Any crate racers here yet?

[Chris Steele]

I know I am not the only one here from www."the other site".net :D

[racer68]

Will be next year after I get the car together.

[billetbirdcage]

I think after they figure out alot of the techies have come over here they will follow suit.

I think the crates are a great stepping stone and for the most part can't due anything but help LM racing in general. It allows people to get it a try with out have 50,000.00 in a car to see ifthey are any good or even like it. To be semi competitive in a super you need: Used car 8500.00 and a good used all alum engine will run you around 18,000.00 and throw another 1500.00 for a drysump system and your around 28,000.00 to just get started. Where the crate you at 8500.00 and a 3000.00 or 5000.00 engine, additional parts are the roughly the same for either car. So 28,000.00 or 11,500.00/13,500.00 looks like a better way to get started.

It gives the supers someone to sell a one or two year old car too.

Running a super weekly just doesn't seem to work very well as the tracks have a hard time paying a purse that is required to run an open engine. Around here 750.00 to 1,000.00 to win is all that is available, hard to run a open motor to that. Where the crates purse is reasonable for the cost to run one.

[racer68]

billetbirdcage,
Some of the tracks around here in Ga, and SC are paying
$700-1000 to win a weekly show. I think average is around $500-600 to win at almost all the local tracks.

Chris would know more about the pay around here.

[Chris Steele]

The pay around here is good

I-77 (SC) $800 to win $600-2nd $400-3rd $300-4th & $250-5th
Gaffney $800 $600-2nd $400-3rd $300-4th & $250-5th
Riverside $800 $600-2nd $400-3rd $300-4th & $250-5th
Thunder Valley $700, $500, $300, $250 & $200 I think, but talking about going to $1000 to win.
Antioch $600 with one a month paying $1500
Carolina $500
Lancaster (602 only) $500

[Chris Steele]

I think after they figure out alot of the techies have come over here they will follow suit.

I think the crates are a great stepping stone and for the most part can't due anything but help LM racing in general. It allows people to get it a try with out have 50,000.00 in a car to see ifthey are any good or even like it. To be semi competitive in a super you need: Used car 8500.00 and a good used all alum engine will run you around 18,000.00 and throw another 1500.00 for a drysump system and your around 28,000.00 to just get started. Where the crate you at 8500.00 and a 3000.00 or 5000.00 engine, additional parts are the roughly the same for either car. So 28,000.00 or 11,500.00/13,500.00 looks like a better way to get started.

It gives the supers someone to sell a one or two year old car too.

Running a super weekly just doesn't seem to work very well as the tracks have a hard time paying a purse that is required to run an open engine. Around here 750.00 to 1,000.00 to win is all that is available, hard to run a open motor to that. Where the crates purse is reasonable for the cost to run one.


The crate racing has really drove the price of a used late model up. Good for Super teams when re-selling their cars!

[coletrickle]

I am here, Are you going to the fastrack nationals Chris?

[FlatTire]

I could adjust to the crate concept a whole lot easier if the 602 was the only option. The 604 just seems overly priced for me to accept a crate engine. You could buy a lot more motor for the price of a 604. I saw on the Stormpay website that almost all of those guys run the 604. Does the 602 do well against the 604? Why don't they just mandate the 602, afterall the theory behind the crate latemodel concept is to produce a cost conscious class?

[racer68]

I don't know the answer about just mandating the 602, but the reason most over them run the 604 is to get the % right on the car. If the driver doesn’t weigh 150lbs then it’s almost impossible to keep the car close to 2200lbs and get the rear % right. The 604 has a little advantage on the bigger tracks, but I don't see much. I still think the 602 is the better money conscious decision with the 604 cracking so many retainers and dropping valves. You can get 1 new 602, 1 used 602 for the price of 1 604. Another reason most of the series drivers have the 604 is to get the most power available to go to such a diverse size of tracks. ¼ mile to 5/8 mile.

Chris will know more on the subject I'm sure.

[Chris Steele]

I am here, Are you going to the fastrack nationals Chris?

Yes, we will be there with our 602!!

[Chris Steele]

I could adjust to the crate concept a whole lot easier if the 602 was the only option. The 604 just seems overly priced for me to accept a crate engine. You could buy a lot more motor for the price of a 604. I saw on the Stormpay website that almost all of those guys run the 604. Does the 602 do well against the 604? Why don't they just mandate the 602, afterall the theory behind the crate latemodel concept is to produce a cost conscious class?

We went to the 604 at the beginning of the season for the very reason that racer68 said...the extra HP and percentages. After dropping valves on two different occasions, we bought us a new 602 last week. We borrowed a 602 and ran it two weekends with great sucess. I wish it were all 602 engines like you said, first for the cost and secondly for the reliablity. The 604 is better on the bigger tracks, but the 602 is just fine for 3/8 and smaller tracks. Check out our results from the last two weeks and last year when we ran the 602 against 604's at www.chrissteeleracing.com . I don't think we will buy another 604 for a long time.

[Metal Chip]

One more crate person present and acounted for. Like BILLET said had to follow the techies. I have learned a lot from just reading the posts in the tech section. It's not often you find people that put out as much effert to help other people as BILLET, ROCKET, and CHRIS do. Keep up the good work it is appreciated.

[billetbirdcage]

Most things that apply to a open LM do to a cratealso, just be sure to say it is a crate if you are asking a tech quuestion as it does make a difference. A LM is still a LM to me no matter what engine is in it.

Not everyone can afford to run a 25,000 engine for the purses that are available from weekly LM racing. I can't see it doing anything but help LM's in general. While they won't replace Open LM's it does give others a chance to try it without going broke just to get started and will (in the long run) allow more people to make the jump to Opens.

[pinionangle]

Well what if im a "spec" racer and soon to be part time "crate" racer? where does that leave me? :-D :-?

[billetbirdcage]

Most likely: busy swapping motors!!! LOL!!

[Metal Chip]

But at least you will still be racing

[Chris Steele]

BROKE!! Just kidding there Richard, LMAO!

[pinionangle]

Ohh heck guys I was broke BEFORE i started doing this....Now I've got other people broke with me!

[racer68]

I think we were all broke when we started doing this. Now we are just broker ;) if that is a word. If it's not just ask some racers and they will tell the meaning of broker.:-)

[dirt sandwich]

Present Just came over. I had to follow you all. You have passed along some good info.

[wilder11354]

Hell was broke before i got a LM, now content being broke!!!!