Should Dirt on Dirt cover crate late models

[ptown]

I say absolutely positively no! These crates aren't real late models, they're just pigs with lipstick and will eventually be the death sentence for super late model racing as we know it, especially for tracks that run supers weekly.

I'll hang up and listen.

[zach51]

The only problem is, so many SLM drivers are dipping their toes in the crate money pool now that if DOD didn't slightly cover it, people would be complaining wanting to know how JD or Ronnie Johnson ran in the big crate race, so it is a tough spot for DOD to navigate.

I'll be honest, to 99% of the fans, if you put crate engines in every car that started the World 100 and ran the race again, nobody would notice.

[Chris Thomason]

Sure, why not? There is a description of each video and I can easily choose to not click any crate races. If they begin doing that heavily, I'd only hope that staff was added so they dont sacrifice a crew that would ordinarily be at some SLM event. Lets film big street stock races while we are at it.

[CIRF]

If it looks like a late model and sounds somewhat like a late model I reckon it's a late model, only with less horsepower and speed. The crate engine is what distinguishes it from a full house late model. They should be covered by DoD as such.

[dirty bert]

The only problem is, so many SLM drivers are dipping their toes in the crate money pool now that if DOD didn't slightly cover it, people would be complaining wanting to know how JD or Ronnie Johnson ran in the big crate race, so it is a tough spot for DOD to navigate. I'll be honest, to 99% of the fans, if you put crate engines in every car that started the World 100 and ran the race again, nobody would notice.

Agree most fans wouldn't know the difference all the cars look alike now, even some of the hobby class car's bodies look like slm car's

[ptown]

Agree most fans wouldn't know the difference all the cars look alike now, even some of the hobby class car's bodies look like slm car's

So some hobby stocks are running late model bodies, should DOD start covering those too? They look like lates models just not as much horse power.

[B_K]

$52,000 engines, etc will be more of a reason for the death supers as you know it.

I sincerely doubt the fans at Crossville, Tn were less impressed with those 12:7 laps last week because they were being turned by drivers in a crate.

Top five of
Overton
Welshan
RJ
Jesse Lowe
Chip Brindle

All of those have multiple super victories with the exception of Lowe who I suspect will get his fair share soon as well. If you get your nose out of the air, crates for the most part this year have produced as good or better racing from what I've seen.

I'll always be a super guy, but crates aren't going away.

[Wells Racing Photos]

I have been a proponent of crates since day one and when tech is done the proper way, the racing will be better than that with super late models. Don't get me wrong I still love to watch supers race but all of the crate racing this year has been much better around here than the supers have been. The price to run a SLM compared to the payout is insane and only the drivers and teams are to blame.

[CIRF]

It's obvious that some of the sportsman classes look a lot like generic late models. So, if it doesn't look like a street stock and it has fenders around the front wheels it's in the generic late model family. So, what the hell, cover them DoD. Those guys could use a little recognition right along with the crates and the supers.

[jog49]

There's no such class as "crates", per se, as all I have ever seen were called Crate Late Model. So, 4M's top category is called Dirt Late Models. Crate Late Models run on dirt so there you go. At a few bullrings, a crate late model can outrun a super late model. Ask Ronnie Johnson about that!

[BloomerHarvickFan]

Some of my favorite races that I've been to through the years were ones where they ran the lower level late models, whether you call them Limited Late Models, or Steel Head Late Models or Crate Engines or whatever.
I'd much rather watch those cars in support of a SLM race than the street stockers, so I am all for whatever is done to promote it.

[Chris Thomason]

They start covering all this and that, then we will be b!tchin and moanin about our subscriptions being $39.95 a month! Aint broke dont fix it

[mcarter815]

Weekly SLM is dead, it just doesn't know it yet. SLM will be relegated to just touring series. Engine builders have themselves to blame for it.

[mskdorf]

Wouldn't most of the coverage be about how they all cheat?

[B_K]

They start covering all this and that, then we will be b!tchin and moanin about our subscriptions being $39.95 a month! Aint broke dont fix it

They already "cover" crates with results/updates from bigger crate shows. No need to stop.