Dropping the Droop Rule...

[dirtcrazy4u]

The rule was put into place because if I car did get upside down and the driver had to get out quickly he was in trouble. For me, I like the looks of today's SLM. But, the bodies is what traps a driver, I just think both woo and Lucas could have come up with something better than what is now in place. Even with the droop rule, if a car gets upside down the driver is still in trouble. The wedge noses get into a guy that's sideways, good chance he's going over.

[JabberJaws83]

Noses, width and the whole deck being a glorified spoiler need fixed

[Krooser]

Mskdorf- Even though it was pushed as a Safety rule, I don't believe for one minute that was the actual reason for the rule. If it was for safety, it would have made more sense to take the deck height down another 6-8 inches. But, even if it was for safety, the side effect of the rule is that it took away some of the downforce. Whether or not it was enough to level the playing field a little and make the racing any better is definitely debatable.

Rajflyboy- Never in the history of racing has "Less Rules" created better racing. If they opened up the rules even more for late models, they would be so stuck to the track and so fast that passing would be impossible and not even the top dollar teams that are still getting by with ridiculous costs as they are now would be able to afford to keep running. But, just throwing restrictions out for the sake of making limits is not the answer either. There are plenty of easy to tech, cheap to implement rules that could be put in place right now that would drastically change the landscape of late model racing.....for the better.

Here in NE WI and many other places in the 60's-70's we had just a couple basic rules to follow.

Our area had an 11" tire rule, single 4 bbl. and the body had to be six years or newer to be a "late model"... that's it. No CI rule, any suspension (our group had leaf cars, torsion bar cars and the occasional coil spring chassis). We had ex-NASCAR cars, coupe modifieds with buggy springs and newer sheet metal, '57 Chevies with Camaro tin...the whole shebang.

We also ran six cylinders against 427's. Pavement and dirt tracks.

We ran five to six nights per week and averaged 40-50 cars in each pit.

I doubt any set of rules would have made any of us spend less money.

[Josh Bayko]

Noses, width and the whole deck being a glorified spoiler need fixed

Just making the bodies straight and symmetrical would do a ton.

[JabberJaws83]

Just making the bodies straight and symmetrical would do a ton.

I agree, and I think you can straighten the bodies out without diminishing the “cool” factor look of a late model.

[dirtcrazy4u]

Unfortunately I just don't see it happening until I guy gets trapped because of the bodies. I feel there's enough room to open the interior around the driver so he'd have a way to get out.

[84wedge]

What kind of lap times do you think a modern SLM would register if they ran clockwise instead? 2-3 seconds slower? More?

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Unfortunately I just don't see it happening until I guy gets trapped because of the bodies. I feel there's enough room to open the interior around the driver so he'd have a way to get out.

The seat and HANS is way more of an issue than the body. They actually have a higher roof than they used to. That helps.

[Josh Bayko]

The seat and HANS is way more of an issue than the body. They actually have a higher roof than they used to. That helps.

If they got the decks back down to 36” and flat they’d gave even more room.

[dirtcrazy4u]

MastersBuilt, I agree with these high sided head restraints the seats do pose a problem. As for the Hans device wonce you get the belts off them you pretty much have freedom of movement. The bodies and interiors keep a driver limited to a small window for an escape route. Aero is a huge problem in many different classes today if a driver has to get out quickly.

If you watch any NHRA funny cars they have those roof panels that open. Why the late model and NE modifieds don't use one is beyond me.

[Josh Bayko]

MastersBuilt, I agree with these high sided head restraints the seats do pose a problem. As for the Hans device wonce you get the belts off them you pretty much have freedom of movement. The bodies and interiors keep a driver limited to a small window for an escape route. Aero is a huge problem in many different classes today if a driver has to get out quickly.

If you watch any NHRA funny cars they have those roof panels that open. Why the late model and NE modifieds don't use one is beyond me.

Big block mods have bars that brace the top of the cage. A flap would be useless.