In the 2000 season, Eckert...
In the 2000 season, Eckert raced his #24 machine in 65 events, won six, and collected $220,000 for his efforts. Not his best season ever, but a good year by anyones standards.
Eckert moves by Thomas Ware...
Eckert moves by Thomas Ware during the 100-lap STARS finale at East Bay on his way to the win and $30,000.
Eckert normally runs a Ford-based...
Eckert normally runs a Ford-based engine, but a Chevrolet powered his orange machine at East Bay because it was the end of the season, and that was just the best of what we had left at the shop, he says.
STARS- and UDTRA- sanctioned...
STARS- and UDTRA- sanctioned races allow driver-adjustable brakes. The crank on the bottom left allows Eckert to bias his brakes front to rear as the track changes during the course of a race. There also is an electric line lock that allows the driver to completely shut off his right-front brake, allowing him to pitch the car into the turns even harder. If you see Rick at a race, dont pick on him about his Care Bear (right, slightly behind the steering wheel).
Eckert describes East Bay...
Eckert describes East Bay as a track thats good for passing and keeps its traction most of the night. On his Hoosier-shod car, he was running 10 pounds of pressure in the left front and right rear, 12 in the right front, and eight in the left rear.
For this race, a Chevrolet...
For this race, a Chevrolet mill was strapped into the car. Eckerts regular engine builder is Jack Cornett, who operates a shop out of Somerset, Kentucky. This race winner boasts 430 ci fed by a mammoth four-barrel Holley carburetor and runs on gasoline.
We shot Eckerts car...
We shot Eckerts car on the afternoon before the second night of racing began, and racing damage from the previous night had already been beaten out of the slabsided car. The white adjustable strip on the bottom has only been installed on this side of the machine. Eckert needs the extra ground clearance on the right as he broadslides the car through the turns.
A four-link rear suspen-sion...
A four-link rear suspen-sion is bolted to a Rocket chassis. Notice the setup has the shock mounted rear of the axle on the right side (see Demystifying the Four-Link, p. 66, in our Tech Focus section for more information) to get extra traction to that wheel. Eckert says he runs the shock behind setup in about 90 percent of the races he runs.
Instead of a double A-arm...
Instead of a double A-arm front suspension setup, Eckert uses a swing-arm system by Afco that allows for easy adjustments in toe, caster, and camber. Afco shocks also hold things steady. Eckert says the new-style racing shocks, which are double-adjustable with split valving, can save race teams a lot of money. The units replace the need to carry an entire inventory with many different valving combinations.
In the world of Late Model dirt racing, there are a couple of big-money weekends worth marking on the calendar every year. One of those is the Renegade STARS season-ending event at East Bay Raceway in Tampa. This tiny 1/3-mile clay track, tucked away just out of town, put up more than $100,000 in total prize money for three days worth of racing. The big night was Saturday, when 30 big ones went to the winner.
We caught up with Eckert while taking in all the fun at East Bay, and the Pennsylvania driver was good enough to let us have a look at his car. Then darn our luck if he didnt bring home the big money on Saturday night. Hey Rick, get rid of the Care Bear lucky charm youve got in the cockpitjust pay us to follow you around all season!