Taken from page 4 of the latest SCREAM newsletter:

While rolling out our latest creation at the Performance Racing Industry trade show in December, I ran across several friends and Focus Midget competitors. One of them, a young gun from the Midwest who made his start in the Focus cars and then moved up into National Sprints and Midgets, had a troubling tale to tell. He told me he was at the show “trying to find a million dollars”. As it turns out, this guy had done quite well in the Focus division and his success, coupled with good connections and a booming economy, enabled him to put together a spectacular team and to “Go National”. Fast forward to Dec. ‘08 however, and things were quite different. The sponsors were all gone. One of his parents had lost their job. My young friend was at the show “trying to find a million dollars” so that he could keep his team intact for the ‘09 season.

He didn’t find his million. In fact he found almost no sponsorship that week. And as a result, his racing program for this season will be far, far different from what it was last year. This is a story that to varying degrees is getting repeated all over the country right now. Racing of all kinds, including Midget Racing, is going through a ground shaking change and I think it is a change that will be with us for a long time to come. Those who adapt to the coming changes will be the survivors - in the case of Midget racing, this means that the time has come to embrace new technologies that can lower costs and improve reliability while maintaining high performance standards. About the only things left that still run mechanical fuel injection are Midgets, and tractors. Let’s not be the last ones to leave that party...

I think that Midget Racing has a place, and a future, in motorsports for many years to come. But I also think it will be vastly different from what we have today. $40,000.00 engines and tow rigs costing more than the average home will have no place in the future of our sport, just as they had no place in its past. The most fun I ever had in racing involved pulling my car to the track on an open trailer, sleeping on the side of the road, and earning enough money at my job to pay for my own racing. Looks to me as if racing is about to get fun again..."

To read the whole thing, go to http://www.focusmidgets.com:thumb

Most fun i ever had racing was playing Playstation in the toterhome while driving down the highway, then spending the night in a Hampton Inn (after dinner at the Outback Steakhouse).

You can play a video game while driving? Wow, you have a very special talent!:O:

use mazda 12a and 13b engines. less parts and great power. Much more affordable than piston engines. My two cents

need to find someway to control the engine cost. Midgets I believe were created as a cost effective alternative to the sprints and champ cars. You should be able to buy a race winning engine for less than 20K. Either that or raise the purses to justify the 40K engines.

Cheap,reliable ,350hp Mazda rotary? show me! builders tell me mazda at that hp lifespan is measured with a stop watch

If you think the Big Box Boy on 16th Street is going to do anything about the costs of racing, please put the pipe down.

Here it is folks, direct from the source in an interview with Performance Racing Industry Mag, September 2008:

"Our National Midget Series is indeed the highest echelon of midget racing, and it will attract the bigger teams and car owners with the big dollar funding and sponsors, as I feel it should."

"So, to try and contain costs in our national level of midget racing is not in our best interest."

"This is all good for the long-term health of our National Midget Series."

I'm curious if someone would be able to start a successful series using honda or mazda motors and make it successful and inexpensive (relatively speaking). It seems to me no matter what we create (in terms of new series' or rules) we just create a way to make them more racing (which is why we race I guess). I'm afraid that alot of logical rules to help make this sport less expensive will make the cars boring to fans compared to their counterpart.

I haven't heard much in the way of success in focus midgets (just don't see much info about them as there used to be)....but it is tied in with usac..but do you all think that series has been successful?


I look at the formula for success from powri in terms of car count and wonder if a "mid-east" (IN, IL, OH, etc..)midget series can be formed and can be successful?

I'm curious what solutions we all have....not complaints about usac or powri or other groups but just ideas that could have a positive impact on a new series.

i think its time for you and your other owner friends to start your own cost cutting assco! Quit ******** and do something about it! And then go out and get race dates!!!!!!!!!!!

Sooo...Sprints & Crown cars are tractors????:doh: