Is the crate killing imca mods

[GavinHunyady187]

Passing time, what are you talking about??? In imca the body rules and weight rules ARE the same between crate and open! In the sportmod and a mod class....

FWIW in Michigan the crate motor never got a spoiler, AND has to add 50lbs of lead in front of the motor plate... and a crate won 8 races at the best prepared track in the state. Open motors won more at the track that was always dry and slick. Open motors have a 6800rpm chip rule and the claim is only $750. My take is that the same guys will run up front regardless, all the guys winning are good racers and are working hard on their stuff.

I race up here, I want to run some of the national races. I have some problems though. I DONT want to add lead for the crate, and I am not opposed to spending more for a better engine for big money races with you boys in Iowa.

Does it make sense to get a crate? or with this year's rules removing the spoilers, will the open engines have an advantage (lighter, more power, etc)

[GavinHunyady187]

Ive always known about your rules up there, not sure why those aren't the same ones here in Iowa.

seems to work, CMS gets ~30cars a night...

so same question... does the crate still seem to have an advantage without the spoiler?
(not a rhetorical question, I really want to know)

[passingtime]

Crate motors are lighter, Hence more rear percentage, if both have matching total weight after the race. Year end specials that ran both IMCA and USRA. The opens always had to add weight in front for aluminum heads. No matter what aluminum heads you were running. More if not running 23 degree heads.So removing the spoiler and adding weight in front of the mid shift plate evens out the field. JMHOProbably does not answer your question. But weight placement in the right places is a plus to get then to work right.

[GavinHunyady187]

Crate motors are lighter, Hence more rear percentage, if both have matching total weight after the race. Year end specials that ran both IMCA and USRA. The opens always had to add weight in front for aluminum heads. No matter what aluminum heads you were running. More if not running 23 degree heads.So removing the spoiler and adding weight in front of the mid shift plate evens out the field. JMHOProbably does not answer your question. But weight placement in the right places is a plus to get then to work right.

I'm onboard with that logic, its really the basis of my question, but the proof I trust is in results. What is happening in the races we've seen in NM and AZ so far?

FWIW I have no problem building a lightweight open motor that is lighter than the crate, but maybe thats not the answer? Maybe the roller cam makes the power where its needed? IDK, but I figured results are the best answer.

[GavinHunyady187]

Of course the crate is winning in az. There are 4-5 open and 50 crates there.

The advantage was the spoiler and the alum heads reducing the over all weight. The crate is easy to drive because of the low hp, low rpm, heavy rotating assembly.

If we had to add 50# in the rest of imca land I bet there would be more open engines racing.

I'll run both and stick with whatever I feel is faster for me.

That's a good point in regards to the mix of engines, I dont have any idea what that is like across the country.

If there weren't the 50# penalty I would just buy a crate, but I dont want to change my car that much to swap engines. (maybe I'm over thinking it)

My instinct is matching your statement about the spoiler being the big advantage. The easy answer is to buy both, but thats what I'm trying to avoid just because I would rather have the $6k in cash than engines.

[GavinHunyady187]

Are you winning with your open engine now?

I hold my own at my local track, won a few heats, run top 5's... can transfer out of B-mains at will if needed. This will be my first season focused on the IMCA mod, I ran a couple different classes last year.

I'm not expecting to buy wins, but I don't want to take a shovel to a gun fight either when I go to the nationals.

back to the lecture at hand, I liked your approach to making an open motor with the smooth torque curve and low RPM. I might employ that idea if I cant think of another reason for the crate to have an advantage... lots of variables to consider but I wish I could use a hyd roller profile.

[FourDeepInTheFluff]

When we will see the day that the CT525 is allowed in modifieds? I don't have enough knowledge to know the pros/cons on this so would someone enlighten me?

[Hemm]

USRA Modifieds allow CT525 crate

[powerslide]

USRA Modifieds allow CT525 crate

But require so much extra weight they are not competitive anymore.