[EltoJoe]

http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-med...-crossman.html

[DAD]

Elto

Normally I don't read stuff produced by NASCAR. This time I did and coming from a guy outside the sport of Midget racing he managed to capture Midget racing in a "NUT SHELL".

He was right on. Most of us all want a rebirth of Midget racing. Excuses like engine cost>>tire costs>>are always given as excuses for dwindling Midget car counts.

Promoters and race track owners should look at the Chili Bowl and ask themselves, just why is this race so popular. The first thing that comes to mind is all of the great drivers from so many other forms of racing seem to gravitate there. The second choice is that it is held in Tulsa Oklahoma in the dead of winter, and no place in the country exemplifies the winter season better than Tulsa.

All of these contribute to it's success but without a doubt the real reason for success of the Chili Bowl are those 700 loads of dirt. Not a big number but just enough to build a smallish 1/4 mile banked dirt race track over the top of a concret floor. Midgets are one of the most exciting forms of racing when racing on a small track period. Drivers that excel racing these cars have very little problems adjusting to larger car at higher speeds on larger tracks their reactions are already razor sharp.

Large Detroit cars have vanished from the scene. People starting out racing now race small compact front wheel drive cars in the place of the big old Chevy Impala's. But they do so on much larger tracks than they need to be racing on. Could the track owner carve out a track in the infield of the large track or just make the large track smaller and produce more exciting races for their fans? Watching Midgets race on a Bull Ring is fun to me. Watching them race on a 1/2 mile and larger tracks is both Boring and scary to me. The action of the cars and drivers competing with one another is way down BUT the chance for tragedy if a driver or car messes up is way up on the larger tracks.

If the object is to fill the grand stands with fans. I would take the route of filling those stands with fans that enjoyed wheel to wheel competition and not trying to fill them with people only hoping to witness a tragedy.

Honest Dad himself

PS Elto didn't they use to race Elto outboard motors in Midgets a long long time ago I think they were the cars that smelled like a pop corn machine???

[scottyCbus]

I got news for you if your sole purpose on going to a racetrack is to witness a tragedy of any kind you are one sick individual! Just saying!

[badcoupe]

Absolutely agree great writing about an awesome event!

[flagboy55]

You are right about one thing for sure, the reason it is successful is because it's in the dead of winter. Also in a building large enough to do it right, and done right by Emmitt and Lanny. It didn't start with 300 cars at the first one, it developed because the track and building were big enough to allow it. I have to disagree about midgets on a big track. I've witnessed many hut 100 at the action track, awesome! And if some might call it boring, I would say they never saw a 4 crown midget race.
I hope midget racing makes a comeback but using the chili bowl as a template is somewhat flawed. Let's face it, the race for the golden driller is in a class by itself

[DAD]

Flag

You are right I guess the problem with the big fast tracks is just like pavement they are having a harder time attracting enough cars to make a full field not that a full field is required for some great racing. The smaller tracks like Little B'ville can have upwards of 50+ cars signed up and in the pits for a regular race and provide fans with some very exciting racing on the cheap.

If you want excitement watch the Midgets at Raceway Park or Salem and Winchester.

Honest Dad himself