Midwest Pavement Midget Racing,(Comment))
Hi, I'm Dan, former owner of the Wolverine Outlaw Midget Series. Can pavement midget racing be saved and who are the good guys? Who is doing what for the benefit of midget racing and who's biggest concern is the money at the end of the day?
My wife and I put everything into our series over the last three years to build our series. Time, money and energy was not spared. I began this year with high hopes and big plans. We would pay $1000 to win at all our races. That should draw a good car count at each of our events. We decided to open up the tire rule to give choice to our racers so that it might be less costly to compete at our events. All's well.
In come the three musketeers, Eric Bunn, Don Kenyon and Irish Saunders from Hoosier.They won't honor the co-sanction races if we use any tire other than Hoosier at any of our races. I call USAC after being told by them that they would wreck my schedule and take my co-sanction races away if I used any tire other than Hoosier.USAC calls me back and tells me that these guys can get my races canceled. I could feel the love. Finally they say I can use what I want at my own races but must use only Hoosier with them. OK we get a co-sanction race at Berlin lined up with USAC. Big crowd and 2 cars from USAC show up.. I hear later that Kenyon broke off his own group to race that same day down at Grundy. Do these people sound like they are doing what is best for midget racing?It's all about them. Are these the same people to lead midget racing into the future? I recently passed the torch on to someone else because I tired of dealing with people you just can't trust.Life is just to short .At the start of this season I was willing to and intended to, if necessary, bank roll the entire season for WOMS. I guess if you follow along their lead and do not disrupt their money making machine, everything is OK. In our area of the country we say what we mean and than do what we say. That's a foreign language to them.
I feel like midget racing lost someone that could have done a lot of good in general but because of the three stooges fighting me at every turn it just was not worth it. What a bunch of self serving money hungry people. I was willing to spent a substantial amount of money of my own to further pavement midget racing but until the driver's and owners realize who the good guys are and support them , nothing will change. Hoosier is effectively killing pavement midget racing for the masses and Don Kenyon and Eric Bunn are helping at every turn. We could have had a tri state championship with WOMS,USAC and UMARA with races in each state but as long as these people are in charge it will never happen. They need absolute control right down to the tire you use and beyond. They may feel they are winning but midget racing is losing.
I have heard the threats face to face and these people are not friends of midget racing. Some people put them on a pedestal but I can assure you they should not be there.Maybe in the past at some point they were ambassadors for the sport but that is long gone. They effectively took the fun out of it for me. I still have my midget and will race it occasionally but I have bought a boat. I think of what could have been and it is abundantly clear that some people just want the status quo. I think the three amigos are extremely happy to see me go as they have outlasted another possible threat to their stranglehold on power.UMARA is already essentially a club run by Hoosier and USAC. Midget racing will continue to be the loser. It's really sad. These comments truthfully reflect my own personal experiences in running WOMS. I love midget racing and yearn to have it see the success and recognition it deserves.Those of you who know me, know that I speak the truth.
This will be my final post concerning midget racing. I really felt I could make a difference but underestimated the resistance I would encounter. There is a delicate balance of power in pavement midget racing and the status quo will do anything to keep it the way it presently is. I have met a lot of great people in midget racing, some that will be my friends forever. Some day things will change but will there be any interest anymore? I sincerely hope so. This week end looks to be great weather so I will be out on Lake Michigan.

Dan Vander Molen

[Revolution Racing]

Jeez Dan, don't be so hard on Eric.

After all, look at all the sunshine he spread over the focus series...

[TQ29m]

Isn't it amazing, what you can find, if you dare to dig, deep pockets come out of the woodwork, to shut you down. Bob

[LEADERS EDGE]

While I have absolutely no doubt what you are saying is true; Why did it affect your series? What did I miss? You had your group doing your own thing, how does USAC not wanting to be apart of what you are doing affect you.

You raced in Mi. and Ohio. Why deal with these people who had nothing to offer your series?

Again; I am just asking for some clarification.

[pgray]

Originally Posted by LEADERS EDGE You had your group doing your own thing, how does USAC not wanting to be apart of what you are doing affect you. You raced in Mi. and Ohio. Why deal with these people who had nothing to offer your series?

I think that there is a great possibility that Mr. Vander Molen is not going to bother to answer your question.
Dan had likely felt the need for his post and it is more likely his final word on a now closed chapter , that of his role in Midget racing for the past 3 years.

I would also think that to ask the question , one has certainly never been a part of motorsports promotion or more importantly wore the hat of one in ownership of a small sanctioning group. The WOMS organization originally began as a winged midget series ( WOWMS ) by Michigan HoF driver Jim Hettinger and son Chris , an accomplished midget racer in his own right. The Hettinger's organized Midget racing in Michigan , grew their membership , booked tracks and events , attracted valuable sponsors , and realized great fan interest and spectator attendance as many venues would regularly be sell-outs !

Four years later , the Hettinger's would step down to pursue others interests and Dan Vander Molen would step up to assume the responsibilities in carrying this group forward. Dan would immediately set forth in areas identified where "growth" could be achieved. His first act was to "remove the wings" , reasoning that this would open his events to the many other varied midget groups and owners of the non-wing variety. Along with that , a "compatibility" of rules was achieved to that of the other groups , and in particular to those of the UMARA and USAC. Additional growth could surely come from those groups along with the on-going scheduling of new tracks and quality events. WOMS was now positioned to engage in co-events along with the accompanied sanction at great venues such as Grundy ( Morris , Il. ) and Berlin ( Marne , Mi. ) For the USAC Regional Series drivers , those events would be considered the most prestigious of the schedule and would see the only full grandstands of the year !

The co-sanctioned events would be hosted by UMARA ( w/USAC ) at Grundy and were hosted by the WOMS (w/ USAC ) at Berlin. Frankly , nearly everyone would agree that these were the best "conducted" events of the year , hands down ! The level of fan participation and excitement seen was never to be had at a stand-alone USAC regional event !

So the co-sanctioning was likely to be more profitable , attracted a greater fan base , grew sponsorship support , all the while assuring the ever important car count. Bringing these groups together in special events has been a "win-win" for everyone ! This has been valuable to WOMS and should be to USAC.

The on-going quest by WOMS to reduce and contain costs for it's members "is" and "was" a positive. Taking that initiative to yet another step was to eliminate a costly tire rule. By opening up the tire rule ... or kinda' like "not having a rule" ... "run whatever you wish" ... whether that be American Racer , Hoosier or something else , is apparently not to the liking of those who have closer ties to a tire company than those who are only left to buy the product. Different groups obviously create different interests , so ... these are the end results of opposing interests and not working in harmony to the betterment of the sport.

Dan Vander Molen created what is perhaps the most user-friendly group that could be imagined and put the interests of car owners and drivers above all else. After all , Dan was first a racer ... one of them ... right there each week in the starting field racing his fellow friends -
and members !

Dan Vander Molen is simply someone who had a vision of something greater ; invested his time , invested his best effort and money , but in the end discovered that those things alone would never be enough.
Because "his" passion may not be "yours".

To Dan , Thanks , so much !

I don't race or own a car but I'm a very big fan of midget racing. Once again someone tries to make this wonderful sport more affordable to the "common man". Todays times are very tough especially to a owner or owner driver who still wants to be part of the sport that he/she has grown up loving and doing. It's a shame that things like this continue to happen in a sport that requires lots money to keep it alive. Face it these cars are not cheap to run. Costs of the car, repair, getting to the track and pit pass fees add up.

It's alway been a personal opinion of mine that somewhere along the lines midget racing got out of hand financially. Car counts are way down everywhere and the future doesn't look that bright either. What ever happened to the simple things. Thats just my opinion sorry. I haven't been to a race in sometime cause it's not the same. Sometimes fast follow the leader gets boring.

[pgray]

Originally Posted by sadmidgetman I don't race or own a car but I'm a very big fan of midget racing. Once again someone tries to make this wonderful sport more affordable to the "common man". Todays times are very tough especially to a owner or owner driver who still wants to be part of the sport that he/she has grown up loving and doing. It's a shame that things like this continue to happen in a sport that requires lots money to keep it alive. Face it these cars are not cheap to run. Costs of the car, repair, getting to the track and pit pass fees add up. It's alway been a personal opinion of mine that somewhere along the lines midget racing got out of hand financially. Car counts are way down everywhere and the future doesn't look that bright either. What ever happened to the simple things. Thats just my opinion sorry. I haven't been to a race in sometime cause it's not the same. Sometimes fast follow the leader gets boring.

Sad Midget Man -
Thanks for your post and interest in Midget Racing ! ...
Welcome to IOW and no need to apologize for your opinion here !
This is a smorgasbord of opinion - Some very appealing while others very nauseating ...:2:

Originally Posted by pgray Sad Midget Man - Thanks for your post and interest in Midget Racing ! ... Welcome to IOW and no need to apologize for your opinion here ! This is a smorgasbord of opinion - Some very appealing while others very nauseating ...:2:

pgray.....You just thanked me for the "Interest" in midget racing. It should be me thanking YOU. After all you are the one fork'n out the money, there's that word again MONEY, to race every weekend and entertain the masses who pay there "money" and sit in the stands. What amazes me the most is that midget racing has been on the decline for the last 10 years or so. Am I wrong? I don't think that the people who own or race the cars is the issue. Lets be truthful it's money. This is a VERY, VERY expensive sport.

What I don't get is why doesn't USAC come up with an idea to make the sport more affordable and bring the car count back. Something like the tire rule, a motor rule with hp, and the like. Seeing that USAC is the all might god for the sport they should be helping it. Again these are my opinions not to make people mad. I'm not trying to do that. Again it's my favorite racing. There is nothing prettier than a midget. I would love to have one in my living room. :2:

[LEADERS EDGE]

I think what he was doing was great for his area. My question was why let others disrail his club because they didn't want to work with him. Why not continue to do his own thing?

[Anderson36]

Leaders Edge,

I think the simple explanation for you would be, you can't successfully sign races with a car count of 8 midgets. The promoters need to have more cars show up to make it more appealing for the spectator. What I think Dan was getting at was the fact that for midget racing to survive the midwestern clubs need to work together to ensure good 16-24 car fields for the promotors of these tracks to continue to sign races.

On one hand Dan was trying his damndest to get those good car counts by co-sanctioning with UMARA and USAC, but on the other hand he also was doing his best to control the costs in order to allow his guys to run a full season without going broke.

All the while getting flack from other places on what he thought needed to be done.