December 22, 2004

 

   The NEW AC Delco TSS Modified A Big Hit In First Year Of Running 

  photo by Rich Kepner

 

By Bonnie Nibblett

 

Delmar, DE…..Although the 2004 racing season of the Delaware Motorsports Complex has ended, there is still a lot of DIRT to talk about.  It has been almost two months since racing ended and I am still lost on Saturday night as in what to do.  I am still not accustom to rush to see what is on TV over the weekend because I am usually at the track!  My addiction and having to feed my NEED FOR SPEED has not been any less of a craving notion every week than when the racing is in season.  Yet, I just can’t feed it yet?   Although I am still catching my breath from all the hot, sizzling, action packed weekends from 2004 at the tracks, my addiction knows no none other. 

 

First off let’s talk about the AC Delco TSS Modified (Technician Service Specialist) class which was introduced for 2004.  It was a big hit!  Just in case you’re not sure what I am speaking of, it was a brand new division introduced at the Delaware International Speedway back in April.  The purpose of this new class was to run a competitive class for new and all drivers at an economical price.  And that was just what it did. 

 

The class runs with a factory sealed GM Crate Motor.  The motor comes with cylinder heads, intake, distributor, and competition oil pan. The advantage of this class and motor is the cost. The motor will be sold at a mere cost under $2,900, a much more reasonable cost than any other class. On the average, a motor can cost all of anywhere from $10,000 to much more and the driver and can blow it any night.  

 

The sealed motor has less of a chance of blowing because it is sealed and you can’t tamper with it and soup it up like a regular motor most drivers use and it is not sealed.  Let’s face it if a team can find a nitch to cheat or perform any enhancements to help its game on.  With the sealed motor that is one option not possible, motor wise anyway.  There are other parts that have to be purchased but, overall, somewhere between $5,000 and $8,000 total; it would allow you to get behind the seat of one these cars.  Contact Courtesy and ask for John or Billy at 410-749-9448 or call the track to see where other dealers that carry the motor may be.

 

Another incentive for the season was if the Champion of the TSS Modified had made his purchase at Courtesy Chevrolet he will be awarded a new crate motor at the banquet.  There are around 22 AC Delco service outlets on the Delmarva Peninsula.  Also each week a $50 gift certificate was given away to spectators. 

 

The hopes of track owner Charlie Cathell, was that if a driver or when a driver decides to upgrade, the only changes really necessary would be the motor and shocks basically. The cars pretty much have the same rules as the big block Modifieds with the exception of shock absorbers and maybe another thing or two. Other things such as weight, tire pressure and the complete rules all can be found on my web site www.redbud69racing.com, or you can contact the tracks web site at www.delawareracing.com or the office at 302.875.1911. 

 

Well, this past season was even more impressive that Cathell imagined.  At the beginning of the season Cathell had expectation of introducing the new class and having a half dozen cars to start the field would be good.  Not only did half a dozen cars show up, it was more like a dozen on the first night.  Calls kept coming into the office before the season to get a number for the new car coming to the track that Cathell was very hopeful.  By the end of the season more than 31 drivers had climb behind the wheel of a TSS Modified.  By the end of the season 24 cars were in line up.  So Cathell says he was very well pleased with the response and calls have already been coming in for 2005 season. 

 

I spoke to the track officials on how the motor inspection went each week.  In this new class, each week the cars have to be tech before any ovals can be set.  Officials commented that the engine served exactly what it was designed to do.  The drivers were on a level playing field.  Of coarse some found ways to test their officials’ expertise with trying to find something to cheat with.  But most all things were caught if they did try something that was illegal.  It was a new class so some kinks had to be worked out; and that’s racing too commented one of the officials.  Over all, every one of the guys did a great job with this class added another official.

 

Many of the drivers throughout the season told me that they liked the class and enjoyed the way everyone was more equal.  Without the fast horsepower, drivers really had to use their finesse driver skills.  A driver could not depend on the usual power to get out of a situation.  For some the upgrade from a Go-Kart or Modified Lite or even a Micro Sprint was a bit of a challenge for some and not for others.  My opinion was that the cars held there own and were a good class to watch for racing.  It was a little bit like the old econo-line class, but better.  Average speeds of the cars each week were any where from 80.3 MPH to the fastest set at the Nov. champ show with 89.096 MPH by Tom Curtis.

 

The class offered a different winning driver for 5 weeks straight, and then repeated it over again for 4 more weeks with the first 4 that won in the first weeks in a row.  Then 5 more different winners would claim a victory; no one driver dominated.  Only Jack Mullins won the most with 4 victories, but it was the 2004 TSS Modified Champion that came closest to even doing any kind of dominating.  Tom Curtis of Hartley, DE, ran a consistent style every weekend with 2 wins, 15 top 5's and 3 top 10's in 20 events, he never ran out of the top ten.  Now that’s impressive.  Curtis came from the Modified Lite class, and Micro Sprints before that. 

 

So the new class was a big hit and will even be more so this coming year.  Yeah I can’t wait for racing, I am withdrawing.  But it will be here before I know it.   I got wind of a rumor that Bridgeport Speedway, NJ, may be running a sealed crate motor this coming year.  I’m not sure if it will be like the one ran at Delaware.  But, if it is, it will give drivers a chance to drive two places especially if on different nights with the likes of even more drivers coming to Delaware.  But that is noting for certain. 

 

The banquets for the speedway, dragway, and go-kart tracks have been scheduled and coming in next month.   The speedway will hold their banquet on January 22, 2004 at Dover Downs Hotel & Conference Center, Dover, DE.  Cocktail hour starts 5 PM, dinner at 6 PM, awards presentation & dance following dinner.  Tickets are $30 each and available by calling the Speedway Office at 302-875-1911.  For more information on either the dragway or speedway news go to www.delawareracing.com or www.redbud69raciing.com. 

 

The U. S. 13 Dragway will host their 2004 Banquet on January 29, 2005 at the Delmarva Inn & Conference Center, Delmar, MD.  Cocktail hour starts 5 PM, dinner at 6 PM, awards presentation & dance following dinner. Tickets are $30 each and available by calling the Dragway Office at 302-875-1911. 

 

The U. S. 13 Kart Clubs next event will be the year end Award Banquet to be held on January 15, 2005 at the Laurel Fire Hall, Laurel, DE.  For more information on cost and time contact Phyllis Hayes at 302-856-7835, or view www.dekarting.net web site.  All tickets have to be purchased by December 30, 2004.  Note also the go-karts web site address is now www.dekarting.net; formerly it was www.dekartin.com, that site no longer works.  And of coarse you can get all your tracks news on my site at www.redbud69racing.com.

 

Also in January, 14, 15, 16, will be the date for hosting of the Motorsports Show in Ft. Washington, PA.  Some of the local drivers will have their cars on display and it gives you a chance to see some of the new TEO, Bicknell, or Troyer chassis or new tires, drivers, tracks or paint schemes you name it and it will be there.  Then heads turn to the 15th Annual Motorsports Mania Show at the Centre of Salisbury in February.  Exact dates were not on hand as of this writing, but it is usually the same week Daytona starts.  This will mark a big year this year.  Look for my display in the Delmar Vintage Racing Club table and contribute to my trivia questions again this year.  Better polish up on your DE racing and NASCAR to win a prize.  No charity has been name yet either. 

 

I have been informed that the available display slots are going quick because there have been a lot of new entries.  If you have not reserved your spot, and if you are a regular in the show and have not reserved your spot you need to get it done fast.  You can contact David Brown to find out about getting your display in there if room is still available by contacting him at 302-875-4209.  Email to: david@sussexirrigation.com.  See you at the track!