With the rising costs of fuel and traveling expenses, me and my dad are considering running our Short Track Truck as a Sportsman on our off weekends, or simply, the ones we cannot afford to go to. We understand that there are a few things that are not right by the rulebook. I am here to discuss this with the few
members that we have on here.

The VERY fast Short Track Trucks run very comparable laps with the very fast Sportsman at Dixie. I do believe the best fast time at Dixie last year for a STT was 17.40-45.

I have a few things to wonder... and I'll list them out.

1. CHASSIS/SUSPENSION - Our chassis are 100% legal as they are, GM Metric 108.1" wheelbase cars. The only modification done to my chassis inperticular is the rear clip. We have a fabricated rear clip 3" forward of the rear axle centerline which is legal by DMS rules, however with being 108" wheelbase, DMS Sportsman must weigh 3300 lbs. The STT weighs 2850, pre/post race. Also, Our lower control arms are stock, as is our spindles, ball joints, sway bar. The only negative I see here is that we're allowed tubular upper control arms, and DMS sportsman are not. I know why this could be an issue as you can +/- you're mounting points, however in the rulebook it specifically states that you can re-locate the mounting points. Can I ask if you can move the mounting points, why arent you allowed to just weld in a solid plate in your correct position that best suits you -- and use a tubular upper control arm. I know many of the drivers are having a hard time finiding stock control arms that are in good condition, espically with these cars getting scrapped. I'm looking at it this way, you're spending $35-50.00 for a new control arm if you can find one, + $30-50 for polyurethane/steel upper bushings each time you bend a control arm. Thats $65-100.00 PER side. You can get a SET of tubular control arms WITH ball joints for about $120.00

3. ENGINE - I have a Ford 302 engine, in a GM Metric chassis. I don't see anything in the rulebook about engine must match chassis make, but I wanted to make sure here and see what others think. We in STT must run a stock headed (casting) no strokers, stock cranks. We produce good power for what we have, however, we are at 9.5:1 compression, and anyone will know that these engines will not compete with the 358cuin engines that are out there now. Not with a 302 being at 3200lbs anyways.

4. BODY - As mentioned I have a STT, therefore I have a fiberglass truck body, would this be too "extreme" or will it be OKAY considering the Ford Drive/Power train. 2004 Ford F-150 if anyones interested.

5. IGNITION - We are allowed MSD Pro-Billet distributors with MSD 6AL ignitions. I know this would likely have to be changed, but am laying it all out there on the line for all to read who are involved with the DMS Sportsman class.

6. EXHAUST - We have a 3" exhaust tubes with cross over (not 180*) headers. I noticed 2.5" was the allowed clearance.

The reason I'm posting this is because of the mentioned post by another member here on another thread stating that the STT's shoudl be allowed to run at 3000 lbs. Persaonlly, if my truck was ready (and will be before the year is out) I would have NO problem running DMS as a Sportsman, and like I mentioned up above, with the cost of everything now days -- this might be our choice for the future as well.

I am in no way trying to stir the pot here, just asking general questions.

Thanks
-Kyle.

Don't change a thing and run Berlin instead! To bad it's still quite a haul at todays gas prices for ya!

Our current plans are to compete in the truck division, but the reality of it all is -- prices of fuel (unleaded/racing) are just getting too out of hand.

I love competiing with the truck series, and will continue to do so until our budget says no. I think everyone on this website would agree that things are just not going to change. I'm not a "wealthy" team by any means, but am I the poorest, probably not.

I just need to do whats right for me, and instead of racing, racing, racing and then becoming so dang broke we cant do anything, I'm looking out for the future, because I know if I want to continue racing (with my own equipment and me driving for myself) that I need to make a plan for the future, and cutting the travel from the STT series would create enough money to be be able to go 35 miles down south and still race and be OK financially..

Thanks!

I say go for it, it would add to the show.
the only thing is it might open up a can of worms unless they put in the rules differentiating truck/car.
some people argue about any thing odd, just think what would happen if you came out and won?
its a tough one, but I'd call the track and ask, why not?
when the trucks ran on the same night we did
the track times were close as i recall, and didnt you race once with us?
good luck

didnt mike let you run last year with the sportsmen....or was that just..a tune in session....

It was our first night out with the truck 1 week prior to the STT show at Dixie.
I used it as a test/tune for the following weeks truck race.

Kyle ask Lyle Busch for a loan

Of all people, how did I know you'd be the one to bring up Kyle Busch?

I think 3000 lbs is more than fair, perhaps a little much.

No matter what some people will complain, there were complaints last year when he just ran around in the back with us.

I personally have no problem with it. Only having a 302 c.i. motor on that big track will be the killer anyway.

Kyle, I also heard about the complaints but never knew what they were about. I would like to know what the complaints were, so I could address them publicly.

I didn't steal no points/money from anyone, and at that time the only thing (illegal) on my truck per DMS rules was the control arms, and exhaust. At that time I didn't have the MSD Ignition or the Pro Billet Distributor. I had a GM HEI distributor that was setup for a Ford application.

Kyle, in order to have a future with your truck, you might want to consider picking up a comperable engine and upper a-arms. I know thats not a cheap option. or trade your truck for a Factory Stock that way there's no whining about who has what. Then you can run a number of different tracks with simillar rules.

If you run with us, the guys that you out run will be upset. the others won't mind.

Being real here, increasing the car count would be good but opening up the rules usually pi$$es off the car you already had. from a fan standpoint it would be good for the class. They already run template bodies vs outlaw bodies with a weight break to template body cars in the Pro Late Models. It would give the fans something new to pull for. Call the track and ask.