*Turn 2 Blog is a regular feature on InsideDirtRacing.com. Here, site operators Michael Moats and Richard Allen take turns offering their thoughts on the dirt racing topics of the day from east Tennessee and beyond.
Richard: Now that the Georgia/Florida SpeedWeeks segment of the Dirt Late Model calendar has passed, there are several impressions I was left with. Perhaps the first and most obvious of those was that Jonathan Davenport is still very good, whether there were rule changes made during the off-season or not, and it is also pretty obvious that Josh Richards is poised for a great season in 2016 as well. Those two driver collected a combined total of 11 wins over the past three weeks will no doubt earn plenty more as the season plays out.
The races this season in which Davenport and Richards show up at the same time and place, along with Scott Bloomquist and Shane Clanton, ought to make for some great viewing for the fans.
But another trend I couldn’t help but notice was the success of the so-called ‘house cars’ during SpeedWeeks. Richards, of course, drives a ride prepared right out of his father’s Rocket Chassis shop. And while some of the other winning cars may not necessarily carry the label of ‘house car’ they are essential such in a de facto sense.
Davenport’s Longhorn is one of those cars that may not actually carry that label but crew chief and engineer Kevin Rumley worked for the Bobby and Terry Labonte organization before the championship winning NASCAR brothers opted to cease fielding a shop car for Earl Pearson, Jr. so they could focus solely on chassis production. Since that time, the K&L Rumley team that Davenport drives for and Rumley helps operate with his father has served as the lead Longhorn.
Other winning drivers from Speedweeks are also the primary representatives of their particular chassis brand. Bloomquist drives a Sweet/Bloomquist Race Car produced as a joint effort between himself and Randy Sweet. Essentially, that car is the house car for that brand.
Shane Clanton won the season opener for the World of Outlaws Late Models at Screven Motor Speedway and the SpeedWeeks finale at Volusia Raceway Park in a Capital Race Car. Like Davenport, his ride may not necessarily be labeled as a house car but the Georgia driver’s close relationship with that company and car builder Marshall Green make it such for all intents and purposes.
My observation from all this is that Dirt Late Model racing is changing rapidly in terms of technology and the chassis builders are working feverishly to keep up with, or even advance, those changes. It would seem logical that the ‘house cars’ would be the first to succeed until the new technology has a chance to filter down to other teams that employ those particular chassis brands.
Michael: The term “house car” gets thrown around a little too loosely by a number of fans and people in general. I think that should be reserved for the ones that build that car, then race it. Making modifications to an existing chassis and calling that a house car seems a little bit like false advertising. But that’s just me.
Technology is really taking off in just about everything. All you have to do is look at the commercials or read the websites for production cars to see some of the things manufacturers are putting on street cars. While race cars have no use for navigation or creature comforts, it’s obvious the race teams are really advancing technology on Dirt Late Models in the suspension area.
I recently had a chance to peak under a newer Dirt Late Model car that was race ready. It’s been over 15 years since I worked on one. It’s amazing to see how much these things have changed. But that’s part of the sport, or any sport for that matter. It’s all about finding something no one else has. As soon as someone comes up with something new, it doesn’t take long before everybody has their own version of it. That’s the neat part of this sport.
Richard: I agree in the sense that many of these cars are actually mislabeled. Perhaps primary car would be a better term.
In one way, it can be a bit detrimental for that primary car to do so well. When one particular driver is winning all the races for a certain chassis brand, you start to hear grumbling that “they give all the good stuff to driver X” from fans. I’ve heard people say that regarding a couple of the cars mentioned above and it has probably been said about all of them at one time or another.
Don’t misunderstand that I’m implying that the statement above is actually true. I’m simply saying comments like the one above are made by outsiders when one particular driver gets hot. I’m sure chassis builders like for their own car to win as often as possible, but it certainly never hurts for someone else to pick a win or two in the same brand once in a while as Rick Eckert did at Screven and Mason Zeigler did at East Bay in Longhorns.
Michael: If other drivers can win in a specific chassis, it only helps with sales. Just look at how Longhorn sales increased once several different drivers started to win. It spead like wildfire. If more drivers other than Josh Richards starting winning in the new Rockets, you will see some Longhorns for sale and new Rockets on the racetrack. That’s the nature of the business.
Richard: Another thought that came to my mind while talking to a number of drivers during my trips to Golden Isles and Screven over the past couple of weeks was that of racing on a series, particularly a national series. I heard several drivers say that they were just going to see how things went during SpeedWeeks before making a decision as to whether or not they would follow one of the big national tours. If all went well and they emerged from Florida highly placed in the series standings without a lot of torn up equipment, they would likely follow a tour. If not, they would likely race closer to home during 2016.
One thing that I have heard over and over again from drivers who reside within a four to five hour drive of this area is that there are enough races to be contested around this region to make it worth their while to simply race in Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia and the Carolinas rather than drive all the way to places such as the Dakotas or Nebraska for an event paying the same amount of money as another race within two hours of their shop.
Granted, I know there are benefits to following the Lucas Oil or World of Outlaws circuits such as sponsorship being tossed their way and “show up” money being paid. Still, the tracks around here are stepping up with some pretty good events this year.
I buy a new planner each year and write in all the major Dirt Late Model races. I then highlight those I might be going to. This year I used a lot of highlighter ink on that planner. It can pay to race around here for teams that run well, can’t it?
Michael: I think it depends on what your goals are as a driver. If you are looking to minimize costs, get as many wins as possible, and prefer to stay reasonably close to home, then it is worthwhile to run a regional schedule. This area proves that.
If a driver’s goal is to race as part of the “big time”, I really think that driver needs to run nationally. I say that because I have seen a number of drivers who stick to a regional schedule, but still want to hit several of the big national shows. Since they don’t run at many of these tracks or aren’t used to racing against the top caliber of drivers, they struggle just to make the feature, let alone compete for a win. It seems like when a driver embarks on a national schedule, they learn how to race against, and even beat, those guys.
Now that SpeedWeeks are over, it will be interesting to see who decides not to run a national tour this year. As always, there tends to be a surprise or two.
Richard: Speaking of racing close to home, those competitors who wish to do so will apparently have an option that many were not counting on this season. Within the past few days news came out that Cleveland Speedway would indeed be open in 2016 despite the fact that the track has been removed from some of the touring series schedules that had originally intended to race there.
This track has had a tumultuous last 3-5 years to say the least after having survived bankruptcy court, a change in ownership, and multiple changes in the day-to-day operations of the facility. And currently, the property remains for sale even with the revelation that Mike and Theresa Simmons are taking steps to keep the facility open.
Dirt racing can be a very tough business, but it seems as if this particular venue has suffered more than its share of issues of late.
Michael: I think this is a by-product of the owner not operating the facility himself. It seems like any time a racetrack is owned by a person, but is leased by other people, there is no growth. Anyone that leases a racetrack is not going to put their own money into the facility itself and will take less chances on bigger paying races. That is what I have seen over the years.
While Cleveland has been surrounded by uncertainly over the last several years, nearby tracks have taken advantage of the situation (not in a bad way). During that time, I-75 Speedway was purchased, reconfigured, and re-opened. They have a loyal following because many people know the owners and know those owners will do what they say. Boyd’s Speedway made a move to Saturday nights for a time last season and has also done a number of upgrades over the last couple of years. It is hard to compete against that when different people may be running the show from year to year.
Richard: And speaking of track owners who are fully invested in their own facility, a big event is set for this weekend as 411 Motor Speedway. The Southern Nationals Bonus Series will sanction the $7151-to-win Frostbuster 50 for Super Late Models with racing in four other classes scheduled as well at the Mitch and Tanya McCarter owned track.
Blount Motorsports driver Donald McIntosh has had a virtual lock on this place since taking over that ride. His win in ‘The Hangover’ on New Year’s Day was his fourth consecutive victory on the Seymour, Tenn. track. But before we pencil the Dawsonville, GA hot rod in as a sure winner, consider that a couple of significant changes have taken place that will offer challenges to McIntosh and all other competitors.
First, the Southern Nationals group of sanctioning bodies(Southern Nationals, Spring Nationals & Southern Nationals Bonus Series) recently announced that they have changed their rules regarding suspensions to bring them essentially in line with those of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. And further, a new dirt surface has been applied to the 3/8 mile track since the last race held there.
With these factors and drivers such as Jimmy Owens and Chris Madden among many others expected, it is probably a bit early to engrave McIntosh’s name on the trophy.
Michael: I think any time a track’s surface has been changed, that’s always an X factor, especially when it’s the first race to be held on it. New surfaces tend to be a little rough the first time or two out. We’ll see how well McCarter and staff can get the track into shape without it coming apart.
I’m of the opinion to go with the driver that has a streak at a particular track until someone beats him there. I’ll stick with McIntosh to win this one. But if anyone can knock him off, it would be Madden. He wins his share of races in this area.
