Forum: Oklahomatidbits.com General Forum (go)
Moderators:  /  David Smith Jr

I read this sort of thing from a promoter on one of their websites and it brought up something that, I feel, will be very important in the next couple of years. I would like to ask you modified drivers and those of you "in the know" your thoughts and imput. And this goes for at any track in the state.

There are rumors and rumblings that SFS could go with the Sport Mod class as early as 2009. Elk City has them for their weekly program and had heard that they had over twenty last weekend on opening night - more than the regular modifieds. Enids car count is pretty impressive for the sport mods also.

Problem is, the cost to compete with a regular modified is escalating (see 410 sprint car racing ten years ago and ASCS type racing today) and those modified drivers are dropping in numbers, thus either not racing or dropping to the sport mods. To me, this is not beneficial to the sport mod class cause it is suppose to be for the new, low funded teams. However, the pay is getting decent for that class and there are specials that are catching the attention of the veteran modified drivers.

My question too you is, what do you think of this? Do you think it is fair for the experienced modified drivers to drop down in class and "cherry pick" a division that is really meant for those who are now getting into the sport and/or don't have the money to compete? Will you be happy if the modifieds are replaced with the sport mods at your weekly track?

It is my opinion that if/when weekly tracks go to sport mods that drivers with either three or five years experience in modified racing are either ineligable or would have to start at the pack of each heat race and/or feature event.

Also, do you think those veteran modified drivers should be allowed to compete in sport mod specials to cherry pick so to speak?

This topic is meant for discusion and not for slamming or being ugly. It is meant for drivers from everywhere, OKC, Elk City, Ardmore, Enid, Meeker/Ada, Fort Smith, anywhere modifieds are active on weekly programs.

Thank you in advance and again, hope this can be a productive topic and maybe nip something before it turns out bad.

David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com

David, I'm just a fan but that thought could be said of the champ and super sprints. Seems like champs are for beginning open wheel drivers and supers are for more experienced drivers and sponsors with more money. I also think without the super sprint drivers in the champ sprints the class would not be as interesting. Even though I'm not the smartest guy on the block I think it's ok to drop down a class.

Just my humble opinion which might be different tomorrow.

Ted

Ted Sanderson

There will always be people in classes that never move up for years upon years .

To me I don't see a problem with seeing the vetran drivers move to the sport mod class because in all actuality they are not really anything like the mod class . You really cant use much of what you know because they are more like an I-stock with a smaller motor !

I love the new sport mod class and I would like to see it grow in Oklahoma ...and it will as long as everyone freezes the rules that is a very competitive class . That's what has gone wrong with the factorie stock classes around the state ..just too much money to go fast these days

winners dont cry when they lose , they go back to the 
drawing board and come back for round 2 !

preach it brotha shawn!!! can i get a amen???

Ron Clark
Texoma Motor Speedway
7567 Seymour Hwy
Wichita Falls, Texas 76310
www.texomamotorspeedway.com

I just bought a Sport Mod. Too me its just a cheap way of racing and good for old guys that can't see as good as they used too. I would say bring on Steve Kinser cause he is one of them old guys. I hope that when SFS has their big Mod show at the end of the year that they add Sport Mods and I asked Lanny if he was running Sport Mods next year st SFS and he told me yes that he was going to run them.

The class was started to meet the cost of racin a mod and was never intended to be for guys just getin in to mods. They have bein racin them in texas for a few years hell its Elk City 4th year to race them. The thing is anyone can build one you dont have to have Chassis company to do it for you. They are simple and fun. Look at the texas and la and see some for the names driven them. In a few years it will pro be the only mod class at a lot of tracks. So what the mod guys going to do stop racin or go to a limted mod. It that time again the late model went out of the weekly shows what the guys do drop to the ugly mods as they were called then so now the mod are goin to have too gotta do something

Interesting responses from both modified drivers and a track promoter. I am, have been and always will be a die-hard sprint car fan but the past year or so I have really gotten into watching and liking the modifieds. I have heard comparisons that the mods of today are going through what the late models went through several years ago. The late models just now seem to be back on track touring wise but just nowhere on a weekly basis. The 410 sprints went through this in the late 90's through today and back in that time the ASCS 360's kicked into gear. Now it seems that has leveled out and the 305s are now all the rage.

Keep the imputs coming as again, I feel it is a good topic.

David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com

a men (that was for you jason) i am with shawn it does kinda make it hard when the big money steps down to the lower class but that knife is double edged because they are also the ones we gauge ourselves at so i would say heck ya let em run as long as they stick to the rules and police alot more than they do now

Joey B

I think that will be the key to the Sport Mod class is not letting it get out of hand and policing the rules. I hear that Enid and Meeker are doing a good job of this

Man, this is a hard one. I dont think i would get rid of my mod for a sims. I like the fact that its suppose to be a good entry level car and affordable to get people that want to race to be able to race. But, thats what the factory stock use to be and is suppose to be in my opinion. These are nothing but pure stock cars, only with a mod body and engine positioning, what factory stocks are suppose to be. Again, JMO. The glaring fact is, people in this new class are going to want more adjustments and more speed. Case in point. Although i use Jeff's Performance motors and love their reliability and power, they have produce a sims legal motor that is in the $5000 range already. This i see is a red flag and that things could get out of hand real quick. If this class is to survive, you must put a death grip on the rules with no exceptions at all or it will become just another class of the haves and have nots, just like the factory stock has become. JMO.

that is vry true but knowing what we have done with the factory stocks and evolving them into something that we all know they are not anymore is at our control so if the policing of the rules and the asking of more and more stuff each year doesnt get out of hand it could turn out ok but if history repeats itself then there is no need for these mods but to be honest i think it is a good idea

Joey B

I know a lot of drivers seem to love the class and there is no denying its popularity as far as number of cars down in Texas but personally I don't see the need for the class. If you can't afford a modified then run a factory stock or a hobby stock. Why does there need to be another "economy class" (and I use the term lightly) when there are several already in place? If the rules have gotten out of hand bring them back in. Why create a new class?

The hobby and factory stock classes still work all you have to do is take a trip down to Lake Country Speedway in Ardmore to see that. They appear to be averaging 20 cars in both Factories and Hobbies... together thats 40 stocks each week! So LCS is showing the class still works. The rules just need to be tweaked at a lot of tracks around the state. Personally, I think Ronny is on to something and should lock his rules down in both of those classes as they both have good car counts and both classes put on one a heck of a show every single week!! You know what they say "if its not broke don't fix it!"

I know I'm not a driver... but as a fan I'd MUCH rather watch some true stock cars run than a bunch of sports mods. The stock classes seem to put on a better show on a more consistent basis than the sports mods do. I've just seen too many non competitive, drawn out (because of cautions) sports mod shows to have little more than tolerance for the class.

I like dirt!

I've kinda altered my opinion in the last few months to as follows. most of it - if not all - refers to SFS.

I like the sport mods. honestly the few times I watched em I wasn't real impressed - but that was prob. more track conditions or something. I think over time I'll like em.

ANd yes I would like to see em here. but even more so - I want to see em REPLACE the factory stocks. all that stink was made about the pro stocks - even a very poor article int he newspaper. and they are a stronger class than the factory! people say combine the classes - not sure what they mean by that b/c the engine rules. But I say completely do away with the current factory stock class - the top 5 cars in that class - will either race mods or pro stock. I'd guess pro stocks. then of course bring in sport mod..............and then maybe later on once the sport mod is established - maybe start a pure stock class - that would take it back to what a beginners stock class should be. that would give 6 classes. give a class off each week and run 5 classes a night. Thats a good why to achieve the 5CAN for Mr. Mossman.

How much would could a wouldchuck chuck if a 
wouldchuck could chuck would

Anyone been to a big mod show lately? Look at the # of late model guys that cherry pick those. Any mod show over about $3,000 at the top and the average guy doesn't stand a chance, its just part of it, trust me I've helped pay those guys the last few years thats part of the reason I can't afford to race myself right now. If they keep the rules in the sport mod class the same for more than 2 years I would be amazed, it'll be evloving into a mod just like the mod is evolving into a late model.

www.genesisshocks.com www.hypercoils.com If you need 
it I can get it!

Here is my take. Kinda like David I was a and still am a big sprint car guy but over the years started to enjoy more of the mods. As someone who is looking at getting into drivng a car the lmtd. mod makes more sense to me right now. I know three guys that run the Lmtd. Mods at Meeker personally and know if the class took huge amounts of money to be running near the top they would not be doing it. I asked one of them what he though he had in his car right now as far as a number and he said about 8 grand. I got parts sitting around the house that I could stick on a mod and go race. If you look online at Smiley's a SIMS motor is about 2500 bucks. Whereas if I bought say a 2 barrel car I would have to buy all the stuff to go racing and some of those motors are running big bucks. I understand racing is a bottomless pit of spending money and it never stops. But, like a couple of people on here have said if the promotors would lock down a set of rules then one class might survive the way it was set up.

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands 
in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he 
stands at times of challenge and controversy." 
Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Erich Petersen 

I think in the long run that a Sport Mod will be cheaper to run than a factory stock if the rules stay the same. The bodies on a Sport Mod are easier to maintain. By the time I get the Sport Mod to the track I think I will have around 6500 in mine with spares. The Ada Limited Mod that I have I got around 7500 in it. The Sprint car I lost count of. If I knew what I really had in the Sprint car I would probably get a ball bat and start smacking myself in the head with it. I can honestly say that the sprint car has made me and Cody closer and kept him out of trouble. Besides the money that I spend is my cigarette and booze money.

If the Sport Mod shows start paying good money that is when the rules and cherry picking will get out of hand. I have already heard a rumor where they are going to allow floater rear ends next year

By the way if anybody wants a good Ada limited mod, mine is for sale. 6500.00 ready to race with some spares

I agree with raising your kids with Race Cars, it dose give them a lesson in character and as a team it can bring parents and children closer together. But this Sport Mod will only create cars that wont be able to run anywhere, the rumor of floater rear ends is one good example {Is this a Lanny rule?}. If your track is running or going to run Sport Mods look at the rules for that track first and then look at the promoter in charge of making the rules {or spending you $$$}. If the promoter dosent look at the class as a whole like I believe Lannyville, then get ready for rule changes yearly, If a Promoter like I believe LCS is than you might save some bucks as well as being able to take your car anywhere. If lanny is the one saying floaters will be legal it just another way to lock you into SFS with no hope of going to any big shows or any other track. Lots of Mod teams already have both classes in there stable and some day if this class stays consistant we might get one but not until we see how big of a mess individual Promoters make of it.

"Racing is an Addiction cured by Poverty"         
BOBCAT

it is very hard to tell a racer which class he or she can or cannot run. economics dictate a whole lot when it comes to racing. the sport mod class is a great class but it does have problems. technology has become a major problem for classes with spec rules. for instance sportmod rules say ten and half inch clutch or ten inch convertor. 10000 rpm clutch setup is 800$. 10 inch light wieght convertor 550$. promoters and sanctioning bodies have to really be carefull when writing rules. it is real easy to shoot yourself in the foot. i dont ever see the sport mods replacing regular mods as the top card for weekly racing. right now i believe lcs has the most competive modified racing in the state. this past saturday jeff gibby won the modified feature in a car that he has about 10 grand in. that lets me know our rules are working. we will have no changes in our rules for 2009 other than looking at safety.

I would have to say that I agree with Dogwater, on this topic. The stock classes do seem to put on a better show then the sport mods. I personally would much rather go to a track that has good stock car racing then a track with sports mods.

There have been probably 2 or 3 decent sport mod races that have kept my attention for the most part, other then those few races, my experience with with the sport mods have not been good at all. I, also like Dogwater, have seen too many non competitive and drawn out sport mod shows. My patience for this class is not high at all.