How do we Make local Short Track Racing Great Again (Dirt & Asphalt)?

[over4T]

A couple of things I don't care for: Qualifying for a zillion classes takes a ton of time, burns up the track and is boring for the fans and teams. Qualify the top class and that's it. We ran a show this past weekend at Watsonville, CA that did this and we, Pro Stocks, went by pill draw and heat finishes that determined main starting positions. Worked great and top ten finishers came from all over the starting spots; 1 (6), 2 (10), 3 (7), 4 (5), 5 (9), 6 (13), 7 (4), 8 (12), 9 (11), 10 (1). Ton of action for the drivers and the fans loved it too. Another thing is complicated formulas to figure the winner, i.e. passing points, cumulative points, etc. Most fans and teams want to know at the end of the main who won and not read about it days later. The car in front is the winner is pretty simple.

[3 wide]

I’m bot sure what they are supposed to pay them with. There’s never more than a hundred people in the stands for a regular show

You get the cars you get the fans I remember back in the late 70s I was going to the old boyds speedway in Chattanooga on Friday night charlie Hughes Billy Thomas Doug kenimer bucky Simmons snooks defore and a lot more would be in the pits on Friday night and the standscwere packed.

[chathamracefan]

I found another way to not draw the fans last night. Don't go to Benton Speedway apparently. I was following summer nats & the IMCA Harris Clash show at Boone. Boone had 187 cars in 3 classes, started heats at 7 and were done before the summer nats LM feature started.

[Jim11h]

Simple.......eliminatr crates. You got money to run them then you can afford to move up to super or down to mods. Eliminate qualifying and bring back pill draw with top X redraw fot feature. This puts racing back in racing. Eliminate B- mods, they either move up or down classes. Abolish the 602 from stock cars as only engine choice. You can build a faster cheaper motor even if a claimer motor. Lastly, the technology is there so hard to change but something needs done to shock game! Lastly make bodies resemble the rules again and quit letting racers tell series how they gonna run the show. For God sake there's tibed chassis in stock cars now because they built to stock frame specs,. Nope gone, backbto stock frame fellas. Waybtoo many divisions resemble others and needs to stop. Lastly, tracks need to step up they're game and run a fast efficient show wiyh a good surface. Turn off comments on their track Facebook as well.

[3 wide]

Well rainouts are hurting but these race tracks need to race every week then it will help make up for some of the rainouts I seen for example one track opened the first of June and they have only ran 8 nights i remember when I was a kid we went to the races every saturday nightwear didn't look at a schedule we knew they were open if it wasn't raining.

[Danimal67x]

Simple.......eliminatr crates. You got money to run them then you can afford to move up to super or down to mods. Eliminate qualifying and bring back pill draw with top X redraw fot feature. This puts racing back in racing. Eliminate B- mods, they either move up or down classes. Abolish the 602 from stock cars as only engine choice. You can build a faster cheaper motor even if a claimer motor. Lastly, the technology is there so hard to change but something needs done to shock game! Lastly make bodies resemble the rules again and quit letting racers tell series how they gonna run the show. For God sake there's tibed chassis in stock cars now because they built to stock frame specs,. Nope gone, backbto stock frame fellas. Waybtoo many divisions resemble others and needs to stop. Lastly, tracks need to step up they're game and run a fast efficient show wiyh a good surface. Turn off comments on their track Facebook as well.

I agree.. Crates started out a good thing and are now totally out of hand..
they have ruined it for engine builders and racers alike.
something needs to be done or we will all soon be gone!

[EvelB7]

I agree.. Crates started out a good thing and are now totally out of hand..
they have ruined it for engine builders and racers alike.
something needs to be done or we will all soon be gone!

I prefer Supers or even Limited Late Models but how exactly have the crates ruined racing? I can tell you of not only mulitple racers who would not be racing if they didn't have crates but also engine builders who would be out of business... Not saying they do not need to straighten the 'mess' they have created with them out, but they have their place. Want to save Late Model racing- make it exciting again- that involves unhooking the cars and making them harder to drive (gee, NASCAR seems to have the same issue...); put on a good show in a timely manner and promote your track!

[Jim11h]

I prefer Supers or even Limited Late Models but how exactly have the crates ruined racing? I can tell you of not only mulitple racers who would not be racing if they didn't have crates but also engine builders who would be out of business... Not saying they do not need to straighten the 'mess' they have created with them out, but they have their place. Want to save Late Model racing- make it exciting again- that involves unhooking the cars and making them harder to drive (gee, NASCAR seems to have the same issue...); put on a good show in a timely manner and promote your track!

So your thinking if they couldn't afford a super and crates weren't around then they'd quit instead of going modified or super Stock or whatever. Sounds like not a true racer. Im baffled to the engine builder thing. Good builders make a living for long time. Heck on Fremont ohio we have 3 builders that stay super busy. Level engines, Gressman, and kistler engine. Sll 3 building top 410 sprint car motors that win weekly and on all stars

[EvelB7]

So your thinking if they couldn't afford a super and crates weren't around then they'd quit instead of going modified or super Stock or whatever. Sounds like not a true racer. Im baffled to the engine builder thing. Good builders make a living for long time. Heck on Fremont ohio we have 3 builders that stay super busy. Level engines, Gressman, and kistler engine. Sll 3 building top 410 sprint car motors that win weekly and on all stars

It's not thinking, I am one of them. Would flat out be out of racing years ago if it wasn't for the opportunity they provided. What is the difference? It's a rules package that happens to be built by GM (and rebuilt by numerous builders across the country). Again, not saying they are the answer for everything- just a viable option to help areas keep things going. I personally really like what groups in the midwest are doing (like SLMR or the PRO tour, mixing the fields with restrictors and allowing all combinations).

[Jim11h]

We're certainly gonna disagree. Fortunately the crate thing has not survived well in ohio. They introduced crates to Florence and boom he super weekly show disappeared. The racing I've seen either live or on tv is not good. You'll never catch me attending a track because they're headline division is crate class the real difference is yoi spend less on motor so you can put that money elsewhere in car like the low friction tiger 8 inch or low friction bearing seals etc thst aren't necessary for supers

[Danimal67x]

same thing happened here at Pittsburgh.. the Supers are pretty much gone in exchange for Miss Vickie's money grab otherwise known as Rush.
place looks like a ghost town on a regular show night.
there is no such thing as parody.. the money still runs up front.. the price of the crates has gone thru the roof, what started as a $4200 604 and a $3800 602 has close to tripled.
I always did my own stuff and it has put guys like me out of Late models.
look at who is making out on the deal and you'll have your answer.

[HoosierDirtFan]

Want to fix shot track racing? Run an efficient show!

WHY IS BOONE PRETTY MUCH BETTER THAN ANY OTHER TRACK IN THE COUNTRY?
BECAUSE THEY CAN RUN AN SHOW EFFICIENTLY.
Here is a run down from my trip to Boone yesterday 6-27-2026. (2nd time there)

Boone Speedway
Boone, Iowa
Saturday, June 27th, 2026
IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Northern SportMods, IMCA Hobby Stocks, IMCA Mod Lites, & IMCA Sport Compacts.

Car Counts
26 IMCA Modifieds.
41 IMCA Stock Cars.
37 IMCA Northern SportMods.
45 IMCA Hobby Stocks.
30 IMCA Mod Lites.
31 IMCA Sport Compacts.
Total 210 cars.

Races
24 Heat Races.
3 B-Mains.
8 A-Main Features.
35 Total Races.
357 Total Laps.

Race breakdown by division.
IMCA Modifieds - 26 Cars - 3 Heats (8 laps each) - & A-Main (26 cars - 20 laps)
IMCA Stock Cars - 41 cars - 4 Heats (8 laps each) - & 2 A-Mains (20 Laps each) - A-Main 1 - 21 cars - A-Main 2 - 20 cars.
IMCA Northern SportMods - 37 cars - 4 Heats (8 laps each) - B-Main (17 cars & 10 laps) - A-Main (24 cars & 18 laps)
IMCA Hobby Stocks - 45 cars - 6 Heats (8 laps each) - 2 A-Mains (15 laps each) - A-Main 1 - 23 cars - A-Main 2 - 22 cars
IMCA Mod Lites - 30 Cars - 3 Heats (6 laps each) - B-Main (9 cars - 10 laps) - A-Main (24 cars - 15 laps)
IMCA Sport Compacts - 31 cars - 3 Heats (6 laps each) - B-Main (11 cars - 8 laps) - A-Main (24 cars - 20 laps) - Special event for Compacts

If they have 40 or more cars in any division, they run 2 Features.
Track prep on 3 different occasions.
All this done by 10:55pm.
That many cars for a weekly show and still done at a good time.
You spin out in a heat race or b-Main, you’re done for that race.
You spin out / wreck in an A-Main more than one, you are done.
O yeah, they sell beer in the pit area as well for $5 a can (16oz).
Not 1 fight all night long between drivers, teams, officials, or fans.

[klemmabyna]

Love to see that for other tracks

[weatherman85]

Sadly, here in the southeast, I know many that would already complain and not go because there aren’t any late models on that program from Boone.

[chathamracefan]

Want to fix shot track racing? Run an efficient show!

WHY IS BOONE PRETTY MUCH BETTER THAN ANY OTHER TRACK IN THE COUNTRY?
BECAUSE THEY CAN RUN AN SHOW EFFICIENTLY.
Here is a run down from my trip to Boone yesterday 6-27-2026. (2nd time there)

Boone Speedway
Boone, Iowa
Saturday, June 27th, 2026
IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Northern SportMods, IMCA Hobby Stocks, IMCA Mod Lites, & IMCA Sport Compacts.

Car Counts
26 IMCA Modifieds.
41 IMCA Stock Cars.
37 IMCA Northern SportMods.
45 IMCA Hobby Stocks.
30 IMCA Mod Lites.
31 IMCA Sport Compacts.
Total 210 cars.

Races
24 Heat Races.
3 B-Mains.
8 A-Main Features.
35 Total Races.
357 Total Laps.

Race breakdown by division.
IMCA Modifieds - 26 Cars - 3 Heats (8 laps each) - & A-Main (26 cars - 20 laps)
IMCA Stock Cars - 41 cars - 4 Heats (8 laps each) - & 2 A-Mains (20 Laps each) - A-Main 1 - 21 cars - A-Main 2 - 20 cars.
IMCA Northern SportMods - 37 cars - 4 Heats (8 laps each) - B-Main (17 cars & 10 laps) - A-Main (24 cars & 18 laps)
IMCA Hobby Stocks - 45 cars - 6 Heats (8 laps each) - 2 A-Mains (15 laps each) - A-Main 1 - 23 cars - A-Main 2 - 22 cars
IMCA Mod Lites - 30 Cars - 3 Heats (6 laps each) - B-Main (9 cars - 10 laps) - A-Main (24 cars - 15 laps)
IMCA Sport Compacts - 31 cars - 3 Heats (6 laps each) - B-Main (11 cars - 8 laps) - A-Main (24 cars - 20 laps) - Special event for Compacts

If they have 40 or more cars in any division, they run 2 Features.
Track prep on 3 different occasions.
All this done by 10:55pm.
That many cars for a weekly show and still done at a good time.
You spin out in a heat race or b-Main, you’re done for that race.
You spin out / wreck in an A-Main more than one, you are done.
O yeah, they sell beer in the pit area as well for $5 a can (16oz).
Not 1 fight all night long between drivers, teams, officials, or fans.

I went to Boone for Supernationals last year & am going again this year. Now those are long days built more for hard core racing fans but they sure don't (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) around there. One heat ends, next heat on the track. One spin & your done for a heat race. Throw a dirty slider or spin a guy, get a black flag. Track prep after every 10 heat races. Really competitive racing as well. Total blast. It's the same week as World 100 & doesn't draw the names but as a hardcore racing event it may be the top of the heap.