RobbinsSr Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Any one have any Ideas of how to save this class? Maybe joing together and trying to get dates to run at other area tracks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiTech Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Any one have any Ideas of how to save this class? Maybe joing together and trying to get dates to run at other area tracks? i dont know about your area you live in 1989 we had five cars left .we called all the drivers who raced and used to race to see what needed to be done and we came up with rules that kept the class going and rebuilt it and it is still a strong class down here .not saying it would havent been rebuilt later but back then it was hard to even get an ounce of respect for those little cars .so who knows . crt his dad and i worked our tails off getting new guys in the class we built new cars for new drivers they used crt.s shop to store thier cars pops his dad gave away alot of cars and parts to help out .and i gave up my time to help build them .some of those cars are still running today . and one other thing bill branch and i took his car to a auto show and picked up some new drivers from that .i met one of your drivers last week nice guy . so good luck . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Terror Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 What do you figure the startup is to get a car running in that class? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilTPS Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Mini 9r - You asked - I will answer: Â "Any one have any Ideas of how to save this class?" Â Yes - form the Pro Sedan Class 31 years ago. Â "Maybe joing together and trying to get dates to run at other area tracks?" Â The Texas Pro Sedans have done just that with about 600 races at 13 other area tracks throughout the southwest. Â If you need more information about, TPS, call me. Â Neil Upchurch Race & Administrative Director Texas Pro Sedans 210/655-3222 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Terror Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Niel, Â It seems to me that the mini stocks are the into level budget racing class. By my addition (which never was my best subject) you could get into the class for about 5-7 hundred. Â On the other hand, getting into the TPS would seem to be about 3 times that to get in and at least run in the middle of the pack. Â Are you suggesting that the mini stocks would get rolled into the TPS? Â Just curious as I am putting a car together and trying to figure out where to go with mine. Â thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiTech Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 yah can run at sts this year or cc next year or both and you can get with neil and see what he can do for you if i am correct you race at that track that is going to cancel your class .cc was going to cancel us then . what was the reason for the cancelation . get with the track up there and find out what it is that they would except on certain terms .make a deal with them i hate to see yah have to be forced to give up your class and have to move up or race somewhere else .got to work hard to keep what you have . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
97car Posted September 1, 2006 Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 We had Mike Deroon run with TPS at THR a few years back on street tires and he placed 9th out of 21 that night with the wrong gears and that was when Leroy Farmer ran with us.The car I am talking about had to weigh 2200lbs which is what he weighed at Waco,he was running by Waco rules,small valves flat tops and a 500 holley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ford12 Posted September 1, 2006 Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 Bring them to STS and run with us there are no motor restrictions other than your weight is all based on size of carb your run. No restrictor plates no left side weight just bring your car on some street dot tires and GET-R-DONE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumper Posted September 4, 2006 Report Share Posted September 4, 2006 The problem with mini stocks are several.First its the money.No track wants to pay more than chump change for this class.Part of the reason is most tracks are barely making it week to week anyway.The show is over 50 years old and nothing new in the works.The entertainment dollar has lots of competetion and to get customers you need new and exciting things to broaden the overall experience and have something for everyone to enjoy.There are no promoters running tracks,only race directors,some good and some stink.Ministocks themselves have hurt their success by constantly fighting over rules trying to "equal competetion"Devision brings demise.There is no successful 4 cyl racing going on in Texas that I know of.Houston has almost shut them down,HOT dropped them last year,RGS made them into a kiddy class not unlike the Jr minis that all tracks like because they race free.Dallas and Fort Worth are soon to be without 4 cyls.Corpus has 2 tracks running them but all that happened was splitting the only successful group of minis so that both tracks are down on cars. Look at the success in the past for solutions.Riverside in Corpus paid 200$ to win in 1985 and had 17 to 22 cars weekly.CC Speedway paid 200$ to win last year with 300$ to win after 20 cars and averaged 18 to 22 cars weekly.Houston paid 350$ to win several years ago and had good car counts.RGS paid 150 to win a few years ago but had an active claim rule that kept the cars mostly stock and no hi dollar cars would dare race there to win.TPS pays good and pays back good but unless you have a 10,000$ car you will not make it past 5th place.A weekly show should pay minis at least 350$ to win now with rules to include all makes and limitations on the common pieces like tires and claim rules on the entire cars to get 2500$ average costing winning cars. The first race director that sees the potential for 4 cyl cars and pays them as well as promotes them will have success with them.The problem is they are too dumb or too busy to see and work an open market.Fact is with fuel prices as they are and the economy not moving so well combined with the popularity of the little winged cars called Tuners there are hundreds of people not included in the oval track racing.Go to the drags and you will see tons of them.We as racers are not in a position to promote ourselves so we will stand by and watch mini stock racing come to an end in Texas.I believe most of the oval tracks will also be gone soon because of the same outdated thinking.Racing needs a "Georgious George"right now.(Georgious George saved wrestling in the 50s at a time when wrestling almost disappeared because of the same old show being repetated.He got away from the serious side of wrestling and became a showman with outragious costumes and antics.) Make the cars the stars and you will have success like the movie CARS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stang21 Posted September 4, 2006 Report Share Posted September 4, 2006 Well this is how i see it .......IF you are in this sport to make money it will never happen..I myself love racing i am at the track every time the gate is open racing or just helping out ...OWEN has been good to the thunder cars with are without good car count he has never droped are pay even when we had 8 cars one week still payed out the same and the thunder will grow next year at the dirt track . So let keep the thunder going and come to South Texas Speedway we still have some racing going on check it out on www.southtexasspeedway.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiTech Posted September 4, 2006 Report Share Posted September 4, 2006 gb i rememder the last time you ran tps at cc you finished 3 or 4 th with will right with you and us with our 10000 plus car behind both of you and will and you two were all over lalo with his 10000 plus car . and i believe ej ran second in a roll against 10000 dollar vw .at cc and sas .but you are correct if you want to stay up with the joe.s you have to spend the dole.s .and i believe i.ll vote for you to become our promotor . for all four banger cars . lets just see how you . ll do at it . are you up to it ..right now it sounds like you already have a grave marked out for all of us . just bury all our bumpers faceing up so.s we can come by and bump them sometimes . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumper Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 Mader you really do live in the past.Everytim,e someone has a situation you relive things that happened before some of these new guys were born.If your Oldtimer,being younger than me,I must be Beforetime.Mini9 wants some good advice on how to save his class at his track.I have been doing this for 37 years and have seen all the successes and failures.I have raced at many tracks around the state.The only way mini9 can save his class is for his promoter to take a hard look at it and want to have success with it.At RGS the reason minis were successful was because Theser wanted the class to be successful.He promoted it and encouraged it to grow.He had no choice,there was not 20 cars in the pits total when he got with it.He gave them special races,50 lap features sometimes,bonus purses sometimes but always promoted the class encouraging new drivers.He used the claim rule often so most cars were more like street stocks than superstocks.There was a varity of makes because anybody could get a car,gut it,put a 3 point rollbar and a door plate and go racing.So cars were easy to get raceable and the promoter encouraged new drivers.The class even got a name change from minis to thunders to get away from the old thinking.28 cars were the normal.The race was more of an enduro than anything else. Look at your own history at CC Speedway.When the track really supported the class it had 30 + cars.The pay was more than it is now. Riverside averaged 20 cars and they paid more than there is to run for today.Fact is money does matter. And the cost of cars matters more now than ever.Look at STS.7 classes of car running,the track is having success but what would a new team want to invest in,an overpriced 4 cyl or a limited for the same investment.Or a bomer for a money tight team.What is there to lure any new minis?Stang 21 Im not knocking STS Thunders,on the contrary I will be there Sat to race dirt again.In fact I and 2 other teams have started a club we call the CC Critters to ad a little fun to the racing.We have shirts and banners and all.Thunders could lead the way to a new approach to racing by using characters on the cars and create new intrest like Will and Todd tried to do with the little waterbugs with big wings to attract the Tuner that are all over town.They got no help,in fact your teams "getto haters"would have been just as happy to have them gone instead of adding wings and dress up items to your cars to spice up the image.No new drivers will want to get involved in a controversy. CC Speedway is promising a bigger and better 4 cyl class next year with more money for the purse.With a small number of classes running thats seems a real possibility.Im sure that OT and CRT and a few others will start their whining about FWD cars and rules to protect the dinosaur Fords to the extent that the whole process will be lost on the arguments like it was this year. Fact is there is racing at STS right now so how many real racers of 4 cyl cars will be there to support mini stock racing in earnest.I just spent all day to convert my car from asphalt to dirt.You cant talk the walk.And I hope Thunderhill can save their class.Maybe you should start a club for your racers and include associate members.Work collectively for the good for all.Remember we are all brothers when it comes to racing minis.Make it fun.You can get a lot done when everyone is on the same page.Good luck. Thumper, or Beforetime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ford12 Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 GB the "ghetto haters" is all a joke and for run and it would suck not to have Will and Todd around. Wish I could say the same about you but you do cry alot about the payout and the rules. You know I could care less about the money. I just love to go race and have fun. The money I get from the track dont pay for my car. The money I go to work for everyday and save up pays for it. The money for racing on saterday nights is just a little bonus for us going out and help supporting the track not to make a living. And I know that the Thunders will be around STS as long as STS is around. See ya saterday brinf the beer we have some celebrating to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stang21 Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 Lets all go race and have fun doing it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiTech Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 well gb for starters the man ask us for help .so i gave him some from the past .now with out the past you have no future .and seeing you had a mouth full there was alot of your past in those words now he did not want to hear you complain about no promotors .seeing you knock ed down the fine men and women who in this great state of texas do thier darndest to run a track now that said what from someone who jump ship from running dirt would want to listen . you cant seem to figure out where you want to race .asphault cuz at the time you could not win on the dirt . .so now seeing you are going back to dirt .what it is going to be now .you cry more than anyone ive ever met . you always have and will .and as for as next year bring it on out .look forward to it .want to have some fun .good day my south texas friend .so now you could you please give that nice young man some advice on how he could save his class . thank you . HERE IS A FOOD FOR THOUGHT GB Â Â FOR EVERY SECOND THAT TICKS OFF THE CLOCK FROM THE FUTURE IS NOW THE PAST .SO WE ALL LIVE IN THE PAST Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bountyhunter Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 heres all i know about racing that matters. build any car for any class you like. race the [edited out by Nick Holt, 9/5/06] out of it . the day it becomes more work than fun its time to get out of racing. very few people in this world will ever be able to race for a living. ive seen my father drag race his entire life setting many of records in the ahra and winning more championships than any one i know. the man has a room deicated to trophys and still has more in the closet. hes raced in every state and also in mexico. he never could make enough money to pay for the gas to get there and back. the day he hung it up is the day he told me and my brothers that its just more work than fun anymore. the way i see it race till the funs gone then sell everything and go fishing...........texas terror you ask how to save the 4 cyl. class and i say i have no idea but if you really want to race that class just build one and find a track running the class and go race..... i have a feeling some where in texas there will be a place to always run that class. just got to be willing to travel. also the class is awesome and you probly wont find a better set of people to race against. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumper Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 You guys miss the whole point.The money is to attract new teams and drivers.EJ and Tim,how much fun will it be to race against 8 cars.Bountyhunter arent you the person who parked his mini to race a limited?And Mike you have 3 cars in your stable so how many will race this weekend to support 4 cyl racing?I am not going to take sides between dirt and asphalt because both are important.I would race every Pro Sedan race if it wasnt so far away for me.The fun is gone when you go to the races and count each car hopeing a few more will show up. Even though mini stock racing is alive and well here in Corpus,its in deep trouble everywhere else.Look around at the different tracks and thats what I am talking about.Except for Pro Sedans the class is barely hanging on or has been dropped already.Even the tracks up north around Michigan and the Carolines that had 35 to 40 cars are seeing a drop in car count.Just look at the forums on 4M/net.With all these opinions available,see if anyone can answer the oliginal question,HOW DO YOU SAVE THE 4 CYL RACING AT TEXAS THUNDER AND EVERYWHERE ELSE?This also includes STS because when and if the car count goes down enough they cant keep them.All the other classes are growing but Thunders.Whats the problem and whats the solution?Whats in the future?Leadership is whats lacking.Look at the pro Sedans,lasting 31 years because of decicated leadership and an association that works for the greater good.But fighting between the FWD and RWD cars has taken a toll on them also.So where do we go from here?I wish there was an organization like IMCA to make rules and promotions to cover all tracks,where a car can run at any track with the same car.We could start with CC Speedway,South Texas Speedway and Rio Grande Speedway working together and try to convince Thunder Hill,and San Antionio Speedway to start a local division and still have the Pro Sedans as the upper level traveling show for those of us that can run with them when they run at your track.We need someone like Neil to go to each track and propose a uniform set of rules that all tracks can live with and then we have something like the modifieds and limiteds have.It will never happen but it is a solution.It would be good to hear any other suggestions.Not accuations or character assanitations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stang21 Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 I get what you are talking about GB i say if you got a mini stock you need to bring them out and race DIRT or ASPHAULT but there is no asphault track here in cc open now so they need to bring there car to STS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiTech Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 gb you finaly had something worth reading even tho i agree with some of what you said not all but the best one . not accuations or character assinations . remember that . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiTech Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 21 we still have kyle and sas this year .so that is our plan . be real busy the next two weeks . i b putting a motor back together soon .already thought about comeing out to try our hands at it .before those two races .which car dont know yet .so i might need some pointers from you . how many races do yah have left . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stang21 Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 Hey i think theres about 5 races to go with the thunders but i thank STS is racing till end of NOV. check the web page out it has it on there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumper Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 Now thats what Im talking about.I wish all the asphalt cars would come and race dirt.They can learn a lot about chassis that will help them next year.Co-operation does work.Guess what:with the 3 cars Im bringing and a few more,MORE MONEY.16 or more pays 200 to win.I know the CC guys will need some advice for starting and me and Will will help the FWD cars if any but you Gilpens will have to help the Fords some because I never raced one except for my modified.If we all work together we can make the Thunders strong again.See mini9 this is what it takes to keep your minis going.Perehaps you would come and race here sometime and we could try your track sometime too.I dont think the Pro Sedan races are on the same nites as STS so they can try it too.Remember Mader,turn right to go left.If Lightning McQueen can do it,so can you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiTech Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 Now thats what Im talking about.I wish all the asphalt cars would come and race dirt.They can learn a lot about chassis that will help them next year.Co-operation does work.Guess what:with the 3 cars Im bringing and a few more,MORE MONEY.16 or more pays 200 to win.I know the CC guys will need some advice for starting and me and Will will help the FWD cars if any but you Gilpens will have to help the Fords some because I never raced one except for my modified.If we all work together we can make the Thunders strong again.See mini9 this is what it takes to keep your minis going.Perehaps you would come and race here sometime and we could try your track sometime too.I dont think the Pro Sedan races are on the same nites as STS so they can try it too.Remember Mader,turn right to go left.If Lightning McQueen can do it,so can you hey smart a.. i know how to turn right to go left . started on dirt . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neon14 Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 Ok thumper. I will help out any new fwd cars that want to race as long as those Gilpin's help out those pusher cars lol! After all, a little dirt couldnt hurt anybody. I would think that a year in the dirt has made me a better driver I hope. I will find out the next black top race I race. Neon Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hartracn19 Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 Ok thumper. I will help out any new fwd cars that want to race as long as those Gilpin's help out those pusher cars lol! After all, a little dirt couldnt hurt anybody. I would think that a year in the dirt has made me a better driver I hope. I will find out the next black top race I race. Neon Will And will that be OktoberFast or the Stockcar Spectacular??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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