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Racing the Wind
by Dave Roberts
The local late models of the paved variety have seen it's better days. In the last two seasons, both Holland and Lancaster had scheduled cut downs on the annual schedule. Holland dropped the class to just three times in 2007 and in 2008. Dunn Tire Raceway, formerly Lancaster, did the same when new track General Manager Ralph Galuzzi took over a few weeks ago. The reasoning was because of the declining numbers in the division. As of this writing, there is a group ready to bring in a more economically based latre model into Holland for the 2008 season.
The LAMOT (Late Model Car of Tomorrow) will run twelve events at Holland this upcoming season. It will consist of crate motor power and a harder compound tire. The series will also have a new shock program that, according to it division founder Gordon Trank, will save the drivers even more dollars.
Trank, along with former Holland race director Paul White, has put together a series that hasn't gotten a lot of ink in the local newspapers or in the pages of AARN. It hasn't even gotten together a roster of it's drivers for the 2008 season. While Trank admits that it'll be along shortly, the series hasn't been accepted by all late model followers.
According to both Trank and White, the new series has taken a lot of abuse on the internet websites, mainly from current late model followers who don't want to see the economic changes that LAMOT is putting forward. It's understandable when you look at it due to the fact that many of those drivers still have equipment that would be no good to LAMOT. Equipment that would have to be sold to those drivers planning on a Lake Erie (PA) Speedway schedule where the existing rules will be run in 2008.
There are two ways of looking at this. The current Late Models seemed to have the numbers. Last season, Lake Erie continued to run with full fields of cars. They also did the same at Holland where they ran three special events. Lancaster did struggle to get good numbers all season long with the season ending US Open putting the largest number of cars in it's pit area. It looks as Lake Erie will once again have a nice field of cars. The MARRA Late Model Series, which ran all of two seasons, drew great numbers but doesn't exist anymore. If this will have any affect on this class is yet to be determined.
On the other hand, the Late Models have been hurting. Holland ran the division for better than 40 years and dropped the class from it's weekly schedule following the 2006 season for lack of numbers. Galuzzi was ready to drop the division completely a couple of weeks ago at Dunn Tire Raceway. Recent discussions is going to give the division a few races in 2008 but they're going to have to come up with the numbers if they plan of staying. The new LAMOT division does have Holland behind them. It always helps when a secure race track is helping support a new division and that might be the determining factor. If LAMOT was to go in without a base race track and have to negotiate for races, they might not survive. Holland General Manager Tim Bennent has went on record backing the new group. Both Trank and White also went on record to say that they had a lot of interest in the new late model division at the recent Holland registration meeting. They both also say that there are a lot of former racers who just can't afford to put the car on the track. They feel that it will give them a chance to come back for lower dollars and race. The division will race for a lower purse but Trank also figures that they'll be able to save money when putting the car together.
The crate motor figures to cost $3000 but that won't be the determining factor. It'll be the ten inch hard compound tires. White figures that most competitors will only have to buy two sets of tires for the entire season at a guestimate of $1000. Trank, who owned the Late Model driven locally by TJ Johnson figures he spent $10,000 each of the last two seasons just for tires.
Can they both survive? I figure they can this season. Trank says that they are not looking to take any of the drivers away from the current Late Model circuit. They just want to bring back some of the drivers who can't afford to drive at the current level. Lake Erie has their own core of drivers. That won't change. If Trank can get 15-20 cars by the end of the 2008 season, it will be determined a success. After the season, who knows. It'll be interesting to see what occurs in September when both sides begin to add things up. Again, I feel that they can both survive but I just can't wait to see the results.
Good luck to both groups as Holland will open it's season on Saturday, May 24. The LAMOT Late Models will be on the card
Ransomville Speedway had it annual pre-season registration last Sunday afternoon and with amazing results. Nearly 90 competitors signed up for the four divisional program Ransomville is offering when it's 51st season begins in late April. It's one of the pre-season signup sessions in the recent history of the Niagara County. In that, the speedway announced that 24 competitors are set up for the track's headlining DIRTcar 358 Modified division with additional numbers to follow before the season begins. A total of 23 DIRTcar Sportsman and 32 Street Stocks have each signed in to compete while thirteen Fireman's Enduro competitors will set up in the pit area. The latter division was at Ransomville for the first time in 2007 and drew a season high 26 competitors. The speedway is looking to expand past 30 cars sometime in 2008. Several drivers within the Modifieds, Sportsman and Street Stocks have yet to sign in making the numbers even higher. With the economy pretty much in the dumper, it hasn't hurt the pit areas of the local tracks. In addition to Ransomville's high numbers, Merrittville Speedway also reported good numbers at it's pre-season signup a couple of weeks ago.
The good news of the Ransomville signup is the new drivers in each division. Merrittville Speedway racing star Mat Williamson will start the Ransomville season and will continue to run here if his luck holds out. Defending Street Stock ace Ryan Susice will not stay within the confines of Ransomville's startup class and move into the DIRTcar Sportsman division. Susice will also run the DIRTcar Sportsman tour as well as Ransomville.
The eldest of drivers at Ransomville in 2007 will continue to run here in 2008. Bill Torrisi, who won the last racing event at Buffalo's Civic Stadiuym in 1959 will start his 56th season of racing. Torrisi has tolled off quite a bit but excited fans last season as the 70 plus year old veteran racer ran to an impressive third place finish in a 30 lap event at Ransomville last June. It would seem that Torrisi still loves to race and that allows him to field a car in the DIRTcar 358 Modified class in 2008. I can't remember the last time Bill actually won a race. His best years came in the 50's and 60's when he was one of the bigger stars in the region. Another driver who will come back in Buffalo's Rick Hoctor. Hoctor could be considered the elder statesman in the pits. Hoctor has been at Ransomville for 35 years racing his familiar banana colored self built chassis. No one has been at Ransomville on a consistant basis as long as Hoctor. Torrisi might be older but has raced both dirt and asphalt over his career. The next driver with the consistant longevity is probably Pete Bicknell, who began racing Late Models at Ransomville in the mid 1970's.
Jesse Contriss will be looking to swing into victory lane once again after getting his first win in a non-winners event at Ransomville last September. The car is owned by Gasport, New York's Buzzy Livermore. Livermore will also have his son Chad in a Street Stock for the 2008 season.
The annual Olean (NY) car show was aagain a smashing success as several cars representing New York tracks Little Valley, Wyoming County and Woodhull along with PA tracks Bradford and McKean County were on hand. The ASCS Sprints also has representatives as well as Gary Montgomery from the Bicknell Racing Products 360 Late Model Series in attendance.
Little Valley will be starting it's 12th season under the leadership of Cattaraugus County Fairgrounds board member John Charlesworth. A local businessman, Charlesworth was the determination behind the reopening of the track in 1997 after an eighteen year closing of the half-mile oval. Charlesworth and the board have successful ran limited a schedule since reopening with the Super Late Models as the headlining class. Charlesworth will again host a eight event schedule in 2008. The place is a class facility with covered grandstands and little maintence needed. Last year, the place ran a limited schedule but rained out three times. The region enjoyed a lack of rain in 2007 but Little Valley could only get five events off the ground last season. When it doesn't rain, it has good fields of race cars with extremely quality competitors. The place pays a minumum of $3000 for a 30 lap Super Late Model feature victory. It also pays well in each of it's other divisions. Each of the Street Stocks event will pay a minimum of $500 to win and even goes as high as $750 to win. Not too bad for the Streets.
The BRP 360 CanAm Late Models will also be returning to Little Valley for two events after a two year absence. Tour director Gary Montgomery has put together a 14 race schedule for his competitors with a home track responsibility as well. In addition to Little Valley, the BRP tour will run at Canandaigua, Cayuga County, Merrittville, Humberstone, Black Rock, McKean County and Woodhull. The ISKY Cams Championship Chase will begin in the last three events on the schedule at McKean County, Cayuga County and Black Rock ($2500 to win) Speedway. It will be the first time the series will have it drivers run a home track in addition to the BRP 360 CanAm Late Model schedule.
Overall, better than 50 race cars and go karts were showcased at Olean.
That's it for this week. Send all news and notes to DRobe72459@aol.com.
Until next time, keep on racing |
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