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WhelenModifiedTour


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More Madness from my mind .. or what is left of it
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What Has Really Changed - Since Geoff Bodine introduced the revolutionary "White Tornado" Cavalier bodied NASCAR Modified, not a whole lot has realy changed except costs. I call this the "monkee see, monkey do complex". It starts with one monkey using a "grey area" part on his car, while the part is not illegal according to the rules, it is different from what all the other monkeys use. So now all the other monkees must buy this part to be competitive. This cycle continues until ALL the monkees say racing is to expensive. This is what I see as the TRUE demise of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.


While I am definitely not on the side of NASCAR, sometimes I feel people point fingers at them unjustly . To me it is NOT NASCAR's fault the Tour is dying. I say look in the direction of the teams and here is why. When Bodine introduced the Cavalier, most race winning cars were not even in an enclosed trailer. Now cars that do not even qualify, are hauled in former Nextel Cup trailers. Did NASCAR mandate these? You see cars with chrome everything, it looks good, but when we are complaining about costs does it make sense? 


How about a different approach to the problem. Jack Arute is on to something with his new SK Light division . One motor for every car . The NASCAR Busch East is testing Spec Engines, why not the Whelen Tour? If all NASCAR Modifieds running the Northern and Southern Tours had the same motor, they would ALL be on a level playing ground . A spark needs to be re-ignited to revive the old "North vs. South" rivalries. A one brand shock and springs rule should also be adopted . This goes back to the monkee complex , where the rich monkee's buy the better stuff and goes faster . If all the cars had the same motors and suspension the costs would drop.


If the costs drop, the purses could be lowered. If the purses could be lowered, the cost of hosting a Whelen Tour race would go down. Thus more former Tour hosting tracks may once again be able to afford hosting a race.


The demand for Modified racing is there, look at the sucess of ALL the Modified Tours. And Tracks would like to host races, but can not afford it .


So I close by saying this . To the TEAMS of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. If you REALLY love racing the Tour, then save it. Take a look around you and see the real problem . You are not racing for to little money, you are wasting to much money to go racing. Wade and Jake make races, take a look at what they have.


This is just what I think.



 

-- Edited by WhelenModifiedTour at 21:17, 2006-02-26

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The Mayor


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i agree with most of what you post except  about lowering the purse.  can it get any lower now?

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openwheelracer


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I hate to say it gang, but I think you saw the writing on the wall the other day with the anouncement of Nascar restructuring it's regional racing series http://www.nascartouring.com/story.asp?News_ID=11339&Series_ID=5


My opinion is, in the not to distant future the WMT and BES will be non Nascar sanctioned series. Let's hope if that ever did become a reality, that they pull themselves together and survive without the sanction, and that they don't cease to exist at all.


 



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Ben Althen


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The purse seems low, but it is one of the reasons that the tour has a lot less races this year. the minimum nascar purse is much higher then any other touring series. thats why jennerstown won't be back, the bowl and riverhead have only 1 date each, and why there arent races at tracks like wall, holland, and lake erie. from a promotors standpoint, why bring in a series with a high purse when you can have a seris with a smaller purse that will most likely get more butts in the seats like the ASA late models. the tracks  just cant afford the high purse.

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WhelenModifiedTour


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True Mayor but if it costs less to race, do you need to make as much. Look at what some of the other Tours race for.

-- Edited by WhelenModifiedTour at 20:54, 2005-12-31

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WhelenModifiedTour


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That is my point Ben , if the costs of hosting the Tour would drop, the tracks hosting the Tour would increase. Sometimes less equals more.

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WhelenModifiedTour


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Open I agree 100%. what I see is someone coming up with a series of spec engine Modifieds. maybe even a revival of the old format for winning the championship. where drivers may not evn compete at the same tracks  but earn points towards the same championship. i for one am all for the Tour being NON NASCAR. Look at the sucess of the TVMRS so far . Bateman is on to something.



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spdracer19


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The Hooters Pro Cup is a much better paying Tour than the BGNETS or what ever they are called now. We made as much for 6th as third did in BGNN in '02 and could run the South races as the rules were the same for both and then had the 5 race championship series.


They ran TIS in '01 but TIS and USAR could not reach an agreement for the following years. Wonder if the NASCAR sanction had  anything to do with it? All the drivers and officals said they loved the place and wanted to go back. And the cars are all mostly ex-Cup cars with big time cup motors.


Anyway, does NASCAR take to much cream from the top so the tracks can not afford to have races? Look at Seekonk last year and their boycott for the higher pit passes for the weekly guys while the tour guys get in cheaper. I know your tour guys say oh well, but for the guys that are there every week it is a slap in the face. Look at the SK guys at the Bowl that have to hurry and pack & leave so the tour guys can use the pit space. I understand they (Tour guys) need the space as a minimum and deserve a much better arrangement, but the SK guys paid $45 to hurry and load and leave prior to the tour race even runs???


They should run the tour races like on Wednesday nights all by themselves. I remember that being done in the olden days (when Firestones were made of real stones, lol Figured I bet you to it).


I don't know the answer but they have a ton of IMCA spec mods out west and they are very much like the TIS mods. If they become the weekly series mods then maybe the WMT would become much more popular and if you build them people would come and bring their wallets!


As some of us will remember, back in the '60s and '70s the mods were something you builts yourself and the guy with the smartest and best set-up won. You used your brains more than your checkbook. Now it comes down to 'who's your daddy' than who's 'your crew chief' or 'whats your qualifications', specially in the big leagues.


Hope someone figures it out as NASCAR as a whole is really turning me off as a grass roots racer. I'm thinking of starting a Sunday Boccie Ball league this summer, anyone interested?



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WhelenModifiedTour


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Since I first wrote this post, several things have been announced that to me reflect a bit of what I was hoping for.


The new SST Sportsman Series has brought a host of tracks running similar cars together under common rules  . The results have increased car counts and created a competitive new Series of Modifieds competing on a lower budget. 


Stafford Speedways new SK Light Division will provide an easier and more affordable transition for young go-kart or quarter midget graduates to move into Modifieds. And at a lower cost than the SK Modifieds.


The True Value Modified Racing Series continues to grow. Another more costly approach to Modified Racing, but on a Touring Level.


The point I am getting at is, that the Tour/Series focusing on lowering costs to both the competitors and the participants, and yes even the fans actually, seem to be thriving.


The best news for the Whelen Tour is the influx of new teams, but that is mostly due to the reduced schedule, not costs. Add races and see how many teams run the full deal.


For those that know me (or my screename) I LOVE the NASCAR Modified Tour, just not the way it is run.


Just my opinion. -WMT-



-- Edited by WhelenModifiedTour at 21:36, 2006-02-26

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