[Kirk Spridgeon]

Whether he wanted to or not, he's been in charge while USAC has been brought to the Gold Crown Midget Nationals, Firemen's Nationals, and Ultimate Challenge. They returned sprint cars to Knoxville and Williams Grove for the first time in years, and rumors are that Knoxville will pay more next year. They're back at Iowa and in at Oswego. Unfortunately, midgets, pavement racing, and specifically the Hut Hundred are seeing the problems of a ten- to twenty-year downhill spiral. Those are his problems and I'm gonna try to have faith that he and others he can bring with him can make improvements and go in the right direction...
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[FishBurger]

USAC has provided me with the best racing on the planet for the past 49 years. In that time I have seen NAMARS come and go.....CORA come and go..........IMCA sprints come and go.........and others come and go. I've seen CRA taken over by Frank Lewis, then become SCRA (for all intents and purposes) to be run by Ron Shuman, then to become USAC/CRA in the most recent left coast iteration of traditional sprints.

There have been times when USAC misfires have driven me up the wall but never out of the grandstand. I don't work for USAC, never have, and don't personally know anyone who does......uh, unless Spridge is now on their payroll.

Times are tough right now, but I fully expect USAC to survive while others may fall.

Just my opinion as a fan and I don't presume to speak for anyone else, most certainly not for those involved in actual competition.

[Vukie]

Originally Posted by Kirk Spridgeon They returned sprint cars to Knoxville and Williams Grove for the first time in years, Posted via Mobile Device

Sorry Kirk, the sprints returned to the Grove in 2007 before Kevin Miller took charge. Give Greg Staab the credit for that one. :28:

It's been a only a year and half since he took over:the new people will need some time but results will have to seen in 2010.

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...with_the_times

[Kirk Spridgeon]

Sorry Russ, but the Eastern Swing started in 2007 without Williams Grove. They were added in year two, which was Miller's first. The job was done by Staab, and I thank him for that whole swing, but the Grove came under Miller's regime. Speaking of Greg, why hasn't anyone grilled Team Six-R about his dismissal like USAC was???
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[spruett]

I would say that a naysayer is one who complains and offers no solutions or factual input. I choose to support the series and provide ideas to the leadership that is trying to create change.

To place the blame on Kevin Miller or the current management of USAC for not reversing years of decline of this race series even as we went into the teeth of a major economic recession is just wrong. The economic decline started as we went into the 08 season, this managements first year. BTW it takes at least a year to sell any new major sponsorship so the first shot they had was for 09 and everything new was DOA for 09. The series has to have new sponsors to increase purses and incentive to owners and drivers.

The basic problem is when times were good and car counts increased the former management failed to market USAC to both existing fans or to a new generation of true fans and instead chose to put its faith in becoming known as a feeder series for NASCAR which without a contract and ladder system is no business model at all. At the time that probably looked like a good bet but it was never fully capitalized on and the hardcore fans didn't like it.

Fresh ideas are exactly what this series needs we should be so lucky as to have the fan support, factory support and sponsor money that Drifting and Monster trucks have. Whoever thinks differently has never had to pay the bills for running these things.

When Kevin took over what USAC needed most was marketing and sponsorship in order to reinvest in the product and grow the fan base. They have made some smart moves to broaden the base(Q midgets , cost control ideas for Focus series, live timing and scoring and video via web ) but going into the 08 season major dollars were already drying up in motorsports and every other form of advertiser and sponsor driven business. I know this well as I run a large advertising supported business and have been involved in major league racing for the better part of decade.

Here are the real issues.


1. Sponsorship $$ have been scarce and getting more scarce hindering the original business model of bringing more series sponsors and higher purses.
2. high price gas and weakening econom hurt attendance and car count in 08
3. the recession in 09 squeezed it even more
4. the high cost of racing a sprint/midget /Crown car vs available sponsorship and purses

It costs $3-4K per show to run these cars ( not including breakage or intitial cost of the car) against a winner share of $4-5K , 10th pays maybe $1000 and $ 150-200 to start the main not a good prospect of even paying some of the bills if you run every night. BTW a new car cost at least $60K w motor. It costs $3-500 in maint and motor time to fire the motor and run a heat race.

Their is no economic model that makes any kind of sense in this series without media to attract sponsorship. Until there is a form of media that will attract a sponsor base USAC racing will continue to be an expensive hobby and there is a lot of racing that is just as much fun and cheaper than this. This management team has set their sites on solving that problem but it will take time and an economic recovery especially in the car business as that money trickles downhill from the major leagues.

If you want to help, tell a friend about the series and bring people to the racetrack . Spend time blogging , emailing and spreading the word about the series. Nobody and I mean nobody is making serious money in USAC compared to the risk and amount of work that it takes to be competitive as a race team or to put on the races.

If you have ideas on how to improve USAC you should list them on this site and I am sure the USAC guys would be open to them. Blaming Kevin or USAC in general won't do anything toward fixing anything.

[Vukie]

Originally Posted by Kirk Spridgeon Sorry Russ, but the Eastern Swing started in 2007 without Williams Grove. They were added in year two, which was Miller's first. The job was done by Staab, and I thank him for that whole swing, but the Grove came under Miller's regime. Speaking of Greg, why hasn't anyone grilled Team Six-R about his dismissal like USAC was??? Posted via Mobile Device

Kirk, looking at the date of this news release, it appears that Staab ,who was still working at USAC in December 2007, had a hand in getting the Grove race.

Mr Miller took over in December of 2007. Just a guess here, Greg did most of leg work for the the 2008 schedule.

http://www.motorsport.com/news/artic...6565&FS=USAC-S

... but Kevin Miller is to blame for both of the rain outs at the Grove... J/K

In response to spruett here are a few (and I know I will get flamed but I don't care):

1. Get to tracks were the racing will be great. No reason to have a "bigger and better than this track or that track" type mentality.

2. Drop the sanctioning fee so more tracks can have USAC there.

3. Co-sanction events instead of taking over events

4. Put rules inplace to limit costs.

5. Make the Silver Crown series the absolute premier division in USAC like it use to be. Get the series to be a truly national series by getting more events (both pavement and dirt).

6. Three words: Illinois Midget Week

7. Two words: Buckeye Nationals (again)

Those are just a few ideas.

Okay vultures, pick them apart :2:

[spruett]

These are great and constructive

somebody has to pay insurance which I believe is included in USAC fee but not sure. Tracks would need to provide local officials which always seems to be controversial but could be done.

[DonMoore10]

So............. Will somebody please tells us all what Kevin Miller and his staff did from October 4, 2008 (running of the disasterous Hut Hundred fiasco with 22 cars) to just a few days ago (cancellation of the 2009 Hut Hundred) to improve midget car counts and overall general health of the division? I'm coming up with zero. Please correct me. Thanks.

[Vukie]

One other person that deserves a shout out for helping get the USAC sprints back into Pennsylvania and that is nonwingsjeff. He called and email Rollie and Greg for a long time about getting USAC racing back east. I know he tried for years to get it to happen and helped on the SCRA tours also.

Jeff deserves some credit also and the blame when the track conditions are terrible out there.

Fans can make a difference.