[Shighland]

I’m thinking about getting back in to midget racing after twenty eight years. So many different combinations of engines and chassis’s now. I was thinking of a D2 pavement car and looking for suggestions on chassis/engine combinations. Wide car, narrow car, four bar or coil overs..etc. why are these cars so cheap now? Seems like now one is interested in pavement anymore, all dirt races.

[copper14]

if you live in westmont il think hard before buying a pavement midget.not much for car counts anymore.morris is hurting for cars.i was told only 4 cars ran last Saturday night.racing is fun and where you live should give you options.check with other car owners and drivers about the series the run in.

[LJC77]

Grundy had 11 cars for the Bettenhausen.
Pavement cars in the midwest are extremely cheap because the pavement series was dormant on a national level for a couple of years.
The D2 pavement series (Illini Series)
Was doing well, had up to 18 cars a few times then self imploded when it chose not to follow the rules it set forth.
I believe they averaged 7-8 cars all year with a combination of 9 different cars.
The new poweri pavement series which is running national cars and stock blocks together but scoring stock blocks separately, averaged 8-9 cars with a combination of 14 different cars i believe.
Those numbers maybe off by 1 or 2, but i followed what both clubs did very closely and that pretty accurate to what they had.
What needs to happen is both clubs combine for the betterment of pavement racing, but unfortunately they've tried and seems as if egos cannot be over come.

As far as what chassie package seems to be most popular, wide body 4 coil cars have been dominant.

[Shighland]

Thank you.

[Shighland]

Appreciate your help.

[copper14]

ljc would you advise this guy to buy a pavement car?

[jdull99]

Originally Posted by copper14 ljc would you advise this guy to buy a pavement car?

Why not? You can finish in the top 10

[LJC77]

I would never discourage anyone from doing something they are passionate about.
If you have concerns about the future pavement midget racing, it can't be rebuilt in one season. For it to succeed the butt hurt people who want rules to meet their own agenda need to just shut up and race.
Perfect example is look to the north at what Badger did. They went outside the lines drew up a set of rules AND STUCK TO THEM! The series is continuing to grow each year.
What killed the Illini pavement series was the constant changing of rules, not just each year but mid-season. Guys were tired of not knowing if they ran well if they were going to be allowed to continue racing with what they had.
The constant crying from back markers and the lack of knowledge from someone who had no business making rule decisions turn that series into more of a private racing club with a core of 5-6 cars. Its a shame because it's original format was truly the most affordable way to race a midget.

The new Poweri pavement series seems to be understanding that you can not turn away anyone who wants to race. The series is run what ya brung. For the guys with stock blocks they will score you separately and will have its own champion, similar to the way they are running Montpelier.
They seem to have plenty of room for growth and signed a 4 year contract with Grundy.
So at minimum if you live in the midwest and want to buy a pavement car you'll have a place to race it for 3 more years.

That is the best answer I can give anyone who is thinking about pavement midget racing in the midwest.

[copper14]

ljc remember when a lot of us had vw s.joe showed up with a quad 4.one guy was so mad at the quad 4 he wanted to have a vw only class.

[sjracer26]

To answer your questions a bit I would suggest you look for a beast chassis, 4 coil over suspension with a rear sway bar. Make sure you get a frame that you fit in, both width and height. A lot of cars are short and people are driving with their heads basically sticking out. I recommend at least 4" of head clearance. Beyond the safety stuff you will want a good set of shocks and a few spring options as well as a few rear wheels to have stagger choices.

For engines the D2 package is a mixed bag. You can probably find an old focus engine for cheap, but it will be severely under powered. Up from that the Chevy ecotec engines make a bit more power for a reasonable cost I think. The Honda D2 engine is competitive but more expensive I believe. I know the Badger guys are doing some cool things with their engine package as well that is probably worth looking into.

Outside of that you will be able to find all kinds of "full" midget engines for varying costs. Old Chevy head engines are pretty cheap and mostly reliable. Old Ed Pink Ford's are still floating around and make pretty good power. Even some old Mopar W9 engines around, but reliability on those can be a concern. Esslingers will be more pricey but definitely faster. Even old Fontana engines for a good price will work for you.

Just depends on your budget and what you are wanting to accomplish. If it was me I would go with a beast/esslinger combo for a full pavement midget and a beast/ecotec for a D2 pavement midget.

My brother and I raced pavement and dirt midgets for years on the west coast and the midwest. If you ever have any questions do not hesitate to ask.

-Alfred