Super Late Racing in General

[billetbirdcage]

The big brand engine builders build for about $40,000 and rebuilds at about $15,000. If it cost $100 per lap for rebuilds that would mean that a rebuild would cost about $100,000.lol I have seen some claim on here that top teams spend 100k+ for fuel for haulers.lol They spend probably around $15,000 per year for fuel for haulers. Some on here have claimed that it takes upwards of $2 million dollars a year to run a top SLM team "if you want to be competitive".lol

Zonks did a typo I think, he meant 10.00 a lap to freshen an engine. 1200 laps x 10.00 = $12,000.00

That 10.00 is pretty close but does vary but is a good indicator of how much it cost you a night to run the engine. 5 laps in hot laps, 10 lap heat race, 40 laps main = 55 laps x 10.00 = 550.00 just in engine usage a night

[let-r-eat]

The only way local racing comes back is if the national level racing takes over Nascar. Asphalt racing only got so big because people didn't want to leave a race track dirty as a coal miner. This dirt ball experience isn't going to be a nationwide extravaganza for the masses. DLM racing on the local level is dead as a door nail. Might as well call it nails that board up the coffin. What brings it back? 5 or 10 thousand dollar race cars and people who love to physically work. The guys who work with their backs everyday that started this sport aren't making enough money to inject themselves in today's game. They are running 4 poppers, street stocks and the cheaper modified cars. They love racing and would love to race a DLM but it is so far out of their reach that its virtually impossible. Look at how much they are putting in these lower level classes to race and it is still miles away from a DLM. 20K street stocks, hot mods, 30K sport mods, 100K crate cars..........etc etc. The average working man is sporting cars now that have a ton of money in them and its so far from a competitive DLM's price tag it isn't going to happen.

The fix is basically taking place on its own. DLM as a national touring type series only, higher paying local shows for the lower classes to try and draw cars and fans. There is a reason that tracks are running umpteen classes of cars. Because umpteen classes of cars calls for umpteen cars with umpteen people. People go to a race track mainly because they know someone racing or associated with the show.

You have to create reasons for coming to the racetrack other than the race on the track. Duck Dynasty sure wasn't 100% about duck hunting. Racing is the same. You have to create a culture people want to associate themselves with.

Go to factory production engines only. Hemi's, L9's, coyote's etc etc............... Get rid of this ancient technology and give kids something to think and talk about. I bet there isn't a half a dozen in the stands <18 or 21 yoa that even know what WIDE BORE even is. Let alone Bert/Brinn/Longhorn/Foxhorn etc.............. PUt snapchat and twitter, instagram iterations hitting their phones during the race or something.

The problem is you have 50+ year old people associated with these tracks and such and they have no clue what today's market requires and most don't have any money to implement them anyway.

Sorry for the bitsh session but I love dirt racing a hate to see DLM fizzle out.

[nc mudcat]

It makes no difference what a wide bore is, or a longhorn. Why does it matter if they know what all that means? Remember when we went for the excitement of the race? Didn't matter at all what kind of chassis it was, or whether it was a crate or built engine. That stuff simply does not matter to everyone.

[Zonks32x]

$100 per lap rebuilds?.lol Could you show me a $75,000 SLM engine? People on here seem to have a strong urge to exaggerate the cost of operating a SLM.

Crossbones...thanks for catching an obvious typo/mistake. Meant $10/lap refresh cost.

Hot laps, heat race, feature...
Still talking $500+/night every night you take the car out. That $150 the local track pays for 10th on back in the weekly feature doesn't amount to much.

[Zonks32x]

Zonks did a typo I think, he meant 10.00 a lap to freshen an engine. 1200 laps x 10.00 = $12,000.00

That 10.00 is pretty close but does vary but is a good indicator of how much it cost you a night to run the engine. 5 laps in hot laps, 10 lap heat race, 40 laps main = 55 laps x 10.00 = 550.00 just in engine usage a night

Thank you. Yes, $10/lap is what I meant to type.

[Rajflyboy]

Yes on factory production motors. That should be plenty enough hp to put on a good show at a much lower cost. As a fan I’d love to see tracks run the late models early and not last. I hate sitting through the other 6 classes before I get to see a 25 lap late model feature. Even if they ran the Lates 2nd or 3rd I’d be happy.

[Hoosier]

Amen

"I hate sitting through the other 6 classes before I get to see a 25 lap late model feature. Even if they ran the Lates 2nd or 3rd I’d be happy."

AMEN

[buster83]

Please no smart butt responses I want to know what others think about the state of local short tracks.

it's kind of hard to pull a late model out and run for 2,000 dollars for feature that was running 30 years ago for 2,000 dollars so it's not too hard to figure were the problem lays.