STS,27th

[thumper]

The 27th promises to be another memorable nite for race fans,teams and people who just want a fun inexpensive nite of live action.

 

There is another undertaking that makes STS special that many are not aware of.Across the USA and especially farther north there is a new form of racing quickly becomming more popular because of the cost VS challange.The relivence to south Texas becomes clear when you hear so many people talk about quitting racing because their budget will not allow it.Ther still have the need for speed and the competetive spirit so rather than waste it heres a place to express it.

 

Sport Compacts popularity across the country stems from the grass roots of auto racing.In the early days racers would grab a street car,tune it up a bit,then challange others who have done the same thing.Today the race cars have evolved so much that a production car cannot provide the basic challange of repeated performance without some or lots of aftermarket and expensive parts.Its evolution as it should be.But now for retrospective racing comes back the oppourtunity to again grab a production car,tune it up for oval track racing and have a race car capable of repeat performances with little cost in time and money.Success depends on ability of both driver and mechanic,not pocketbook.The cars of today have all the power and suspension required and only needs the basic oval track tuning to be competetive.The multivalve injected engines make more power than most older ministocks did.Cams,pistons,rods,porting etc are no longer needed.The challange becomes how to turn fast and drive traffic.The cost to race a SC car is less than a 1/4 of a pure stock and definately a faster car.Hauling one is easier,parts cheaper,fuel cost almost nothing but the challange of driving one really fast is the test.

 

These are not the ministocks of yesterday nor the frontrunners of today.Its an entire new concept in racing the cars we drive on the roads today.South Texas Speedway and its promoter see the potential and are the only ones in south Texas right now advancing this venue.They see the need for a venue that not only works with todays ecenomy but also offers the challange for serious competetion and fast cars.The series in still a flegling state so its open for ideas and invention just like modifieds were back in their heyday.Good mechanics and talanted drivers will have this venue exploding with brand new concepts while at the same time getting support,promotions and moneytary backing from the most successful track in south Texas.

 

Win on Sat,sell on Monday///Race a Sport Compact.Its not a junk car for clowning around,its a serious production car tuned for ovals to showcase talent and ability.Thanks STS for seeing the future!

 

See you Sat.

[hray]

Where's the rules for this class?

[ACE44]

Seems to me there are plenty of classes already adding more wont fix anything. It dosnt get much cheaper than the mini stock or front runner class. JMO

[HiTech]

Seems to me there are plenty of classes already adding more wont fix anything. It dosnt get much cheaper than the mini stock or front runner class. JMO

TRUE BUT TO SIT WITH JUST WHAT YOU HAVE LEAVES OUT SOME WHO WOULD GRAB A CHANCE TO RACE SOMETHING THEY ARE MORE IN TUNED WITH AND YOU NEVER KNOW IT MAY WORK OUT FOR THE FUTURE GENERATIONS AND OUR GENERATION TYPE OF CARS WILL SOMEDAY GO AWAY HECK I MISS THE 57 CHEVY . RACING HAS TO EVOLVE .I SEE SO MANY YOUNG AND MIDDLE AGE FOLKS WHO HAVE NO CLUE WHAT A CARB IS HOW TO WORK ON EM OR EVEN A DISTRIBUTOR . BUT ASK THEM ABOUT TODAYS CAR THEY COME ALIVE AND I FIND I AM WAY BEHIND THEM . ....I STILL HAVE EM COME IN ASKING HOW TO SET POINTS ..THAT MAKES ME FEEL SMART AND THERE IS STILL LIFE OUT THERE . ..LOL

[BJ34]

The rules are on sts web site

[thumper]

ACE44 your point is valid and has also been adressed by STS.The ministocks and frontrunners along with thunder cars,hornets,eco-stocks and all other minnies are invited to race with the sport compacts under their own rules package for a chance to test this new venue.No one is left out,indeed it combines all small production cars cars and trucks giving a home to many already built vehicles that might be homeless or seeking added experiences.This is the strength of STS,its a place for everyone.Evolution will dictate the formula for the future desired racer while we all test the waters.

 

Its rare for a promoter to be so open minded he/she will allow a seed to grow by its own standards.STS has shown what makes a track successful....Make it fun!

 

It would be a shame for anyone idle right now to not take advantage of this special oppourtunity to be a founding father of what will become a tremendesly popular activity,providing challange plus the adrenillian rush we all seak.Thanks for reading.

[supertx]

I think that your thoughts are in the right direction on cost but not in mini stocks, race car cost is still the same, roll cages pit passes etc.etc.Second people paying good money to sit in the grandstand could care less about watching a slow unexciting car go around in circles.What promotors in my mind need to do is to cut classes and have 1 or 2 classes with fast real race cars and pay the purse where the racers are not taking it in the shorts everytime they show up and have some money to put back into there cars instead out of there pockets JMO

[South Texas Speedway]

Well Supertune I used to think in a similar direction as you do, we had 3 classes at one point and it seemed to work ok. We currently have 6 classes and get a 3 hour show packed full of non stop racing in on a Saturday Evening. As for stop taking it out of the racers pocket we pay a good purse and focus on packing the stands so that we do not have to charge more for the racers. Now as for the 4 cylinder race cars, they put on one of the best shows each week every time we race, our crowd loves them, the Driver of the week from the last race (1 driver chosen each week) won the sport compact class last week winning on the last lap of possibly the closest side by side race of the evening. People can relate to the sport compacts, people stand and cheer during their race, maybe you just have not seen them at the right place.

 

Anyway JMO

[dancer52]

I think that your thoughts are in the right direction on cost but not in mini stocks, race car cost is still the same, roll cages pit passes etc.etc.Second people paying good money to sit in the grandstand could care less about watching a slow unexciting car go around in circles.What promotors in my mind need to do is to cut classes and have 1 or 2 classes with fast real race cars and pay the purse where the racers are not taking it in the shorts everytime they show up and have some money to put back into there cars instead out of there pockets JMO

 

 

You need to actually go to a track that has alot of these and sit in the stands and watch the fans. This is usually the class that gets the most reaction from the stands. At I37...I could hear the stands yelling from the pits....when we went on a road trip we stopped at every track we could....and at one track... a large very fast track had all the typical "FAST" classes...and the ministocks made the show....and I dont mean they were just fun to watch... they were great... I still think about it...the other classes were boring as heck. You so called fast classes tend to end up single file alot of nights...where as this class can run 3 wide (in the same groove) and...has the added benifit of the driver bringing every person he ever knew to the track to see him race... imho... AJ

[arob]

As a fan the best thing I love about STS it is never single file racing.I'm not the biggest fan of 4bangers but I have to admit they were good last race. And I tend to favor 3 or 4 classes too but STS has done a great job with the 6 with only one right now lacking in car count. But at some tracks(and most asphalt) 9 is a good car count.But those 9 put on a good show.STS is the total package. Great car counts and racing, lot of fans and a fun environment to be in.

[HiTech]

TWO CLASSES TEN CLASSES IT DOES NOT MAKE ONE DIFFERENT EITHER WAY IF THE FANS ARE NOT HAPPY .THERE ARE THOSE WHO QUESTION A TRACK FOR TRYING SOMETHING NEW AS ONE HAD HERE ..SELFISH .I COMMEND OWEN FOR STEPPING OUT OF THE BOX AND TRYING SOMETHING NEW .WE ONLY SHOW UP EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE AND HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT OPEN ARMS AND RESPECT FROM STS SAME AS WE GET FROM OUR TRACK .BEST OF BOTH WORLDS,

[supertx]

JMO but if all that I had to watch racing is a mini stock I would quite and take up something else

[HiTech]

JMO but if all that I had to watch racing is a mini stock I would quite and take up something else

if all i had to watch was two classes of cars i would quit and take up something else ...i see a person here who is not a true race fan .unless it is his chosen class only .and what makes you think two classes equal more money and better profit for drivers .wrong . ...every class brings someone to the track .you get paid off of those classes you dont like and some classes dont get paid but they spend at the gate concession in which helps pay your purse .owen knows that his best interest is to put butts in the stands it pays off for every one ..baskin robbins has just one ice cream i love that brings me back for more but i still look at the other ice cream and those that choose to eat it are injoying it and that pays the bills ....i would never suggest they only sell what i like .. i dont watch all classes race not interested in some but someone loves em and i would not suggest a track to kill em . ...supertx with all due respect you are running in third place here .adjust and finish first ..

[hray]

JMO but if all that I had to watch racing is a mini stock I would quite and take up something else

 

I suppose you thought the SM's with their wreakfest was exciting. That's what makes fans hesitant to come back. When you see a great car count, someone trying to win on the 1st lap, wait 15 or more min for the wreakers to untangle the mess, then 1/2 the field gone------I think I'd rather watch the 4 bangers.

BTW, 2 classes went green flag to flag Sat nite, and they weren't the FAST classes.

[arob]

I love the limited mods at STS . Multi car pile ups are not the norm there.The street stock race was awesome and the pures , LLM's and E-mods were all good.I have to admit I went to the concession for the SC. I am all for any class that makes some one build a car.Kudos for Owen for having that class. I liked the class in Edna.Also in Killeen.It isn't too bad at CCS.Supertex I know what you are saying .

[thumper]

The racing at South Texas Speedway Sat was AWSOME!!!! The track was perfect and FAST! Theres no question STS has got it going on,full fields packed stands,great live bands.Again this week I met more old friends who are returning to the oval and were amazed at the show.6 classes plus lots of karts,nonstop action and over before 10:30 and still including the sport compacts which are NOT yesterdays ministocks OR todays frontrunners.We dont need to gain approval from noisy V8 drivers because our promoter believes theres room for both.

 

As far as the pileup on the start of the LM race I saw what happened.Someone in about row 3 lost power but EVERYONE was standing on the gas and could not stop fast enough.It was a chain reaction,not bad driving to blame.To have less chance of a pile up you need a slower track with less cars.STS is not a track for the timid.Soon us SC cars will have 20 or more and that will be challanging as well.

 

As for boaring,late models on asphalt put me to sleep.Thats when I go get a Dr Pepper.I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.I do appreciate ALL forms of racing on ALL types of tracks.Its all about WINNING!!!!!