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Now with all that out of the way.....Let's make some laps!
Race Director Steve Harraka has announced two penalties following review of last Saturday night’s 20-lap Sportsman feature. Joe Curioso III has been fined 20 points for “excessive rough riding” and Dwayne Dorr was fined a like number of points for “leaving his car and confronting another driver.”
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NASCAR MODIFIEDS...WHERE IT ALL BEGAN. LET'S REMIND NASCAR OF THEIR ROOTS.
Good one Warren! That's a great topic for disscussion Warren, where oh where have the Sportsman gone? We all remember not all that long ago 50 cars, 4 heats, a consi, 20+ cars goin home a night, and back in the begining of the division A, B, and C features. So what gives? Is it the economic times were currently living in? The management and staff that's driving them away? The way more affordable Super X division keeping people from running in the division? Opinions anyone.....?
I had to think about this one for a bit. I can also remember the time of 50 or more Sportsman. So yes indeed where have they all gone too?.
A major part of it is definitely economics. The division began as a step above Enduro racing. Remember the name "Strictly Stock" ? But as in every division the "money guys" began running the questionable more expensive parts, and eventually they became legal. Suddenly now the division is just a step below a Late Model. How much of a Sportsman is anything like the original Strictly Stock. I see this as a big part of the decline in car counts. The once "affordable" entry level division out-priced itself.
Drivers have also moved on to other tracks and other divisions. With the rising costs of Sportsman racing, the move to Late Models was not as much of a budget increase as it once was.
A third problem I see for only Waterford, was the rumors surrounding the track. When a driver is shopping for sponsorship it is hard to sell when the track he plans to race at is rumored to be closing. I think the lower level divisions were the most affected by this.
Finally the economy itself is killing the average "weekend racer". The guy who could just afford to race a few years ago, is now faced with extra fuell costs, more expensive parts, and sadly HIGHER PIT FEES.
These are just my opinions. Thanx for reading them. -WMT-
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NASCAR MODIFIEDS...WHERE IT ALL BEGAN. LET'S REMIND NASCAR OF THEIR ROOTS.
I agree with everything above along with the Wednesday night program offering classes that are more affordable.
I don't know what they pay the Wednesday night guys but last i knew the Sportsman still made $200 for a win. It's been that much since at least 1998. I know no one is getting rich no matter what division but the cars have outpriced themselves compaired to what they race for. (SK"s are probably still worse).
I could put a really decent super X car together for $2500-$3000. I'd be hard pressed to build a motor for a Sportsman for that much through local engine builders.
In the past few years when there were Sportsman consi's, if I raced a Sportsman I'd be lucky to make the field, if I built the X car I'm in the feature every week.
Spend a few thousand and go racing or spend $7500+ for a used up racecar or $12-20,000 to build a new one and race for $200 if I win. If i didn't finish in the top 5 I couldn't even get myself and two crew members in the pits next week off the check. Instead, Wednesday everyone can go for a $5-$8 grandstand ticket and a cut rate on pit passes.
The only way i can see this get better is getting division sponsors, be it for weeks, months or full seasons. Kindof like the "Foxwood's" then "Valenti Auto Mall" Late Models.
The more I think, the less insentive there is to move away from Wednesday.
Also on the purse, I can think of alot of programs that are not around anymore.
The Chet's Speed Shop award to feature winners.
The Snap-On series that was a mini points series in the middle of the season.
The Rose City Auto (I think that's who sponsored it) that took 1 driver from each division and made a team.
Recently the Norwich Bulletin weekly hard charger award and the 3M season long hard charger award.
Lap money.
All of these seemed to be of little expense to the track but boosted the purses. I'm not sure through the changes if they got lost in the shuffle and forgot about or if there is really no one out there to step up and back these types of programs now.
Excellent point Warren. Stafford and the former Riverside Park Speedway have been, and were always big on sponsorships, bonuses, contingencey programs etc to supplement their purses. Why the Bowl doesn't do a better job of trying to round up some of these I'm not sure, but I would assume the old adage it takes money to make money could apply and currently it's just not in the budget. But hey, look what are man Sid pulled off with a $0 budget! I vote Sid to take on the task!
