2007 Mod Tour schedule

[Tower Man]

Totally unofficial here. However, I think the top 10 in points will draw out of a hat first. Then everyone else. Yes out of a hat, or the tin can. Details have not been worked out and that is all I can say at this time.

Could change.

[Ace]

If that happens Tower Man, or anything similiar to how they will line up in the heat, then I must say the LOCALS will have a legitimate chance to take down a win. It sure beats lining up by points and having the LOCALS start last in the heats. Here's to the TOUR.

[btgoss]

I think all of the concerns for this Flash format have been brought up in this thread.

How many cars show up? You need at least 48 cars for it to be interesting. I only attended one tour race last year, but I do not recall 48 cars. Does someone have the real number?

Where do these cars come from? Again, from my one tour race last year, and as has been mentioned in this thread, will the locals support the race? That is a lot of racing for one night, right in the middle of the season, against guys who most likely spend/prepare more... can you blame them for parking the car that night?

Then that line-up. Pulling numbers sounds like a good idea, but I have to doubt it. I think we are going to see a heads up start, 50-50 in each race, with any locals being broken up the same way based on track points. So. This makes taking in a tour race or two BEFORE Riverhead an appealing thing for a local, you get points for just being there, you could help your home track advantage with a qualifying attempt at Stafford or Thompson to start the year. Just a thought.

I really wish we could just go with a World of Outlaws style for our events. But I know that is not going to happen.

[W. J.]

My car count at the 2006 WMT race at Riverhead was 46 Modifieds. If anyone feels that 2 60 lap/23 cars heat races isn't going to be exciting, then by all means, find something else to do that night. I'll be at Riverhead.

[LongIslandJam]

I got to say the format is a hell of lot more exciting than bland time trials (sorry Jones, I'll know you'll disagree with me on this) and a 200 lap follow the leader race.

Now its going to be racy throughout heats and the shortened race, and that's how I like it

I think this is going to pave the way for our Riverhead regulars, as they are used to short distances and should be able to show what they got this year

Thumbs up!

[btgoss]

I guess we could go as low as 40 cars... if they are good cars... and it will still be interesting... I am just very cynical about this format... seems like smoke and mirrors...

The pointer sister's get broken up into two races, they start straight up, and the locals have to work through them to get to the front... No matter how you look at it this is a better deal for the tour guys... they stand a much better chance of running away and hiding from the locals with this setup...

I still say the best thing is time trials, and 3 mains, c,b, and a. Just like the outlaws... the A main is 50 laps. The c is 25, the b is 30. Now that would be fun. Lock the top 10 from time trials in, but have a trophy dash for starting position... that would rock...

[W. J.]

Yeah, but if done like the Outlaws, the A-Main would go off in front of empty stands around midnight, A.) because it takes so long to run the other events, B.) Because everyone knows the polesitter in the A-Main is going to win the race over 95% of the time, so why bother to stay up late? Talk about long, drawn out events!

[btgoss]

That is the rub isn't it... the polesitter winning the race most of the time (I'm looking at you Riverhead Handicapping system.) More often than not, if a fast car starts up front, it is going to finish up front. That is the whole point of these "flash" events.

For the tracks that are "undesirable", you get as many of "your" guys away from the "rabble" as possible. This is the format... again, I am being a cynic for purposes of having a discussion. I think in modern times there isn't much that can be done that is going to give us a fair race for the tour guys and the locals... but since there are very few locals, I guess it doesn't matter in the big picture.

This could be a very big year for the Modifieds. Nascar appears to be placing some juice behind the class, and the Toyota Challenge should be huge, but it looks to me that Nascar is trying to make too many people happy with this deal. I'll still be there to see it... but I just don't see what they are going for...

It sounds like they want to cut the races shorter at the bullrings... well this is still over 100 laps of racing, that isn't such a cut... So then the next thing is they want the car counts up, but they are not really giving the local guys a shot... I just don't get it...

[The Bullfather]

I hear your complaint Boss, but this is the best of the best of the modified tours out there. Most drivers pick WMT over RoC and TVMS, it the challenge and exposure it gets. For one night a year we get them out to Riverhead. This is going to be exciting racing and the cream always rises to the top. We have good modifed drivers on Long Island, some raced or are racing on the tour. Who knows Riverhead better in short distance races? Our guys. But I get to see real racing, 2 heat races that almost all out and 70 laps of feature, that just might be go for the goal or relax and let the rest of them wreck! lol It going to be a great night, one night this year at Riverhead.

[BOWATCHER]

I just hope they let everyone who makes the feature use new tires and not stay on the same rubber after the heats. Another problem I see possibly is impounding after the heats? The first heat squad could have 60 laps to work on their cars. I hope it all works out.

[W. J.]

I just hope they let everyone who makes the feature use new tires and not stay on the same rubber after the heats. Another problem I see possibly is impounding after the heats? The first heat squad could have 60 laps to work on their cars. I hope it all works out.

Not to mention that impounding would give an advantage to 'heat cycling' the tires to the cars in the first heat race!

[Mod134]

I read earlier today on the NASCAR DWS site that both Spencer and Chemung will be a part of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series in 2007. Perhaps John White's tracks could run a WMT race next year?

[TruValueRacer]

Bowatcher, what's the big deal if they start the feature on 60 lap tires? The feature is only 70 laps. Now add that to 60 laps you get 130 laps. The features are usually 200 laps and they don't come in for tires, do they?? No they don't, plus it will be more in the driver's hands, plus it would be more affordable for everyone. Just my opinion. Quit giving them new rubber, let them run on the used tires. Wanna see the tour grow even more and get more cars, have a limit on how many tires a race. If the TrueValue and ROC series can do it, why can't the biggest tour do it??? TrueValue does 12 heat race laps, then a 100 lap feature; all green flag laps, no cautions. Meanwhile, on the tour, hard laps, but cautions count, so 200 lap feature at Riverhead, 70 laps worth of caution laps thats only 130 hard laps on the tires. Run a 150 feature at Thompson, get 20 caution laps, that's 130 laps, plus they pit for tires, so there's no way the teams have to be buying so many sets of tires. So plain and simple, limit the sets of tires so they can run 130 laps on a set of tires. I say start 'em with 60 laps on the tires!

[BOWATCHER]

TVR
I understand where your coming from with your tire curfew. I simply think that it would be another boring race. My reasons for that are If they use the same tire it will become a mirror driving/points chasing fiasco. Being that a Tour tire is much different than the Sat. night special tire, it will require adjustments all day. With that being said, quite frankly, anyone hanging on, whether it be a reg. or a tour, for those last spots, will definitely welcome fresh rubber to make it an all out exciting night from the front row all the way to the back row. JMO!

[Tower Man]

Many of the tour races have a tire limit. In some instances there is a zero tire rule. In that case they get flats and bouncers at the discretion of the official in charge. Riverhead was alweays a zero tire race, unless they were flat.

The fans will see 190 laps of racing 2 @ 60 and one @ 70. Anything can happen in 60 laps. It will look like the old Blunderbust heat races. Survival of the fittest.