OvalRacin Message Board

A-Mods Rumor

Posted by Richard Johnson on June 17, 2013, 8:22 pm

There was a rumor brought to my attention about the A-Mods being dropped from Napa Speedways dirt track. This is totally false and untrue ! Charlie Fagan is commited to all divisions growing in car counts and this surely includes the A-Mods. Yes were short on car counts for this class, there are cars out there that hopefully see that the track is here to stay and that they will put them together and continue racing.

Re: A-Mods Rumor

Posted by Truman on June 18, 2013, 7:28 am, in reply to "A-Mods Rumor"

If a class CAN'T put on a "stand alone" event, they should NOT be on the schedule until they can . To let them run a heat & a main with 4 cars COME ON NOW.

Re: A-Mods Rumor

Posted by Bob on June 18, 2013, 12:31 pm, in reply to "Re: A-Mods Rumor"

I agree that a class that doesn't have at least 8 cars in the main should not be run. I too enjoy watching the a-mods but not with so few cars.

Re: A-Mods Rumor

Posted by K Seals on June 18, 2013, 1:17 pm, in reply to "Re: A-Mods Rumor"

A promoters conundrum for sure.

Are they the first three cars of a soon to be healthy division or are they the last three cars of a once thriving class now in decline.

Know this; no one will build another A mod if their intention is to support the local scene if the local scene has been canceled.

Kudos to the A mod drivers who return to NAPA each week to support the class and those that join them from the X mods to help as they can.

Re: A-Mods Rumor

Posted by gguinn on June 18, 2013, 1:43 pm, in reply to "Re: A-Mods Rumor"

Rumor I heard was different all together; I heard it wasn't the track that suspended the A-mods but the drivers. As I heard it they were not going back until the surface was properly fixed and proven. I guess they are tired of destroying their cars on the tracks sub-par surface, and something about being shorted laps. Rumor has it that the whole "club" discussed it and decided it was best for them, of course I don’t know who would have ran such a meeting since the clubs president was fired by the track? Either way rumors are just rumors until race day, like HH will re-open someday, or that 3 Street Stocks are allowed to blatantly cheat, or that new racetracks are being built by people all over the city/state, or new/more clay is being put on Napa, or that some X-Mods are following suit with the A-Mods, again just rumors until race day proves it…

PS....

Posted by Richard Johnson on June 17, 2013, 9:24 pm, in reply to "A-Mods Rumor"

If things go right, should have new clay on for the July races. Charlies on the hunt as we speak. Hang in there !

Re: PS....

Posted by Joe S on June 18, 2013, 12:29 am, in reply to "PS...."

Richard, I love the A-Mods as much as anybody, but they have simply priced themselves out of most racers' budgets! You ran that class for years, you know what I'm talking about! And Napa running 6-7 classes every week can't afford to pay them what it will take to put 16-18 cars out there every week!

Re: PS....

Posted by Richard Johnson on June 18, 2013, 5:27 am, in reply to "Re: PS...."

Your right Joe, i love the a-mods and we had a blast running them for years, i do think that their is several reasons for the low counts, but i do think that for a local program we should have at least 12 cars. We never really had a group of guys that really traveled across the state or into other areas in the past, I remember when it was only Butch and i that would go to all the big shows at the end of year and pre-season shows. Still we had a good count locally. We cant compare ourselves to usmts guys or Las Cruces top dogs, but we can have a good local group, its been shown before, but who knows...

Re: PS....

Posted by Joe S on June 18, 2013, 6:39 am, in reply to "Re: PS...."

I think once tracks started the X-mod or Sport Mod class, the decline of A-Mods was almost immediate. Once the motor claims went away the class got Super expensive!

Re: PS....

Posted by Richard Johnson on June 18, 2013, 7:56 am, in reply to "Re: PS...."

Joe, the claim deal wasnt really effective since the Smith's had DCR. The Chuck Jackson days we had lots of cars, HHS we had lots of cars. All the a mod guys we had are all not in x mods, so there is still plenty of growth opportunity with a mods, it just needs a person to lead the way.

Re: PS....

Posted by K Seals on June 18, 2013, 7:38 am, in reply to "Re: PS...."

Yes the cost of A mods has been steadily going up over the years.

Those are not the $350.00 claimer engines we ran back in the nineties.

As an example if you go back and look at the rules, the sport /X mod is what an “ A” modified was a twenty years ago.

But think about this; an A mod is nowhere near what it cost to campaign a sprint car yet there is twenty five + sprint cars in the metro as we speak and more on the way .

It must be more than just cost effecting car counts.

Richard managed to put together a class of nearly three dozen cars in 2007/2008 using a set of rules that where somewhat unique to our area and economy. This despite the global economy was in a nose dive and diesel fuel was nearing $4.50 - $5.00 a gallon.

Ask yourself this- what is trending in Las Crucas? Are car counts on the rise, stagnate or declining.

That may give you an idea if this is a national issue or a local issue.
I have said this on here much times. Never underestimate the effect of a stable race track on car counts.

Las Crucas has been an oak over the past who knows how many years.
The Albuquerque area – not so much

Lets hope Charley can bring some of the success he built running the nationally televised Lucas Oil / IHBA to our little corner of the desert.

I bet that will impact car counts in an upward way

Re: PS....

Posted by Joe S on June 18, 2013, 2:02 pm, in reply to "Re: PS...."

Kelly, you do know that Napa pays the Sprints $4,000 per show, how many A-Mods would that bring out every week? But we both know that will never happen...

Re: PS....

Posted by gguinn on June 18, 2013, 2:48 pm, in reply to "Re: PS...."

Joe, a few things... 1. NMMRA negotiates for a purse, no other class has a strong enough club to do that. 2. NMMRA really is out of venues, too expensive for Aztec, SNMS has their own sprints for weekly events, Grants no insurance, Gallup & HH closed, Carlsbad, Eunice, Napa, and White Sands are all they have left. Since I haven’t heard of anything at Eunice or Carlsbad, then that leaves only two, so if they make that much per race boy did they make out like bandits. You could have offered far less (and I would have) and they would have taken it or been parked and only ran in Tularosa. It's not everyone else’s fault they have their $hit together... And let that be a lesson to all drivers, form clubs and negotiate for your own purse, but be prepared to travel or not race as a class to get what you want! A speedway without cars is just a pile of sand, clay, and broken dreams, you want more YOU have to make it happen…

Re: PS....

Posted by Joe S on June 19, 2013, 2:37 pm, in reply to "Re: PS...."

Gary, not slamming the Sprint cars at all. Just stating that if they weren't getting the Purse they were getting their Car counts would drop fast!

Re: PS....

Posted by gguinn on June 19, 2013, 3:49 pm, in reply to "Re: PS...."

I don't think the car counts would drop; I think they would just disappear as a group. That is the number one thing I respect about the sprints, they live and die as a group, like a biker gang, they are the 1%ers of New Mexico dirt track racing. They stick together for the good of the group, because good for all is good for the one too. It obviously works and makes them $4000 a night!

Re: PS....

Posted by Richard Johnson on June 18, 2013, 4:06 pm, in reply to "Re: PS...."

Funny, seems not long ago people were crying about no place to race, now theres a place and people are still crying ! We know theirs issues out there, but who wants to man up and help make solutions ! ....Thats what i thought, if drivers are trying to recruit people to go other places just remember what you wish for. Thats not helping anyone, sounds like to these are the guys who cant run up front and are making excuses. Lets give Fagan a chance, hes only had a short time to do what he needs to do, lets let him finish.

Re: PS....

Posted by mychal on June 18, 2013, 9:53 pm, in reply to "Re: PS...."

Coupons anyone...?
How quickly we forget.
Worst race this year...better than the best from last year.
Fegan INHERITED a bunch of bad stuff courtesy of the prior regime.
Track surface being the biggest issue...
First couple shows track held up well.
Last week NO dirt track in the country would of held up from that sandstorm.
We wanted to race...
I wish Waltman/Fegan could of found common ground,Bill worked his azz off to help rebuild the A mod class..
Thanks for trying.
People now threatening to go to Grants.
Best surface in the state,the improvements they've made are amazing...that place is a blast.
....I'll be home from the USMTS show in Amarillo Sat. Before they finish running the features @UCS.
...this is our last "best" chance gentleman.
You can't fix 2 years worth of crap overnight.
...and the guys trying.

Whole buncha clay...
Would fix a whole buncha problems.
I think it'll happen.

Re: PS....

Posted by Richard Johnson on June 19, 2013, 8:35 am, in reply to "Re: PS...."

Nice Job...

Re: PS....

Posted by gguinn on June 19, 2013, 10:28 am, in reply to "Re: PS...."

If anyone does in fact leave I don't think it will be for good. As the surface improves, rules become enforced (these are in black and white after all), and the focus turns from quantity to quality, I think whatever was lost will return with new cars to follow.

Re: PS....

Posted by Richard Johnson on June 19, 2013, 11:01 am, in reply to "Re: PS...."

I choose not to get paid from Charlie to help out, but this is the positive responses we need. Thanks Gary !

Good Stuff!!! :)

Posted by jamesh on June 20, 2013, 9:02 pm, in reply to "Re: PS...."

Howdy Richard!
Good stuff to read brother

Thank you sir for squashing the rumors.
Rumors tend to be "Fun Suckers"

Comments like you have posted can help keep MANY racers in ALL classes for OUR local track inspired about NAPA Speedway!!!

Good Stuff for the Heart...

Napa Speedway is ONLY gonna improve in my opinion.

Richard and Anna did an outstanding job of running the Modified class at HHS. They are Rock solid people in my book and with folks like them continuing to support NAPA its bound for success.

I hope everyone is doing well and God Bless Ya

James Hodgdon

Re: Good Stuff!!! :)

Posted by Richard Johnson on June 21, 2013, 8:00 am, in reply to "Good Stuff!!! :)"

Thanks James, we had good times at HHS and the last few years at DCR when Jackson had it. Im not involved with the divisions as we once were, but working with Charlie i think things will get better, remember this is his first season. Good hearing from you James, see ya out there soon !

Funny thing is....

Posted by mychal on June 21, 2013, 9:53 am, in reply to "Re: Good Stuff!!! :)"

Last asphalt show...
Grand total of,
4 A mods
4 X mods
On a 1/2 mile track.
Talk about something needs to be put out of it's misery.
Nobody says a word about that deal...

Re: PS....

Posted by james lynch on June 18, 2013, 7:21 pm, in reply to "Re: PS...."

Well said richard

Re: PS....

Posted by Johnny g on June 18, 2013, 4:44 pm, in reply to "Re: PS...."

Hey Richard I tryed to man up and volunteer as tech and was fired for not doing it the way they wanted me to. I found multiple cars very illegal (witch are still running). I was told that if it wasn't in the motor it wasn't a profamce advantage then why did napa make a rule book. It should be "run what you brung". I watched the new tech guy this weekend wave the cars on that did come in to tech didn't even look at them or tech of any kind and I was fired for being lazy. The track is running the people off that wants to help racing and this track succeed the most good luck but karma always comes around.

Re: PS....

Posted by Richard Johnson on June 18, 2013, 9:14 pm, in reply to "Re: PS...."

Sorry Johnny, i dont know the whole situation with you and tech, i gave the old sheets i used to you and then you were gone, so i dont know and didnt ask. I really dont want to get involved in that. ( teching cars ) I do know the track does need to get things under control, and i believe Charlie will. Maybe i'll have to get more involved.

Re: PS....

Posted by K Seals on June 18, 2013, 3:10 pm, in reply to "Re: PS...."

Without starting a firestorm over sprint car versus modified payouts -

Yes, more payout should generate more cars

(With the Cruiser class being the rare exception)

I say should because at HHS the Super Late Models were paid what the SLM club felt was fair market share based on far more cars than they could hope to provide at the early start of the season.

The thinking was (both HHS management and the SLM club) that the stability in the purse would cause other owner / drivers to join in the class. And that purse was agreed too and paid from opening night on.

(A little ironic twist: The twenty + modified were none too happy about the agreement. And they had justifiable grounds not to be)

There were several nights when the SLM car count fell below the eight they started out with. Thanks to a few folks traveling into HHS from surrounding areas the class started to show signs of life and ever so slowly a few cars were added but the local contingent grew at about the same rate as some folk parked them.

I know there are some generalities in my example but I think I make the point that money does not always directly translate to car count even when it is fair market and guaranteed upfront without a minimum car count clause.

A few years past a dozen or more “A” mods would travel to Grants and put on some edge of the seat racing. I am pretty sure Grants was not paying out $4k per night.

I am thinking there are other factors besides just payout at play here.

Re: PS....

Posted by mychal on June 18, 2013, 9:58 pm, in reply to "Re: PS...."

Kelly,
Best post in this entire thread.
And,
You're spot on about "other" factors being in pla in regards to the A mod deal.

Re: PS....

Posted by Richard Johnson on June 18, 2013, 7:51 am, in reply to "Re: PS...."

Graet post Kelly, i still think a local a mod deal can work, just need to do it the right way. No reason for a least a mid-teen type car count.

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