tqj3 Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 October 26, 2006 USRA may be dropping Super Late Model Series The United States Racing Association may be dropping the Super Late Model Series in 2007. The 2007 San Antonio Speedway racing schedule was released earlier this week, and absent from the schedule is the USRA Super Late Model Series. The USRA Modifieds and Truck Series will be competing at SAS in 2007, but no dates have been released for the USRA Super Late Models, Texas' most popular stock car series. The facts may well be correct. I imagine what USRA might have found objectionable was that, because the SLMs weren't listed in the initial, always tentative, schedule, Haag jumped to the conclusion that the super late models might be dropped. There are a number of reasons why the SLMs might not be on the initial schedule, including the fact that USRA might still be negotiating with other tracks for race dates... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie49 Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Actually, all Terry wants is a phone call before you write articles about his series so that you have the facts from his perspective. Gee, I wish the press would give me a phone call before they write anything about me and give me a chance to give my perspective. Mike, If you are still reading this, please just try to give racing in the area some coverage. It is up to the series, the tracks, and the racers to give you something positive to write about. You just write. There's an old sayiong that any publicity, good or bad, is better than NO publicity. If you are doing that, then no one has a right to complain. They will of course , but they don't have a right to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kosher_kowgirl Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 its okay everybody, nekst year we kan watch ekciting usra bus racing at a trak near you. i think they kan run on dirt too. it will be kool. might get more than 10 buses at each racetrak too. i kant wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tqj3 Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Actually, rookie 49, before the press writes or reports something about you, they should give you the opportunity to give your side. Anything else would be a poor job of reporting. It is true that some reporters will ambush you with tactics such as asking you for your comments but not giving you a reasonable time to respond; or asking for you to go on camera for an interview, and if you elect to send a written response instead, reporting that,"though he was given an opportunity to respond, he declined our request for an interview," letting the viewer assume you didn't respond at all. It's not considered good journalism to do either of those things, but such tactics have kept shows like "60 Minutes" on the air for years... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie49 Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 TQ, I'm really referring to what actually happens, not the way it should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tqj3 Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 What usually happens, Rookie 49, is that they try to get both sides, but that's not always possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 What usually happens, Rookie 49, is that they try to get both sides, but that's not always possible. In this case, it was entirely possible to get both sides since TD has asked Mike on numerous occasions to give him a call. Mike has Terry's private phone number as well as his published number that you and I use to call him. TQ is right (did I say that????). Any reporter - and I was one for seven years with the San Antonio Light - not only tries, but is actually required to provide both sides of controversial issues. It's the way newspapers operate as set forth in the Handbook for Reporters ( think that's the name of that handbook - mine's around here somewhere) that all major news outlets adhere to. I was given a copy my first day on the job at The Light and was required to play by those rules in writing all my columns and news stories. That's why you often see a reporter or writer make a statement like, "At press time so-and-so was unavailable for comment," or, "So-and so refused comment when asked about whatever," if the other perspective of a story is not presented in the article or column. Mike does a fine job and it is not his fault that the Express-News no longer publishes his work in their print editions. I personally have been Mike's friend for many years and know that he does his best for the racing community. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Will any of the Super Late Model teams opt to put a "crate motor" in their car and try the ASALMS ? If so can't they compete at the local level (HMP or SAS) Late Models on any of their off nights? Mel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kosher_kowgirl Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 make the superlatemodel kars run a 4 banger and a restriktor plate, then they kould run with the buses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishracer Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 The teams and the cars are just waiting for a good set of rules. Like 97car said, look at what the SAS latemodels did with bolting on a 500carb (even though for a weekly show it's too much wear and tear on the motors.) 1.)POWER TO WEIGHT, power to weight, POWER to WeIgHt. 2.) Thorough teching. If there is a rule tech it. 3.)Well thought out cost cutting measures for teams. Use the ASA shock and brake rules. Just cannot understand why they keep worrying about Pensecola and Mobile and trying to mymic there rules. OUR ECONOMY OBVIOUSLY CAN'T AFFORD IT. Instant car count, accomodate all existing engines currently racing in TEXAS (except the 750 cfm iron heads and the 9:1) 400hp crate, 500cfm limiteds,350cfm sportsman. come up with a weight break for each combination. All it will take is WORK. Take the ASA rules and tweek them for our available equipment in this area. Eventually the rules will self evolve into the most economical if allowed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4rd4life Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 sounds logical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonesome Ford Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Another list of good ideas. Someone should try and organize the rabble so the slm's can go racing next season. It's nice to have a handful of teams be able to go and compete in FL or AL but it would be even nicer for our local folks to have a healthy slm series in 2007 that racin' Texans can be proud of. oh.... JMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hray Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Lonesome Ford, Just your opinion and lots of others too!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Didn't the ORIGINAL 2006 SLM rules allow for multiple car and engine configurations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
97car Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 If the local(Texas) late model organizations were healthy none of our Texas guys would have a reason to go out of state unless it was a want to. Texas could have a enviable position if all would work together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProTree Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 sounds like sometimes if they took all the texas late model travelers away from alabama and florida those states would lose late model racing dont it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
97car Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Exactly and coupled with the traveling expenses are they really making any money from that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colgate Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 jmo inthr late 80s and early 90s the car count was great. when thr opened it was great. look at the big shot.you couldnt even get in the [pits with out even getting run over by a car. i think since terry took it over it has gone to h@#l in a hand basket. alot of people might agree or not. i know the rules have changed but theere needs to something done about it. i knoe about thirty cars that would run but it has gotten to expencive to race because of the rules. if the would change and the tracks would quit so d@#n bull headed the would have the car cout the every body want to see.the fans would come out and the money that would come in would be greatly increased. i think that it all about. get in put from the fans and drivers and yall [ the owers terry dick ] would not the seris down. just my opinion. terriable tim sowell PS you know it is true so please dont delete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wkr77 Posted October 31, 2006 Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 jmo inthr late 80s and early 90s the car count was great. when thr opened it was great. look at the big shot.you couldnt even get in the [pits with out even getting run over by a car. i think since terry took it over it has gone to h@#l in a hand basket. alot of people might agree or not. i know the rules have changed but theere needs to something done about it. i knoe about thirty cars that would run but it has gotten to expencive to race because of the rules. if the would change and the tracks would quit so d@#n bull headed the would have the car cout the every body want to see.the fans would come out and the money that would come in would be greatly increased. i think that it all about. get in put from the fans and drivers and yall [ the owers terry dick ] would not the seris down. just my opinion. terriable tim sowell PS you know it is true so please dont delete. I don't get it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHAZZUP Posted October 31, 2006 Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 97 & Fishracer have got it right. Lots of expensive flowerpots sitting around Texas could be back to doing their intended duty if rules could be established to put them back in the mix. Certainly don't know all the minute details as to what it would take to make X, Y, & Z compatible and competitive with each other, but it should be doable in some form or another. Some good suggestions on this thread!! (power to weight....shock package {NASCAR dictates theirs} that is fair and cost effective for competitors....ditto for brakes. Chassis/body and motor differences could certainly be fairly dealt with.) Come on folks!!! Lets get Texas SLM racing back on track!!! Same can be said for Limited Late Models which are also in decline for much the same reasons. Those of you who are movers and shakers of Texas asphalt racing need to get busy on this most important issue!!!! Fans are clamoring for bigger and better SLM and LLM racing. "BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME". I know our Texas drivers prefer racing in Texas. An occasional foray into the bigtime SLM shows are good for the soul, but for the most part, not too good for the pocketbook. "SEE YA AT THE RACES" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted October 31, 2006 Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 The old rules worked. The new ones do not. READ THIS! http://www.racewithpass.com/MasonDixonMelt...super_show.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hray Posted October 31, 2006 Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 Jason, That article is right on the money, and the writer 'gets it'. The problem I have is that rule makers always TALK about making racing safer and/or less expensive. Then they do something like make teams buy new tires for each race, or they make a motor rule that requires mega bucks to make competitive horsepower. Case in point: I have a ROMCO motor (358 CID, alum head, drysump) that cost about $40,000 to build - don't start telling me you can build one cheaper. You can't build one like this one. It puts out about 650hp. USRA Mods wouldn't let us run it in the "open motor" rule, so we built a 427 CID small block for 1/2 the price and it puts out 850hp. Two hundred more hp at 1/2 the price. If you were really serious about cutting costs you would open up the motor rule and add weight and left side penalties (maybe based on hp - there are great computer programs that accurately calculate hp). It would be easy to tech too. You declare your motor specs for the computer program and at tech, if any of the specs don't match what YOU declared, you're DQ'ed. 383 CID's are so cheap to build and they put out excellent torque and hp. That way you can show up with your $40,000 motor and the next guy can show up with his $4,500 383 and still be competitive. Why wouldn't you let the teams decide when to buy tires, how many and what brand, like they do in drag racing? Red River Speedway runs F53's on the mods, but if you want to run scuffs you can run a 10" any tire brand. If I remember, the scuffs are $35. The existing tire rules are strictly for those with a financial interest. I could go on and on, but as others have said, this will surely fall on deaf ears and we will all be posting on a new thread about why SLM's are no more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie49 Posted October 31, 2006 Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 What he said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speed demon 7 Posted November 1, 2006 Report Share Posted November 1, 2006 Nick, the RULES reporters are supposed to follow is called the "Code of Ethics". I never got a handbook per say, but newsletters and magazines everymonth that reminded us what we could and couldn't do, or should I say should or shouldn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebelracewriter Posted November 1, 2006 Report Share Posted November 1, 2006 hray, I might be able to afford to sponsor you a scuff next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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