[QUOTE=mr south 59;159194]Well Scott, I guess I can understand where you’re coming from if you “got a guy”. I don’t roll like that. I got a friend that’s “got a guy” that can get Publix meat at half the sticker price. He buys it all the time. I won’t. Would you Scott???
I have to disagree with you on the fuel. A 55 gallon drum of Standard 110 cost $599.50 plus Shipping or the expense to go get it. 55 gallons at the race track at the last super race at $9.00 a gallon was $495. The highest this year was $10 at a super race. Which is still $50 then what a 55 gallon drum goes for. And we were already there. There is no expense to obtain it at all. And 55 gallons won’t last two whole weekends when you run a super late model. So the math just doesn’t add up unless you “got a guy”. You were losing anywhere from 1 to 2 dollars a gallon plus shipping or transportation. Not to mention having hundreds of gallons of fuel around your shop.
And then what happens when your local track changes fuel vendors and they say you cannot run brand XXX at their track anymore. And you’re sitting on 220 gallons or more of XXX fuel that you can’t even run at your track. I guess that’s the risk you don’t mind taking.
Again, not to mention the cheating on the fuel. It is much easier to compare fuel sample against the track fuel sample to test for its legality. You just take a sample out of the pump. You check for color and you check with the fuel tester and if it doesn’t match the sample it’s illegal. No questions asked. Then you don’t have people bickering about, I bought my fuel from Jim Bob and it’s different in the fuel that he bought from Billy Joe. It’s plain and simple everybody runs the same fuel and everybody’s matches the fuel sample at the racetrack.
And for the tires. More power to you if your getting tires “from a guy” cheaper than cost. I would be a little suspicious of the source of those tires. I would be a little worried about taking those barcodes to certain race tracks. I’m always worried about those guys that come up to me in the parking lot trying to sell me a home entertainment center below cost and I really worry about the guys that tell me they can get brand-new unused race tires for less than what you can buy them for anywhere else in the state. Again something just doesn’t add up with that.
But I will ask you just like I ask Matt. If you could tell me where to get the stuff cheaper I would really like to save a dime. And the stuff can’t be hot!!!
Like I said. Unless this is your last race ever, having to buy a mandatory 10 gallons of fuel and a set of tires is something you are going to need. Maybe not this weekend but sooner or later you will need it. And FYI, if you were buying it cheaper than what you can buy at for at the racetrack something probably isn’t legit. If it is legit, Scott, you should not have a problem revealing his sources for these below cost tires. I’m betting Scott source doesn’t have a website.
I really just want to hear Matt’s answers to my questions. I will wait to hear of Scott’s sources before I decide if his post is legit or BS. I don’t think I’ll hold my breath waiting on the source.
Thanks again
PS. I did the race track owner thing for a little over eight years. I sold tires fuel and parts. I made a profit on every one of them. With my fuel and tire sponsors at the racetrack I could sell fuel and tires under manufacturers suggested retail price to you and most of the time it was cheaper than you could buy them from the fuel and tire distributor. It’s amazing how that works. The track owner can still make money and you can still buy it below manufacturers suggested retail price.[/QUOTE]
My source has had ties to the racing community for multiple generations and is well liked and respected by just about everyone. If you don’t live under a rock you would already know who it is. This being said… like the old days I put my time in helping around the shop, bust my ass on many occasions, built up a good relationship and trust with them. The work I do at the shop reduces my out of pocket expenses. This helps me be able to race. I’m not airing out the name on here, its irrelevant. If you are that nosy…ask around. it wont take long.
I find not trusting sticker tires paranoid to say the least. If they durometer out right, haven’t been treated, haven’t been mounted what’s not to trust? No they aren’t stolen.
it also comes down to me doing most the work at home. I come to a track fueled and ready to run. I try to simplify race day and prepare for it as I’m mostly a 1 man crew, so every little bit helps.
As for the “it is what it is, you cant fix stupid” comment… I have to assume that’s directed at myself. so my response to that is this: you are right, you cant. But I try anyways for the good of the racing community. 99% Of the time its like talking to a dog. They listen, and bark back but not logical or useful come from it.
If something isn’t working… “hey lets keep doing it”.
These are just some of the issues I see hurting local shows.
Much like the spec motor deal, and trying to do away with built motors. Whoever came up with this is in it for 1 reason: greed, at the racers expense. IT WILL HURT CAR COUNT, and my guess is that’s an issue right now. The fact is a lot of us guys don’t have the $16-18k to throw out at a motor, the option of a built motor allows us to build it in stages with our local builders as we have the $, or barter services.YA know…kinda like we used to do when car count wasn’t an issue? What good comes out of mandating the spec motor? They are winning races now against built motors… so it isn’t “leveling the playing field”, could it be someone’s lining a pocket?? It pretty much does away with anyone moving up the ladder into this class. It takes $ from our local engine builders, And don’t shit yourself a lot of these toterhome/stacker trailer guys are asshole in debt and it will eventually come to a head ,so this effects everyone.
Another is the crane cams ignition box being pushed, another useless (other than lining pockets) expense that shouldn’t be an issue.
More sanctions, and forcing racers to spend more $ is not the answer to your car count problem, in fact a logical man would say it is probably what caused it.
We all have to spend a ton of $ to race in this class as it is, why add to it?
and to end this rant (for now)directed at all tracks : by pushing these agendas yes its irritating to myself, I didn’t build the car to sit on stands… but in the end you are doing me a favor by saving me $ that I would be otherwise spending racing at your tracks… for this my wife thanks you.