42 replies to this topic

[racer02]

Crate late models can save asphalt racing if executed properly. Most people don't have the money it takes to run a regular late model, so it's only a matter of time before that class is extinct. Lake Erie dropped late models..they weren't the first to do it nor will they be the last. The crate class never caught on at Jennerstown..lets hope second time is the charm! With potentially three local tracks - really four if you count Erie - and the nearby Ohio tracks..it'd be great to build a FAStrak type asphalt crate class

[fordblueoval]

That is the idea of running the gm602 motor in this new class to make it affordable for the majority of racers that do not have deep pockets.

[racer02]

That is the idea of running the gm602 motor in this new class to make it affordable for the majority of racers that do not have deep pockets.

Lets hope all the asphalt tracks in the region realize that. They never worked together on rules and everyone involved paid for it. J-town shut down, they dumped dirt on Clearfield, and Motordrome has had generally lousy car counts. Next step is finding a sensible tire rule - that's a complaint most of the late model guys at Motordrome share.

[fordblueoval]

Probably a tire inventory to draw from. Make them a hard compound so they will last for many laps. Rule should be that you are only allowed to buy one new tire per week unless it is cut from an accident.

[racer02]

Limiting the amount of tires a team can purchase would definitely help - the cost of tires often gets lost in the discussion about engine costs. Winning a track championship now sadly has more to do with money than skill & setup..that's not how it should be. The cars need to be slowed down some too. There have been some really good cars destroyed beyond repair in crashes that wouldn't have been so bad if the cars hadn't gotten so fast. Mark Cottone & Neil Brown lost their recent championship winning cars to wrecks the last couple years - Neil lost his motor & tranny in his wreck as well & the chassis was only a year old. Ten years ago, you really didn't see cars getting totaled like that. Guys DEFINITELY can't afford to be losing whole race cars in a single crash!

Edited by racer02, 11 November 2013 - 01:40 AM.

[jmmr]

It would be nice if the rumor is true and that both Jennerstown and Clearfield could cooperate with similar rules and classes. Like to see Stan be the promoter at Jtown again as it would be like old times. Schedule could be Jennerstown on Friday and Clearfield on saturday with Motordrome not even opening next year. Comments?

The track would never make it on Friday as it depends on Motordrome guys- just like without Drome guys clearfield would've had no show. I wAs there- and the way clearfield ended up handling ut was dusappointing. Stan has done alot of damage to asphalt racing through his inability to consider anyone's opinion but his own. The idea of a crate late model class sounds great IF enforced and older chassis- but there are a ton of unanswered questions whoever is running it needs to answer quick like chassis specs...

[fordblueoval]

Clearfield has announced that you must buy USED tires from them at $40 a tire and that you may purchase one tire per week unless one is damaged in an accident so that will certainly keep the cost down. Not sure where they are getting them from but I like the idea. Go to the website and read the rules as they were just posted today.

Edited by fordblueoval, 11 November 2013 - 04:07 PM.

[CNB Bank Raceway Park]

The track would never make it on Friday as it depends on Motordrome guys- just like without Drome guys clearfield would've had no show. I wAs there- and the way clearfield ended up handling ut was dusappointing. Stan has done alot of damage to asphalt racing through his inability to consider anyone's opinion but his own. The idea of a crate late model class sounds great IF enforced and older chassis- but there are a ton of unanswered questions whoever is running it needs to answer quick like chassis specs...

QUESTIONS ANSWERED!
CNB Bank Raceway Park rules for the spec Late Model Class are posted as is our 2014 schedule. We are working closely with parties involved with Jennerstown and will with Motordrome once they are announced. If you have questions about the late model class, please contact us and come to the meeting at the Comfort Inn in Clearfield on Dec 15th at 2pm.
Our goal is to promote ASPHALT RACING in Central PA!
Just a few years ago, you had one seemingly dying choice (Motordrome). NOW you may well have three great places to race on the ASPHALT. Time to get in the shop and put together a car and get ready to race!

[ramey36]

For all the latest:

http://cnbbankracewa....wordpress.com/

[racer02]

It's great to see that asphalt racing is making a comeback in the area, good job on working WITH Motordrome and Jennerstown instead of the "my sandbox, my rules" mentality that helped to kill it the last time around. And thanks for the confirmation that something is indeed going on at Jennerstown!

[jmmr]

It's great to see that asphalt racing is making a comeback in the area, good job on working WITH Motordrome and Jennerstown instead of the "my sandbox, my rules" mentality that helped to kill it the last time around. And thanks for the confirmation that something is indeed going on at Jennerstown!

Where are we getting all the cars for these three tracks? With piss poor purses-not paying on time and all the other issues- it'll be interesting to see how it all pans out. Who could afford to race 2 or three nights a week. There is too much uncertainty right now abt Drome and Jtown.

[race ace]

exactly what i was thinking not to mention you are running against how many dirt tracks on a saturday night , not trying to be negative here but someone needs to put the rose colored glasses away and try to look at this in real daylight .low car counts and low fan counts and you are right back to where you were when these tracks closed down .i know everyone deserves to have a track to run on and i hope you all succeed with these paved tracks but i dosen't seem very possible. make your crate class a spec class and have a track claimer on these engines that way if you are cheating the track buys your engine and maybe has one on hand to swap it for your engine and that way they know the engine is legal.

[T-440]

exactly what i was thinking not to mention you are running against how many dirt tracks on a saturday night , not trying to be negative here but someone needs to put the rose colored glasses away and try to look at this in real daylight .low car counts and low fan counts and you are right back to where you were when these tracks closed down .i know everyone deserves to have a track to run on and i hope you all succeed with these paved tracks but i dosen't seem very possible. make your crate class a spec class and have a track claimer on these engines that way if you are cheating the track buys your engine and maybe has one on hand to swap it for your engine and that way they know the engine is legal.

When CPS went to dirt, the weekly car counts weren't that much better than they were when it was asphalt. I don't recall any weekly dirt shows at CPS that had a full field in any of the divisions. Crowds were definitly larger for the dirt shows than the asphalt shows though. If the support was there, we would still be watching dirt shows at the track on Friday nights.

The last weekly show on the asphalt had 18 late models, and with the rule changes that were going to be used the next year (weight limits for different engines) I still think they may have made it work. As it is, they switched to dirt, then went to specials only, and now back to asphalt. It is going to take time to rebuild the local support for the track, in the stands as well as in the pits. It isn't going to happen overnight, and it may never gain the support needed to sustain itself. Time will tell. I personally think 4 or 5 divisions is too many for the asphalt track. Too many divisions just splits up the fields. If you have a cost effective late model division, I don't think you need two classes of stock cars. Crate lates, one class of stocks, and FWD's, with some specials for other divisions sprinkled in. Right now, you are banking on teams from out of the area to come in to put on the show. Trying to build local support for 4 or 5 divisions is a lot to ask of this area. Trying to build support for one or two divisions though is a little more managable.

[jmmr]

4 or five divisions are not too much if the track executes proPerly as Drome has done it for years and when jennerstown had three it sucked. Felt like you got cheated. Might be different if you had huge car counts and weekly outside divisions coming in. Three is def. Not enough. So let me get this correct- is this class running perimeters and straight rails? Hows that gonna work- don't they have different setups- one being coilover? Please excuse my ignorance if wrong as I don't know late models. The real issue is this- 3 potential tracks and a very limited amt if cars...hope they do alot of planning because I'd hare to see them set it up to fail. I hope they really talk to the drivers and get their input- which would be a first outside of some guys trying last year at drome. Hope race 1 considers checking the motors for alot less than in Past- I say pull the seal bolts and let the track do it.

[john316]

Racing was never about money. Even if they lowered the purse to $500 for late models you would still have cars racing because the guys love the sport and just want to run somewhere. At the most, the track purse helped ease some of the costs, but the truth is no one got rich racing locally. Back in my day Steve Peles won virtually every weekend at Jennerstown and probably spent $75000 before he turned the first lap. If he won $1000 every week (which he didn't) and the season was 19 weeks-the most he could hope for was $19,000. Plain and simple-he just loved the sport and wanted to run. You're never going to get rich racing-it just helps ease the financial burden. So stop belly-aching and just be happy that there are some people around who will use their own hard-earned cash to give you a place to go out and play.

[jmmr]

Racing was never about money. Even if they lowered the purse to $500 for late models you would still have cars racing because the guys love the sport and just want to run somewhere. At the most, the track purse helped ease some of the costs, but the truth is no one got rich racing locally. Back in my day Steve Peles won virtually every weekend at Jennerstown and probably spent $75000 before he turned the first lap. If he won $1000 every week (which he didn't) and the season was 19 weeks-the most he could hope for was $19,000. Plain and simple-he just loved the sport and wanted to run.

You're never going to get rich racing-it just helps ease the financial burden. So stop belly-aching and just be happy that there are some people around who will use their own hard-earned cash to give you a place to go out and play.

That's absolutely a ridiculous argument- my father raced in the 50s - the purse to win was $150.00. by today's standards it's not even close. However based on the division structure and money received they could afford to race more than one night a week. With the economic downturn- how many sponsors are you getting and is it enough to race more than one night a week? Can u afford the tow money to Jennerstown from what you received from a fifth place finish at motordrome not to mention admission and fuel. Please let me know? 'ease the financial burden'- are U kidding me. Besides you completely missed the entire point-someOne please tell me where are you getting all these cars? I'd love to hear an answer. You said "even if...you would still have cars". Where they at and where they been then? Anyone remember the counts the last two years at Jennerstown- I do and they sucked. How bout late models-street stocks-mods last year at motordrome? That's right- sucked again. So your statement already is easily proven absurd! The whole concept of 'just be grateful you have a place to race' is usually spouted off by someone who either A. Is loaded B.doesn't race Or hasn't for awhile C. Is a friend of the promoter. It doesn't fly- but yet we will all hear countless reasons why the track failed or the fans don't come or the car counts suck AFTER the fact and jackasses will get on here saying how asphalt racing can't make it in W.Pa.. All because of piss poor planning and ill equipped Mgt.. Until a track begins to consider suggestions from it's faithful local teams- I expect no change. Drome was close last year- Hribar began to make a difference.

[jmmr]

One more thing- if you really believe those Promoters 'use their hard earned money so we can go play' - I'd like to sell you some swampland inflorida. Promoters yes may want to keep racing alive- just as racers do. But don't kid yourself- they have a whole list if reasons they get into it and it ain't abt 'giving us a place to play'. Mostly they think they can turn a buck- also pride\prestige/power. Please don't dish out that crap here.

[T-440]

I guess the point I was trying to make was that CNB is trying to rebuild asphalt racing in this area of the state. There aren't very many asphalt teams left in our local area, so basically, any division that they decide to run could be considered a "new" division in this area. I understand that there are teams in other areas, but not all those teams are going to travel up here for every show, and that is understandable. That is why I said 4 or 5 divisions may be too many to start with. I really appreciated all the teams that towed into Clearfield from outside the area to put on a show, I hope they return next season! I'm also looking forward to seeing some more local teams back on the track as well! I like the Pro Late Model deal, and I hope it gets lots of support. I'd like to see them really do something radical and pay that division the same as other tracks are paying the regular late models. Lower the cost to compete, but not lower the payout... That has always been one of my biggest complaints, as soon as the word limited is added to any division at any track, the first thing they limit is the payout, so the investment vs reward never really gets any better.

[fordblueoval]

My thoughts on divisions are this. One class of street or pure stock is enough so just combine them and that would put more cars into the division. I would like to see different kinds of race cars brought in as they have already scheduled so that it gives the fans a reason to want to come to the track to see something perhaps they have never seen race before like modifieds, supers, touring series trucks, midgets, etc. Do not stick with the same old, same old on a weekly basis or family entertainment dollars will be spent at a different venue.

[Skull]

One more thing- if you really believe those Promoters 'use their hard earned money so we can go play' - I'd like to sell you some swampland inflorida. Promoters yes may want to keep racing alive- just as racers do. But don't kid yourself- they have a whole list if reasons they get into it and it ain't abt 'giving us a place to play'. Mostly they think they can turn a buck- also pride\prestige/power. Please don't dish out that crap here.

Too many people kiss these promoters' asses around here. I'm not entirely sure why, but it's the truth. I don't know if they think they can curry favor by speaking positively all of the time, or that they are simply defending someone they consider to be a friend. I can't tell you how many posts I've read where some people make it sound as if these promoters are running a charitable service. They might like racing. They might even enjoy the business end of it. But make no mistake, they are in it to earn a buck, as they should be.