Bogus Mini-stock Rule

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pwracing

Member
Last season I began helping a mini-stock team. Sounded fun and I didn't have an engine in that class yet. Besides that, the person is a long time personal friend and our families have been friends for a long time. We all grew up in Delassus and being that its so close to Doe Run we were kind of excited to race so close to our old stomping grounds. Problem is, I am a parts manager of a General Motors dealership and I promote Chevrolet as much as I can for obvious reasons. Making a 2.5 engine perform isn't too hard to do. Making it stay together with inferior stock rods is another story! Last year after our first rod failure we asked if we could run aftermarket rods and were told we could. We finished the season with no other failures and managed a feature victory. At the rules meeting the following winter for some reason we were told that there would be no more using aftermarket rods. What was the thinking there? Do you want a Ford only show, was Brian coming on a little too fast for the good ole boys? I was told over the weekend that the 57 is going to consider running a Ford next year. As an engine builder I guess I can go in that direction if I choose but as a manager of a GM store,SCREW THAT!!! If you all can't see your way to letting us have the one thing we need to make our engines live, then why should I support your track or that class. There is no performance edge in using those rods, they are not even as light as the stock rods. I guess all of this wouldn't have rubbed me the wrong way so bad except for the fact that the so called tech man Cruise came up to Brian a couple of weeks into the season and told him he was turning to much RPM for a stock rod motor and wanted to tear him down. What the hell was that all about? But I guess he is happy now, since we broke a rod like the 5 other guys out there that have had motor failure with a 2.5. Bottom line is, you want our support and our money at the gate, change the rule. I don't believe I am going to help with the Ford project unless Brian finds another track to run it at. No reason for me to waste my time and money at a place that goes out of its way to run you off! What does everybody else think?
 
I feel for you chevy guy's (I give my buddy's crap about chevy's)
the rods are there weak part... I came to doe run last friday and was asked from another racer about my ford race car they are thinking of getting out of the class or build a ford cause of this(rods) and weight problems... It would be nice if there was a way to let chevy's run aftermarket rod...but the is alway's somebody wanting to push the rule if you allowed it... this will be a intersteing thread to watch...
 
Thanks for your response, your comment on pushing the rule is a good one. Everybody does to an extent but why was it legal, which allowed people to make a purchase of them and then take it away? You are out the money and a set of rods! My suggestion would be to only allow I beam rods with stock style rod bolts. And that is not what I have setting on the shelf. I have a set of H beams that we had used the year before.
 
well one ideal (ideal only) I've seen this on some purestreet rules on the internet(for heads and rods) is if they would allow it it has to be part # xxxxxxx ... with footnote "has to be standard lenght and weigh as much as stock part and the wirst pin hole in same place..." do this for chevy ford and dodge ect ect.... then if a person was tore down and did not have this rod or stock then DQ them...some would not like beign told where to buy there parts (for the parts number) but it would be better than slinging the rod out the side of the block..:(:(
 
2.5

i toasted 5 or 6 2.5's in 2003 at the rock-rods and rod bearing problems-doesn't matter to me-i have stock rods in my ford and yes i would like the insurance of a set of crowers.i can see that the car count would also be better.all fords run the same spec rod,2.5's can all have a spec rod-i see no big deal-maybe something to disscuss for the 2006 season,i'm game
 
Spoken like a true champion Shannon. Not looking for an advantage, just looking to be a competitor. The 2.5 guys will still have to contend with bad oiling and a not so great crank but maybe we can last a whole season! I must say the blocks are great, we blew the same one up twice and are going for number three!
 
I can agree, too. I have said several times that they need to allow a durable aftermarket rod. As long as it is the same length, and weighs as much (or more than) the stock rod it should be considered. Being as your a "parts guy" for GM, why don't you get the chevy boys together and sit down and talk to Bobby about it? He should be willing to listen to a reasonable arguement concerning this.....
 
NOT THAT IT MATTERS TO ANY BODY AND DONT EXPECT THAT WHAT I SAY WILL ,ANY WAY IF. A PERSON WAS TO (READ) THE RULES THEN YOU MIGHT SEE THAT THERE IS A WAY TO IMPROVE THE ROD SITUATION. they say and i quote"the part and or parts must be stamped with OEM part number and if im wrong im sorry and will research it more!" so with this ill say any GM engine with internal parts that has been built since the thirties has been stamped with a gm OEM part number.am i wrong ? so if i was to do somthing to piss some one off and get tore down no matter what i run in my engine it will have a GM oem part #. i dont know where this thread will go f4rom here but i hope that im headed in the right direction, if im wrong then this needs to be address ed in a meeting alone with the drivers and or builders of the ministock class. ive personally been told things by one of the " tech guys " and then turned around and the other said that what the other said was wrong. SO I THINK THAT EVERY BODY NEEDS TO GET THERE **** STRAIGHT AND ON THE SAME PAGE SO THAT WE AS DRIVERS CAN QUIT *****IN ABOUT IT. IF WE CANT IMPROVE OUR RACE CARS THEN HOW CAN WE BE COMPETITIVE.WE ALL KNOW WHO WILL BE THE WEEK TO WEEK WINNERS ANY WAY AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THEY ARENT COMPLETLY LEGAL SO WHAT MAKE YOUR CAR BETTER AND RACE THEM OR BUILD SOME MORE PROMODS AND RACE ...ILL NEVER BE ABLE TO BEAT THEM OR COMPETE WITH THEM BECAUSE I CANT AFFORD IT BUT IM NOT GOING TO STOP RACIN FOR THAT REASON ILL RACE AGAINST THE CARS THAT ARE IN COMPETITION WITH MY CAR!!!! WE ALL WANT TO WIN BUT WE ALL CANT AFFORD TOO...
 
#6 0F THEE RULES IN MINISTOCK CLASS READS RODS MUST BE STOCK OEM AND CAN RUN AFTERMARKET ROD BOLTS . ALL CHEVY ENGINES HAVE A STOCK OEM ROD.i know of a few GM engines that had good QUALITY stock oem rods!!!!
 
legal

just to clarify the thing about the week to week winners not being completly legal-the #8 is 100% legal in the rams and drr rules-i wish someone would hurry up and tear me down.i'll even do a half price tear down if they can't afford the $$,it is to the point i am almost ready to sell out-the last 4 years i won 1 feature and that was because the leaders both broke-now this year i have had a near perfect year,please don't assume all the winners are cheating-as for the rod deal,what ever the racers and the track decide is fine with me
 
I don't think you are cheating, you more than likely got decent equipment and are familiar with your car and are a very decent driver. Good drivers almost always are called cheaters. They can take an average vehicle and make it fast.
 
pwracing

yep you been around racing long enough to see where i'm coming from,it is taking the fun out of it-i work every day on my car-mostly maintanace.i have a 50 point checklist that i try to complete weekly.i was one of them guys who used to say the same thing "he is cheating" but now i see i had no clue.if someone would please tear me down after the next win-i would be so much more happier.even if a group would go together and chip in the $$afterwards i will have no hard feelings towards anyone.remember if found illegal drr rules state you lose all points that you have accumiliated so far,since the power is in the head in a ford-how about top 5 pull intakes???i am so ready for the scope in a few of the engines out at drr,i think people will be amazed at what they find,lookin like boat races for friday :D
 
Unfortunately we have been down that road a little too often ourselves. Makes you want to get in a different sport sometimes. Just keep up the good work and make yourself and your fans and family happy.
 
Shannon

I know that you are down and sick of the B. S . But, PLEASE do not let the crapp disturbers win . You are an awsome driver and a respectable person and i personaly would be disappointed if you gave it all up. That is letting the " Losers " win !!!! Shake it off, KNOW that we as fans and " Friends " love you and are behind you 100%. I know how hard you work on your car and i KNOW you are not a cheatter.... so let the ones that are mouthing... make *****e$$ out of themselves and go to the tracks and collect that checkered flag with pride !!!!!!!! LD :) " Burch Fan "
 
Shannon I believe you are legal, because I know my #52 truck is legal and I can stay that close to you or sometimes win against you. My truck has the best S-10 rod GM made from 89-up, It's not nowhere as strong as a after market rod and these rods do break. I proved that last year @ MCR :( .
Marty Boyer #52 RAMS
 
If DRR aproved aftermarket steel rods stock length and stock weight or heavier it would help to keep the overall cost down because engines would break less. If $300 saves me from having to build another engine due to a stock rod coming out the side of the block, I'm all for it. I know it doesn't matter on this page, but I believe if DRR aproves their use the RAMS membership would most likely vote them in.
Marty Boyer 52 RAMS
 
Here Is A Thought ...

I personaly believe that if some of the drivers approached Bobby in a good manner ... maybe at PRI for a meeting, Bobby might consider the Rods change. No, we havent heard anything from Bobby so i may be COMPLETELY wrong.... but he has always been fair and listened to what the drivers want. Then made his decision as a track owner. So, someone take control of this ... Get a thread going on a date ( of course call Bobby first to set it up ) and then inform the drivers and anyone interested about the meeting place and time .... Just a suggestion.... and if i am out of line, OOPS..... didnt mean to be ! LD
 
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