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6/30/16 5:54 PM USAC RECONFIRMS ENDORSEMENT OF RPM LIMITS IN MIDGET RACING

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USAC RECONFIRMS ENDORSEMENT OF RPM LIMITS IN MIDGET RACING

On May 29, USAC joined a coalition of Midget series with a unified approach to a 2016 RPM study for the various midget engine platforms found across midget racing. Today, USAC reconfirms our endorsement of RPM limits in midget racing as a means to protect the sport from astronomical development costs that can be found in an open and uncontrolled RPM environment.

Nothing has changed in our approach that was established in May as stated below:

--RPM limits are used in midget racing as a "throttle" to limit the expense of further development of current midget racing engine platforms, save money for car owners with increased time between engine maintenance cycles, and as means to enable midget racing to welcome lower-cost alternatives to current engine platforms in the future.

--The initial RPM limits will be adopted from a USAC-sponsored study conducted by ILMOR Engineering and in use for the last four race seasons. Throughout 2016, additional race data will be collected to further study equivalency power curves among the varying midget engine platforms, including pushrod and overhead cam configurations. This data will be used to determine if RPM limit modifications will be required.

Our mission continues. USAC will continue to collect data throughout the race season in 2016, across various tracks and conditions, which collectively will be used to analyze through a third party engineering study of RPM thresholds among a field of various engine configurations, displacement and power curves found today in midget racing. Any recent comments or directional changes by any other midget organization can be considered opinions and not based on data that has been collected and analyzed.

We do understand that there are perceptions in performance variances among engine platforms that exist today. With the last basis for engineering review of RPM limits dating to 2013, we are looking forward to the planned 2016 data refresh currently now underway.

To assure a complete assessment of engine performance is acquired throughout the platforms racing today, USAC has increased the RPM limit for the Esslinger-based platform at the current configuration to 10,300 RPM effective immediately for the remainder of the 2016 season. This change allows us to evaluate engine performance of the specific platform at a higher threshold for the remainder of 2016 to combine with the current 9800 RPM threshold data that has been collected thus far YTD.

All data will be evaluated this fall for a revised study by an independent third party engineering review to establish 2017 RPM Limits across the various platforms in midget racing.

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STATEMENTS FROM ENGINE SUPPLIERS:

TOYOTA

We support USAC's position to increase the Esslinger rev limit and to take data throughout the season and make adjustments as the data indicates is necessary to keep all of the manufacturers in a similar performance window. We will put our teams and drivers against any in USAC. We believe with a level playing field they can compete with the best of them. (Tyler Gibbs - Senior VP, General Manager - TRD)

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ESSLINGER

Esslinger feels this step by USAC is in the right direction. We look forward to continued evaluation of all platforms in the effort to assure parity. (Kasey Slemmon, VP of Esslinger)

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MOPAR

I applaud the initiative USAC is leading. It's a challenge to implement restrictions in an effort for costs controls and achieve ideal parity when dealing with different engine platforms. RPM limits are important in the long term viability of midget racing. (Gary Stanton - Mopar Engine Builder)

[Steve Wendel]

With that said everything is ok in the land of midget racing

[kdobson]

Any recent comments or directional changes by any other midget organization can be considered opinions and not based on data that has been collected and analyzed.

Can we put the guns down for a second and quit taking a shot every single chance we get? Both sides? It does nothing for this sport except to put points on some imaginary scoreboard. It adds nothing of value to the overall information in the press release except to keep stirring the pot.

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My kids when they were like 6: "She hit me! Well, He hit me first! No, she hit me then I hit her back! UhUh... he hit me, then I hit him back then he hit me again so I hit him!"

My wife from the front seat: Keep your hands to yourself and get along before we get in a wreck.

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Hey guys... let's follow momma's advice before we run it off the cliff.

[Dfelker12]

What is the rev limit rule for a Fontana?