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HAWKEYE DOWNS EXPANDS LATE MODEL RULES TO INCLUDE SUPER 8
SERIES CARS
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (Oct 1) - Chris Stocks, the Director of Race Operations at
Hawkeye Downs Speedway, has announced the addition of another Late Model
Series rules package in conjunction with the current Miller Lite Late Models
racing at Hawkeye Downs Speedway.
"The Big 8 Series has a great following with huge car counts and we are
inviting them to join us in competitive racing on Friday nights at Hawkeye
Downs Speedway,” said Stocks. “We have successfully tested their cars vs our
Late Models at Hawkeye Downs Speedway. Kyle Shear won a heat race his first
time ever racing here in a Big 8 Series Late Model! This Late Model can be
cheaply put together with some of our older chassis and motors that are
still available locally,” added Stocks.
The Big 8 Series Late Models also race weekly at race tracks such as
Jefferson Speedway, Rockford Speedway, Columbus Speedway and Madison
International Speedway. One of the main reasons the Big 8 Series is
successful is that the car has built in cost measures in the rule book.
There is a reasonable price limit to what you can purchase for performance
parts. Weight penalties are assessed for parts that might be phased out in
the future or that are deemed as a performance advantage.
There are a couple of minor changes required for the Big 8 Series Late
Models to race competitively at Hawkeye Downs Speedway. The car’s total
weight must be lightened to the same rules as Hawkeye Downs crate motor
cars, 2700 lbs with 59 % left side weight, then must follow their own rules,
which can be found at www.big8series.com . The Big 8 Series utilizes a 10.8
- 1 compression engine with a Holley 4412 2 barrel carburator which is very
simular to motors in the Budweiser Mid-Am Sportmen cars that race at Hawkeye
Downs. There is also a crate motor option as well.
The second change required for Big 8 Series Late Models is racing on a 10
inch tire. "Our tire program really is a great equalizer among all the
different Late Models we race together with at Hawkeye Downs. The Hoosier
1070 tire compound is just hard enough that a Super Late Model may be at a
dissavantage against the lesser horsepower Late Models motors that race at
Hawkeye Downs,"
said Stocks. Super Late Models only have managed 2 Top 5 finishes in the
2008 racing season (3rd place twice). Stocks added, "This tire is a great
tire for a weekly program. We only allow teams to purchase 1 tire per week
and some teams only bought 1 every other week due to lack of tire wear!"
Starting pay for Late Models making the feature race is $250 for race teams
that directly cross a state line to travel to Cedar Rapids. Local pay is
$150 to start. The feature pays $1,000 - $1,200 to win depending on car
count. The cost of a new tire is $125 and a pit pass is $25 making it an
economical racetrack as any to race a Miller Lite Late Model.
With the massive resurgence of the Late Model car counts at Hawkeye Downs
Speedway, a full season of Late Model racing is planned for 2009 continuing
with 8 lap heats and 40 lap features.
Other Late Model plans for 2009 at Hawkeye Downs Speedway include testing a
couple of LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway Late Models during the Friday Night
racing program.
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