When the term "dirt Stock Car" is mentioned these days, certain perceptions come to mind: battered, mud-splattered machines running on backwoods tracks before small, rowdy crowds.
But nothing could be further from the truth in the new century; the top dirt Stock Car class, the sleek Dirt Late Models, have made huge performance strides. The model is now one of the most popular of all the Stock Car types. Over the past decade, the class has seen an infusion of technology and national sponsors, and it has grown throughout the United States with a significant number of traveling circuits. But possibly most important, the class has finally made it to the TV screen nationally with a number of races on Speedvision.
There are several dozen sanctioning bodies governing the sport, and the top players are the Hav-A-Tampa (HAT), STARS, and UMP organizations. The rules throughout the sport are fairly standard: Teams are allowed to race with nearly any organization after only minor changes or none at all.
Car-weight requirements are as follows-STARS (and small-block HAT cars): 2,200 pounds; UMP: 2,300; and big-block HAT: 2,400.
A major key to the performance comes from the advanced aftermarket powerplants now available. Most of the series use gasoline with compression ratios in the 14:1 category. A vast majority (up to 85 percent) are Chevy-based powerplants. The carbureted (no fuel injection here), totally aftermarket engines are capable of producing horsepower in the 700-750 range.
Both the small-block (358 cid) engines and big blocks-up to about 430 cid-are utilized. In at least one sanctioning body, a 200-pound weight penalty is added for using a big-block mill.
Major engine manufacturers for these dirt machines include Draime, Malcuit, Baker, Cornette, Custom, Hixson, K-Motion, and Gaerte, among others. Although this has long been Chevy's domain, a surprising number of Ford motors are now making their mark on the track, and Cornette has made itself a prime provider. Also, Ernie Elliott, of Winston Cup's famous Elliott family, has built a number of FoMoCo mills for this dirt application.
Engine location is governed by a maximum four-inch setback behind the No. 1 spark plug. Many drivers feel that the engines are capable of 1,000-1,500 laps before a major teardown is necessary.
Transmissions are of the two-speed persuasion, and just about everyone uses either the Brim or Burt brands. Rearends are now Sprint Car-style quick-change units coming from either Franklin or Winters.
There is major competition right now for customers among the chassis manufacturers. The chassis are about 80 percent common between the manufacturers, but the other 20 percent that has been tweaked can make all the difference in the world, and the racers know it. These high-tech frames are fabricated of chrome moly and provide considerable driver protection in the case of a serious hit. Major chassis manufacturers include Warrier, MasterSbilt, Shaw, GRT, Rocket, Swartz, and Rayburn.
With all that technology hiding inside, the bodies themselves are surprisingly generic with their slab vertical sides and flat tops. Discussions have long been held about making the cars more stock-appearing to improve brand recognition. There has been some movement in that direction recently with stock-appearing fiberglass nosepieces now being widely used. The older, more aerodynamic scoop noses can still be used, but in many organizations it will cost you an extra 50 pounds of lead to carry one.
The rear end of the car is completely open, allowing air to flow freely through the car. The open rear end is part of what gives the Late Model division its unique look. Downforce is provided by the rear-deck spoiler (usually eight inches maximum height).
A new, top-gun Dirt Late Model car will set the average racer back about $55,000. Most of the cost comes from the powerplant, which is in the $26,000-$30,000 range. Dirt Late Model builder C.J. Rayburn explains, though, that an entry-level car can be purchased for as little as $20,000. Once you get started, the biggest recurring cost comes from having to freshen up the powerplant at certain intervals to remain competitive. The frequency of these updates depends, of course, on the pocketbook of the team owner and how gently the driver treats the machine. Tires will also take a big bite out of the budget.
Like every other racing series, finding the perfect setup plays a huge role in how quickly these dirt rockets can get around the track. Shock and spring companies are constantly coming up with new products to help dirt Late Model racers keep the rubber down. Dewayne Ragland of Bilstein Shocks says that teams are getting involved with ideas like finding roll centers that usually had been left to the higher-level racers, and they are beginning to realize the importance of finding the right shock/spring combinations.
Coilover shocks are now the way to go with these cars, although it still isn't hard to find new cars being rolled out with leaf springs. Drivers note that the coil cars are much easier to turn. There isn't, however, much of a choice available to drivers when it comes to tires, since many of the major sanctioning bodies mandate a specific brand of tire.
The popularity of this style of stock car racing can be measured by the increasing number of high-dollar races, highlighted by the annual The Dream race at Eldora Speedway, which pays $100,000 to win. And October 2000 at the same western Ohio track, the unbelievable will occur when Eldora pays an astounding $1 million to the winner of a dirt Late Model race! This is not a misprint, and it certainly shows the competitive nature and popularity of these low-slung haulers.
So if you're a racer looking for the best competition you can find in the dirt, this may be just the place for you.
Driving The DreamThe highest-paying Dirt Late Model race in the nation for a number of years has been The Dream race, held annually in June at Eldora (Ohio) Speedway. The prize is $100,000.
The seventh version of the classic race took place this year, and veteran Freddy Smith won the event for the second time. Up until that point, there had been six different winners. A mind-boggling 157 dirt Late Models showed up to race, all vying for the big payday.
The race this year, along with the World 100 race in September, served an additional purpose of testing for the unbelievable Eldora Million race in October. That's right-a million bucks to win a dirt race!
A quick walk through the pits revealed that nearly every driver had a different strategy to claim the 100 Ks that were being offered-and to prepare for the million-dollar race that follows. Darrell Lanigan, runner-up in the '98 The Dream race, says he plans to look at the event as "just another race. I try not to put any pressure on myself."
2000 The Dream winner Smith says the biggest hurdle to winning the million-dollar race will be making the 24-car starting grid. "I think I will have learned about the way the track reacts from The Dream and World 100 races. You can bet that we'll be giving it our best shot," he explains.
Davey Johnson also looks at The Dream as a way of testing for the million-dollar race. "I think I'll be calm, but we sure haven't ever seen this kind of money, that's for sure!"