ASCS / WoO and $$$

Over the past year or so I’ve looked into the costs of racing 410 versus 360 sprint cars in depth and from a financial point of view more and more I can’t understand why so many owners are electing to race 360’s. The costs are basically the same other than a 360 engine will save you some rebuilds throughout the season. Now that the season is underway for the World of Outlaws and ASCS we’ve been able to see how many teams plan to run both series’ full time.

As of my count there are 17 drivers trying to run the full 63 race ASCS schedule. Gary Wright, Jason Johnson, Brady Bacon, Tim Crawley, Jack Dover, Tony Bruce Jr., Brad Loyet, Logan Forler, Seth Bergman, Wayne Johnson, Johnny Herrera, Dustin Morgan, Zach Chappell, Derek Hagar, Matt Covington, Aaron Reutzel, Austen Wheatley. Keep in mind ASCS lost last season’s champion Shane Stewart and Jeff Swindell.

The World of Outlaws has 10 full-time racers. Joey Saldana, Donny Schatz, Steve Kinser, Craig Dollanksy, Kraig Kinser, Kerry Madsen, Chad Kemenah, Cody Darrah, Lucas Wolfe, and Bill Rose. Most races will have 4 or 5 part-time teams. Sammy Swindell, Jason Sides, Stevie Smith, Brad Sweet, Brian Brown, Terry McCarl, Shane Stewart, and you can throw in Tony Stewart as well.

ASCS will run 63 nights for $4,000 to win and $400 to start.
WoO will run 75 races that pay $10,000 to win and $800 to start.

ASCS team based in Tulsa, OK would travel 19,109 miles for the season.
WoO team based in Indianapolis, IN would travel 26,620 miles for the season.
Difference of 7,511 miles, which is approximately $4,000 in diesel fuel.

ASCS lets teams change tires any time you push off (there goes your fuel savings).
WoO makes you run one tire all night.

ASCS charges more money for pit passes and to draw your pill. Do more people think the “draw” format is more fair than qualifying? Suddenly that 6 invert in a dash race with the WoO doesn’t sound so bad. For what a team would save in engine rebuilds with a 360 motor, you could recoup that money racing with the WoO, higher purses, cheaper pit passes, and no pill draws. So why are more teams racing with ASCS?

MY CONCLUSION: People race to win.

You want to compete against the TSR and KKR teams of Kinser, Schatz, Saldana, Darrah, and Sweet, and throw in Sammy most nights…. then get your butt handed to you on the PA swings? Most teams would struggle to stay in the top ten. Or would you rather roll the dice on a pill draw and try to win a handful of races a year?

I look at my local track at Knoxville. Why else would there have been 20 cars racing in the 305 class for $400 to win at the end of the 2011 season? It’s not like they were there to race for milk money. I think most people decide what to race (when it comes to traveling a national series) where they think they can WIN within the budget they have. Whether that is a go-kart, hobby stock, modified, late model, or sprint car. But I still don’t understand how you can make a profit from being a full time race car driver. Not without sponsors.

The chances of all 17 ASCS teams making all 63 shows are slim. I don’t want to sound like I’m bashing the ASCS or 360 racing, because I love those races like any race fan. I’ve driven a few hours out of my way to see those shows in my day. But I just don’t see how from the money end of it that many teams can survive.

At some point, the 410 organizations are going to have to find a way to get motor rebuilds from 8 races to 20 plus, because if they don’t 410 racing is going to die a slow death across the country. I think John McCoy and Knoxville Raceway are on to something with this 435 LS engine. Hopefully more people see the benefit of using it soon.

Whatever it is Emmett Hahn and ASCS is doing, it seems to be working. He has more cars racing for less money with just as good of a product on the race track in my eyes. You might not see Steve or Sammy at those shows, but its good racing. I’m just glad there is room for both right now.

Knoxville season preview is coming soon….