Forum: SCRAFAN.COM Forum (go)
Moderators: ljennings

Ok, now that the Oval Nationals and the Western World are over I have this question: why did the CRA guys get spanked so bad? It seems to me that ever since the National guys started coming out here with their own cars, the local CRA guys get whipped on a regular basis. Even the 50 car, which is arguably the best car in the CRA, was totally uncompetitive this year. Are the National drivers that much better or is it the equipment? Perhaps there is some other explanation. I'd be interested to hear people's opinions about this.

Historically, the talent level of the West Coast vs the Midwest rises and falls. Fact of the matter is, right now the Midwest has more talent than the West Coast. Why is that? In the past, the talent raced near their homes and it was pure luck that one group would have better talent than the other at any one time. Now there's an economic component. The USAC National series are viewed as a path to higher racing series like NASCAR Cup whereas the West Coast is only a path to USAC National. Because it's closer to the top, it draws the better talent. The USAC National series has multiple teams that employ multiple full time employees. You can probably count on one hand the number of full time racing employees that work for West Coast teams.

I would like to point out that 2nd, 9th & 10th in USAC National points are from California/Arizona. USAC is an Indiana based organization but only 2 people in the top 10 in points are from Indiana.

That makes sense, Rich. I guess it just hurts to think that it is so because I am a die-hard partisan when it comes to "our" guys. I like to think that they are as good as the National guys but maybe they aren't. It was very discouraging to see them perform as poorly as they did.

I'm not sure why the California boys had such a bad Western this year but a lot of the National guys who you would have thought would have a better showing didn't have a good weekend either. The AZ drivers did well as usual,1st, 6th, 7th, and you guys know that the 75x car of Sherman and the 2az of Shuman are local cars, so you can't say it's the equipment. The two California drivers who run the National series and are in the top ten in points were no factor either night and we watched as top drivers from both series were being lapped even on Friday night.

The CRA, SCRA vs USAC is dead! A fifty year tradition went down the tubes when USAC came to town and stayed. A lot of what RichCee said is right on about some of the young guys and what they are looking toward for their future and they do have good rides but the Western on the big half is about talent and balls, and a fire to win.

The fire is out, CRA has lost there identity and along with it some of that fire. I'm 59, grew up in Torrence, Phoenix, than back and forth and around and have been a CRA fan all my life....

Just my opinion....Kenny

Half the lies they tell about me aren't true. 

Kenny is correct in his post. Let me add that Coons Jr., Sherman, and to a lesser extent, Shuman have a lot of laps on the 1/2. They have a deep book of notes which to draw on.

What a battle for several laps between Coons and Sherman for several laps. Also class of Coons to appologize to Sherman for contact late in the race.I think that is the most slide jobs I've seen in a single race!

Ther was a lot of talk about tires in the pits on Friday. Lots of teams had trouble with them.

The Little Red #50 may have a lot of Championships out here on the West coast, but has never won the Oval Nats. Names like Argo, Gaunt, Ripper, and Jones( in the car he won in) would not have been in the winner's circle if it had been a National points race all along. Our "boys" just cannot compete with factory backed midwest based teams when it comes to the "big $$$" A-main's.

Wondering what "factory" it is you speak of?

I think the biggest reason that the national guys are spanking our guys is track time,most of the national guys run a sprint car,midget and local shows and probably race 80 to 90 shows a year where our guys race 40 shows a year.Thus those guys are a lot more on their game.

As Rich states a lot of the young up and coming drivers from the west coast are migrating to the mid west and racing instead of racing out here because of the exposure they get back there,plus they can get twice the experience in one season versus it taking a couple of years out here to get the same amount of seat time.

I don't believe equipement has anything to do with it,there's just as much top notch cars out here as what the national teams bring.

JayP, You asked what factory support that ImissAscot was talking about,can you say Chevrolet and Dodge.

I agree with everything Rich & Terry have said. I think it also comes down to the fact that the National guys run a bunch of different tracks, dirt & paved, large & small. Different types of cars as well. Midgets, sprints & silver crown in some cases. The CRA guys for the most part run sprints only, on dirt only, & the vast majority of their races at one race track. Just some observations.

Seat time is way overrated. All the top drivers have the right stuff, they just don't have enough desire or incentive if their not winning.

Well, if you don't stand on the gas and win races, you're gonna get fired"
-Sammy Sessions

i will tell you what i think it is ., when you are sponserd by tony stewardt you drive so hard to win so what if junk the ride you have no buget . a new car is waiting for you. if you dont win they find some one who will win AT ANY COST. they dont care who they put on thir heads,in the wall,or in the hospital. tony will pay the fine . we all out here have to work on monday. sorry about my spelling i am 2 old care.

TSR didn't even have a podium on the Western swing. In fact, the winners were not really big-time teams. The Trucker's team won about five shows all year back in the Midwest. Hockett won two shows all year. BK had a terrible year. I think the National guys are just more on-kill now than in recent memory because the competition is so stiff.

At Manzy, the Hoffman team showed what they can do, even though they are out-spent by the big-money teams. Darland's team is small but stout, and Dave drives Manzanita as well as anyone. Hockett is one of the most underrated drivers in the country, and while he has great equipment, they don't have limitless money and his crew is small. Bud always seems to show up for the money shows...

I'd say the results of the Western races shows what is so great about sprint car racing. Money does not rule all. Countless teams could roll in and get the job done, given the right combination of brains on the wrenches and a badass in the cockpit. If you have seen Sprintweek or any other National show this year, you know the intensity level right now is downright crazy! Manzy and Perris kicked ass this year!!