Straight Axle???

[Burke1118]

Austin Kirkpatrick just posted a picture of his suspension that just got outlawed on his Facebook..... he was literally running a straight axle like a sprint car. Super late models dying the death of a 1000 cuts keeping out the newcomers. Can't believe the series see the need to band such an old kind of suspension..... and that a straight axle would actually work that well in a late model? crazy

[billetbirdcage]

Austin Kirkpatrick just posted a picture of his suspension that just got outlawed on his Facebook..... he was literally running a straight axle like a sprint car. Super late models dying the death of a 1000 cuts keeping out the newcomers. Can't believe the series see the need to band such an old kind of suspension..... and that a straight axle would actually work that well in a late model? crazy

Why you think it was called a model T? 1908 technology

[Josh Bayko]

Big block mods still use a straight axle. Probably going for that kinda vibe with his design

[doyle hargraves]

Cj rayburn told me twenty years ago that he wanted to build a car with a straight axle but they would never allow it

[slideiton]

I did a quick google fu, only IMCA directly states the type of allowed front ends either A-Arm or Strut, can't find anything on Lucas or WRG. The only thing that I question is with both a Sprint or a Northeast Mod, the engine setback is so far that its an easy shot across. I just can't see that working in a Late Model.

[Josh Bayko]

I did a quick google fu, only IMCA directly states the type of allowed front ends either A-Arm or Strut, can't find anything on Lucas or WRG. The only thing that I question is with both a Sprint or a Northeast Mod, the engine setback is so far that its an easy shot across. I just can't see that working in a Late Model.

A straight axle with a modern four link design would be a bound up complicated mess. The northeast has been developing their own brand of four link that the SDS made illegal because they didn’t want racers going down that rabbit hole. They’re not allowed to use independent front ends at all in either of the major modified sanctions.

Fun fact about independent front ends being illegal: They were perfectly legal from the first northeastern modified ever until I think 1989 when the SDS had the DIRT/Asphalt Challenge. Once they started on tar, they made independent front ends illegal, thinking it would prevent teams from building tar specific cars. It didn’t stop teams from building tar specific cars in any ways, shape, or form. The pit area was full of asphalt specific “dirt” modifieds by race 4. The series only lasted 3 or 4 years, and nobody ever bothered to change the rule back to whatever front you wanted. In hindsight, it was probably smart, as modified technology has remained pretty stable for the last 30ish years.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

I did a quick google fu, only IMCA directly states the type of allowed front ends either A-Arm or Strut, can't find anything on Lucas or WRG. The only thing that I question is with both a Sprint or a Northeast Mod, the engine setback is so far that its an easy shot across. I just can't see that working in a Late Model.

I guess you missed the 11 car put it on Overton at Cherokee?

[NeedforLMspeed]

I guess you missed the 11 car put it on Overton at Cherokee?

Other than that and the night before when he started pretty deep in the race and finish like second or third he really hasn't done much when he races I don't think?

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Other than that and the night before when he started pretty deep in the race and finish like second or third he really hasn't done much when he races I don't think?

Set the world on fire in some practice runs and qualifying, but no, hasn't raced particularly well.

[zyoung25]

The camera dude mustve known there was something worth looking at the world finals when Austin pulled up to the hot pit. Makes ya wonder who didn't like what they saw and how they thought it was an advantage?

[Raceready]

Charley Swartz once said in a magazine article " People accuse me of being crazy and say that I'll drive anything just because I was racing that sprint car that had the iron front front axle welded together in the middle where it had snapped in half". Of course there might have been a little crazyness involved when he was racing the famous mid engine designed Pontiac Fiero late model. It didn't seem to bother him that he would be the first one to be at scene of an accident with that design !

[Rajflyboy]

I can’t find a Facebook page for Austin Kirkpatrick I hope dirt late model does not develop TOO MANY rules. Let the builders build.

[chopter33]

which series outlawed the straight axle?

[NeedforLMspeed]

I think he's a member here by the name of "Nobody"? Maybe he can enlighten y'all a little bit on the situation

[chupp n bloomer fan]

The camera dude mustve known there was something worth looking at the world finals when Austin pulled up to the hot pit. Makes ya wonder who didn't like what they saw and how they thought it was an advantage?

I’d go with this one, usually what happens. It’s all good in the hood till the wrong person sees it.

Or it was some kinda rabbit hole they didn’t want people going down.