South Boston Speedway is adding four new engine combinations in the Limited Sportsman Division in 2019, an effort to give competitors more affordable options as the engines used for a decade have become outdated.
Any of the four new engine combinations should cost less than $4,000.
The engine combination the division has utilized for years will remain an option in 2019, with add-ons to make it competitive with the four new engines.
“With GM not producing the 603-crate engine (the engine used for 10 years) any longer, it’s only a matter of time before the parts to continue running that engine become obsolete or unaffordable,” said Jeff Bomar, South Boston Speedway’s head technical inspector on race nights. “Speedway management has been working on a viable solution for a couple of years to figure out the best avenue going forward for our teams. We all agreed on the four new combinations after talking with multiple engine builders and the teams that run with us.”
“We’re always searching for ways to make things as affordable as possible for our competitors and we knew we needed to do something to help keep the costs of motors in check for our Limited teams,” said Cathy Rice, general manager of South Boston Speedway. “We knew the price of the ones we’ve been using were just going to continue to go up and we looked for the best alternatives.
“We think this move along with an increase in the Limited purse will help the teams we’ve had competing with us for a long time and may well attract some others to South Boston.”
South Boston Speedway will again utilize the “one-tire rule” for the Limited Division as a cost-saving measure. Teams can purchase four tires for the season-opener on March 16 and then only one tire per race until the 75-lapper on June 29 when they can purchase four tires. After that event, it will be one tire per race the remainder of the season.
The Limited Sportsman engine options for 2019 include:
· Option 1: The GM crate 602 which is almost identical to the current 603 in terms of horsepower and torque. The 602 will run a 390 CFM Holley carburetor and a 1″ open hole spacer and start at a weight of 3,100 pounds total and 1,400 pounds right-side weight.
· Option 2: The Ford crate 347 JR. The 347 JR and the 603 make almost identical numbers on the dyno. The 347 JR will start the season with a 390 CFM Holley carburetor with no spacer, weighing 3,100 pounds total with 1,400 pounds right-side weight.
· Option 3: The steel-head engines being phased out of the Late Model Stock Car division. To bring the power closer to the GM 603, a 350 CFM Holley carburetor is required with a starting weight of 3,100 pounds total and 1,400 pounds right-side weight.
· Option 4: The GM 604 with a 450 CFM Holley carburetor. The GM 604 will remain on the stock 1.5 ration rocker arms and weigh 3,100 pounds total and 1,420 pounds right-side weight.
· Option 5: The current GM 603 crate engine that teams have been running for a decade. A 1-inch open-hole space will be added to keep current teams from feeling forced to buy a new engine to be competitive during the transition period to the new engine packages.
A full listing and explanation of the Limited Sportsman engine rules can be found at www.southbostonspeedway.com.
The 2019 South Boston season opens on March 16 with an afternoon of racing featuring twin 100-lap Late Model races, a 50-lap Limited Sportsman race, a 30-lap Pure Stock race and a 15-lap Hornets race.
Relevant Public Relations
