Late models vs. Sprints What’s say you?

[dirt junkie]

I used to like both types of cars pretty equally, but the body count in open wheel stuff over the last few years has soured me on them.

This response sums up the reason I felt compelled to start the thread.
Coffins on wheels

[TerryM]

Had a chance to attend a Sprint Car show only 20 minutes from home Friday night. We went to see Jurassic World instead. That's my answer.

[dirtcrazy4u]

2017. You had Sheppard the guy to beat in WoO, Best motorsports, Team longhorn and Bloomer made the Lucas series a fight to the end. Most pro series racers make your local guys look silly, and that is mostly seen in the sprint car ranks. I personally enjoy both classes of cars as a bleacher bum. We raced sprint cars for 7 yrs in pa. You think you have something for the travelers when they come to town, then reality sets in. There the best for a reason. There all dam good, be it in a SLM or a 410 sprint car, and they are a pleasure to watch.

[Snowmanracr21]

love em both. 410 sprint cars both winged and wingless and also love super late models. Crate anything sucks. Top class racing is about speed.

[Dante Toledo, OH]

Love them both, and go watch both. When I was younger, I was more of a sprint car fan. As I have gotten older I have become a bigger late model fan and follow them more. BUT the Knoxville Nationals for Sprints is the biggest dirt race in the world. And should be a must see for any dirt racing fan. Great atmosphere, huge enthusiastic crowd and a town totally embraces the whole thing.

[BadlandsBandit12]

Never been a fan of Sprints. they are dangerous and they are dirty ( tear up the track.) They look like farm equipment to me. This is my opinion. RIP Jason Johnson.

[rickybrown1952]

I do not understand why this is even a question at all of course Late models are better than sprints their is absolutely NO comparison at all. I like Late models more than I like sprints.

[CageFaraday]

Gone but not forgotten...

I spent 30 years as a DLM devotee. 1986-1999 I was pretty content with DLM and couldn't get enough, traveling everwhere, working with different teams and even working at Carrera Racing shocks from 98-04, I was all about DLM. Like most I was impressed with the "Hook" setup when it first came out, I mean it was sorta impressive at first, but over time I came to see it as crude and ugly.

Over the next 2 decades the setups have evolved so the reaction isn't so violent, but the trade off is a very ugly car in the pits that costs way too much in time and money. Today DLM's are much faster than they were back in the day and from a fan ONLY perspective I'm sure that's very exciting. However, I'm a racer too and all that speed has driven the costs into the stratosphere and for me is a detriment to long term health of DLM over all, not just the traveling elites. After the 2015 season they enacted several rules aimed at hindering the regular guy who has an idea, but sold it as a cost saving manuever. Since then the lack of rule enforcement has let things get further out of hand and costs continue to sore as car counts at some major events and most local tracks continue to decline. Reminds me of the Crash of 07/08, nobody wants the party to end so they continue on full speed ahead.

So after 30 years of DLM I've turned my attentions to non-wing sprints. This past speed weeks I made my first trip to Florida and watched 3 nights of USAC @ Bubba, I was not disappointed. I still try and keep up with the going's on in DLM, hoping against hope things will change but I'm not holding my breath. I don't care for winged sprints much as I think they have the same issue as the current DLM, too much down force & traction. DLM will always hold a special place for me, but for me its like visiting a terminally ill friend.

[race1b]

Got Two words for Sprint Car Racing. Starters and Transmissions. Getcha Some. Tired of wasting 2 or 3 hours all night at the track while each one of them gets pushed off for warming up the engine/time trials/heats/consi/features
and then the red flag when one of them inevitably gets upside down.

[CageFaraday]

Got Two words for Sprint Car Racing. Starters and Transmissions. Getcha Some. Tired of wasting 2 or 3 hours all night at the track while each one of them gets pushed off for warming up the engine/time trials/heats/consi/features
and then the red flag when one of them inevitably gets upside down.

Both are available for them now, but purest don't want them. A group up north9North East Wingless Sprints, started a new class of non-wing a few years back using GM602 w/Starter and transmission. 400 HP

See video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b4XwWedJXQ

There is a group in California that don't have transmissions, but they do have starters and run all steel 360 w/2barrel carbs. 550-600 HP

See video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DS1VS73P8c

[mcarter815]

Tracks that have adequate push trucks and are used to running sprint cars don't add much additional time for running sprint cars vs other classes.

[mcarter815]

Both are available for them now, but purest don't want them. A group up north9North East Wingless Sprints, started a new class of non-wing a few years back using GM602 w/Starter and transmission. 400 HP

See video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b4XwWedJXQ

There is a group in California that don't have transmissions, but they do have starters and run all steel 360 w/2barrel carbs. 550-600 HP

See video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DS1VS73P8c

They aren't running stock 602s if they are getting 400 hp.

[TBSprintFan]

Love them both also, but the reaction time of a sprint car driver is much quicker. If you ever have a chance to see the WoO Sprints at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, ND which is better than the Knoxville Nationals in my opinion (been going to both for over 15 years ), you will see what I mean in regards to reaction time. Most hated class to me is ump/Wissota, etc. modifieds (best name for them would be restartifieds), at least beginner classe such as pure stock's, etc have a reason for so many cautions. Would stay in the campground and drink beer instead of watching them run yellow flag laps because of spins. I have been around racing well before that class (modifieds) was ever started.

[Krooser]

Never seen better racing than during Indiana Sprint Week.... but I've been learning this late model stuff again after a 20 some year layoff. Too bad it's so (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) expensive. Only 14 cars at Shawano last Saturday night... what a shame. Usually have 20+ until August.

[CageFaraday]

They aren't running stock 602s if they are getting 400 hp.

Alcohol makes a difference, so yes stock 602's. Watch the video.