Personally Bill,,,,,, I would worry more about keeping a motor together than what MALS, MMSA, WIMS, ILSS, RMSA and MLS are doing with their rules.*


You are single handedly depleting the availability of good zx-10 I can buy. Sounds like if anyone can benefit from stock motor rules it is you.

Mark

I detect a little animosity in that remark! You have not a clue as to what my problems are, heck I'm still looking myself.

We had a great time at DuQuoin and I wish a few of you guys would have come over (300 miles or so). This was mini sprint racing as it should be.

I talked to Phil last year and he mentioned that you guys ran on a lot of 3/8+ and larger track, and how Horsepower always won out. He mentioned that he did not want to be perceived as slower than the sidewinders. "WELL" good racing has very little to do with speed it has more to do with set up and driving. When you go to them big old tracks we can make up for a lot of that advantage held by a motor with a 15+ horsepower advantage with driving and handling. A lot of guys can't. If you could shop your tracks a little better and stay under 3/8 th of a mile the racing would improve. I can guarantee you that the racing at the "Mini Magic Mile" was much better, closer, and required more skill to run up front than at any 3/8 mile (super speedway's) for us mini-sprinters.

What made PowerI take off. They race at a lot of them little Micro Tracks AS WELL !!!!

Some people cry well there are so many sidewinders out there. WHY is that so? They have learned their place. They know they don't belong on big old race tracks. They race on many purpose built race tracks with little grand stands and a purse supported by the back gate. They offer enough classes that they can start kids at 6 years old and race up to a pro level racing.

They are short wheel based , overpowered, and a little squirrely to drive. They place their drivers in a go kart like driving position that is a little unconventional for a dirt open wheel car. Granted there are a bunch of them out there but some of that is because they don't know that there is something better out there to race.>>> We have managed to keep it a secret.>>> Me I am trying to spread the word!!!>>>

You think you got problems finding good motors now? You guys running stock motors blow up too?? I'll be darned!!!! Wait until a few of these "MICRO" guys get a chance to drive a upright Midget style car. Then there will be a motor shortage!!!!

DuQuoin required driving and set up to run up front. We did that after starting from the tail 4 times, It did not have anything to do with our motor, we were off the gas by the flag-stand. Motors tend to live longer under those conditions than they do at "ELDORA" and flat footed the whole race.

Heck Mark I even brought my cut away zx10r to the race with me. I could have shown you how to catch a cheat in 15 New York minutes or less. As a matter of fact I was also racing a motor with the inspection ports and cam checking device installed.

Honest Dad himself

Was hoping to stay out of this.....but.........

Little FYI on track sizes we are competing on. April 26th (Lamonte, M0.)...super smooth 3/8ths mile, May 25th (California, Mo.)...small/smooth 1/4 mile, June 21st (Warrensburg, Mo.)....1/4 mile, June 28th (Nevada, Mo.)....really small 1/4 mile closer to a large 1/6th mile, July 4/5th (Dodge City, Ks.).....3/8th with WoO, July 19th (Flora, Illinois).....3/8th with MMSA, Aug. 2nd (Warrensburg again)....1/4 mile, August 30th (Lamonte again).....3/8ths, Sept. 20th (New Florence, Mo.)....small 1/4 mile with MMSA, Oct. 10th (Chandler, In.)....SMALL 3/8th mile with MMSA, Oct. 11th (Haubstadt)....1/4 mile with MMSA.

So you can see....we have booked at tracks that are diverse in size. We did that for a reason. Give our participants some variety. Racers get tired of "rooting" around on those little bitty tracks where luck has as much to do with it as anything. Starts with luck of the draw which is critical on small tracks, then luck of the fact the guys around you want to race or they want to play bumper tag. Yes, luck is involved everywhere in racing but the small tracks.......it has a much bigger role. Sometimes it's hard to distinquish luck from skill. I am not trying to demeen anyone's skills but I have cut enough laps in various kinds of race cars to realize......it ain't all skill all the time. Personally, I have done my fair share of "small track rooting" and I fail to see the glory in it. My idea of "racing" doesn't follow that path. I'm a more stand on it and scare the sh*t out of yourself guy with sheer speed. But that's just me.

Phil

Glad you chimed in. With the track sizes you listed Big Motors wont have much effect on the small ones, now on the large ones Speed requires Horsepower, Horsepower cost money, and Money prevents people from racing. I enjoy watching Bull-Ring racing!!! I really don't enjoy race cars going down a long old back stretch that seems to take for ever to reach the other end unless it is a Silver Crown Car on a big dirt mile. Then I enjoy watching the drivers keeping that big old car sideways all the way through them long old turns with one or two other racers besides them doing the same thing. That is called driving.

The biggest problem I see with the smaller tracks is they are so physical both on the car and driver. With the cars changing directions all the time and the driver trying to stay on top of them a young kid starting out can really hone their skills in the process of becoming "Journeymen Racers". Racers start out on the small tracks, move up to the half miles and then go to the big tracks. Most don't start their careers at DuQuoin on the mile in a Silver Crown Car. We saw the results of a novice on a 1/2 mile track last week in Florida.

You guys are doing a great job, and we hope to make a few of your races if our "BUILT" motor manages to stay together long enough to get there and old Mark doesn't DQ us at the pit gate.

Would the Chili Bowl draw as many cars if it were to be run on a 1/2 mile high bank track like Belleville Kansas?? Why do guys like Bryan Clausen and Sammy and Kevin Swindell always manage to win it??

Honest Dad himself

I understand what you are saying about track size and starting out. However......too much time on those small tracks sometimes teaches a racer bad habits. Get used to wheel banging all the time and see what happens when you take that to a bigger faster track.

Another reason I like big long straight-a-ways.........time for an old fart like me to rest and take a deep breathe. Also get to enjoy the scenery. But the downside......time to get distracted and lose focus. At my age.....that is easy to do.

Hope you can make a couple of our races. Mark and I really look forward to our joint races with MMSA. We just hope more of the MMSA guys, as well as racers from other groups that direction, can venture farther west this year and take advantage of the purses we are presenting. We are just as thrilled to be combining with the RMLSA group at Dodge City this year and hoping more of their people can return to race with MALS this year at other venues. Should be good year for Lighting Sprints everywhere.

Phil

The best way to learn proper driving etiquette is on a very small track 1/20 th of a mile and in a very small car 1/4 midgets at a very very young age 5 or 6 years old.

Every year new drivers are coming into Mini Sprints with the mentality that racing is like what they see on Sunday afternoon watching a NASCAR race. That is the farthest thing from the truth when we are talking about "Open Wheel Racing". There is a reason why open wheel driver tend to excel in NASCAR racing and part of that is that Driving Etiquette has been a big part of their racing experience from a very early age in their careers.

We need some way of teaching novice racers just starting in Mini-Lightning Sprints about racing Etiquette. they need to know when one should give racing room for their fellow racers. What is considered "Blocking" and what is considered "Charging". The importance of keeping the same racing line when starting out so as not to get in the way of other more experienced racers.

If you have ever watched a quarter midget race you might have seen the black flag come out. These kids are held to a much more stringent rules than USAC expects of it's drivers. If you are just starting out racing this is a great video to watch. http://www.quartermidgets.org/Multim...ing-video.html This is also why so many Quarter Midget driver do so well when moving up in racing.

It hard to believe how fast a 6 year old can pick up on these rules. What is even more fun sometimes is watching the parents after one of these rule infractions has been called on their kid. The kids handle it fine the parents sometime not so good.

Honest Dad himself

I was wondering how long it would take for this to turn into a normal mini sprint thread. No matter what I look at the DuQuoin race as a win. Everyone ran super close and the field was close from start to finish. Its only wednesday and One person is already trading there 600 for a 1000 hopefully this week. If one person bought a car every race then we are doing our part. I have to agree with DAD though the 3/8ths mile tracks do not work there just way to big and make a boring race.

Mark and Phil I know you guys are working hard to make these cars big and have great payouts but to be honest from my own opinion and other peoples I have heard you guys are not in the right location to make it work. Even though your paying a tow money it just isnt enough to make it possible for a guy to want to take the risk when he can 9 times out of 10 race at home. This class is all about affortability I think if you guys hosted just one race to try it out during the summer with a big payout in the right location you would have more cars then you can imagine. Realistically its to hard though everyones schedules dont ever line up just right.From the talk that ive heard this is how it seems to me just my 2cents

Buckshot

Maybe we need to take a lesson from the quarter midget people also and offer rides in a 1000cc upright at the first of the season for any experienced 600cc racer. If they can stay on top of one of those things a good 1000cc car should knock their shocks off and maybe save another soul.

Honest Dad himself

Unofficial PowerI track schedule and track size.

1/8 th mile 1

1/5 th mile 13

1/4 th mile 10

1/3 rd mile 8

3/8 th mile 6

This is perhaps the most successful Midget Group racing today, could the fact that 84+ % >>>THAT IS MORE THAN EIGHTY FOUR PERCENT>>> of their races are run on quarter mile dirt tracks and smaller be the reason??? And these are what we wanabe's call Full Midgets.

Kenny Brown is doing something right, lets use his race model as a template.

Honest Dad himself

Billy since it appears you want to turn this in to a “normal mini sprint thread” I have a different opinion than you do. Myself I like getting up on the wheel at these big tracks and being able to race. I don’t like feeling like I am in a pinball machine at these little bullrings. Just not my style to ruff someone up to pass them. I am all for promoting our sport and my hats off to Steve Nace for hosting this race. Plus dont look now but not only does MALS host races on 3/8 mile tracks MMSA, WIMS, RMLSA and MLS do.

You’re going to have to explain this one to me? “not in the right location to make it work” Last season was our FIRST year of promoting Mid-America Lightning Sprints presented by Jayhawk Millwright. Not our sixth or even our second. It was our first. At our first and last race we had 16 cars. We average 14 cars per race. This season we have five new cars in varies stages of being built. New contacts from people interested in cars. We have dirt tracks, we have racers, we have a great sponsor. I am not sure what else in your opinion is needed to make this work. Personally I think that is a pretty naive statement.

BUT,as long as you bring up tow money I might as well throw out how this works. Because last year we had some of the best drivers in the country come run with us and take advantage of this tow money that you conceder just not enough for guys to take the risk. So here is how this works for anyone that is interested. MALS is paying out $100/$50 tow money to the first 5/5 guys who make the feature and are driving more than 500/250 miles one way to get to our track. You have to tell us in advance you are coming by email me at mbillingsracing@gmail.com Last year guys came in from N.Y., CO, IN, IO, WI and even your state IL. As long as I am posted the tow money I might as well post the flier for our first event of the season. Also on the bill winged 360 and 305 sprint cars!



I just think it is ironic for someone like yourself to preach the affordability of these cars but you have no problem going to races that require over $100 entry fee, multi day pit pass’s, multi nights in a motel, food and a very slim chance of winning money to cover your expenses. For most racers you just shot half of a year’s racing budget to race close to home in one event. When in reality you could have come raced with MALS that has NO entry fee, NO temp membership fee, NO pill draw fee and very good payback across the board. Matter of fact our payout is posted clearly for everyone to see on our website. Just go to www.midamericalightningsprints.com and click on the payout tab on the top of the page.

Glad you like the one shot big race to run ideal. We personally like to spread the money out to give more guys a better chance of winning money and building our sport. We have 3-$1000 to win races, 4-$650 to win races and 6-$500 to win races this season.

We will leave the big shows for now up to others to have or not.
Just my 2cents worth.