I hear so often about how the Stocks of today are like the Lates of yesterday, are the Stock Cars at Lernerville turning the same times Lates did 30 or 40 years ago? Could the Stocks of today compete with Lates of 30 or 40 years ago?
Lernerville Stock Car Question
Started by dirtstudent2, Feb 02 2016 11:37 PM
28 replies to this topic
#1
Posted 02 February 2016 - 11:37 PM
#2
Posted 02 February 2016 - 11:42 PM
The fastest stock car race lap at Lernerville over the past four years was 18.001 seconds by Alan Dellinger on 10/25/13. Average speed of 79.996 mph. Couldn't tell you what times late models used to turn.
#3
Posted 03 February 2016 - 12:22 AM
Thank you.
#4
Posted 03 February 2016 - 09:11 AM
Good Question...
#5
Posted 03 February 2016 - 09:27 AM
dirt....The difference's of today's sportman cars compared to yesterday's late models is minimal at best. The things the late models of 70's had where most ran big blocks, quick change rears, and guys learned early on that the lighter the better. The old tire/wheel combo's where like picking up a half full drum. In my useless opinion I think today's sportsman guys could have run with them. WIN, that's another story. Can anyone imagine the out cry in today's electronic world when way back when promotors said enough is enough and started to weigh cars. I AM NOT A RUMOUR MILL GUY. But, it was said back in the day a certain street stk. car a purple #75 was a lite car. Personally, I think those guys beat everyone in the garage, they where always prepared well and the driver could get it done. He won to much and if you do that, YOU MUST BE CHEATING. Guys back then couldn't figure that out, they just felt will get it back off the trailer next week, and complain some more. I worked with 2 late model guys back in the day. One guy won on occasion. The other did win just not as often. That first guy bought new, the second guy bought used, he would work on his car during the week. Who was the faster guy ? The guy that bought used and worked on his car every week. His equipment being used failed him on more than one occasion.
That's what is wrong with today's racing. You don't drive down country roads and see race cars in garage's any longer. Who fabricates anything on a car anymore ?
It used to be the sportsman guy's but they are slowly taking that away from them too. Every part on a race car today is just about store bought. The fabricators, the welders, guys that could fix anything. I had a set of gauges, NOT IN A PANEL, people asked constantly where is the panel. Hey, buddy don't you have a pc. of scrap alum. you can cut a few holes in it. They ended up in a dumpster.
Go to a reunion at the EMMR, look at the cars, so many fab'ed parts. If your a true fan of yesterday's racing it's a great trip. If your a racer of yesterday, I think you'd have a hard time leaving. Yes, I like the cars of today. The costs of today's cars is killing the sport. Why. READ ABOVE..........
- IMPERIALTIRE11 likes this
#6
Posted 03 February 2016 - 10:43 AM
I'm with you Jo73. today people are taking the easy way out. That is what's wrong with today's generation as a whole. I don't think it's just a racing thing. I have to admit that I have taken the easy way out and spent the extra money on occasion. My dad and Pap are old school racers. They make due with what they have or they make it themselves. so we butt heads sometimes when it comes to my car. I have to remind myself all the time that I can make that and not spend the money.
As for the original question. There have been advancements in Technology since the 70's and early 80's more horsepower, better shocks, better tires. I'm sure Sportsman of today could hang with the Latemodels of yesteryear.
My family always ran small blocks, even when the big block was out there (just couldn't afford them). My pap would beat the big blocks in shorter races. He dominated heat races! But when it came to the 50 lap features the big blocks would pull away. It took them longer to come in.
#7
Posted 03 February 2016 - 12:34 PM
jo73 and BRC27 good posts. I have to agree it was more fun to build your own and made due what you had. My wheels were all steel and heavy. Do you remember Ron Pivoesan, always had a light car and he was a driver. If you remember one year he came out with an all aluminum frame, now that"s crazy.
#9
Posted 03 February 2016 - 01:04 PM
And they would all beat the flathead Ford coupes I grew up watching!!! But the racing was very competitive and many went home without making the main!! Back then there was only ONE class!!
GOOD RACING!!!
Walt
Were on a different time line Walt. 2016 - 40 years puts the reference in the 1986- 1996 time frame.
Aren't the Ford Coupes of yesteryear 20 years earlier around the 1956 era? 
Do you have track times for Lates in the Western PA and Eastern Ohio area from then, showing the old Lates were faster then today's enhanced Stock Cars?
Just a little on some humor I saw in what I wrote. I hope this up coming racing season to see a promoter use the words "Enhanced Stock Cars", to describe what's racing weekly or at a special show.
Edited by dirtstudent2, 03 February 2016 - 01:14 PM.
#10
Posted 03 February 2016 - 03:06 PM
Walt. My father, along with Joe Galli and Louie Ghia ran the PRA back in the day. South Park and Heidelberg mostly. I remember them at the kitchen table making drawings for stuff they had to make. Jerry Maier drove for them. #100, #200, and when I was around red/white cp. #73. Dick Linder drove the car if Jerry was out chasing tail. LOL. Yea, I miss that. Little insight to Dick Linder I always remember them saying he was a man of few words when it was time to race. Tryed to ask Gus if he had any old photo's of the 73 but never got anywhere. I have photo''s of the 100 and 200. With tow bar and all.
#11
Posted 03 February 2016 - 03:12 PM
Old man D. Ronnie Piovesan is probably why promoters said enough. He without a doubt had the lightest late model out there. Car was fast. But I think it was to lite and the torque just destroyed it.
#12
Posted 03 February 2016 - 05:51 PM
Louie Ghia was my Uncle Jack's brother-in-law, and part of the reason I got interested in auto racing in the first place. The Jerry Maier red and white #73 was a fast car, and I seem to remember a black #96 Ford coupe driven by Blackie Watt out of of Louie's garage also. Louie is still alive, well into his 80s, and looks like a man twenty years younger. Next time I see him, I'll ask if he has any old photos. Actually the 73 also ran Mon Duke (William Penn Speedway) and Claridge which is where I saw the car race. We rarely traveled to South Park or Heidelberg back in those days.
Edited by flash49, 03 February 2016 - 05:53 PM.
#13
Posted 03 February 2016 - 06:26 PM
the first stockcar I ever drove was back in '84,it was a Howe 5th design front with a 6th design rear..camaro clip with a 355 and a 9 inch rear.I hear so often about how the Stocks of today are like the Lates of yesterday, are the Stock Cars at Lernerville turning the same times Lates did 30 or 40 years ago? Could the Stocks of today compete with Lates of 30 or 40 years ago?
if we would have kept the car it would be legal again today and other than a steel sheet camaro body,would be basically the same as whats out there.
the car raced at PMS in the "Flyin' Street Stock" division.lap times I'm sure were slower due to tire and engine advances but not much has really changed,it just took 40 years for the Purestock to morph back into what we had.
#14
Posted 03 February 2016 - 06:38 PM
Walt. My father, along with Joe Galli and Louie Ghia ran the PRA back in the day. South Park and Heidelberg mostly. I remember them at the kitchen table making drawings for stuff they had to make. Jerry Maier drove for them. #100, #200, and when I was around red/white cp. #73. Dick Linder drove the car if Jerry was out chasing tail. LOL. Yea, I miss that. Little insight to Dick Linder I always remember them saying he was a man of few words when it was time to race. Tryed to ask Gus if he had any old photo's of the 73 but never got anywhere. I have photo''s of the 100 and 200. With tow bar and all.
Joe Galli as in Galli Beer Distributor in New Kensington?
#16
Posted 03 February 2016 - 09:52 PM
My family new the Galli beer people very well.
#17
Posted 03 February 2016 - 10:09 PM
Flash. Lou gave me my first job as a kid. My father passed in 1964. He and Lou where very close. There was a picture of the 73 in his garage. I did ask him one day if I could have it and was rejected. To this day I do not understand why. He had his reasons I guess. Your right he does not look his age.
#18
Posted 03 February 2016 - 10:44 PM
Dirt I think they are pretty close to being even with the old late models I worked on we did run big blocks we drilled the rotors and anything else to lighten them up. Those old cars were pretty much fabricated from junkyard parts whatever we could use the early cars were full frame cars later we built them from square tubing. Thanks jo73 I haven't heard the Wildman from West Newton's name for a long time brings back great memories.
#19
Posted 03 February 2016 - 10:50 PM
To compare lap times from old time late models at lernerville would be hard to do since the track was considerably smaller than now.
If I remember the track was made larger twice.
Not by much but it started as a 1/4 mile
If I remember the track was made larger twice.
Not by much but it started as a 1/4 mile
#20
Posted 04 February 2016 - 12:16 AM
Am I hearing it correctly being said the Lates of old and the Enhanced Stocks of today are about equally fast?
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