Jay D!ckens Facebook post - Good Read on cost.

[HoosierDirtFan]

Good Read on What Jay D!ckens just posted on Facebook a few hours ago; except blame isn't totally accurate.
Go look at his page - I can't type in the link because of a certain word in his name.

If some one wants type it out and post it here on this thread.

[golddirt]

Now present in to the ones supposedly in charge at the top. It has got to change quick.

[PRCKartRacer9]

The great debate continues. The glory days are behind us. The 90's were the best this sport will ever be. But something does need done. The local hot shoe doesn't stand a chance to even podium when the the big boys roll into town. Eddie Carrier Jr. should not be running for a track championship. The STARS was the best traveling series IMO.

[MI Dirt Fan]

The great debate continues. The glory days are behind us. The 90's were the best this sport will ever be. But something does need done. The local hot shoe doesn't stand a chance to even podium when the the big boys roll into town. Eddie Carrier Jr. should not be running for a track championship. The STARS was the best traveling series IMO.

A couple yrs ago a local hot shoe could run top 5 maybe top 3 with them depending on thier own funding. Now they're barely top 10. Sometimes a local hot shoe would have more experience at a track than a traveler that has most likely not competed there before. That almost seems to be gone as well.

[thexfactor0210]

I disagree that a local guy cannot win. Michael Norris beat the WoO guys at Lernerville. Max Blair won a WoO race last year as well. It is tough yes but it can be done. Unzicker got 2nd at the Lucas Oil Macon show.

[MI Dirt Fan]

Seems to me that would be more regional talent. I consider local guy the guy that is running top 3 in weekly track points and races once a week. And maybe twice a week a couple times a month.

[Zonks32x]

I disagree that a local guy cannot win. Michael Norris beat the WoO guys at Lernerville. Max Blair won a WoO race last year as well. It is tough yes but it can be done. Unzicker got 2nd at the Lucas Oil Macon show.

Ok, now name a guy who is truly a "local" racer, not a regional guy, who has won on the Lucas or WoO tour in the last 3 years.

Second by Unzicker is nice, but it's still not a win, and it was on a 1/5th mile track...not exactly a straight up hp venue.

[Illtsate32]

I remember Randy Korte was basically a weekly racer at Highland and Pevely and went racing on which I believe was the UDTRA tour in like 01,02, and he could run top 5 and even won a race I think. That was las I remember and that was 16 years ago...

[billetbirdcage]

https://www.facebook.com/jayd!ckensr...39668832915898

Change the ! to i

[MI Dirt Fan]

Ok, now name a guy who is truly a "local" racer, not a regional guy, who has won on the Lucas or WoO tour in the last 3 years.

Second by Unzicker is nice, but it's still not a win, and it was on a 1/5th mile track...not exactly a straight up hp venue.

I looked at WoO going back to 2015 season. All I could find for possibilities was Jeff Rine last year at Selinsgrove, Eric Spangler at Merritt Speedway in 2016 and Billy Ogle Jr 2015 at Tazewell. Spangler is probably the best bet.

I looked at Lucas Oil going back to 2015. All I could find for possibilities was A.J Diemel at Oshkosh speedzone in 2016 and Michael Page in 2017 at Dixie.

[HoosierDirtFan]

https://www.facebook.com/jayd!ckensr...39668832915898

Change the ! to i

Link don't work!
I tried that it don't work you need the actual link and no some mark in the middle to substitute the let I in the link.

[Jim11h]

DLM racing needs regeined in there is no doubt. Maybe like the sprint car world of "410" ci. Not saying that's the answer what so ever but something has to be done. I remember going to world, dream, etc and seeing guys like Aaron Scott, john Henry, Jeff Bab(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) (just 1 team), Scott James, Brian ruhlman, etc making the big shows. Now a days even they have hardly a chance. We need to back things up a bit and yes shocks are minor part of things but not everything. To those that think shocks are the answer and do wonders please remember their still just a timing device and everything has to be correct before a shock makes magic. I'm all for an 18deg rule or whatever and no more as well as standard block. Sounds simple yes but will bring racing back to where it belongs! Also an invert unlike Lucas has, 4 invert is reasonable! Make racing appealing to fans and tolerable for drivers. The cream will still rise to the top regardless of rules but simple tweaks and deep pockets to weather the storm will prevail and absolutely no on crates to be the end all beat all

[Jim11h]

Bunch pick on schlenk here but how many have his credentials? Max Blair gets run thru mud but how many accomplished more? Jackie boggs, carpenter, #12 car Andrews, etc....... They've all been great to watch but as much as we love or hate them they just missed the boat and didn't get breaks needed to be "the guy". Then everyone sits and blasts these guys but yet they put on a show. Guess I'm old recalling so many names and could add more but wtf y'all think put casebolt, Matt Miller, & Darrel lanigan on map? That's right, local/regional guy that won the dream!!!! LM racing needs to get back where them guys could do that again

[huskerdirt]

Im sure I'll probably get blasted some for this and not trying to argue but after Casebolt won the Dream in 07' and finishing 3rd in Lucas that year and the year after, won a $10k WoO and the Bama' Bash $16k. Other than some $2k-$5k shows. He's really just a regional guy still. Same with Matt Miller. I'm not even sure if he even was regional. Maybe.....

Matt Miller ran the Lucas tour for awhile just like Casebolt. I’d say at one time you could consider those guys National because of the schedule they ran. I’d say when Casebolt won the dream, he was a national guy. He was in a great ride and was traveling all over the country. Same thing for Miller. Heck, I saw Matt Miller race the Moring car in the middle of Nebraska when WDRL was going strong.

The career trajectory for guys like the ones mentioned above is local, regional, national. Then they slide back down the scale as they get older and priorities change.

[tsand]

michel page won dixie last year. i consider him a local guy because he doesnt run any regional sereis on a regular basis.

[Trax53]

"Hey, folks. I just want to share some things that have been on my mind for a while. I’ve spent the last 25 years putting my heart and soul in to the DLM racing and, by far, it is the best racing on the planet. Not saying that I am totally right, but I think we can all agree that there are several issues that need to be evaluated.
I am not here to criticize anyone or any of the sanctioning bodies, but these are the “rule makers” and are the ones that are able to make much-needed changes. DLM racing has become an engineering exercise for the teams. I am not totally against this, but the drivers have been totally taken out of the game. There are tons of great drivers that have the ability to win, but they do not have the money or the resources to get it done. I have seen more race teams shut their doors in the last two years than I have in the past ten years combined. If anyone has noticed, it is usually the same 2 or 3 cars that win every week in the different series. If the sanctioning-body “rule makers” do not wake up soon, car counts are going to continue dropping lower and lower.
I realize that when rules are given, it will take more time to tech and for other requirements. If we want to turn things around and head DLM in to the right direction, I believe that we can all agree that some things need to be done. My opinion is that we need to have all cars put on an even playing field so that the drivers can settle it on the race track. When DLM racing was at its peak and car counts were at records high, the cars were not even close to the technology that we have today! Look at NASCAR. There are 5 or 6 powerhouse teams and the rest are just fill-ins. DLM racing is headed in the same direction if some things are not changed soon. The bodies, tires, shocks, chassis devices, engines, etc. need to be evaluated. As long as you have million dollar budgets to race with, the current rules are fine. The problem is that there are only a handful of teams in this lucky situation.
Weekly super late model racing has pretty much already died, because they are forced to abide by the same rules as the big sanctioning bodies. It is just not possible to run a $100,000+ machine on local tracks for $1000-1500 to win. This is just too upside down. Racing has always been an expensive game, but it seems to be getting worse and worse. Hopefully there are good things coming in the future that can help turn this sport that we love in the right direction. I am not saying that any one person or a group has done anything wrong, but it is just a sign of the times that we are in now.
My concern is that it is going to be too late if we do not do something now. This is why I felt the need to express myself and help DLM racing turn the corner back in to its glory days."

Jay D[CKENS

[Pennsboro23]

The great debate continues. The glory days are behind us. The 90's were the best this sport will ever be. But something does need done. The local hot shoe doesn't stand a chance to even podium when the the big boys roll into town. Eddie Carrier Jr. should not be running for a track championship. The STARS was the best traveling series IMO.

I agree with all of those takes.

[Pennsboro23]

I disagree that a local guy cannot win. Michael Norris beat the WoO guys at Lernerville. Max Blair won a WoO race last year as well. It is tough yes but it can be done. Unzicker got 2nd at the Lucas Oil Macon show.

The drivers you mentioned aren't locals. They're regional hot shoes. IMO, there's a big difference in a true "local" and a regional driver. Blair could run a national schedule and be somewhat successful if he chose to do so. Unzicker is a regional star in Illinois running summernats, etc.

[golddirt]

Regardless we have all seen car counts and all divisions drop dramatically at all tracks even our beloved fairbury. It affects all divisions look at the street stock car count it is almost nonexistent anymore. All of our tracks had car count exceeding 100 not all that long ago and that's just for a weekly show so that proves that our sport that we so dearly love is dying due to the cost. Let's get real late models are not late models anymore they in no way have the appearance of a late model car. Let's get rid of the huge motors the shocks and that engineering mess in the rear

[heinen81]

Jay (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)ens, Pro Power, Durham and all the other top builders and parts suppliers for their motors, are just as much to blame as anyone right behind the aero and shock packages. I get that the cars have more grip than power now, so these builders charge a premium for every last bit of power they can make. Then the Nascar owned and funded teams come in and write checks for a dozen motors without balking at the price, which sets the market for every one else. Most others cant keep up with those costs, so they fold up. 20 years ago they made 700-800 horsepower for under 30k.... now you're telling me it should cost 60k for 100 hp more?? even with the introduction of CNC and other time and cost effective manufacturing processes? does a $5,500 crankshaft really cost any more to make than a $1,500 crankshaft? Does a $7000 block really cost any more to manufacture than a $2500 block? Do a set of 15k cylinder heads take any more to cast and machine than a $2000 set? No. The suppliers and builders are catering to the big money teams which set the market price for everyone else. (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)ens is just as guilty for how out of hand this got, when HP became king again, and they could charge what they wanted for it.