28 replies to this topic

[KPotter]

First off, the disclaimers, I like the modifieds, this thread is not meant to stir up a lot of crap just hopefully some good discussion.

 

Now, when I refer to modifieds, I am including any and all DIRT style modifieds -Big block, Small block, Crate, NJ style, etc.

 

Here is the big question. What keeps the modified division(s) alive ?

 

By my count, there are only about 2 dozen tracks in a total of 5 states running "modifeds" on a regular basis and if they are non-DIRT tacks, he all have their own twists to the ruleook. This makes it difficult to travel to a new track. Purses are not what they should be, there are not that many big dollar ($10,000 to win or more) specials. 

 

I don't know, what does everyone think ?  And remember, let's keep it civilized. 

[BaconBits]

What really keeps the division alive, IMO, is an extremely fervent fan base that generally dislikes anything that isn't modifieds. That feeling is especially rampant up in NY and out in eastern PA and NJ. It's cool that they're that dedicated, but it's also kind of sad. It forces tracks to run some form of modified as the headliner.

[tnt6race]

Not sure where u got that there is only about 2 dozen tracks running a north eastern type modified. I can see about that many on just Saturday nights alone not counting Friday night tracks and Sunday night tracks. I'll agree they have some of the most dedicated fans, drivers and owners in a small demographic.

[KPotter]

PA: Lernerville

       Mercer

       Grandview

       Big Diamond

       Knox

       Penn-Can

 

OH: Sharon

 

DE: Delmar

       Georgetown

 

NJ:  Bridgeport

       New Egypt

 

NY: Accord

       Airborne

       Albany-Saratoga

       Black Rock

       Brewerton

       Can-Am

       Canandaigua

       5 Mile

       Fulton

       Glen Ridge

       Lancaster

       Mohawk

       Orange County

       Ransomville

       Thunder Mountain

       Utica-Rome

 

Canada: Brockville

               Cornwall

               Humberstone

               Merrittville

 

That is all the tracks I can find for a total of 31. That is 7 over my initial count but still less than 3 dozen and I added in Canada. 

It doesn't take a lot od studying the figure out that 1/2 of these tracks are in New York alone.

 

If I have missed any, please fill me in here.  Like I said earlier, I like the mods and want to see them thrive.

I just don't know how they can with this track count.  Think about it this way, if these 31 tracks were distributed

evenly across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (and they aren't) there would be about 10 tracks each night running

some form of dirt modifieds,

[Hot Dog]

PA: Lernerville
       Mercer
       Grandview
       Big Diamond
       Knox
       Penn-Can
 
OH: Sharon
 
DE: Delmar
       Georgetown
 
NJ:  Bridgeport
       New Egypt
 
NY: Accord
       Airborne
       Albany-Saratoga
       Black Rock
       Brewerton
       Can-Am
       Canandaigua
       5 Mile
       Fulton
       Glen Ridge
       Lancaster
       Mohawk
       Orange County
       Ransomville
       Thunder Mountain
       Utica-Rome
 
Canada: Brockville
               Cornwall
               Humberstone
               Merrittville
 
That is all the tracks I can find for a total of 31. That is 7 over my initial count but still less than 3 dozen and I added in Canada. 
It doesn't take a lot od studying the figure out that 1/2 of these tracks are in New York alone.
 
If I have missed any, please fill me in here.  Like I said earlier, I like the mods and want to see them thrive.
I just don't know how they can with this track count.  Think about it this way, if these 31 tracks were distributed
evenly across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (and they aren't) there would be about 10 tracks each night running
some form of dirt modifieds,

Right off the top of my head you missed Woodhull and I-88. They're a regional division that has always been a regional division and always will be a regional division. There hasn't been any growth but there hasn't been any kind of substantial loss of popularity either. They have a loyal fan base that knows what they like and I don't see that changing any time soon.

[Mike Leone]

Several others you left out besides Woodhull & I-88...

 

NY: Freedom, Lebanon Valley, Raceway 5 & Skyline plus specials at Rolling Wheels & Weedsport

VT: Bear Ridge & Devil's Bowl

Quebec: Autodrome Drummond & Autodrome Granby

[03Rocket]

NY: Fonda

[03Rocket]

I guess the better question would be how to keep it going in western,PA. Modified racing is alive and well across the board in NY and eastern PA/Jersey. There are only 2 tracks that run BB, 1 358, 2 weekly Rush tracks along with stops at other facility's if you take out Williamson and other Ny invaders that stop down there are as many rush mods if not more than BB currently. More tracks need to run them if they are gonna live a couple isn't gonna work, it'll just be 10 12 guys that live near the place. Your not gonna have a guy build a mod who lives in say Northeast to have a home track 2.5 hrs away. I would love to see Eriez, Raceway7, pick up one of the divisions be it 358 BB or rush. To generate interest they need more tracks in our area, who goes if they were picked up is an argument I'm not interested in

[KPotter]

This brings the total to 42.  I am not including tracks that just run a special show now and then. 

I am interested in tracks that run the mods as a regular division.

 

Now if the 42 tracks split evenly over the 3 nights of the weekend, we have 14 tracks each night.

That spreads the cars even thinner. 

 

I am hoping that everyone sees my point that outside of New York, this is not a big class.

[KartRacer1]

If you count specials such as BRP Touring Races you could add:

 

Tyler County in West Virginia

 

Raceway 7, Expo Speedway in Ohio

 

Stateline in New York

 

Eriez and Tri-City in Pa. Plus PPMS runs specials for the RUSH Modifieds. 

[BaconBits]

Right off the top of my head you missed Woodhull and I-88. They're a regional division that has always been a regional division and always will be a regional division. There hasn't been any growth but there hasn't been any kind of substantial loss of popularity either. They have a loyal fan base that knows what they like and I don't see that changing any time soon.

 

 

 

Several others you left out besides Woodhull & I-88...

 

NY: Freedom, Lebanon Valley, Raceway 5 & Skyline plus specials at Rolling Wheels & Weedsport

VT: Bear Ridge & Devil's Bowl

Quebec: Autodrome Drummond & Autodrome Granby

 

 

Plus Evans Mills or whatever it's called now. They run DIRT style mods on pavement. So does Mahoning out east.

[03Rocket]

Re reading my post I may have answered my own question, I think the day has come and gone, I don't think there are many guys standing around thinking if track x runs these cars I'm running out and buying one, I guess if you wanna run one you have to drive to where they are, I would know I have two tracks within 25 min of my house and the closest I drive is 1.5 hours just to run the division I choose.

[KPotter]

03Rocket, I think you are seeing what I am seeing as well.  But it isn't just W. PA.  Last weekend I was at Delaware International.  This track used to be a modified hotbed, the modifieds ruled.  They were paying $1250 to win back in the '90s, a really nice purse at the time. Saturday night we had 12 cars.  We had the same car count in the super late models.  The 2 crate divisions had 14 or 15 cars each. 

[cumminsman08]

Bedford speedway has modified division on there regular schedule of events

[Benny K]

Bedford runt the UMP/Imca style mods, not northeast DIRT style. Ken, you may find this interesting, Georgetown had 34 Mods and 19 Crates last night. 7 big block/small block cars were Delaware cars who did not run Delaware Intl Sat night, and 10 Delaware based crates ran Gtown that didn't run Delmar on Saturday night. But your general point is true, Grandview just a few years ago had 40+ cars for a regular show and this year had 31 for the big forest rogers memorial. New Egypt is around 20 cars after being in 30's.

[BaconBits]

Bedford runt the UMP/Imca style mods, not northeast DIRT style. Ken, you may find this interesting, Georgetown had 34 Mods and 19 Crates last night. 7 big block/small block cars were Delaware cars who did not run Delaware Intl Sat night, and 10 Delaware based crates ran Gtown that didn't run Delmar on Saturday night. But your general point is true, Grandview just a few years ago had 40+ cars for a regular show and this year had 31 for the big forest rogers memorial. New Egypt is around 20 cars after being in 30's.

New Egypt is a different case, though. The engine rule change a couple years back drove a bunch of regulars down to Bridgeport.

[BaconBits]

03Rocket, I think you are seeing what I am seeing as well.  But it isn't just W. PA.  Last weekend I was at Delaware International.  This track used to be a modified hotbed, the modifieds ruled.  They were paying $1250 to win back in the '90s, a really nice purse at the time. Saturday night we had 12 cars.  We had the same car count in the super late models.  The 2 crate divisions had 14 or 15 cars each. 

1250 for mods in the 90s wasn't a really nice purse. That's on the very low end. The tracks up north were paying at least 2k weekly.

[714d]

I've always thought that for what our area's street stocks have become, those guys would be happier running e-mods. Then keep pure stocks on 8" rubber and stock suspension for the budget class

[jlandonl]

I think the 358s and bb are good for this area and don't think the budget rush class is helping modifieds in this area at all. Yes it got a few new guys running but it also took a few away from the 2 bigger classes. And it has been proven with crate lates and even the 305 warrior class that eventually it will cost just as much to run them as it would a descent 358 or bb team. As for all the emod classes in my opinion get rid of them. All they are is a cheaper modified like rush which. I'm sure have taken away from the real modified classes that are in this area as well. Jmo

[jo73]

The class can be traced back to the days of jalopies. Reading fairgrounds, Langhorne, Glenn Donnelly, The Syracuse mile. All had a major role in what has become the NORTHEAST MODIFIED. Midgets, Sprint cars, Sportsman (Saturday night williams grove class) all are part of the open wheel class of car that has run in THERE parts of the northeast. At most of all the tracks being mentioned some type of open wheel racing is the headliner. Open wheel racing in the NE starts at many of the kart tracks. Go to shellhammers on a Saturday night and ask the competition, they want to move into some type of open wheel class. Micro sprints, NEMA midgets, Mods and sprint cars.