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12/18/08, 5:20 PM   #21
Re: New ASCS Midget Class
LEADERS EDGE
LEADERS EDGE is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 980
 

I have to ask this and I am going to do so in a public forum so someone can go to your statement and be assured. I am honestly not trying to bait you or put you in a situation.

How do you plan to avoid the delivery time problems you had with the Focus program? The Focus series is often rediculed for the costs of the cars, but the motor costs went up as well.(Not terrible but where around $1000 more than first offered) Also: After you sell the first 50-100 motors,how do you plan to turn engines around in a timely matter for the Avg. Joe Racer who cannot afford two motors, but doesn't want to miss a race. The Focus motor was reliable, but there where some problems and definately some turn around problems. Also, what happens if GM goes away or is in bankruptcy?

If they can run for $1000 to win and be reliable and be able to get them when you need them, then I think it is a good program.

I feel these are fair questions and if these can be addressed, I say go for it.
 
12/18/08, 5:23 PM   #22
Re: New ASCS Midget Class
Larryoracing
Larryoracing is offline
Senior Member

Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 380
 

:rollingOk you guys are really vasilating now. Focus.

1) :headbang Since we all live in America and believe in Free Speech,

Don't you think BCRA should now allow Ford to play this game also?

a) How about that Duratec 2.3 liter fitted with mechanical fuel
injection, belt driven, higher compression ratio 14.5-1, forged
rods, steel crankshaft putting out 320 HP at 7500 rpm. Cost
12-15K. 280 hp at 6100 Rpm.


b) Where's Gerry Dedonis, when you need him...lol@!


Larry "O"
 
12/18/08, 7:00 PM   #23
Re: New ASCS Midget Class
Revolution Racing
Revolution Racing is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 222
 

'Edge,

Fair and intelligent questions, and I'm happy to respond;

Delivery: No doubt about it, when the focus program really took off, we had a heck of a time keeping up for a while. The winter before the launch of the Indy region was the worst. Some things, like better (or ANY) communication with the sanctioning body would have helped but in the end, I have to take responsibility. We learned quickly from that experience and soon had distributors in place across the country (Washington, New England, Indianapolis, North Carolina). Unfortunately, the advent of the pavement car took care of our growth problem for us....

Cost:
Have to disagree with you here. The cost of the engine package went up by about $1000 over 7 years. That works out to about $140, or less than 2%, per year. I assure you, the cost of the aluminum that goes into the castings we make rose more than that. We did a good job of holding the line on engine cost. And reliability was excellent.

Turn around time on rebuilds:
Another good point. Although we have been pretty good regarding turn-around, there is always room for improvement. One of the ways I wanted to improve turn-around was through the network of distributors I had set up. Brownfield, Kenyon, Seymour and Briggs would have (and in some cases, did) carried long blocks and would have had the ability to perform basic service, had the program continued to grow. But, you can't keep a distributor in business on the car counts we have now. Thank you, pavement cars....

GM:
If GM goes under, this country has more things to worry about than Midget Racing. I'm just going to go along under the assumption that GM will continue as the worlds greatest auto manufacturer.

In many ways, the new program will benefit greatly from the lessons learned the first time around. First off, we will have a more controlled roll-out period with better communication between manufacturer and sanction. We will set up regional distributors to sell and service engines locally as the program spreads. And this time, THERE WON'T BE ANY DAMN PAVEMENT CARS!

Thank you for giving me the chance to address these issues. Please call if you have more questions.

Sincerely,

Keith Iaia
Revolution Racing Engines
805-467-3424
www.revolutionracingengines
"The Revolution Starts NOW"
 
12/19/08, 10:48 AM   #24
Re: New ASCS Midget Class
TQ29m
TQ29m is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 6,159
 

If I'm following you right, you're saying ashfault is the culprit, is this correct? If it is, then I'll have to agree with you, and take my lumps, seems to me, that pavement,and other than Nicecar, and a few other "tin top" divisions, don't draw big car and crowd counts, with a few exceptions, it's a struggle to get any following, and why would it, with races scattered all over the US. Someone ask a few days ago, obout the TQ schedules, and I think it's fitting, to add something to that right here, with the full midget conversations. Don't know if you're involved as a fan or owner or driver, but there is a "pecking order" when it comes to setting the track schedules, and anyone that follows it closely knows, that the first divisions looked at, are the predominate in the area, 9 out of 10 times, the schedule is started with either the Sprints, or Late models, then it's usually Modified's, Bombers, Street Stocks, Super Stocks, the 4 cylinder division, then the "other" open wheel racers, Mini-Sprints, Tq's, but very seldom do midgets rank any higher than bottom, sad, but true, and that's why there are few TBA's listed on all track schedules, to fill in the gaps, as the season takes it's toll on car counts. I'd like to see, the "other" open wheel cars, have a schedule also, but if pavement is all you're interested in, or can't pick an affordable engine combo for the midgets, I don't see it becoming anything more, than what it is now. Before, and after WWll, midgets were KING, then, so I'm told, along came Kurtis, and Solar, and Offy, and big bucks, and the dreaded PAVEMENT, and stock cars took to the dirt, and the rest is spelled out in the track schedules. My personal thoughts, do some research, find a plentiful engine, that everyone has access to, that is strong enough on it's own, to survive an occasional romp in the upper rpm range, and get the ball rolling. This GM engine may be the answer, but the price still may not be, so do some shopping, and do some talking, and put your thoughts together, don't base everthing on a National Series, get the ball rolling here at home, and make it affordable, and enjoyable for fans to come see. Not to be stepping on toes, but here is an engine I think I'd look at, it's none other than the once, Buick 215 cu in aluminum V8, it is still in production, in the Land Rover, so it now has EFI, and lots of strength inside, and the prices, I just looked on Ebay, a fellow has a pr of almost new heads, for under $300.00. Kenebell, and others, still ,make after market parts for these engines, and they could be easily coaxed over 350hp, at bargain prices, that ought to be enough to get the fans excited, and give your purse a break. I realize this may be thinking "out of the box", but if I had a midget, gathering whiskers in my shop, I'd call up some of my buddies, that have parked theirs, and see if anyone is interested, then you gotta fight for some track dates, but if you can supply the car count, and not price yourself out of the park, it just might get rolling. Bob
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Last edited by TQ29m; 12/19/08 at 1:16 PM. Reason: addition
 
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