rip crate late models

L

latemod

Member
It appears that the crate late model class is dead. Highland tried it but most crates ran with the supers and this year the car count is way down at tri city. the class is surviving in other parts of the country but not here. the question is does tri city even get enough cars to put on a decent show for the crate champion ship at the end of the year? I thought this class would take off around here boy was I wrong. I guess there was not much difference between cost of a full blown late and a crate put I know the purses are way different. I can't help but wonder the b-mods seem to be hot right now but will they have the staying power.
 
I agree 8 cars do not make a full feature Not taking anything away from who ran or where they finished but class doesnt support its purse if only 8 run Either purses will be dropped or cut Class is just like any other class You have big teams and big dollars who can afford to take a legal crate motor(legal is being just taken out of the crate) and sending it out to be massaged That brings the motor price getting up there close to a decent a mod motor or even a dry slick late model engine Not saying all are massaged but most of the fast guys are Something has to give Street stock class is down too Partly due to guys going b mod racing but also due to guys just giving up I can possibly see a decision being made if this doesnt correct itself
 
the crate purse has been so downsized its crazy. We ran the speedweek show at PIR , 5th in heat ran B main 4th maid main started 24th finished 15thth. sounds slow but over 30 cars there. Crates gotta start good to finish good. Most "legal" cars cant pas 24 cars in a main. so I was ok with the outcome. Speedweek charges extra $30 just to do it , add several stickers to car with nothing from those sponsors. Then get to pay window and receive $60.00 for the effort. You cant do it. That's over 60 laps of racing fuel spent 1 night. We run with the supers , they show with 12 cars . We run last in heat and 10th in main bring $200 home. and its 25 laps of fuel spent. Why wouldn't you run with opens on the smaller tracks? We started in crates with the Fastrak traveling series at $1200.00 to win and $100.00 to start. It has been reduced with good car counts to less than some times $400.00 to win and $40.00 to start. I haven't ran Tri-city cause we just haven't reached the sweet spot on a setup yet but why go and at the end it may not fit in the trailer at the end of the night. I know of at least 1 other team that stopped crates to to the damage received from running at the bigger tracks and went to Full blown lates this year . the cost is less in the long run as it was put to me. But the intial investment prevents the move for us.
 
All the ss guys are going to b-mods because the pay is way better. You get the same pay in a ss if you finish 3rd vs like 10th in a b mod. Not only that but it seems the ss are getting way out of hand. There's no way guys should be pulling full strait away leads on other drives since everyone is "suppose" to have the same stuff. Something just doesn't add up.
 
Although they have only been getting about 14 cars weekly, a few of Tri-City's crates went to Benton last night and also Jacksonville ran crates last night as well.
 
What's really ashamed the class was suppose to be affordable class but, yet again just like every other class it's turn out not to be that way. Then the payout just like every other class is just way to low.

Then we have the problem just like every other classes not much in the teching department which produces cheaters that like every other class ruins the class.

You have the guys with money that guy buy the best parts and the best shocks money can buy. I can only blame the sanctioning bodies and the promoters for not having a good set of rules that can be enforced.

Let's face this sport is a dying and yes lite-inn aka dirt hound some areas are doing better then others but overall it's not in good health.
Way to many classes for one. Remember back in the day when they had 3 classes and 3 classes only. Remember back in the day when you made the b-main you did something because there was so many cars.

Then the fans where have they gone what are they doing with their time because they sure are not going to the tracks on a weekly basis, yes they show up for some big shows but that's only if there is no chance of rain but, as far as a weekly show just look around and it's pretty slim Pickens.
 
If they don't actually tech the cars right the b- mod class will end up the same way. And the pay won't justify that class anymore either. I don't run for the money, I just love to be out on the track racing. And you have to actually work on your car if you want it to be faster , not just add fuel change oil and hope it does better next time out.
 
On the crates, some engine cheating methods I hear about are:
1) They are regrinding the GM cam shaft that comes with the motor to where it produces more horsepower. But still has the stock GM numbers on it.
2) Oversize boring the back cyclinders because most techs pull the front spark plug to check bore.

Other things in rules that I think need changed to get this class somewhat more affordable:
1) Change shock claim rule to $100 (no exchange). Track should claim winner and one random car weekly and auction them back off nightly.
2) On quick change rear-end, should have to run the larger standard size. (I don't know what that is to be specific). Basically no midget type rear ends.
3) No oil filled front hubs. (low resistance)
4) On the engines, since they are no longer actually taking their engines and sending them out to be teched, track should claim winner and one random car and auction them off. (Although this probaby isn't in the track's budget). But bottom line, they need to pull some motors out (and I'm not just saying Tri-City, but other crate tracks too) and fully tear them down. When teching, not just look at part numbers, but actually know what each parts specs are and measure and test to ensure they are standard stock size.
 
Good post! I agree as well Id get rid of the high dollar shocks all together Never should have been able to run them in the first place Second knock it off with all this low friction stuff If they want to buy that let them run with the big boys Third your correct about the ways to massage the 604 Dyno time regrinding the cam and even taking hours to index the spark plugs all adds up and wasnt supposed to be something people would do or afford to do with an "economy " class But when some have deep pockets and dont want to run with the big dogs you get what you get Ive also heard the redo the cranks as well and even "massage" the rods to get the least big weight off them then rebalance them I was told its 6000 dollars to do all that if you bring in a new crate thats never been run Thats nuts
 
As far as the b mods they did tech them My problem with that class is seems some cars are an a mod with a 2 bbl carb High dollar shocks and 4 link suspension adds up For an economy class i dont see the point to let that happen But part is ump's fault by not making a national set of rules and making tracks go by them Just like they did the sportsman class
 
it doesnt help when can buy the sealed bolts online for 300 dollars either. These guys are buying brand new cars and ratcheting rearends to run as a crate. whats funny is a brand new crate motor is around 4500 dollars and you see ppl selling there motors online for 8 to 10000 dollars cause there cheated up. The promoters know whats happening because when its brought up to them they change the subject an move on. Come on UMP open your eyes. Alot of the same guys winning every week because there cheating. No one person can almost win every race in one season an not cheat.
 
As far as pulling the motors for tech they would send them to guys who are crate certified My problem is those same guys sre the ones happy to redo a crate motor in the first place so how fair is the actual "tech"? Im not saying they donot follow the rules or not ck themmout just saying it doesnt look good as a unit when you do stuff like that
 
eatdirt88 said:
it doesnt help when can buy the sealed bolts online for 300 dollars either. These guys are buying brand new cars and ratcheting rearends to run as a crate. whats funny is a brand new crate motor is around 4500 dollars and you see ppl selling there motors online for 8 to 10000 dollars cause there cheated up. The promoters know whats happening because when its brought up to them they change the subject an move on. Come on UMP open your eyes. Alot of the same guys winning every week because there cheating. No one person can almost win every race in one season an not cheat.
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That is a good point Why would a crate motor cost 10000 if its an actual crate motor? Kind of like when you see a street stock selling for 12000 dollars and go WOW!
 
real simple you add weight for every time they are caught cheating for anything at any time and not told before hands and you have to keeps the weights on for the rest of the year penalty goes with the driver and announce it to all sanctioned tracks
 
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