Here are the rules for Bob Webber’s new outlaw division at his crusty old Hudson Speedway. They’re published IN THEIR ENTIRETY!

As my frience Craig Murto of Late Model Racer always says, “If you control the tires you don’t have to worrry about anything else.”

“OUTLAW” SPORTSMAN RULES

1. The intent of this division is to provide a fun experience, allowing a wide variety of race cars to run without making a great amount of changes to be eligible.The basic rules shown below are limited, by design, to keep things simple. If necessary adjustments or additions will be made to ensure competitive racing and maintain the objectives of the “Outlaw” division.

1. Maximum 8 inch steel wheels.

2. Only tires allowed are American Racer 8 inch 704 or 705. NO tire softener allowed.

3. Minimum right side weight, after race, is 1250 lbs ( full chassis ) or 1350 lbs for tube chassis with stock front clip ( big spring ). NO full tubular, coil-over fronts allowed. NO quick changes or wide fives allowed.

4. Only carburetor allowed is stock 4412 Holley.

Any decisions regarding interpretation of rules is at the sole discretion of track officials and are not subject to protest.

So Tony Stewart is going to race at Thunder Road, VT., in the ACT Governor’s Cup 150 June 25.

Hey, even a pro has to race for fun every once in a while. I KNOW he enjoy’s driving in the Chili Bowl more than he does in any Sprint Cup race. Even Martinsville is producing snooze-fests these days.

In a similar vein, I look forward to seeing ACT at NHMS in September. What I REALLY look forward to is more open-wheel racing at NH. I know that’s not what the place was made for, but it IS what the place is best for. I keep hoping.

You might be aware of efforts down at Stafford Speedway to create a proprietory, custom-fabricated “metric chassis” in repsonse to the reported shortage of A-Body GM cars from which to salvage chassis for streeters and southern New England style limited late model sportsmen.

While this is a logical and proactive response to this issue, it further calls into question whether the days of building racecars from abandoned street-iron are coming to an end.

Is junkyard-engineering a dying art? Will all racecar components ultimately come from a catalog? Could a modified – a REAL modified – be built out of the pieces one might find in a salvage yard or on the backlot of a used-car dealer today?

That in and of itself has been an intriguing issue to ponder for some time.  Might you use a pickup frame (maybe a compact p/up), the sheet metal from a compact car (A Neon, for instance), a 9-inch Ford rear, V-8, etc., to build something that might actually go?