More Stuff

There are two types of North American race cars that are often lumped together, but are really very different.  When we say short track late models, we often mean either dirt or asphalt cars.  They really do not resemble each other and there is a lot of technical differences beyond the fact that one is built for dirt/clay and the other for paved tracks.  Depending on the circuit/series, dirt cars, usually weigh less than 2,500 lbs.  They often have aluminum block motors and with many clubs, they have no cubic inch limit.  I knew of one team that traveled a lot and had engines ranging from 330 ci, to 511 ci. Cylinder compression ratios can be a high as 13 to 1. The bodies on dirt cars tend to have a wedge type shape and don’t much resemble street cars.

Pavement cars usually weigh around 3,000 pounds and have engines with a max cubic inch of 355-358. The are generally steel block motors with a max compression ratio of 9 to 1. They have a bit more of that smooth aero look to them.

Both can be pretty in their own way and both put on one heck of a show.

Below you will find pictures of each.

We do not salute the b (c,d, etc. ?) divisions at weekly short tracks often enough. Most weekly racing programs would be over quickly and not worth the price of admission if it were not for those unheralded divisions. In previous posts I have shown pictures of IMCA Modifieds, and Sport Trucks. Today we see a paved track sportsman division. The racing in this b division is great and it helped make my night at the races rich and full.

I usually wind up showing some midget action and I finish today’s pictures with more of the same. Most of my photography in my last five years of racing, was midgets and that is why I have such a surplus of images. The top shot is  USAC Midgets on the paved Milwaukee Mile, and the rest are Badger Midgets from the 1/3^rd mile dirt track in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

If midget racing were created today I am “very sure” they would find another name for these small, but fats race cars. Everyone that is involved in this sort of racing knows just how politically incorrect that term is. The cars have been around for about 70 years it is kind of late to worry about the name. If it was changed everyone would still use the old term. No offense is meant by anyone involved in this sport. That term was acceptable and logical when this form of racing was created.

I just thought that for those of you who are not familiar with midget car racing that you deserved an explanation.