Z28#107

..... amongst F-body owners and/or Corvette owners, hopefully to be held at Lakeland Motorsports Park, an 1/8-mile drag-strip just-off Exit 38 of I-4, possibly beginning in early '08?

TLewis4095, myself, and some Corvette-owners hope to begin a monthly, model-specific Series, so we have a place to race our cars against like-minded people:
we recently had a Corvette-only Series, and are looking to find a track that will allow more to join us.

We have found interest from a few Corvette-owners, and would like to approach LMP with a proposal to host 4 different Series to be run the same day:
a Series for Corvettes, F-bodied cars, Mustangs, and MoPars.

We feel the more people who show-up for races, the more-likely the track will host our events, so please mention this to your friends (even-if they DO drive 'Brand-X' ), and post your thoughts and comments here:
TLewis4095 and I will consider all options before proposing this to LMP Management.

TLewis4095

iTrader: (10)

This will be an opportunity for those that do not know the science of bracket racing to get some good tips & lessons, we will offer the training free.

Red 69

This is an interesting proposal that I will watch develop. There is no-doubt that you guys will do a top notch job in running the proposed events. Glen has been very helpful getting this novice driver started in bracket racing. His advice has used good logic and made sense. This is hard to find in a testosterone driven world of wheels where bigger is better. I would urge anyone with a car and interest in drag racing to be there. Glen's pre-race instruction made my first pass feel like I was a seasoned driver. It was way more fun swapping the TV for a seat behind the wheel and real time action.

1FST99Z

iTrader: (9)

i would love to go. I need a driver mod anyways so with more practice maybe that would help.

Red 69

The computer is the great equilizer in bracket racing. It doesn't matter if you run a 10 second car or can only manage a 19 second pass. Cut a good light and run your number. Like Sam Colt's pistol, the computer makes all men, or should I say cars equal. It sounds easy, and anybody can do it..... right, so make plans on testing and improving your skill at LMP.

Razor_Blade

iTrader: (8)

I would be interested, but it would have to be run on Sunday for me to make it every month. I work every other Saturday.

BTW, That's a beautiful 2nd gen you got there. Is it a 79?

Z28#107

Since we wouldn't want a schedule that would conflict with the Summit Points Series that is contested at Bradenton Motorsports Park or Orlando Speed World, we will have-to wait until both tracks finalize their '08 schedules to avoid racers missing races at any of the 3 tracks:
we 'tentatively' would like to run between 10 and 12 events a season, approximately once-a-month.

Currently, we are told that Lakeland Motorsports Park doesn't have any scheduled bracket races, just test-n-tune and occasional 'Gambler's Races', where anybody can run against anybody, with the 2 Finalists taking the pot:
these are usually on Saturday evenings, and we are thinking that if we can get enough racers, LMP Management may open the track around noon, to let our Series get-in, do our thing, then leave to make-way for the regular Saturday night crowd
(of-course, I'd think you could stay and make more test-n-tune runs that evening after purchasing another Tech Card )
but nothing is firm at this time, we are just trying to see if there is enough interest to pursue this idea further with LMP.

Yes, it is a '79 Z28, one of the first 3 of that model year into the Pittsburgh area in October of '78:
it stickered for $7209, I drove it out the door of NiCK Chevrolet in Tarentum, Pa., on 24 October of that year, and it has under 28,000 miles on the clock.

phoenix

iTrader: (6)

well you know hey have been doing this challenge at countyline dragway for about 5 6 months now, and its a lot of fun! i try to make every meet.

ERIK@MASPORT

iTrader: (32)

count me in

Villain281H

iTrader: (5)

Great idea guys! Plenty of TNT'ers always want to move to the next level, but against open headered race cars in footbrake can be a bit intimidating at times. Best of luck getting it together, although I'd opt for a better instructor than Tracy Lewis Maybe I'll make a trip in the Firebird for one...

Derek

Z28#107

Thanks for the reply, but what is really-needed is for anybody involved to bring their friends, and their like-minded friends, to make this happen:
the more people who are interested in racing makes a bigger car-count, and that makes this idea appealing to the Track Operators at LMP.

If anybody knows of Mustang-owners, or MoPar-owners who'd be interested in having their Series, please inform them:
when a Corvette-Series was formed at Lakeland a few years ago, the Staff at LMP was very easy to work-with, and if we get-enough interest from all involved soon-enough, we'd like to talk with the track, and possibly start racing in early '08.

Z28#107

Basically, any car that can meet basic NHRA/IHRA foot-brake rules (no delay-box, or air/electric-shifter, etc. ) could compete, as-long-as it meets basic safety regs (long-pants, closed-toe shoes, legal helmet, etc. ):
open-headers, slicks, and forward-facing hood-scoops would be OK.


I'm sure you are kidding about Tracy Lewis' 'instructing' abilities, as he fields some of the best cars & drivers out-there in Super Pro Eliminator, competing for big-bucks across the land:
with our meager purses, it's doubtful any of those drivers would want to compete against us.....

This would be an excellent opportunity for those gear-heads who've never bracket-raced to get involved, learn about the sport, and experience the fun of competing with their cars in a legal-setting:
if we can schedule our events on open-dates at surrounding tracks, you could even begin racing at other local facilities in the Summit Racing Series.

Villain281H

iTrader: (5)

Yes I'm joking hence the smiley. Ask Tracy Lewis who I am, and he'll tell ya I've been around the bracket racing game for a few years...

Caveman

iTrader: (2)

This sounds like a great idea, there is alot of Fbody , Corvette and Mustang guys in Cent FL that like dragracing. LMP has always had good track prep , just some other issues this past year. I would certainly be there.

Z28#107

..... and that's why TLewis4095 about a Series like this here on the Forum:
we had a Corvette-specific Series at another track, but they chose to not-include us in their '08 plans, so many of our members thought LMP wouldn't mind having us.....

We still need to have a contact with Mustang & MoPar-owners who'd be interested.....


Any-suggestions?



I know that LMP gave a group of Corvette-owners a sweet deal in early '06 about hosting a few Corvette races there:
here are a few pix I snapped while casing the joint in Feb '07 -

TOWER


SNACK-SHACK


SCORE-BOARD


DOWN-TRACK


It is possible the track's 'other-issues' may be resolved, because I noticed that the plywood, hand-painted sign is gone, and in it's place is a 2-sided, glass-encased lighted sign, with a Funny Car on it alongside Rt. 33, with the words 'LAKELAND MOPTORSPORTS PARK' on it:
I live about 8 miles away from the strip, and I will stop-by there in the near future to see if anybody of authority can discuss this matter in further detail.

gator's 99TA

iTrader: (2)

i would be interested but why lakeland?

Z28#107

'another' track had hosted a Corvette Series for several years, but it had been constantly plagued by car-counts of 15-20 cars:
we proposed this idea of having 4 separate Series compete in '08, but they said they'd want all 4 to compete together, and we'd need an undisclosed amount of cars before they'd decide if we'd be allowed to continue scheduling events.

When a Corvette Series was started at LMP in early '06, that track charged $10 entry fee, and $20 for each Tech Card, but gave the $20 back to the Series Directors to distribute in pay-out however they wanted, and let the Series run their events however they wanted, didn't care-about car-counts, and gave them preferential-treatment (i.e. - let 'em make time runs whenever they wanted, run Eliminations whenever they were ready, etc. ), within generally-accepted safety rules & regs, until LMP had 'issues', and closed-down for '06 in August of that year:
many of the die-hard Corvette-racers from the 'other' track wish to continue racing, and had competed in the Series at LMP, so when we were told we'd not be included on the schedule in '08, we decided we'd approach LMP with this idea.

Combined with the fact that LMP is about centrally-located between Tampa & Orlando (located right-off Exit 38 of I-4 ), if we can schedule our events when other tracks aren't having Summit Points Series events, we feel we can attract as-many racers as possible from Sunshine Drag Strip (Clearwater ), Bradenton Motorsports Park, and Orlando Speed World on their off-weekends, making for a Series that both racers and LMP can enjoy and profit from.

gator's 99TA

iTrader: (2)

fair enough explaination! i would love to see this move ahead and will support it

Razor_Blade

iTrader: (8)

Keep us posted. It sounds like fun to me. I've never done any 1/8 mile bracket racing.

Z28#107

..... it's a hoot!!!!!


While you may-not experience the 'speed' you would in 1/4-mile racing, from a competitive-standpoint, 1/8-mile bracket-racing is much-tougher (less time and distance to cover-up mistakes, like a poor RT or spinning ), but it is much-easier on your equipment, and it will make you a better bracket-racer:
'some' good 1/4-mile bracket-racers are good 1/8-milers, but all 'good' 1/8-mile racers are GREAT 1/4-mile racers.