By Bob Gangwer
“Lookin’ Out for the Little Guy”
(Reprinted from Wailing with Wing Side Up LIVE internet radio show)
Oswego, NY 03/09/09…..The other day after listening to our president talk about how we need to look out for the average guy, I got to thinkin’ about guys in supermodified racing that don’t always have the most or the best. I think to a lot of the guys that I’ve helped out through the years. Beggin’ borrowing or well…maybe not steel a tire but, ok maybe just find one could be a theme song for many of the low buck guys. Come to think of it, probably most of the teams these days are looking to do silly stuff to keep racing, including taking out a second mortgage.
When this all started there were certainly the same types of things going on. Racing at all costs, bar nothing get to the track, it’s not so new. I think the thing that has changed a lot though for the little guy who has nothing but desire is the differences in purse versus costs. When the supers got going really strong, races like the International Classic paid an astronomical amount of money for the time period. Even finishing last paid a good deal of cold hard cash. You had other big shows like the NESMRA events in Florida, the supermod spectaculars at Heidleburg, and of course the Ohio State 500 as the DIVISION got going strong.
Back then the all-mighty dollar went a heck of a lot further. Guys were running basically stock blocks with maybe some tricked out injection. Sure there were crazy wild combos out there and Shampine sure set em on their ear with the radical offset, but think about what we had then and what we have now. I remember Jim Shirey telling me that when he won the Crumpton Nationals at Kalamazoo Speedway back in the day that he did it with Goodyear tires that had three races on them and an engine with basically off the shelf Chevy parts. That 5 grand he won was a ton of money then. Today, it’s still not a bad payday but when you’re now spending upwards of $1,500 in tires and $200 for a drum of fuel for a weekend you can see where the purse if it’s stayed the same hasn’t kept up with the rising costs.
For the well funded teams, it’s not as much of an issue. You gotta figure that there is always gonna be teams that run up front and barring any catastrophic events will most likely take home the spoils. Now for the little guy, he’s not figuring on rolling up to victory lane, he’s hoping that he just finishes or even makes the show. With some sanctions that probably means $800 to start and others $500 or less, I don’t think you have to be a genius to do the math here and figure out that the little guy has already lost some money.
Now I’m not talking about anything that has been discussed in a million and one bench racing sessions or at promoter’s workshops here. But my take is this; we are still able to keep guys going in the supermodified DIVISION because we have rules. A few of you are already probably saying “Here he goes again,” well, only kinda. I’m not going to get into the rules thing right now. What I want to say is that if don’t have good rules where the average joe can still build a lot of his own parts, then that profit to expense margin gets even tighter.
We need to look out for that average joe not only with sensible rules that are enforced, but also with good purses that not only create excitement with money up top, but ones that have a good money to start the show, because anymore, I think there’s more little guys than big dogs these days. We can’t just leave it up to caring fans who buy a tire here and there or throw out a Franklin because they care. Money is tight we all know that. I’m saying let’s take a look at spreading the money out from top to bottom afterall it’s always more fun for everyone if you cover both ends.
What do you think? How can we help the little guy? Leave your comments below!
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