USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINTS OPENING UP RULEBOOK TO ALLOW 410 c.i. ENGINES

[CageFaraday]

2018 USAC Southwest Sprint Car point leader Charles Davis, Jr.
Ben Thrasher Photo

http://usacracing.com/news/sprint-ca...10-c-i-engines
USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINTS OPENING UP RULEBOOK TO ALLOW 410 c.i. ENGINES

The Sands Chevrolet USAC Southwest Sprint Car Series has announced it will open up their rules package to include 410 cubic-inch engines beginning with the 2019 racing season.

The move now aligns the series with the same rulebook as the USAC AMSOIL National and CRA Sprint Car Series. Although, 360 c.i. engines will remain legal to run with the series, the rule change will give the series a major boost heading into the future.

“The tradition of both USAC and Arizona Sprint Car racing is with 410 c.i. engines,” series coordinator Chris Kearns said. “More and more Arizona-based teams have been purchasing 410’s of late and this move is going to bring new life to the Southwest Sprint Car Series in 2019 and beyond.”

The Southwest Sprint Cars will also now feature a raised purse for each race, paying a minimum of $2000-to-win and $250 to start. Additionally, the USAC/CRA events at Arizona venues will now be co-sanctioned by the Southwest Sprints and will have an increased payout of $3000-to-win and $400 to start.

Furthermore, beginning with the 52nd running of the “Western World Championships” at Arizona Speedway in November of 2019, the main event will now have the Southwest Sprints competing with the National Sprint series.

The Southwest Sprints will now venture into California’s Perris Auto Speedway for a pair of events in 2019 that will be co-sanctioned by the USAC/CRA Sprints, paying $2500-to-win and $300 to start. Throughout its history, the Southwest Sprints have been a primarily Arizona-based series, with a handful of races this year at locales such as Nevada, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas.

The Southwest Sprint Car Series is currently in its eighth season under USAC sanction, all run under the previous 360 c.i. engine rules.

The Southwest Sprints made their debut in 2003 with Rick Ziehl as the champion with Beau Binder grabbing the title in 2004. After nearly a decade, the USAC Southwest Sprints returned in 2013 with R.J. Johnson taking five consecutive titles between then and 2017. Charles Davis, Jr. currently leads the standings with two races remaining this season, this Friday and Saturday, November 2-3 at Arizona Speedway in San Tan Valley for the 51st running of the “Western World Championships.”

[CIRF]

I sure hope this expansion into the 410 world doesn't make chase some of the 360 guys away. The last time we went out to the Western World Championships the Southwest guys were the support class. They put on a superb show in that capacity. A buddy of mine goes to the Wichita, KS and Creek County, Oklahoma shows and says they're generally great events.

I like the idea of the Southwest guys running at Perris as what appears to be a support class roll. They'll get plenty of exposure at Perris and it's one of the few half miles (although Perris is a short 1/2). I don't know what to think about them combining the Southwest guys with the USAC National cars at The Western World but I reckon someone knows what they're doing. Any of the young guys looking to move up to the USAC/CRA level, or even to the USAC National division probably could benefit from this move. I just hope they don't price some car owners out of the deal.

[CageFaraday]

According to Damion Gardner you don't need the latest greatest 410 to run good and win. I listened to a podcast with him last year and he said that you could run good and win with a good 410 cheaper than what the front runners were spending on a top of the line 360. He said a lot of guys buy too much engine, thinking more is better, but then they aren't really driveable and cost more to purchase and maintain. The latest ain't always the greatest. It was a Jackslash interview I think...

[CIRF]

According to Damion Gardner you don't need the latest greatest 410 to run good and win. I listened to a podcast with him last year and he said that you could run good and win with a good 410 cheaper than what the front runners were spending on a top of the line 360. He said a lot of guys buy too much engine, thinking more is better, but then they aren't really driveable and cost more to purchase and maintain. The latest ain't always the greatest. It was a Jackslash interview I think...

I listened to that podcast, Cage. I think Shawn Buckley did the interview. I reckon it's safe to take The Demon's word for it since he's been a proven winner and champion for a couple of decades now.

The understanding I came away from the Gardner podcast with was that some of the guys running well in the 360 division's were winning but when the dollars invested per win overwhelmed the dollars they were receiving for the wins. They could drop a 410 in and the more lucrative purses of the 410 divisions would more than offset the dollars invested to make the move up. I may have misinterpreted his point but that's how I understood him to be saying.

The Demon was not ever my favorite guy but he made plenty of sense in that podcast.

[CageFaraday]

I listened to that podcast, Cage. I think Shawn Buckley did the interview. I reckon it's safe to take The Demon's word for it since he's been a proven winner and champion for a couple of decades now.

The understanding I came away from the Gardner podcast with was that some of the guys running well in the 360 division's were winning but when the dollars invested per win overwhelmed the dollars they were receiving for the wins. They could drop a 410 in and the more lucrative purses of the 410 divisions would more than offset the dollars invested to make the move up. I may have misinterpreted his point but that's how I understood him to be saying.

The Demon was not ever my favorite guy but he made plenty of sense in that podcast.

Yeah, I've got 2 or 3 interviews saved he did between Sean Buckley and TJ sideways and he confirmed what I've always thought was true about engines. Now what's not to like about the Demon?(LOL) I've only been into OW since 2016, so I don't know what went on before then. My absolute favorites are probably T-Mez & Justin Grant. JG's been real nice to me and helpful when he didn't have to be andT-Mez he just never gets ruffled, always cool and calm. The Madman is fun to watch too, but out west I like the Demon. Who else can say they went 200 MPH in a sprint car?