I don't know Lenny. The 70's Mods with fuel injection & drag tires seemed to haul the mail pretty good. Of course, I was a kid and they seemed faster then. Would be interesting to see lap times then vs now. Todays suspension and other technologies make it interesting. Corner speed probably more equal. Good question!

Allen

I know some of the nights I would look at my laps, and the crates were as fast as the big blocks on the 5/8 at Bridgeport. Even at N.E.S. Even today I look at that on some nights, and the lap times, and some of the crates based on time alone would be midpack with the modifieds. Now for the question that is asked I wonder if ARRA would have any of this kind of information in all of there records that they have? Good question.

I don't know what lap times are at any of the dirt tracks, but I would think for this discussion to be on point, it would be important to consider track conditions.  Without a stopwatch I can see that there is probably a second or two difference between a wet tacky surface with lots of bite, to a dry slick surface.

To narrow it down, you'd almost have to find a way to even things up by having both a modified, and a crate... or an old modified versus a crate car from today run laps at the same times/same surface conditions.

I agree with 3wide Joe about track conditions would play a big part in the lap times. I don't think you would ever be able to run an accurate test even if you could get the cars from different eras on the same track.

There would still be to many variables. Would you take a winning 70's modidfied with a King chassis, and put it up against a mid pack 602 with a brand new bicknell chassis. Then there would be no way to get an accurate "control" (driver). Putting someone like Kenny Brenn JR in a King Chassis big block, up against say, Joe Toth in his 602 would be a flawed test. I think you would have to have the same driver in the cars.

We were just talking about this. Back in the 60s modifieds , bugs, or sprints, whatever they might have been called, at Eldora 18 or 19 seconds was a real decent lap depending conditions. Now the street stocks are faster than that. My guess on the increased speed is tire sidewalls. Those old M&H, & double diamonds were so stiff they blurred your vision, and could hold a parked car up even if they were flat.

I'm guessing today's crates probably are quicker thanthe modifieds of the 70s.  You can thnk today's areo bodies, tires, chassis and suspensions for the lower lap times.  Not so sure about the 80s mods vs. today's crates as thats when today's hot rod started to take shape regarding all all its components (bodies, chassis, etc). Just my opinion. Scott Ely

I would imagine they're faster. Need to find lap times from back then.

Back around 1980-81, Steve Smith  won a sprint race at Flemington (open competition, pre 410 days). Was in the 17 second bracket. I remember saying you'll never see a lap like that again, but within a few years we were in the 17 second bracket in URC. Technology changes everything.

The way the cars have advanced over the years and tracks are prepared, I would say the Crates are just as fast as the Mods back in the day. Between the wide bodies and better suspension technology give todays cars an advantage. One thing to consider,

I remember cars had to way in at 2,650 todays the weight rules for crates is 2,350 on page 26 of the New Egypt Speedway Crate pdf on the website. 

Really interesting question. Track condition dictate quite alot. My frame of refernce for this question is one of the home tracks (Delaware.US 13 back in the day). Seemed mods always had a "fast track" for the features. On a drier/racier track, I bet crates today could certainly be faster due to technology advancements.

Who would we like to see in a "DREAM RACE" 70'S or 80's mod vs a crate of today??

I'll take mid 70's Dave Kelly vs Joe Toth at US 13.

Allen

I remember being at Flemington in '74 and them screaming Ploski had just broken the track record in a heat turning 22.8. I believe Pauch had the last dirt mod record there in the low 19's. I'd say that's all chassis, tires and aero.

Don't count out modern engine technology. 

Wall Stadium 1975 Jim Hendrickson big block modified track record 13.3.  2010 crate sportsman I ran a 13.2.  Tires and technology.   Mostly tires.