Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

at one time Lucas Oil sponsored a drag boat racing series, off road racing and a pro pullling series, but dropped them all, now it looks like they have ended their sponsorship of the ASCS sprint car series, I guess the focus for them is the late model series, and from what I've heard a lot of drivers are going with the WoO late models due to Lucas Oil going the Nascar route and doing a "play off" for the series championship.

ASCS changed directions last year from a national series that once ran Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Washington state and California to races primarily centered around Oklahoma and the surrounding states, 3 of the drivers who finished in the top 5 in points last year aren't gonna run the whole tour in '23, Blake Hahns gonna do some 410 racing, Wayne Johnson is focused on silver crown and Tim Crawley retired from racing and is gonna be a track promoter.

a lot of heavy hitters got their start with ASCS, Daryl Pittman, Shane Stewart, Jason Johnson, Aaron Reutzel, Brady Bacon, Jason Sides, Danny Wood, and a host of others all spent some time racing with ASCS before moving up to the big leagues, and remember when Lucas Oil began sponsoring ASCS, drivers like Jeff Swindell, Paul McMahon and Johnny Herrera ran the tour.

hopefully ASCS will line up another major sponsor and continue on as a starting point for those with aspirations to go big time racing, but as for Lucas Oil, I used to go out of my way to buy their products because of their sponsorship of all the numerous motor sports series, but not any more.

Unfortunately the writing has been on the wall for the ASCS for a few years. Pay hasn't increased and the travel is pretty excessive. Dont get me wrong it's a good series to get experience doing WoO type stuff without actually having to run the WoO and take your beatings as a young racer trying to make a name. I think running multiple track styles many times a week with lots of road travel against local competition really helps a racer adapt. Its a real in between series of weekend warriors and top notch WoO drivers. Problem is there isn't a lot of in between drivers with that kind of budget.

This may open up a can of worms but I've heard others state they think sprint car racing could do without 360 racing. Would sprint car racing be better off without 360s, with the "entry level" class being 305s? 

I know there's a ton of opinions on this but it seems a major ASCS touring series won't exist in 5-10 years, and if not, does that even hurt sprint car racing as a whole. What happens to those 360 drivers? 

Keep It Real

ASCS used to be a good thing, but they did a poor job of containing engine costs.   Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe a 360 engine is nearly the same cost as a 410 with the only advantage being not rebuilding as often?   I used to love going out to National series races in the days of Gary Wright and Jason Johnson.   It's definetly declined since then though.

I mean I'd rather 305s go first but I'm guessing the mind set is 360s just aren't an affordable entry level class.

Also probably a reason there is only one national touring 360 series. Doesnt draw the crowds plus entry level class and national touring series don't really go hand in hand. 

I feel like the ASCS is going away because their costs got out of hand. When they messed with the engine rules, the cost to compete verses the purses went out the window.

The 305's will run the same course. Every year, some of the better financed teams will ask for rule changes that add costs. Eventually theier costs will get out of hand as well. If anything, they should dial back the 305's. Smaller wings, narrower tires and tighter engine specs would be a start.

It's all gotten out of hand. A strong 360 motor is 30 to 40 K today. They run for a couple hundred dollars to win. When the 360 class first started it worked. But as in everything else motor prices got way out of hand and purses stayed the same. Many went 305 racing but the same thing is hPpening there. I think they need to make the 360's run a smaller injection with a spec head. The 305's need the same but with a throttle body. All wishful thinking because what makes good sense never happens in any type of racing.  

The tight restrictions on rules and tires, tires, tires has made the Imca style mods so very popular today.  I think the sprint cars could be just as popular but no one has come up with a good rule package.

This is exactly what happened to the ARDC midgets. 305's are already expensive if you want to be competitive. 600's have really sky rocketed in price too. It all depends on what you want of, and how much you can afford your hobby.

I hope the 360 series and the 305 series both make it and last, but my opinion is the 360s are a little too close to the 410s especially with the costs that get out of hand.  

Lawlessness + liberalism = HELL -  NYC, Detroit, Chicago, 
Seattle, LA  Who the H runs those cities. 

Try $50,000 plus on the engine.

That's what I had heard.   I hate to say anything though cause it's not like I've bought one myself...

Thanks wesmar, no I didn't know the cost of a 360 has reached that pt. Craziness

 It is insanely crazy

OK, I'm curious about this: Why does a 410 cost more than a 360? Same components, same price, no? The only difference is either bore or stroke..... I've always been curious about that, too.... Is the difference, bore, stroke, or both?