The West Coast Supermodifieds are a little different from their Atlantic Coast counterparts. The engine is smaller, the wing is smaller and not moveable under way, and the suspension is adjustable on the fly.
The WSSRL
Supermodified racing isn't just a northeastern phenomenon. For years, guys like Davey Hamilton and the members of the legendary Vukovich family pounded the pavement at short tracks on the West Coast in the Supermodified Racing League (SRL). Midway through their '05 season, SRL owner Davey Hamilton sold the league to driver Rick Cameron, who finished Fifth in the '05 points. Cameron renamed it Western States Supermodified Racing League, or WSSRL, and looked to take the series to the next level. "I wanted to grow those [West Coast] markets, particularly Southern California, which is the largest automotive enthusiast market in the world," said Cameron.
While they look similar, WSSRL Supers are different from the ISMA Supers. The biggest difference is the motor. WSSRL cars run small-block engines up to 350 ci and, at most tracks, they are required to run mufflers. Even so, the fuel-injected motors deliver over 800 hp and 700 ft-lb of torque running on methanol. The engines are all aluminum, with no one on the West Coast running the cast-iron blocks found in the east.
Unlike an East Coast Super, West Coast Supers feature fully adjustable suspensions, which can be controlled by the driver during the race. The fuel, shock bias, and crossweight can be adjusted on the fly. A WSSRL car also has a smaller fixed wing as opposed to the movable monster found in ISMA. The WSSRL wing can be adjusted horizontally; move it forward to loosen the car and backward to get it tighter. Those adjustments have to be made in the pits.
Like ISMA and most other forms of motorsports, WSSRL faces a slew of challenges, including rising fuel costs, keeping car counts up, and maximizing purse structures. In almost every case, the solution to these problems is through sponsorship, and Cameron is taking his bid to attract sponsors to the airwaves.
The WSSRL has teamed up with a producer from the hit Speed show Pinks to craft a pilot for the cable network. The show will follow the building of a Super from start to finish, culminating in an actual race. Cameron's hope is that this exposure can translate into better coverage for his league. "We want to draw a parallel line of how Supermodified racing is old school, build it, then run it. We're hoping that the pilot will give us the exposure to get Speed to pick up six or eight of our races."
By turning up the publicity through television, Cameron hopes to attract sponsor dollars that will help him achieve his vision. Five years down the road, he wants to be sanctioning 16-18 races in a season running from March through November. The primary season will be bolstered by a winter heat series held at a track such as Tucson Raceway Park. He envisions a field of 28-30 cars with quasi-spec chassis and spec motors racing for purses in the $35,000 range.
While spec'ing chassis and engines goes against Supermodified philosophy, Cameron feels it may be necessary. "The excitement of Supermodified racing is that the modifications are pretty open. The downside of it is because they are, [the spending] can be crazy. So we're working on modifying some things where we can contain the costs, because they're getting out of control." Lowering costs and raising income, Cameron's plans for the WSSRL are ambitious, but it is that type of drive and innovation that has kept all of the Supermodifieds on the track and not in the garage.