Post by Spin on Aug 29, 2018 17:07:22 GMT -8
A post written by Jay Dickens, veteran engine builder for dirt late model teams.
Although this could be said for short track late models, sprint cars, just about any form of racing today...
Although this could be said for short track late models, sprint cars, just about any form of racing today...
Hey, folks. I just want to share some things that have been on my mind for a while. I’ve spent the last 25 years putting my heart and soul in to the DLM racing and, by far, it is the best racing on the planet. Not saying that I am totally right, but I think we can all agree that there are several issues that need to be evaluated.
I am not here to criticize anyone or any of the sanctioning bodies, but these are the “rule makers” and are the ones that are able to make much-needed changes. DLM racing has become an engineering exercise for the teams. I am not totally against this, but the drivers have been totally taken out of the game. There are tons of great drivers that have the ability to win, but they do not have the money or the resources to get it done. I have seen more race teams shut their doors in the last two years than I have in the past ten years combined.
If anyone has noticed, it is usually the same 2 or 3 cars that win every week in the different series. If the sanctioning-body “rule makers” do not wake up soon, car counts are going to continue dropping lower and lower. I realize that when rules are given, it will take more time to tech and for other requirements. If we want to turn things around and head DLM in to the right direction, I believe that we can all agree that some things need to be done.
My opinion is that we need to have all cars put on an even playing field so that the drivers can settle it on the race track. When DLM racing was at its peak and car counts were at records high, the cars were not even close to the technology that we have today! Look at NASCAR. There are 5 or 6 powerhouse teams and the rest are just fill-ins. DLM racing is headed in the same direction if some things are not changed soon.
The bodies, tires, shocks, chassis devices, engines, etc. need to be evaluated. As long as you have million dollar budgets to race with, the current rules are fine. The problem is that there are only a handful of teams in this lucky situation. Weekly super late model racing has pretty much already died, because they are forced to abide by the same rules as the big sanctioning bodies. It is just not possible to run a $100,000+ machine on local tracks for $1000-1500 to win. This is just too upside down.
Racing has always been an expensive game, but it seems to be getting worse and worse. Hopefully there are good things coming in the future that can help turn this sport that we love in the right direction. I am not saying that any one person or a group has done anything wrong, but it is just a sign of the times that we are in now. My concern is that it is going to be too late if we do not do something now. This is why I felt the need to express myself and help DLM racing turn the corner back in to its glory days.
I am not here to criticize anyone or any of the sanctioning bodies, but these are the “rule makers” and are the ones that are able to make much-needed changes. DLM racing has become an engineering exercise for the teams. I am not totally against this, but the drivers have been totally taken out of the game. There are tons of great drivers that have the ability to win, but they do not have the money or the resources to get it done. I have seen more race teams shut their doors in the last two years than I have in the past ten years combined.
If anyone has noticed, it is usually the same 2 or 3 cars that win every week in the different series. If the sanctioning-body “rule makers” do not wake up soon, car counts are going to continue dropping lower and lower. I realize that when rules are given, it will take more time to tech and for other requirements. If we want to turn things around and head DLM in to the right direction, I believe that we can all agree that some things need to be done.
My opinion is that we need to have all cars put on an even playing field so that the drivers can settle it on the race track. When DLM racing was at its peak and car counts were at records high, the cars were not even close to the technology that we have today! Look at NASCAR. There are 5 or 6 powerhouse teams and the rest are just fill-ins. DLM racing is headed in the same direction if some things are not changed soon.
The bodies, tires, shocks, chassis devices, engines, etc. need to be evaluated. As long as you have million dollar budgets to race with, the current rules are fine. The problem is that there are only a handful of teams in this lucky situation. Weekly super late model racing has pretty much already died, because they are forced to abide by the same rules as the big sanctioning bodies. It is just not possible to run a $100,000+ machine on local tracks for $1000-1500 to win. This is just too upside down.
Racing has always been an expensive game, but it seems to be getting worse and worse. Hopefully there are good things coming in the future that can help turn this sport that we love in the right direction. I am not saying that any one person or a group has done anything wrong, but it is just a sign of the times that we are in now. My concern is that it is going to be too late if we do not do something now. This is why I felt the need to express myself and help DLM racing turn the corner back in to its glory days.