Concerned that Saturday night car counts will fall as the price of racing a stock car continues to rise, Speedway 95 co-owner Del Merritt has decided to implement changes that will lower the drivers’ costs and, hopefully, increase the Saturday night car counts.

The Wacky Wednesday racing card, set up for low-cost entry level cars, has done very well, according to Merritt and it is “definitely taking something away from our Saturday night racing.”

Merritt has also restructured the allocation of the purse money in the pro stock and limited sportsman classes with the winners receiving lower payoffs but drivers finishing outside the top three receiving higher payoffs.

“We needed to make some changes,” said Merritt. “We know cheaper is better. Wednesday nights have proved that to us.”

Some of those changes involve altering class specifications. Merritt feels the price tag for entry level street stock cars, which he estimated at between $10,000-$15,000, is far higher than it needs to be.

Under the new configuration, the rules for the super street division will be similar to the 2002 strictly street rules.

So former super street cars will either have to move up to the limited sportsman division or run under the reworked rules for the super street division.

The revamped Saturday night strictly street class will be available to the Wednesday night big enduro cars as long as they install the four-point roll cages.

As for the new purse structure, the winners of the 2003 Saturday night pro stock features will earn $850 instead of the $1,000 they received this past year. The limited sportsman victor will receive $400 instead of $500. Both features were 35-lappers.

Merritt explained that the drivers who finished sixth through 10th in those classes this past year weren’t making enough money to cover their tires and gas.

With the new structure, the 10th-place finisher in the pro stock race will be able to pay for one new tire and enough gas for 35 laps.

Pro stock car drivers will be able to purchase just one new tire a week next season instead of two and that will save them $115, according to Merritt.

“In a field of 20 cars, we’re going to try to support at least 15 of them,” said Merritt. “What has happened is the [Saturday night] drivers can afford to buy them but then they find they can’t afford to race them. It’s too expensive.

“The more we can help them, the more it’s going to help us in the long run,” added Merritt.

He also said he realizes that some of the pro stock drivers may leave for bigger paydays at other tracks but he feels the new payoff structure is healthier for everybody else.

The Wednesday night card will remain virtually unchanged.

Speedway 95 in Hermon will open on May 4.