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Fast Talk: Putting a final wrap on Speedweeks
Here's the latest edition of Fast Talk, a new DirtonDirt.com feature appearing each Monday. Staffers Michael Rigsby, Todd Turner and Joshua Joiner gather weekly for a roundtable discussion about who's hot, who's not and other issues regarding Dirt Late Model racing (edited for clarity and length):
Todd Turner: Are you guys recovered? That was among the most extensive Georgia-Florida Speedweeks ever with the 18 races, matching the long stretch in 2008, so there was definitely plenty of racing.
We'll get to Speedweeks overall shortly, but let's focus for a while on Volusia Speedway Park and its 41st annual UNOH DIRTcar Nationals. First off, the track surface. It slowed down the last few nights, but it was wicked fast much of the week. Not being there but watching the video, the cars appeared to go through the corners just about as fast as the straightaway, almost like slot cars. Have you ever seen a faster surface?
Michael Rigsby: That was one of the questions I asked everyone around the pit area: "Have you ever raced anywhere faster?" and it was at least 60 percent emphatic "No" responses. I honestly thought at one point to myself, "these cars look like they could literally fly off the racetrack they're going so fast." It was neat to see, but overall the racing was much better when they slowed it down, and I think all the drivers would agree. Really only Knoxville, maybe Eldora when it's wide open are faster than that was.
JJ: I'm sure I've seen one as fast or nearly as fast at some point, but I'm having trouble recalling it right now. Like you said Todd, it looked like the cars didn't slow down at all through the corners, basically flat out the whole way around. As we saw with all the wrecks, it didn't take much for drivers to get out of control. And the constant high RPMs wasn't kind to some engines.
TT: Let's talk about some of the top performers at Volusia. Steve Francis carried over his success from East Bay, Billy Moyer was the only two-time winner and Dennis Erb Jr. was the week's overall top points earner along with his victory. Pretty impressive performances by all three.
MR: It was a mixed bag of impressiveness for me. When Moyer was good, he was great. Erb looks like a different driver this year, and the car itself just "stuck" so much better. Francis looks like a natural in that new Barry Wright house car ride all together. It's just amazing that we continue to come to Speedweeks after all of these years, and it's Francis, Moyer, Bloomquist, O'Neal, etc. still running well. I'm not sure there's another sport on the planet where 25 years go by, and the same guys are still really dominating.
JJ: Those three were definitely the class of the field most of the week, although Darrell Lanigan wasn't far behind. Even though he didn't win any races, Lanigan was a factor in nearly every race. His comeback from his engine catching on fire in Saturday's qualifying to finish fourth in the feature was very impressive. You always expect Moyer to be good at Volusia, but I was definitely surprised by Francis and Erb. They were both strong at East Bay, but their performances at Volusia proved neither was a fluke. They're both much improved from last season.
TT: John Blankenship won his biggest-ever race and, coming off his best-ever season, is set up for another good campaign leaving Volusia. What about some under-the-radar guys or anyone else who caught your eye at Volusia?
MR: I think it's obvious that Shane Clanton is going to have a better year as well. He was solid in Arizona, and really if not for a few bad breaks in Volusia, could have won a race or two there. Hard not to give Bobby Pierce some props for manning up on that hooked up surface and making a few shows after going 6-for-6 at East Bay, and even though it was only one or two really good nights. Also Chub Frank appears to be out of his funk from the last few years.
JJ: I don't know if they would count as under the radar, but Shane Clanton and Chub Frank were two more drivers that were much better at Volusia this year than last year. While neither won a race, I'm sure both are feeling pretty good about their programs right now and looking forward to the rest of the season. Frank Heckenast Jr. is a guy that was under the radar, but had a really solid week at Volusia. He only had one top 10 during the week, but he made all every feature, which is tough to do with the crowd of drivers at Volusia this year.
TT: Let's look at Georgia-Florida Speedweeks overall. It drew a healthy number of cars and drivers. While the average car count was down about six from last year, the low counts at Waycross (21) and Golden Isles (26) taint that a little bit and the overall entries from last year was up. Despite the conflicting races and frigid weather, most of the events appeared to be successful. So what are your biggest takeaways from Speedweeks?
MR: I'm not sure the day after is the best day to ask me, as my burnout level — along with everyone else's — is very high, ha! One prominent industry person told me last night on the phone: "I'm not sure anyone can handle another week of that," which plays to the point of what Ben Shelton said to me, that really, you only have two weeks to do this, plus some "change" on the beginning. I think the East Bay-Ocala duel was overblown. I think the racing at both was pretty good, I think East Bay had a good bounce-back year, I think Bubba the Love Sponge prepares a good racetrack, as many drivers were impressed with his surface. I think Volusia will continue to be "Best of Show" as far as quality field goes if the "split" continues. I think I'm tired, and I think that next year's Speedweeks schedule, will look virtually identical to this years.
JJ: The thing that sticks out the most to me is the dramatic change of those dominating the sport. To see guys like Jimmy Owens and Scott Bloomquist, who started off strong in Speedweeks before going on to great years in 2011, perform at a so-so level this year, while guys like Francis and Erb, who had terrible years by their own standards, come out on fire. As far as the sport as a whole, I was impressed by car counts other than Waycross and Golden Isles, but with weather and schedule conflicts, I think they did OK. When you look at Ocala and East Bay together (nearly 100 cars total) and the more than 80 cars that were at Volusia at one time or another, I think it continues to show that the sport is bouncing back. That's great to see, and hopefully it continues as the season hits full swing in the coming months.
TT: If you noticed in the "by the numbers" review of Speedweeks — and Michael's earlier comment — big-time Late Model racing is still dominated by veterans. The average Speedweeks winner was 41 years old, and half the 18 winners were 44 or older. Despite a huge crop of WoO rookies and some notable youngsters (and many teenagers) entering Speedweeks events, this is still a sport where experience is king, isn't it?
MR: There's really no other way to look at. Take it this way: the young guys certainly (most of them) have the equipment and resources, so that's not it. The only thing you can point to, is simply the fact that Bloomquist, Moyer, Francis, Eckert, etc., have the experience. The question is, as what point does it stop? I really think that it'll be sudden, I'm just not sure how soon.
JJ: It most definitely is. I think that showed best at Volusia. We saw some of those rookies and young guys perform well in Georgia and at Ocala and Volusia, but when you put everyone together, and especially at at track like Volusia's fast half-mile, the experience really rises to the top.
TT: How will Speedweeks look next year? This season we had more conflicting races than ever, and while we survived, I think everyone agreed it's not the best idea. East Bay and Volusia have been there forever, Ocala says it's having the World of Outlaws back, and Golden Isles actually announced dates already. Who knows it'll all sort out?
Forgetting the announced dates, politics, tradition and everything else, give me your idea for the best "perfect world" Speedweeks schedule if you had free rein?
MR: I'm gonna toss all reasonable thought out the window when I put together my ideal Speedweeks schedule, so before anyone reads this and says "that'll never happen,: I'm aware of that, so just bear with me: Monday: Screven
Monday-Saturday: Volusia
JJ: In my mind, Speedweeks revolves around Florida. If all three Florida tracks want to host events, go East Bay, Ocala, Volusia in that order. Forget racing every day of the week and do Tuesday practice and Wednesday though Saturday racing at each track. Beyond that, Georgia tracks can try to fit in before or after if they wish.
MR: Joshua bringing it. I like it.
TT: Here's another that'll never happen: Three nights at Ocala, six at East Bay and six at Volusia with two Sundays off. Maybe I'm just too close to the twentysomething degree weather at Waycross but with all due respect to the Georgia tracks, Florida seems like the place to be, especially with three capable tracks.
MR: My schedule is too ambitious, and I kind of agree with Ben, you really only have two weeks to do this thing.
JJ: I agree, anything beyond two weeks is a lot of racing, which is why I say take a day or two off at the beginning of each week.
TT: The six nights apiece at Volusia and East Bay is relatively recent history, but I'm not sure they'll ever come off that. And even if they do, the Monday-Wednesday dates aren't as attractive for anyone else.
MR: Monday-Wednesday is a death sentence for anyone standing alone, so they can't do it, and I'm with Joshua. Sundays-Mondays should be off ... it would really heighten the experience for everyone I think. The reason drivers love Arizona's Wild West Shootout (six races over nine days) is the off days. You don't drive 2,000 miles for the $3,000-to-win purse, you do it because of the comfortable environment
JJ: That would give everyone a chance to just relax or do some sightseeing, i.e: the beach or Disney World.
MR: Not even sightseeing ... just a break for their race teams, that's worth more than anything else.
TT: We can always dream.
JJ: Or just sleep.
