Classes/Rules no commonality

[stevie-mac]

You’ll have to excuse my ignorance, but coming from the two wheel world, the proprietary “my track my class” theory just confuses the heck out of me. If you can afford any of the bigger money travelling classes (late models, modifieds, sprints, midgets, etc…but seems that may have some issues also.) you can run all over, but be an entry or mid level racer and you have very limited racing opportunity…Pick a solitary track until the end of year “run what ya brung” races.

It would seem to me that all the owners, and racers for that matter, should want common entry level to mid level classes to encourage new racers into the sport. This should provide the most opportunity for new racers, very respectable car counts, and great competition. In theory, lots of already built turn-key cars or rollers would be available for newbies to jump in as people move up and out or leave the sport.

I have raced several times and I would like to join the sport more full time instead of when a ride is available. I have at least 4-5 tracks within 4 hours of where I live. They do not have common rules or classes. If l build/buy a 4-cylinder, pure stock, super stock, classic, hobby, sportsman…No commonality whatsoever.

This is not only a NW regional problem, seems dirt tracks all over do the same thing. Are propriety class/rules structures that important? Isn’t cooperative building of car counts, competition, and racers more important? Seems more money stays at the track with larger car counts and better spectator draw? Racers like racing…seems like a win-win. Certainly common class structure would build more feature 50-100 lap main events at different tracks? Wouldn't it insulate owners from low turnouts also when your racer draw is so much larger?

I know it is oversimplified for discussion. I’m not bashing…Help me out here. I want to understand this culture and how both owners and racers benefit from this lack of consistency in class/rule structure.

[MPE]

Points racing came about to keep racers loyal to a track or series. Making rules that keep classes apart from other local tracks attempts to do the same. Not saying it is right, just sayin....

[speedster]

It's hard to find any classes out here on the west coast that are all the same rules. The IMCA modifieds have a national set of rules as do the legend cars.
The closest thing you will find i think is the 360 sprint car class. Almost every track in oregon and some washington pretty much have 360 sprint cars some with wing and some without and a couple run both. the street stock class at willamette and st helens are pretty close on rules and if your legal at st helens you could run at banks but you will be a little short on car im afraid but you can run there. If i was looking for a class to run where i could go to almost any track and play i would look at a sprint car.
Like in any racing there are the have and have not's at every track but if your just wanting to run and dont care about points you cant go wrong in sprints or street stock or even modifieds. my .02

[v8zman]

ya how come willamette doesnt have a 4cylinder class?

[stevie-mac]

It just seems to me that if 3 or 4 tracks got together and ran similar rules, especially for classes like 4 cylinder that it would greatly benefit all the tracks because you would have a very popular entry class with a common set of rules. It would be a great "get your feet wet" class that would inspire new people to get involved and get them alot of experience to become good competitive drivers at an economical entry point. At this point, it doesn't even seem that Willamette has an entry level class?

One race a month at each area facility with a 100 lap Main at one of the tracks in June, July, and August. If there was a class like this announced in early fall for the 2011 season it could be a very competitive way to bring lots of newbies in. 25 4 cylinder cars in a main would be doable and would be something to watch or be a part of. Each track would have to give a little for common classes but it might allow them to run longer mains for the bigger cars without so many classes to run each night. May be a winner for all.

[PRO4WESTMOD-11]

I think it all goes back to the roots of our sport. Before we had NASCAR we has moon shiners trying to out run the police and they did what they had to to make there cars faster then the law/feds. Call it cheating or stretching the rules or reading between the lines, we all want ot have a faster car and we do what we can afford. The pro 4 group has made some changes to there group to get more cars on the track. Madras has restructured there mini car rules to the new mini outlaw class and I like what the have done. There class hasn't gotten that big yet but next year should be much bigger for them. When I came in to the sport I was amazed at how the tracks all had different Rules and names for there classes. I too think it would be helpful to bring in more racers to come up with a standardized set of rules or an open class. The problem with a full open class is it will almost always leave the low dollor racers in the dust. I love racing in a 4 cylinder class. You dont use that much fuel and the tires last much longer. Most of us would race more if we could afford it. So to summerize, standerized rules are the way to go. You can still race just one track for points and or you can race at as many as you want for points or not. Look at the pro 4 alliance group. They have there race schedule that works around the three different groups that came to gather to form there alliance but they can still race just ther own track or group.
D.W. ll

[stevie-mac]

I agree that the Madras 4 cyl outlaw rules make for an interesting class and allow alot of variance in your approach. I could live with the valley tracks adopting the outlaw rule set (maybe combine the outlaw and 4 cyl truck class? to maximize car counts) If that happened there would be 4 tracks in the area with possibility for great car counts.

With that said, I really think that the St. Helens and Sunset rules are very close to a great rule set if adopted by other valley tracks (step up Willamette), but in their current form are pretty risky ($750.00 claim rule). Turn key cars are out there between $1200-$2500 generally or an economical build up, but that is a lot to risk for a $750.00 claim. If a few minor changes to the rules (no claim with fine structure/points loss for those that cheat) and a little work with the engine rules it could be a very competitive entry class.

[Stipe Engines]

This has always been a problem with circle racing. Happens every where and in every class, pavement racing too. Even late-models and sprints like you suggest have different rules at different tracks. Tires come to mind right off amoung other things. . Not sure what you do about it and I agree it would be nice if there was more comminality like you say in the rules from track to track but thats the way it is and always has been. The problem with entry level or stock classes is tech and cheating. They need to stay stock and cheap as posiible or the cheating kills the class because of cost. It is pretty hard for most tracks to tech cars enough to keep them stock------not an easy job.

[FamilyProject]

Rules promote cheating! If I can make it better or build it myself for cheaper then the parts you make mandatory.
Open the rules up if a guy wants to build a 4cyl that can run with v8s then
"Stop they are all going to laugh at you"
track timers Aka transponders are a good way to control a class. If a car is faster then his qualified lap by more then .75 seconds then take a lap from him.
Claims suck!!

[stevie-mac]

I guess there is the one constant...people will push any rule set unless it is run what ya brung. Having said that, common rule sets that make sense for classes and allow the maximum amount of racers from several regional tracks just increases competition and gives the owners more latitude in scheduling. They don't constatly have to chose which group of racers that they are going to leave out of the racing and allows the racers alternate venues when they are off the schedule.

Common rule sets allow local points plus regional challenge events or a rotating schedule with other tracks.