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

I read with interest the thread for the plea for help by Chris Kearns for the West Coast 360 teams to band together and help him make the series thrive. There were some interesting responses by different parties. I also noticed that nobody made any mention to the Emmett Hahn interview on Wind Tunnel just a few nights earlier.

In that interview, the announcement that Silver Dollar Speedway will start running by the ASCS rules package in 2011 was mentioned. With the understanding that SDS is 5-6 hours north of Santa Maria and Hanford and the fact those cars run with wings (unlike the WC 360's), one thing is a given to happen............

With this move, given the large number of sprint cars in Nor-Cal, ASCS will develop a stronger presence in California like never before. With the "Northwest" region already running under the ASCS sanction in Washington and Oregon, the addition of California cars running by ASCS rules is only going to bolster the ASCS presence. With all the chatter I read about different places running under different rules thus making things difficult at best to attract cars, the move by SDS and ASCS will solidify sprint car rules and gain car counts. (SDS will still run 410 sprints).

In a nut shell, in due time, the choice will be either join in with the majority of those running by the same rules or sit still and watch the others leave one behind. For those that didnt see the interview, here is the link. The mention that Silver Dollar will run by ASCS rules starts on the 3:40 mark.

http://www.speedtv.com/video/popup/626068775001/595125382

Another ASCS Oklahoma cheerleader.

"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza"  -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS

Not exactly shaking poms poms there Trip. Just made an observation that nobody seemed to mention the Emmett Hahn interview by Dave Despain. If you view that interview again, it was Despain that brought up the fact that the ASCS rules package would be inserted at Chico then Hahn just acknowledged it.

This is HUGE news because with all the sprint cars in that area, the ASCS presence will spread like a wildfire. For anyone to think otherwise, well, they just dont understand (or choose to ignore) the ramifications of this move. Once such an ASCS presence is established up north, you can bet the farm that in due time the movement will work southward. Im not saying that Perris will abandon 410's for 360's, but the stabilization that ASCS brings in the way of a rules package will make a southward movement more likely. Remember, there was a day that nobody ever thought that ASCS 360's would run at the PAS. Of course, that has happened and dont be surprised to see more of that in the future.

Call my post cheerleading if you wish, but the intent of the post was to point out a major news development in the sprint car industry.

The lack of response to this news speaks for itself.

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

KOP, don't speak for California from your Az perspective where there are maybe 30 total cars remaining. The Northern California winged 360 scene is a different situation. Watsonville (Ocean/Taco) has 35, Petaluma has 25, Chico/Placerville has 35. Of all of these unduplicated cars maybe 10% are already ASCS. Most teams have 2 engines so, in this economy you expect these people to eat their instantly worthless open 360's to go and spend $35K on one new ASCS? Look at any Ca. series and look to see how many teams are running 100% of the races? Damn few, and that is because of money. If you obsolete 90% of the engines here you will lose plenty more. Obviously Handy forgot the old rule "If it ain't broke don't fix it".

As for Ventura if you think Jim Naylor is even going to consider the switch you are mistaken. He has a working formula that does not need to be "saved" by Hahn. Your "wildfire" will not touch him.

Lastly, Perris has its own problems and replacing the So-Cal traditional 410's with the Hahn cure will have an even more negitive effect on attendance. A lot more people than just turn4Rob will stay home. Force ASCS on the PAS and these will be the good 'ol days.

Listen to Trippy, he is correct once in a while.

John

Now that you have been dressed down by the self appointed guru of CA.- AZ. sprint car racing, your assessment is probably on the money.

Grady

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how the hell did i get in this fight??

ROB

BTW I feel strongly both ways

Spoken like a real politican, BTW what office are you running for in November, Rob?

"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza"  -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS

I'll be checking green cards at the gate for the fair board.

ROB

Do that and the Sprint Car races will have a bigger crowd than the fair itself.

Mike Brown

What our friend KOP fails to mention in his report about California Sprint Car racing is that promoter Chris Kearns had a choice between ASCS and USAC and chose USAC last year for his 360 West Coast series. Also ASCS scheduled three 360 races at the PAS and due to reasons unknown to me had their last race cancelled. Reportedly Jim Naylor @ Ventura also had a choice between USAC and ASCS and decided to remain independent with his VRA series and has plans for a midget division next year. Did we miss something here?

So while Handy may have plans to go with the Oklahoma series at both of his tracks (Placerville and Chico) it hardly seems like a wildfire for ASCS in the Golden State (see ihatebush's response above). When it comes to California sprint car racing this state has historically remained independent when it comes to its race tracks, car owners and drivers. ASCS's move into Chico just adds to the puzzle and by no means will lead to a wildfire for the Oklahoma based sprint car organization.

KOP (who writes a very informative racing blog for Hoseheads) should stick to reporting on Oklahoma ASCS sprint car racing and keep his public releations spin for a race organization he clearly loves out of California. Every time ASCS places a wheel into the Golden State you can bet the ranch that KOP will be right behind the move with his public relation posts, on both the Norcal and SCRAFAN message boards, praising ASCS. It happened when his beloved organization scheduled three races at the PAS and I am sure it will happen again the next time Emmet Hahn appears on Wind Tunnel.

KOP should read surfnsprint's recent blog about the state of sprint car racing in Central and Southern California. Only then will he begin to understand the independence of the Golden State.

"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza"  -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS

Interesting comments by all. I sense that some of you are taking my posts as if to say that ASCS will take over the So-Cal racing scene thus pushing the non-wing 410's aside. Allow me to clarify a few things:

1) My heart and preference for sprint car racing is non-wing 410's. As with most of you, I grew up a non-wanger and am proud to be a fan of such to this day. If I could wave a magic wand, USAC and ASCS would be one large group racing nothing but 410 non-wing sprints in all the areas both race today. I'd like a million dollars in my savings account too so there ya go.

I also work for a regional 'winged' 360 group here in Oklahoma called the "Oil Capitol Racing Series" doing PR work and hold a position as a series official. I missed one of our own events this summer because I NEVER miss the 410 wingless show at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City. If I had my preference, the OCRS would be a wingless group, but it can't because the teams in this area want the wings and counts would suffer if such a change was made.

2) The PAS (Donnie K) wants to keep wingless 410's both for today and in the future providing they continue to put the track in the black. We all know that. I also wish for that to be the case. The mere fact that that the PAS and ASCS ran races together was an attempt to see how both the track and the So-Cal fans took to the series. Kind of a test of sorts if you will. My meaning about ASCS making some movement southward in the future is to be "In Addition" to 410 racing, not as a replacement for them.

3) As for the comment: "If you think Jim Naylor is even going to consider the switch you are mistaken", I NEVER said anything about Ventura. Anyone you knows even one-tenth of anything relating to So-Cal racing knows Naylor is doing just fine like he is.

As I previously stated, my post was to simply point out a "news story" that developed. I placed an opinion along with it and it seems it was taken as an advocation to replace non-winged 410's with winged 360's. I can assure everyone that isnt the case at all.

That said, I still stand by my crystal ball that ASCS will indeed have a major role in California in the future. The impact I expect wont be an overnight triumph, but it will happen. There is room for success for both ASCS winged cars and 410 non-winged cars to thrive in California.

Now, who exactly will sanction those 410's in the future will be interesting to see.

As a fan I could care less who sanctions the races, as long as there is racing I will be happy. My concern is that this type of racing fails, it would appear that if all concerned would work together it would become stronger imho.

Grady

PS the sanctioning body must pay the drivers and teams the amount they tell them they are going to get paid (Tony Jones)

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PS the sanctioning body must pay the drivers and teams the amount they tell them they are going to get paid (Tony Jones)

For the record Grady, the dispute between Jones and USAC was in 2007 and Kevin Miller was not involved with USAC at the time - Rollie Beale was the president.

"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza"  -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS

Bob

I understand that the current regime was not in place when Tony was told what the Points Champion was to be paid, my point is that an obligation is just that. As a businessman if you make a obligation to someone and before that promise is kept you sell your business does that promise go away, there are people that think it does but I'm not one of them. In this case the business wasn't sold only new management and imho this debt should have been paid even if USAC just gave him a annuity to cover the shortfall would have been better than the way it was handled once again this is just my opinion.

Grady

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Sorry, my bad.

"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza"  -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS

Can't say I disagree Grady.

"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza"  -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS

If there was ever a bigger fan of SCRA than John, I'd like to know who. God only knows why he moved to Oklahoma though, but you know that living in Cali can make us do some strange things.

The turnout of local cars, or lack of when ASCS showed up at Perri's was a pretty good indication that another corporation like USAC is not something that the S Cali sprint car owners are jumping up and down about. That said, Perri's can try to shove it down your throat, and might, and if that happens it will be war of sorts between the new USAC 360, CRA/USAC and ASCS. Throw Ventura into that mix and who loses? Sure, I can see the cooperation between those two, just like they did for the Western World last year...none!

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