I posted this on drag racing and did not get one response. Anyone in STL into going to Gateway this year and run balls out? This town seems to be a shine and show town for Vettes. The Mustang guys are really the ones that rule at Gateway International and I am about to turn that around this year.
Yea, I'm talking smack here but I believe that I will have the fastest Vette in the region. Show up and prove me wrong.
We at Gateway need to make this heads up racing work this year. Just read what the guys at ETown have done. What a program!
Comments? You won't hurt my feelings!
Bret Kipner has put together heads up racing this year at Gateway International. We all read about the boys out in 'Jersey at ETown and the successful programs that they have and now we have an opportunity to do the same.
With all the corvettes in the St. Louis region we should be all over this! We need to get the word out through the clubs etc. to help make this successful. This is just a start and with support we could really make this into something.
I'm posting Bret's announcement that I believe he posted already just for a reminder.
Here it is:
Five years ago, I explained that the success of the Street Car Shootout Series could lead to bigger and better things. At that time, I envisioned many possible points toward which the series could evolve but I stated publicly that, as soon as I felt the area fans and racers could present a decent spectator show, I’d make a huge effort to allow it to move to the next realistic level. Well, I busted my butt this winter to continue that progress and we finally have been given a chance to present a race…and maybe a series…devoted entirely to “heads-up” street car racers.
The new Outlaw All Stars event will feature a full card of heads-up street car racing. Scheduled for Saturday, May 16th, the OAS program will include Outlaw Street Eliminator, (with no rules except NHRA Safety Guidelines), Super Street Eliminator, (for vehicles with true 10.5-inch rear tires), Drag Radial Eliminator, (for entries using D.O.T.-approved tires), and five “heads-up” Index divisions, (10.00, 11.00, 12.00, 13.00 and 14.00 seconds). All categories will compete on the full GIR quarter-mile, (except for Outlaw Street which will be run on the eighth-mile), and all classes will utilize a “Pro Start”.
I spent a serious amount of time during 2008 talking with track operators and racers, viewing rules, and generally keeping up on other local heads-up programs around the country. If you folks want to see a heads-up SERIES at Gateway, we’ll have one shot…and one shot only…to impress Dover. I’ve designed this program around the fact that it is a spectator-oriented event. In other words, this program can draw enough spectators to make it a viable alternative to bracket racing which is currently in a huge decline nationwide and never could draw paying fans, anyway. The OAS event will feature only heads-up cars; there will be no bracket racing scheduled. My goal is to make this a showcase for the area racers. There will be no gigantic purses and no attempt to pull the biggest names in “ten-five” racing. This program was created solely around YOU. The bi-state area has enough stars to make an entertaining show, (the SCSS has proven that and so has the Battle of the Boards during Midnight Madness). This event doesn’t need two hundred cars and five thousand spectators to be considered a success by Dover, (GIR’s parent company). In fact, I’ve structured it as a spectator show even in its duration; theoretically, it should be an event in which gates open at 3 PM and the finals are run off at 10 PM.
I’ll be watching other area track schedules so we can keep the date free of conflicts for both GIR and Benton, Rogersville, and others. The GIR staff has made it clear that, if it works, there could be other Outlaw All Stars events added for 2009. If it does really well, it could easily become a bonafide series in 2010.
Dozens of tracks are switching to heads-up and/or Index programs and I’m well aware that Benton (IL) struggled early in ‘08 but really turned their program around by the end of the year. On the other side of the coin, however, was the dismal failure of this type of program at Benton, Missouri, last season and the incredible lack of support shown at that track. Because Rob, MoPar Matt and Rene worked so hard to make their Southern Illinois King Of The Street program successful, I want to be sure I don’t step on their toes with an OAS date even though they’re running eighth-mile on Friday and many of their competitors could never pass NHRA tech. Likewise, I’ll be keeping the OAS events away from Midnight Madness programs since Matt and the STLSR.com gang have done very well with the Battle of the Boards concept.
As listed above, there will basically be a class for everybody. The Outlaw cars will run eighth-mile mainly to save parts and to decrease oil downs but everybody else will be on the quarter-mile. All classes will use a Pro Start and deep-staging will be allowed. Pass NHRA tech inspection and you’re in. I’m determined to make sure this program doesn’t cost any current racer one extra dollar in preparation. Therefore, rules will be few and far between. The downfall of many current heads-up programs at tracks around the country is far too many rules designed to placate every driver who comes through the gate. We all know we’ve got some hellaciously quick cars in the area which can fly under any set of rules so everybody should either develop a heads-up racer’s mindset or plan to run in an Index class.
The five Index categories, (10.00, 11.00, 12.00, 13.00 and 14.00), are self-explanatory. The heads-up (non-Index) divisions are pretty basic, too.
Outlaw Street: Anything with doors allowed; 10.5W, ADRL XTF, Pro Street, Pro Mod, or anybody else who wants to run in it is fair game.
Super Street: True 10.5-inch rear tire, any engine modification. No wheelie bars.
Drag Radial: I’ve talked with a lot of people about this class and most agree it will be easiest to simply allow any D.O.T. rear tire. Any engine modification. No wheelie bars.
I’m open to all opinions on the program but here are some facts.
1. The purses won’t be big but entry will be cheap.
2. Spectator admission will also be rock bottom.
3. OS, SS and DR will be qualified fields, (most likely eight cars), with nonqualifiers permitted to run in an Index class of their choice.
4. There will be NO street cruise.
5. Throttle stops will not be allowed in the Index classes.
6. I’ll personally make sure the trophies are nice.
7. Don't even ask about a naturally-aspirated class; I found out that almost every track which has one deals with rampant accusations of cheating, blatant misuse of teardown rules and, generally, tons of grief.
Folks, I worked really hard on this and I was absolutely stunned that Dover was willing to take a chance in what promises to be a very cautious year. I firmly believe the SCSS series has grown to the point that the area can now support a heads-up street car program which stands on its own. I told you we’d grow from the SCSS program and now we can.
I’m not opening up the rules for public debate but I need to hear your opinions if only to make sure all of them are heard. Use this thread to post constructive ideas and I’ll respond accordingly.
Five years ago, I offered the area racers and fans a chance to “step up” and they did. I’m banking you folks will take this and run with it, too. I should be an awesome deal for everybody!
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Bret Kepner
http://www.bretkepnerphotos.com
BRETKEPNER@Prodigy.net
Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
Corvette Store
Any Racer's in St. Louis, or do you just shine your car?
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