I'm going to say it!

[BTExpress]

"Those who say that doesn't reward the drivers who are the fastest qualifiers seem to forget that if the fans aren't entertained there won't be many of the big bucks shows to run."

BINGO.....Now I have seen some entertaining races over the years, for both the DLM's and Sprint Cars, where the winner came from the pole or front row, especially if it is YOUR GUY who wins, but generally those races make for some very boring racing. It is why I like the WOOLMS races over the LOLMS with their redraws.

[dirtcrazy4u]

Been saying it for years. If your time is good it gives you a front row starting spot in the heats, which in turn gets you a possible front row for the feature. I say take 12 cars min. from the heat races, have your little show on the front straightaway for the fans, and let them pull a pill for a 20 lap qualifier. Let this determine the first 6 rows of the feature.

These dashes that are 8 laps are a waste of time with the car of today. On the big tracks were aero is king there is little chance of anyone from the 4th spot back to have a chance in h1ll. The summer nationals are coming up and you will see some of the best side by side racing anywhere. Air doesn't mean as much on these tracks.

[Jerky]

Kinda funny how people are saying aero is killing late models and winged sprints are better when sprints have a 25 sq ft aero device on the top of them and a 6 sq ft aero device on the nose. Track prep remains the key to any good race, late model or sprint.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Kinda funny how people are saying aero is killing late models and winged sprints are better when sprints have a 25 sq ft aero device on the top of them and a 6 sq ft aero device on the nose. Track prep remains the key to any good race, late model or sprint.

Wing sprints do not race well. They race nothing like a 1995 late model. They actually race a bit like today's late models. Slide jobs only.

That said, they still don't have the air off the nose type issues that late models have.

[Jerky]

Wing sprints do not race well. They race nothing like a 1995 late model. They actually race a bit like today's late models. Slide jobs only.

That said, they still don't have the air off the nose type issues that late models have.

BINGO!

Going back to track prep, it seems like the tracks who manage to put the work in to have a surface that can go from heavy to slick and manage to not rubber up are a dying breed. I grew up in Western PA and once the night was started at Lernerville or Pittsburgh the water truck was parked. This whole reworking the track 2-3 times a night never allows it to slick off, and I think everyone agrees that slicked off with no rubber makes the best racing. When all you have is a one groove track I don't care what year it is or what bodies you have, the racing will be subpar.

[Josh Bayko]

To much of 4M, of the freight train is on the top, the racing is good. If the train is on the bottom, then it sucks.

A track that’s evenly slick from top to bottom that has no dominant groove makes for the best racing, but tracks like that are pretty much unicorns.

[nc mudcat]

I continually hear the drivers say "we put ourselves behind in qualifying." I would much rather hear them say "I got a terrible pill draw." Stop qualifying and draw a number for a 12-lap heat that determines where you start the feature. Passing points stink, are unnecessary and confusing. End of rant.

[3 wide]

Track prep is probably the number one problem recently they ran a 10 thousand to win lm race close to me they had 9 classes and started at 530 so you know where I'm headed you can't count the passes in the big feature on one hand

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

There's too many times I watch a super race that's a train and another class gets out there and puts on a race. Track prep is often a scapegoat. It isn't the tracks fault when cars go out there with nlmt#1 tires and lay rubber down either.

[lurker]

MasterSbilt_Racer,

I know I’ve hinted at this before, but let me go at it again and hopefully you follow my intent and it makes sense.

Because of our age, or veteranship of being around DLM racing for 30 or 40+ years, and knowing how DLM racing was in the past --- do you think it makes guys like us and others on 4m, more judgmental when it comes to today’s DLM and the racing therefore? Or are we just living in the past too much, and not embracing Today’s DLM racing?

Personally, I don’t like the way the today’s cars look or race --- yet I embrace the technological advancements, if that makes a lick of sense.

Case in point, I grew up around DLM’s, yet over the last 25+ years I’ve grown much fonder of 600cc micro’s, non-wing 410 sprints and midgets, mainly because of the simplicity or the cars, which I believe has lead to better racing than DLM’s.

In short, is it me?

[Jerky]

I'll chime in as an fan since the mid-80s.

It's not just you. What you're saying is you enjoy series where a driver can account for more of the outcome, and can overcome a setup that's a bit off. That seems to be getting rare in the DLM world. But I don't blame bodies or aero, I blame money. The old saying stands true: "Money buys speed, how fast do you want to go?"

You look at the explosion of purse money in DLM over the past 10 years, it's incredible. You've got random weeknight shows paying over $20k to win. When has they ever happened? A 10K to win show used to draw teams from hours away. Now they don't get full fields. Micros, non-wing sprints midgets...they are nowhere close. More money = more resources. The days of a regional DLM racer winning a major event, especially a major event outside their home track (hi Josh Rice!) are getting more and more rare. Top DLM teams now are true businesses that are likely profitable before seeing a single sponsor dollar. How many were in the past? This is the golden age of dirt track racing. The on-track product might be suffering a little, but the money in DLM is insane.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Lurker,

I'm not sure. Younger people are quick to point the finger at older folks who don't like the direction something goes. From my perspective, this is history repeating itself. The wedge has returned and people haven't learned from the past.

The current state is complicated. The cars are closer in speed because they are much easier to drive fast. The finesse is gone. Improvement in mechanical grip and downforce sticks them to the track. That fact also makes them much more expensive to operate.

I think it's the current state and it is us. There are plenty of people who like how they look and like that every pass is a slider. I miss a guy slowly creeping up on a guys inside, little by little, lap by lap. I miss hearing them work the throttle to squeeze out just the right amount of power. I miss helping a guy with less under the hood get to victory lane.

[lurker]

I miss a guy slowly creeping up on a guys inside, little by little, lap by lap. I miss hearing them work the throttle to squeeze out just the right amount of power. I miss helping a guy with less under the hood get to victory lane.

I agree totally.

With that said, I’m thinking about going to Kokomo on the 12th for the XR race. Even though it’s a work day for me the next day --- It’s close, kind of a home track, no support classes, and should be over by 10pm, should be. I’ve seen a lot of Sprint and Midget races at Kokomo, and never ever been disappointed, not once. I don’t have a clue what top notch touring LM’s will race like at Kokomo, and that is part of the intrigue of going. I hope they race like LM’s of days-gone-by, and it’s Kokomo, so it should have a nice cushion up top, and plenty of moisture on the bottom. The O’Conners always have the track prep’ed well all night. And beings it’s 100 lapper --- it should be a good one like a FALS race.

Here’s to giving LM’s another shot. And at a track that races well.

[lurker]

It's not just you. What you're saying is you enjoy series where a driver can account for more of the outcome, and can overcome a setup that's a bit off.

I’m glad to know it’s not just me.

[dirtcrazy4u]

Anyone that thinks a sprint car is not aero dependent ? I'm not sure if you really understand just how much of an advantage the car out front has. Clean air is everything, you don't have to be the fastest car, if you can keep the air on the nose of your car and off the guy behind you that's a real advantage. Today's racing has so much money being spent on equipment it is ridiculous, and a lot of teams, esp SLM are spending ridiculous amounts to improve how the air flows around the car.

Anyone see the clip on boom and richards, Boom I think had way to many Busch beers in him. Richards mentioned everyone of those teams had a million dollars invested.