Crate Motor Class

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by Michael Beard

Cheating is cheating. Sounds like your circle track's problem isn't the crate motors...

I do agree with your "NHRA Stock Eliminator already has more than enough classes." post, Alan.

I agree that cheating is cheating. That was a response to how great crate motors have been for circle track racing. At the circle tracks, crate motors were brought in to reduce the amount of tech inspection required and "level the playing field". Track operators decided that if the crate motor had the bolts in it, it couldn't be cheated up. It has not worked out that way. I know racers who have been DQ'd over an aftermarket distributor module (no rule against it in the book) when racing against engines everyone knew were cheated up. But you could see the module without removing a "tamper proof" bolt. That is a common thread throughout circle track racing. "Sealed" crate motors have increased cheating and wrecked the playing field, rather than what they were supposed to do.

The problem with more and more classes is that you cannot be everything to everyone, it cannot be done. What you end up with is a circus, and racers and race fans come to race a race or see a race, not a circus. Eventually, the racers and race fans leave, and the circus fans get bored with that particular circus and go look for another one. Thing is, all the racers and race fans have all gone on to something else, so then the racing dies off.