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Super Late Model Racing In Texas


Rick Day

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Hello Guys

 

There has been alot of talk on the message board here lately of us dropping the Super Late Models. We with USRA still fell strong about the series and are looking for ways to help keep it going for another 30 years.

 

I personally talked with Tim Bryant the promoter at Five Flag Speedway on two occasions today about the Super Late Models on what we can do in Texas to turn it around. We also talked about a mini series for 2007. We will know more about the future sometime after the 39th Annual Snow Ball Derby. Tim is real busy right now but does want to help us and work with us any way they can but has to finish out his 2006 season and the Derby.

 

We also would still like to talk to some of the local tracks to get them back involved with the Super Late Models and get the car count back up.

 

I have only been here a year but i can tell you Super Late Model car counts are down not only in Texas but Fla, the Carolinas and more. I understand back in the haydays of TIDA and ROMCO there were 25 and 30 cars showing. The cost of the sport has risen so much over the years there is not alot of people who can afford the staggering cost of a Super Late Model. Plus the fact drivers retire, move away, have KIDS who knows what the answer is but we sure are trying to figure it out.

 

People say pay more money and cars will come, well Terry has paid every purse we said and advertised. We even did a $5000.00 to win race twice and only 16 cars showed up, so its not the money.

 

But enough rambling, i could go on forever. The bottom line is guys we have not gave up on your class so please dont give up on us. We are looking at a race format for next season that should be very interesting and MAYBE a race with the biggest payout in USRA history.

 

So guys hang tight and dont give up, WE havent

 

Rick Day

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People say pay more money and cars will come, well Terry has paid every purse we said and advertised. We even did a $5000.00 to win race twice and only 16 cars showed up, so its not the money.

I'm not looking to down play your effort, but it doesn't make a lot of sense for a racer to spend money to freshen up his car for one race that pays the winner $5,000.00. Since the break down in prize money drops dramatically from first to tenth.

 

Money is the problem, not prize money, but the cost of a SLM and running it. Your absolutely right that the SLM's have priced themselves out of the racing world.

 

I do give you guys credit for all your efforts, wish I knew the magic solution, but I don't!!

 

JMO

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I'm glad USRA wants to keep & grow the SLMs; however, the answer to fixing the problem isn't in FL ...... it's right under yall's noses. It's the teams & drivers HERE in TEXAS who race in and support this series. Just hear me out for a minute.......

 

I'd suggest (JMO) compiling a mailing list of teams and drivers that have competed in the SLM series over the previous 5 years or so and sending them a certified letter requesting their presence at an official meeting. As a general must rally his troops, so must the USRA, so must Terry Dickerson. Keep on pushing new rules from out of state and you'll be lucky to have your 9 cars compete again next season. There are numerous reasons people aren't racing in the series anymore, but you have to take into consideration that most of the equipment around here is becoming obsolete with all of the rules changes. It will take years (if ever) for teams to build new cars when the chassis, engines, and other parts (GOOD PARTS) they have now sit and collect dust in their garages. There are several avenues to lower the costs of the SLM series and build the car count. Get back to the basics of TEXAS SUPER LATE MODEL RACING and forget about FL, AL or whoever else is doing what wherever else. Again, JMO. I want to see SLM series racing grow and flourish just as much as anyone else. It's a shame however that suggestions like my family's and several others who have been in racing for decades around here carry no weight and are either ignored or downed.

 

The racers and teams appreciate everything good that USRA has done and will question what we don't understand or believe to be right. It's in our nature, ya know? We look out for what we love.

Edited by Lonesome Ford
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just from what I have heard from those in the series slm and mods, and what I have read on here, it seems to be the constant rule changes, just when you build a motor for a tire they change it,etc,etc, keep a set of rules all drivers can agree on and keep these rules for a specified many years so if your not done with your car till next year your not having to redo every thing, just my thought, would love to see more slm and mods and with Toyota here and other big corps coming we should be able to make this bigger and better, there are way less wage earning areas in the country where classes above the suport classes do very well. just my opinion.

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