I'm going to say it!

[Jerky]

I'll chime in as an fan since the mid-80s.

It's not just you. What you're saying is you enjoy series where a driver can account for more of the outcome, and can overcome a setup that's a bit off. That seems to be getting rare in the DLM world. But I don't blame bodies or aero, I blame money. The old saying stands true: "Money buys speed, how fast do you want to go?"

You look at the explosion of purse money in DLM over the past 10 years, it's incredible. You've got random weeknight shows paying over $20k to win. When has they ever happened? A 10K to win show used to draw teams from hours away. Now they don't get full fields. Micros, non-wing sprints midgets...they are nowhere close. More money = more resources. The days of a regional DLM racer winning a major event, especially a major event outside their home track (hi Josh Rice!) are getting more and more rare. Top DLM teams now are true businesses that are likely profitable before seeing a single sponsor dollar. How many were in the past? This is the golden age of dirt track racing. The on-track product might be suffering a little, but the money in DLM is insane.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Lurker,

I'm not sure. Younger people are quick to point the finger at older folks who don't like the direction something goes. From my perspective, this is history repeating itself. The wedge has returned and people haven't learned from the past.

The current state is complicated. The cars are closer in speed because they are much easier to drive fast. The finesse is gone. Improvement in mechanical grip and downforce sticks them to the track. That fact also makes them much more expensive to operate.

I think it's the current state and it is us. There are plenty of people who like how they look and like that every pass is a slider. I miss a guy slowly creeping up on a guys inside, little by little, lap by lap. I miss hearing them work the throttle to squeeze out just the right amount of power. I miss helping a guy with less under the hood get to victory lane.

[lurker]

I miss a guy slowly creeping up on a guys inside, little by little, lap by lap. I miss hearing them work the throttle to squeeze out just the right amount of power. I miss helping a guy with less under the hood get to victory lane.

I agree totally.

With that said, I’m thinking about going to Kokomo on the 12th for the XR race. Even though it’s a work day for me the next day --- It’s close, kind of a home track, no support classes, and should be over by 10pm, should be. I’ve seen a lot of Sprint and Midget races at Kokomo, and never ever been disappointed, not once. I don’t have a clue what top notch touring LM’s will race like at Kokomo, and that is part of the intrigue of going. I hope they race like LM’s of days-gone-by, and it’s Kokomo, so it should have a nice cushion up top, and plenty of moisture on the bottom. The O’Conners always have the track prep’ed well all night. And beings it’s 100 lapper --- it should be a good one like a FALS race.

Here’s to giving LM’s another shot. And at a track that races well.

[lurker]

It's not just you. What you're saying is you enjoy series where a driver can account for more of the outcome, and can overcome a setup that's a bit off.

I’m glad to know it’s not just me.

[dirtcrazy4u]

Anyone that thinks a sprint car is not aero dependent ? I'm not sure if you really understand just how much of an advantage the car out front has. Clean air is everything, you don't have to be the fastest car, if you can keep the air on the nose of your car and off the guy behind you that's a real advantage. Today's racing has so much money being spent on equipment it is ridiculous, and a lot of teams, esp SLM are spending ridiculous amounts to improve how the air flows around the car.

Anyone see the clip on boom and richards, Boom I think had way to many Busch beers in him. Richards mentioned everyone of those teams had a million dollars invested.

[champion24]

We'll have to talk about this more later! It's something we have talked amongst buds for a while! We older fans, want what we want! A better product overall, more passing, better tracks, etc. and NOT the same bathrooms & kitchens from the 90s!! We want it better for our kids and for the future of our sport!!

[dirtcrazy4u]

Do you remember when things got broke down into %. Yea back in the 70's it was who had the best motor. 70 / 30 car and driver. Then came the 80's, ah the lexan, they looked totally ridiculous it was 80/20 then, guys where starting to take a look at air and how to have it work to there advantage. You then had the chassis wars of the 90's rayburn loved those leaf springs and everyone was trying to copy what CJ was doing. To me this is when you saw the swing, it became 60% car and 40 % driver. From the Y2K guys up to today the cars have become so aero dependent that if your car is off just a little bit the driver can't make up for it anymore so what do you get 90% car and 10% driver.