The GN class seems to me to be slowly coming to extinction. I was not racing when this class was started but I assume it was supposed to be a lower cost way to run a late model style car, somebody correct me if this is wrong. From what I've seen the cars are a lot lower priced than the late models that ran at Lakeside at the end of last year.
Other than the 2 barrel carb and smaller cu.in. motors these cars cost as much as a good modified. my car owner has a lot tied up in my car and it is an updated 98 chassis which ran as a modified until we changed it to a G.N.
We only have one track to race them at so far, U.S 36 Speedway added them to their races this year but are running them the same night as Lakeside. Have not heard what Linn Co. is going to do this year, but heard a rumor that because of low car count Tim may not run them at his track this year.
Some of the top drivers are leaving and going to mods this year, not good for the G.N. class. We race for half as much as the mods on a weekly basis even though these cars cost almost as much as a good mod to get ready to race. We have no large paying specials to look forward to. Our special race at the end of last season was canceled due to low pre-entries. All of the above is not a good thing for the G.N. class.
I believe the fans will always want a stock-type car to watch race, maybe this new late-model class will take over at all of the local and regional tracks. I also believe the G.N. and the street stock, or hobby stock classes put on a good show for the fans, been in the stands when they were racing and the fans were enjoying the hell out of those races.
Was hoping Heartland Park would add the G.N. class to their Sunday show, but they informed me they will not be running them.
I have a G.N. ready to go racing and we are going to run all of the races at Lakeside this year unless of course I completely destroy the car. But I think mods are the way to go, so I'm going to try and get a few laps in one this year because my car owner says we are going to have one for next season. At least we can go out of town to a big race somewhere, that was always a fun time going to a new track and racing with new drivers.
Hate to say it but I think G.N. class is on the way out. Let me know what you readers think.
Terry Bivins #53
Reader Comments
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Feb 01, 2007 11:46:04 PM by jfrey47
Well Terry, it sure sounds that way. If you're itchin' for another track to race at, I got a great idea...how 'bout gettin' a Super Truck and come and run with us on Saturdays! Remember those hot August nights, when it's 100 degrees at 9:00, it's so hot that the asphalt is boilin', your sittin' in the 'Hot Lane' and you don't know if you're sweatin' -or- you just peed your pants. You just can't wait to get out on the track, a zillion 'what -if's' are runnin' thru your mind, and you look up at the scoreboard...only 3 laps to go, then, as sometimes happens, the caution comes out for a huge wreck on the frontstretch. After what seems like an eternity for clean-up...because they don't have little 'ole fender benders here, they get the green...then the checkers...then...it's 'showtime'! There may be only five-hundred fans in the stands, but they're loyal, dedicated, and sittin' on the edge of their seats. They've waited all week. They know this is Saturday Night at "America's fastest weekly racetrack", the storied high-banks of I-70 Speedway, and it's in our own back-yard. Uh hu, you can almost taste it! Sorry about the implode there, but me and a host of others would love to see you back out there sometime. So if you ever want to scratch that itch...Lol! Love your blogs, Terry!
Joey Frey #47 Super Truck
Feb 03, 2007 06:53:44 AM by fastorange23
Terry u sure are right about extinction,have u seen the classified pages G.N. 's for sale everywhere. Most of the cars for sale or sold have been Lakeside cars. I have been racing in the class since 2000 at T.H. , started at lakeside 3 years ago. What I have seen killing the class is the rules changes, everytime the promoters changed the rules to keep the cost down it ended up costing 3 times more to run. I love the class, but it doesnt make since to build a new car for one track. So we have joined the ranks of the G.N. guys that have bought a new mod. I sure will miss racing in the G.N. class but it seems like the only way to go.
Apr 29, 2007 02:04:55 AM by Frostymug
The gn class was (the way I understand it and correct me if Iam wrong please) the brain storm idea of Lakeside for a class to run at their track.
The concept in the beginning was really cool but someone ruined the class (I wonder who that was ) and now I agree it is going to be extinct soon. I think the problem's began when they allowed the heads and intakes to be ported, a costly mod to be competitive. And with other rule issues thing's have went down hill from there.
The best year for the class was the year of the special tire rip off,,,,ya know the deal where you buy a tire and money goes in to a point fund. Of course the money back from the fund never paid for nothing, and when the track eliminated the tire deal we all got stuck with a bunch of tires that are worthless that we paid about 90 bucks apiece for. Hmmm...who got rich on that idea ??? was not the racers and not to mention the tires were just crap with the tread flying off of em and the danger they presented.....sorry the tire deal is a whole other topic and the thought of it just gets me stormed up to this day still.
With the stupid way the rules were with the class and how they were maintained, there was just no way for the class to do anything but die, and I think crunch time is this year. The track will suffer financially from this and they deserve that because with good management of the class things could of been successful. What goes around comes around.
Apr 29, 2007 02:07:32 AM by Frostymug
The gn class was (the way I understand it and correct me if Iam wrong please) the brain storm idea of Lakeside for a class to run at their track.
The concept in the beginning was really cool but someone ruined the class (I wonder who that was ) and now I agree it is going to be extinct soon. I think the problem's began when they allowed the heads and intakes to be ported, a costly mod to be competitive. And with other rule issues thing's have went down hill from there.
The best year for the class was the year of the special tire rip off,,,,ya know the deal where you buy a tire and money goes in to a point fund. Of course the money back from the fund never paid for nothing, and when the track eliminated the tire deal we all got stuck with a bunch of tires that are worthless that we paid about 90 bucks apiece for. Hmmm...who got rich on that idea ??? was not the racers and not to mention the tires were just crap with the tread flying off of em and the danger they presented.....sorry the tire deal is a whole other topic and the thought of it just gets me stormed up to this day still.
With the stupid way the rules were with the class and how they were maintained, there was just no way for the class to do anything but die, and I think crunch time is this year. The track will suffer financially from this and they deserve that because with good management of the class things could of been successful. What goes around comes around.
Posted by Terry Bivins at 07:27:50 PM
