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

[Matt49]

Just found out GM makes this 572 CID engine with 727 HP, anyone know if these engines have been used for dirt racing?

That motor is for drag racing guys. It wouldn't last two nights on a dirt track. The bottom end of that motor would end up on the track and cost more in cut-down tires than what the buyer paid for it.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Just found out GM makes this 572 CID engine with 727 HP, anyone know if these engines have been used for dirt racing?

That engine would kill handling. It weighs as much as 2 super engines.

[Matt49]

That engine would kill handling. It weighs as much as 2 super engines.

Set it back 1 more inch :-) :-)
I'm sure we've lost most of this crowd...

[Clayton_Wetter]

I see, just looked up the weight and it's 750 lbs.

[Clayton_Wetter]

Set it back 1 more inch :-) :-)
I'm sure we've lost most of this crowd...

Good! That's nice....

[t3r3e3]

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.

How long ago was Chris Garner at the WoO I 77 show?

[hardracer32]

SPEC Definition

Hardracer32 , please give us your definition of a spec class and how it differs from what you per-pose ? you can say BS all you want , but when the rules start to specify every thing you must run to be legal , then its SPEC to me . I to was able to compete with a spec engine 10 years ago , but the opens complained about the big spoiler and the weight break until they took it away , and i understand to an extent , guess its all according to what side of the fence your on . I dont have a proble with a spec class , not a crate class where you have to buy and run one engine , But after all , were talking about SUPER LATE MODELS and thats what they need to remain , dyeing or not.

A true SPEC class is exactly what you would imagine. The series would specify exactly what brand and type of shock you must run, possibly even mandating the part numbers. That's exactly what they do with SPEC engine rules. SAS SPEC heads cant be touched and you have to run their specific heads made by one manufacturer. CRATE racing is a SPEC class when it comes to engines but not anything else. IT's SPEC because you are mandated to run a SPECific part number from GM, hence the SPEC part. I wasn't trying to be a smart alleck so don't take my BS comment so hard. Sorry if it came across that way.

The main point being that you can have rules without making it a SPEC class. But since you brought it up, who's to say that a certain amount of SPECing these things wouldn't hurt.

Here's the main point....Just look at Open Wheel Modifieds. They run 8'' tires, have far less aerodynamics than a Late Model, run a wide variety of engine combinations, and have affordable shocks and suspension pieces. Where these cars run, as far as I've been able to see, they have pretty good car counts, the races are competitive and fun to watch, and you can operate one on a far less hefty budget than even a Crate Late Model. The reason that this works so well is because of the factors that make it useless to spend tons of money on big horsepower. The skinny tires and lack of downforce combined with the limited amount of mechanical traction with their given suspension options. If you take away the traction and downforce then you equalize the field. You also lessen the wear and tear on things like drive train and tires. You can run a wider variety of engines with less disparity between the huge high dollar ones and the more affordable and cheaper to maintain ones.

Will the cars be slower... to some extent, but, I believe that if the series and tracks used some common sense rules that brought things a little more inline with what they were back before we got into all these multiple stack springs on every corner, spoilers 6' in the air, and shocks that adjust in more ways than you can count, the speed difference would be barely noticeble to the fans and the racing and field quality would both improve.

All I really know for sure sure is that I truly love racing. Pretty much ALL racing really. And I just can't stand to see it keep dwindling away because no one will take action and get things headed in a better direction.

[Crashmagnet]

At least people are talking about it. For the last 10 years the building has been smoking and anytime someone said on here that the building was on fire they laughed at him.

[dirtcrazy4u]

Norris races lernerville weekly. Blair races local tracks weekly. Neither of these guys is a regional racer.

[fastford]

hardracer, i agree with a lot of what you say , but , just like when the "economical" crate class first came out , it was suppose to be an economical class , no need to spend money , but guess what , no matter what the rules , you could not keep money out of it , next thing you know , super guys were showing up with crate cars to with every dime they could spend "legally " and that was that. and unless the rules are 50 pages long , policing really will not help , and if you have those 50 pages of rules , then by my definition , you defiantly have a spec class. like i said supers are supers , there are already other classes for less funded teams , limited,s , 604 crates , 602 crates and on down , except none of them are really cheap any more , by yesterdays standards , if you want to be competitive.....

[dirtcrazy4u]

#1 Bodies are not taking the price of late model racing higher. Sure they're using as much air as possible. Reduce the spoiler height. No more wicker lip on top of them either.

#2. Shocks. The RF and LR technology has got to be stopped. Crews today have to have a shock guy alone. Go to a lucas/woo show. Those 2 shocks get the most attention of everything on the cars today. I say more so than tires.

#3. Motors. You, no I'm wrong, we all have are opinions on this topic. Guess what ? that's part of the problem. No one can agree on anything when it comes to HP. I hate nascar, maybe dirt racing needs a carb rule that could be adjusted from track to track.

#4. Rocket, along with others. 40K for a roller. People are spending 100K for 2 cars minus drivelines. Yes, by the time you get them wrapped 100k.

#5. My personal pet peeve. Tracks with there own tire rule. Yea, we all understand why, point funds. Ridiculous.

[Kromulous]

Spec head, 430 cube limit, no exotic metal etc.

Spec head, 13 degree something. Leave the wide bores alone, take out the exotic metals, titanium rods etc. You could spec a crank for weight etc.

Not much of a pull back compared to todays SLM, plus you get a cap on it going FWD.

Get the Body's under control as a lot of have said over and over. I would cut the spoiler to 6" right off the bat.

Plus make the Open Engine cars weigh 2400lbs. Then weight break the 525s with 2350 or more and a 8" spoiler.

[buster83]

for dlm racing to change it needs to start at the top and the rules they write the best place to start would be to put a cap on hp.

[ride height]

How about a 390 carb class? EXCEPT....you show up with your carb off the motor...it goes in a pool and you get whatever carb number you draw for that night. That keeps the high dollar carbs from showing up, unless you want to lose it in the pool drawing and give your competition an edge. I dunno...probably won’t work for some reason. I’m just venting.

[dirtcrazy4u]

See, rule #3. LOL. Nobody can agree on anything.