"AFFORDABLE V-8 STOCKCAR RACING"

[John#7]

What makes a great race?

Wheel to wheel, fender to fender, bumper to bumper, pushing, bumping, rubbing, passing and re-passing. ACTION, ACTION and more ACTION. The tracks, drivers and mostly the fans need this action to thrive and multiply. To achieve this action we must have close tight racing and high car counts. Now the big question, how do we achieve what is needed?

Let's address close racing first. To have close racing the cars must be as equal as possible and the only way to achieve this is with very SPEC. race cars. Any time technology and money comes together things get expensive and then he who has the most money wins. Races finish in the order of wallet size spreading out the field accordingly. Now for the car count issue. How do you get car count up? By keeping racing as affordable as possible. The less that is needed to purchase, race, and maintain a race car the more people will be able to afford it.

 

I have been racing an Allison car for 5 years, two 1/2 seasons and 3 full seasons with a championship in 2004 and 2006. In the 2003 and 2004 seasons we had car counts of over 20 cars and that was fun to the extreme!! As of late the Allison league at HMP is suffering. A separate Allison league was started in the Kyle area and with purses being paid at Thunder Hill some guys have moved to that league where the car count is 20+. Some, with the money, moved up to Late Models. Even with car counts at a low of 8 to 12 we still had a lot of close exciting racing and this close racing can be contributed to the SPEC. nature of the Allison league.

 

Now the problem. Myself and others are ready to move up to the next level but the next level is monetarily too high. What do we do? Let's be honest guys, buying, running, and maintaining any LM is very expensive and I'm just not willing to spend that kind of money to be competitive. In 2006, I was able to run my Allison car in 13 races with 13 top 5 finishes for an average of $275.00 per race. This includes gas to and from the track, gas for the car, entry fees for Friday and Saturday, tires, oil, spark plugs and a few minor parts. Everything but our food and drinks. I want a full size version of the Allison car with same detail to economics. NO CUBIC DOLLARS!!!!! Since one is not available, Sammy #00 and I have teamed up with Randy at Anderson Racing and are going to build a very safe and inexpensive full size stock race car. This car will be constructed with commitment to SPEC. Racing, "The American National Superstock". Anderson racing, located on 2 acres in Dickenson TX. , has a 7500sq. ft. race shop with 2 jig tables, a sheet metal shop and a 2500 sq. ft. machine shop. They are equipped with all the proper tools to manufacture the chassis's and assemble the cars. Construction of the cars should begin well before the end of the year.

 

It seems that most of the negative feedback on this adventure is from LM owners and racers. Please understand the LMs are top of the line race cars. We are in no way trying to compete with or take away from the LMs. We are simply trying to fill a BIG gap between the Allison type cars and LMs. There is just too big a gap and the gap MUST and WILL be filled.

[Khoneycutt]

John,

First congratulations on winning the Championship. Money seems to be the key issue in all the posts for the new car. I cannot see how buying a new car for $16K and extra parts for probably totaling $4k is saving money. Once again how do you sell it if needed when the market is so small. In addition, some parts for the Allison Legacy cost more than Late Model. I think you are kidding yourself about the money part. You can buy a complete race winning rolling Late Model for $10-$13K all day with many extra parts, install a drive train for almost the same cost and have something of value in other markets. If the rules were followed and allowing only crate engines the cost would stay down. Please explain how this new series makes sense and is actually cheaper.

[John#7]

The cost saving comes from the completely SPEC car. Almost everything on the car will be bare bones basic and the same on all cars. In theory this could be done on a LM chassis but then it would be another LM class, and we all agree that is not what we need. Kirby, you have had an Allison car and you know that the money is saved by not being able to upgrade the cars suspension, drive train or motor. Unlike the Allison car our car will use main stream parts. There should be no reason to stockpile spare parts. I think most guys should be able to get buy with several spare wheels and tires and maybe a few suspension parts.

 

This will be a new car and a new league. There will be some risk for the first investors but we are all willing to take that risk.

 

We will release detailed information very soon.

[CommonSenseRacing]

I’ve read through this thread and give the guys involved credit for standing up for their beliefs, but one of the most important aspects of racing hasn’t been addressed, a series by racers for racers is a great idea, but the owner/promoter is as important if not more important than the class itself.

 

What’s in it for the track to add another series?

How do you plan on pitching this to the owners?

 

From what I’ve heard the owners are funding their series out of the own pockets, do you have the financing to support a series while it’s in its infancy stage?

 

I understand your frustration about moving up from the Allison Legacy Series, but the main reason the legacy series works is the Allison name. The Allison are millionaires, they started out with huge budget, had a product that was unique and they are famous in the racing community. You are offering a $16,000.00 street stock that isn’t legal anywhere else in the country.

 

I’ve read Kirby’s post and he knows probably better than most how difficult it is to start a series, after all he is the one who started the HMP Sportsmen Late Models. He had great idea, a late model with a crate engine, but when he the series started the rules stated that you had to run a portcity car and they wanted you to run a NEW PORTCITY CAR. So you have a division without a car count and your already alienating racers that rule was changed, just like HMP allowing the big engines in their Pro Late Model Series. Whether you agree with HMP or not, they at least tried to accommodate racers with cars that were sitting on blocks.

 

JMO

[landlord]

[i’ve read Kirby’s post and he knows probably better than most how difficult it is to start a series, after all he is the one who started the HMP Sportsmen Late Models.

I believe you are thinking about Kirby Caldwell.I am caught in the middle so I can see both sides.On one side you have new age racers who have come up through the spec ranks and want to take spec racing to the next level then on the other hand you have old school guys that don't want to get away from how it has always been done(They don't like being told where to get parts and what kind to buy or where they have to go to get there motor rebuilt) No LM guys are moving down,the spec guys are moving up,So I really don't see why the LM guys are so upset.HMP has already agreed to let these guys run their new class.In the long run I think everyone will see that they filled a void between 4 cylinder spec racing and V-8 LM racing.Late Models will always be KING!!!!!I LOVE EM!!!!!!!Having said that the LM class in general needs to get their act together.I believe that crate racing is the future for LMs.Anything that keeps the price down and is recognized around the Nation is not a bad deal.