Dirt track sprint and modfied cars

[Rough Edge racing]

 Last night the bride and I went to Canandaguia NY Speedway about 20 miles from where we live. This is a half mile slightly banked dirt track made famous a few years ago when Tony Stewart was involved in an accident that killed another driver...
  It's been a long time since I've seen dirt tract car racing...The sprint cars there last night are 305 Chevy class making about 400 HP..But what was insane is the 800 HP big block modifieds, flying slabs of sheetmetal. Mufflers are not required on this track,we were sitting about 25 feet from the track on turn four, 6 car heats of 8 laps..The deafening noise, spinning tires throwing dirt into the stands, the odor of racing fuel was quite exciting...Five hours of racing for 13 bucks...

[yogidozer]

Local dirt track racing is the best JMO.
My cousins and I built a Sportsman dirt car for Lebanon Valley when I was younger.
Lots of good memories. Most tracks have multiple classes of racing all for under $20
Lebanon Valley $11 for adults, kids just $2
Orange County Speedway $15, kids just $1
Better than NASCAR w/o the drama

[John A]

I agree, it's a great way to spend a Saturday . I support local tracks and don't want to see them fade away. Curt Block's dad was a midget racer in the old days. Now they call them 3/4 midgets. Lot of them used 4 cylinder  Crosly or Homelite marine engines. Curt had one of his dad's cars that he took to shows where they put on exibition races, not really racing just going around the track. He ran short of engines so he put in T or T3 engine. The other guys complained that he was running too hard. He was not, it just worked so well that he was just walking it around the track passing everything. I would love to see it in a real race but nobody wants to wreck their antique race car. He might take it to the antique power show near Miesville, MN, first weekend in August. I'll ask him and post it if he does

[wymple]

I prefer the late models, myself, but like the open wheelers also. I'm told that Iowa has more dirt tracks than California. 7-10 bucks most places. 15 bucks if the touring hotshots come to town. Knoxville is awesome, with insane speeds.

[Two Checks]

What you think are big blocks may actually be small block strokers.
Go to Devil's Bowl in TX. The Mods there run small blocks. The first number in your engine size better b a 4 or you may as well stay home. They run 8" wide rear tires...and can hook em up on their surface. 5/8 mile track and I see cars carrying the front wheels to the flagstand.
Btw...no firearms allowed...they will he issued at the pit gates!

[Rough Edge racing]

What you think are big blocks may actually be small block strokers.
Go to Devil's Bowl in TX. The Mods there run small blocks. The first number in your engine size better b a 4 or you may as well stay home. They run 8" wide rear tires...and can hook em up on their surface. 5/8 mile track and I see cars carrying the front wheels to the flagstand.
Btw...no firearms allowed...they will he issued at the pit gates!

  Northeast dirt big blocks are allowed to be 467 cubic inches.That's beyond a stoker small I believe. 2500 pounds minimum car weight..

[LowRyter]

I love Sprint Car racing.  It's fast and exciting.

The World of Outlaws runs wings with 700+HP engine.

Most other Sprint Cars classes are 360 CI and are an eyelash as fast as the Outlaws.  I think the best are no-wings- they're not as fast but a lot less forgiving.

[John Croucher]

I went to the Salem Motor Speedway last night.  .555 mile 33 degree high bank oval.  Watch the first Minimizer Bandit Big Rig race to be held on this track.  The drives said they loved it.  Hitting speeds of over 110 mph and average 80 mph lap times. 

This track is famous for being the start of many big name racers since 1947. 

[hauto]

I have a dirt track(Bridgeport,NJ) in my area. Usually go once a summer for a nice/affordable summer night.They usually have the club sprint cars running.They are a hoot to watch.

[Two Checks]

Quote from: Rough Edge racing on Today at 10:55:09 AM

  Northeast dirt big blocks are allowed to be 467 cubic inches.That's beyond a stoker small I believe. 2500 pounds minimum car weight..

Boy thats old school stuff. Kinda like around here they used 1940 Fords with cattle catchers on the front with 427s. The Chevy guys used Vegas with Rats and the lone MoPar was a 440.

They finally progressed into the 70s and use small blocks.

[LowRyter]

2500 lb sprint Car?  whoooaaaaaaaaa.

[oldbike54]

2500 lb sprint Car?  whoooaaaaaaaaa.

 Surely he meant 1500 LBS 

 Sprint cars are the weirdest contraptions ever raced , they won't go in a straight line , they are based on 1940's tech with about 5X the power from then , and if you want to understand just how weird they really are , try getting in the cockpit of one and working the throttle with your heal .

 Dusty

[yogidozer]

Surely he meant 1500 LBS 

 Sprint cars are the weirdest contraptions ever raced , they won't go in a straight line , they are based on 1940's tech with about 5X the power from then , and if you want to understand just how weird they really are , try getting in the cockpit of one and working the throttle with your heal .

 Dusty

they have larger diameter tires on one side so they go through the corners better/faster. they also use an in/out box for a trans.
fastest thing going around the track, useless for anything else.
they can be fun to watch, but so can the "doorslammer" class. they look like real cars, most places run cars from the 60's, and that's a plus.....at least IMO

[screamday]

Loved dirt track racing. Use to go the Santa Fe Speedway west of Chicago almost every Saturday night when I lived in Illinois back in the 70's. Had to remember to keep your beer covered during the race. Loved it when they had the Demo derby and figure 8 racing. Good......dirty fun.

[yogidozer]

Loved dirt track racing. Use to go the Santa Fe Speedway west of Chicago almost every Saturday night when I lived in Illinois back in the 70's. Had to remember to keep your beer covered during the race. Loved it when they had the Demo derby and figure 8 racing. Good......dirty fun.

High bank oval was my favorite track. People sitting in the 4th turn wore diver's masks 

[nbags]

local race tracks  provide best bang for buck,need to support all local track because otherwise they will become extinct  .                  most of the drivers will give a 100% for just a plastic trophy , NASCAR ,NHRA ,WoO,need to take lessons from this drivers.

[Rebochi]

  My Uncle raced Sprints and modifieds in SoCal back in the 60s . As a kid I spent a lot of time at Ascot park getting dirt thrown at me, breathing exhaust fumes and eyeing the trophy girls.



  I am the cute kid

 The Tamale wagon, circa 67

[yogidozer]

  My Uncle raced Sprints and modifieds in SoCal back in the 60s . As a kid I spent a lot of time at Ascot park getting dirt thrown at me, breathing exhaust fumes and eyeing the trophy girls.



  I am the cute kid

 The Tamale wagon, circa 67

Look at those spinner wheels! 

[Rough Edge racing]

Surely he meant 1500 LBS 

 Sprint cars are the weirdest contraptions ever raced , they won't go in a straight line , they are based on 1940's tech with about 5X the power from then , and if you want to understand just how weird they really are , try getting in the cockpit of one and working the throttle with your heal .

 Dusty

 I was talking about modified...Flying slabs of sheetmetal.They differ slightly depending on the racing organization..The Big block versions have 850 HP and must weigh 2500 pounds minimum.They use a single 4 bbl carb not injection like the sprints.. At the 5/8 paved banked track in Oswego NY I believe they run 160MPH.....They have a gearbox and clutch unlike a sprint car.. The night I was the Sprint cars were all the 305 class, about 400 or so HP..The 358 and 410 classes are more insane

     

[yogidozer]

I was talking about modified...Flying slabs of sheetmetal.They differ slightly depending on the racing organization..The Big block versions have 850 HP and must weigh 2500 pounds minimum.They use a single 4 bbl carb not injection like the sprints.. At the 5/8 paved banked track in Oswego NY I believe they run 160MPH.....They have a gearbox and clutch unlike a sprint car.. The night I was the Sprint cars were all the 305 class, about 400 or so HP..The 358 and 410 classes are more insane

     

Looks like a Lebanon Valley car. I know many race both places.
When you say "flying" you're not kidding!

[wymple]

At Donnellson, Iowa, The modifieds will come out of the turn and carry the front wheel not touching the ground down the entire straightaway, finally touching down going into the turn.