is fast and the talent is deep. You can't run hard 3 wide into the corners at Slinger b/c someone will wind up going up the hill or spinning out and tear up equipment. I've seen it happen many a time, and I've seen more than one car/driver wind up in the catch fence in turn 3. Not pretty!!

For those of you that think the drivers at Slinger just show up for trophies, I'd like to personally invite you to make the drive up to Slinger, and I'll take you to the track and into the pits after the races. I can confidently state that you will be hard pressed to find a better field of talent that drives harder at any paved short track in the country.

Are some nights single file, follow the leader, snoozers? Sure, but find me a person who attends a track where that never happens and I'll introduce you to a liar.

Speaking of Imagining Things....Could you imagine:
A 1/4 mile oval with 33 degree banking in the turns (not a typo) where the Super Late Model track record is 11.095 seconds?
A track who can boast of two former weekly competitors who went on to become Nascar Champions (Kulwicki and Kenseth). That Polish victory lap didn't originate in Nascar!!
A track who can also claim regular competitors such as (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) Trickle, Robbie Reiser, Eric Darnell, Lowell Bennett, Brad J.J. Mueller, Joe Shear, Rich Bickle, Scott Wimmer and more who have all competed in one of Nascar's top three divisions.
A track where, on any given Sunday night, any one of the 22 drivers in the feature could win and the top 12 are usually separated by less than 0.20 of a second in qualifying.
A track who host one of the biggest SLM pavement races in the country each and every year and routinely draws the best short track drivers from across the country as well as Nascar greats such as Harry Gant, Kyle Busch, Dale Jarrett, Rusty Wallace, and more.

I'm not saying I agree with the speedway's decision to outlaw 3-wide racing, but it was done to protect drivers from injury (noble motive) as well as try to reduce multi-car pileups with their weekly drivers/teams that have BIG $$$ invested into their racecars and equipment. They want to put on a good show, and they do just that with competitive side-by-side racing.

http://speed51.com/photo-gallery-51-...-in-wisconsin/

All the best to all of you.
Jason

Slinger is on my bucket list. I am going to make it there one of these Sunday nights.

[WisWildManFan]

Slinger is on my bucket list. I am going to make it there one of these Sunday nights.

One of my favorite asphalt tracks is jefferson wi, 1 and 2 is tight and flat while 3 and 4 is more banked and sweeping. Bottom fast in one and top the other promotes good side by side racing. Could hit them both same weekend.

[Kwd1253]

Reading some people live near by the track and understanding why they made this rule. To me if have make rule like this, it's time to "A" slow the cars down or "B" build a new track. That is not racing when you have to make such rules like this.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Reading some people live near by the track and understanding why they made this rule. To me if have make rule like this, it's time to "A" slow the cars down or "B" build a new track. That is not racing when you have to make such rules like this.

Yeah. How do you enforce it? Throw a yellow when cars wind up 3 wide and discuss who was the last guy to enter into that arrangement? LOL

[JMDraceHD98]

Sounds like Boone implementing the "no slide job" rule. Reacting to one situation and sounding completely stupid for it.

[Krooser]

I've run at Slinger and spent a year in the announcers seat... The track is as fast as you can imagine... Neal Bonnett put his car into #3 three wide in '85 and wound up hanging From the fence at the Slinger Nationals! He had a contract to comeback for round two, made one lap, and parked it... a scary place for many.

[Cardirt0]

Colorado Speedway (fka Colorado National Speedway) lived in Colorado for a year. that is a fast track but its wide.. First time I seen a train race on the F 8 track Laff my A$$ off if you never seen a Train race..They say they the Fastest 3/8 A track in the world...
Add: not a lot of Dirt tracks in Co...

[ptown]

Colorado Speedway (fka Colorado National Speedway) lived in Colorado for a year. that is a fast track but its wide.. First time I seen a train race on the F 8 track Laff my A$$ off if you never seen a Train race..They say they the Fastest 3/8 A track in the world...
Add: not a lot of Dirt tracks in Co...

Can someone translate this?

[Cardirt0]

Can someone translate this?

Thats what you get for leaving school after 1st grade

[Zonks32x]

Jefferson...fun place. Years ago they wouldn't tell the 4 cylinders which direction they were running until they got out on the track. Had to set the car up to turn left or right, or guess really well.

When tbe track was built, plan was to bank all 4 corners. Did two turns, and never did the other two.

[Zonks32x]

Mastersbilt...if they don't junk the field, they will black flag the offender. They're not looking for the incidental stuff, it's the guy that goes in 3-wide "banzai" on lap 12 of a 75 lap feature when they know it's a bad idea.

My best advice is youtube the track and watch some slm highlights.

Oh, and for guys that want to beat and bang and run 3-4 wide, they run figure 8's at the end of the night. Those gentlemen play poker with 46 cards!! They also allow 3-wide in the 4-bangers. They encourage new drivers to learn how to race, learn the track, and learn from your mistakes, and then jump up to s sportsman, LLM, or SLM.