Late Model races this weekend that make you scratch your head...

jdearing

jdearing

Administrator
Staff member
Car counts...

SUPR event at Texas Motor Speedway paid $3,500 to win and had 40 entries

MARS event at Clarksville Speedway paid $3,000 to win Friday and had 30 entries and paid $5,000 to win at Saturday and had 35 entries

Open Late Model event at Cherokee Speedway paid $15,000 to win and had 19 entries

Open Late Model event at Green Valley Speedway paid $15,015 to win and had 29 entries
 
Couple of reasons may to blame. First, early in the year cars may not be done and teams waiting on first of the year funding. Also if this area is any indication, the locals are sitting in the stands when big money is on the line. They dont think they can run with so they pay to watch. Scratching your head now is okay. It is in the summer when these car counts will alarming.
 
I'm not part of the stock car groups but knowing and talking to open wheel people, they are realistic enough to know whether or not they have a chance at that 'to win $'. You have to look at how fast the money drops and what you can really have a shot at. Then you decide if you can afford to tow at $4 -$6 a gallon for fuel plus your other race expenses. Racers are enthusiastic and willing to invest in their pastime but most of them are not really dumb.
 
I believe the horrible weather that went through the south had a lot do with it, maybe some drivers anticipated rain outs, the weather was forecasted to be bad for the weekend for several days by major weather outlets. It's early, things will improve, besides that, for all of these races there definitely was quality within the fields.
 
This one was down in Mississippi this past Saturday. $1000 to win. Got 19. Had 24 Crates too. Columbus is a Late Model town for sure but I think price of fuel is the number one factor affecting these counts.

I hope we get a chance to reverse the trend with the Pelican 100 this weekend....

Super Late Model
1- 327 Jamie Tollison
2- 5 Klint Byars
3- 1c Chad Thrash
4- 3 Tony Shelton
5- 7 Todd Gray
6- 34 Bo Gardon
7- 00 Terry Kelley
8- j88 Jered Smith
9- 15jr Thomas Dacus
10- 15 Jamie Dacus
11- 15 Shane Stephens
12- 32 Mark Dodson
13- 26 Jon Stinson
14- 4 Wiley Williams
15- 19th Terrell Hughes
16- 21 Steven Hester Sr
17- 23 Felix Gann
18- 13 Chad McCool
19- 4 Jason Brock
 
I returned this morning from a month in Fla. I towed my Antique race car raced 2 times while I was there and spent $2000.00 on fuel for the month. While I was in Fla. I had another vehicle to use just to run around so almost all my fuel expense was for the trip down and back and running between a couple of different tracks.
I think as the season goes forward you'll see more short fields for even the big money races with a lot of big names staying close to home.

THANX RICH

People say I'm getting crankier as I get older. That's not it. I just find I enjoy annoying people a lot more now. Especially younger people!!!
 
Hopefully,no one will say the "Big Dogs" are cherry-picking close to home,like they seem to do to Moyer and others every year.......
99 said:
I returned this morning from a month in Fla. I towed my Antique race car raced 2 times while I was there and spent $2000.00 on fuel for the month. While I was in Fla. I had another vehicle to use just to run around so almost all my fuel expense was for the trip down and back and running between a couple of different tracks.
I think as the season goes forward you'll see more short fields for even the big money races with a lot of big names staying close to home.

THANX RICH

People say I'm getting crankier as I get older. That's not it. I just find I enjoy annoying people a lot more now. Especially younger people!!!
Click to expand...
 
I myself could careless about big shows and the traveling guys. I think about the local guys who do this just for the fun and hobby of it. Race fuel and hauler fuel and add to it a sanction like ump that does little to curtail cost. Local working joe's will feel the hit much more and local racks could too. If I owned a racing facility I would be working the rule book over with ways to help my racers, even if it ment going unsanctioned. Cuz in the end it would be my loss when the fields get shrunk to the point of not being entertaining for fans to come watch. This "if you build it they will come" mentality won't last when a racer has to decide to feed his family or race!!!!! jmo
 
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