The USAC HPD Midwest Midget Thunder series is pleased to announce plans for the upcoming race season.
The series is planning a schedule of dirt and asphalt races in 2015, with a goal of expanding on the previous
focus as a developmental series to involve grass roots racers seeking a cost effective formula for midget
racing.
The Midwest Midget Thunder series will be open to competitors with HPD legal Honda and Focus engines,
and will move towards a ‘one car’ concept based on the traditional dirt midget chassis. The series is
committed to stringent enforcement of rules for 2015, and will work closely with competitors to seal and
inspect cars in order to meet the objective of low cost, competitive midget racing.
In order to provide full fields to promoters and competitors, The Midwest Midget Thunder Series has elected
to partner with area mini sprint/lightning sprint associations to co-sanction the dirt series races for the 2015
season. Montpelier Speedway’s midget series, the recent DuQuoin Indoor race, and associations such as BAM
(Budget American Midget Series) have demonstrated that the HPD legal cars and mini sprints have very
comparable performance on dirt tracks. There are three strong mini sprint associations in the Midwest,
(American Mini Sprint Association, Midwest Mini Sprint Association and Southern Ohio Lightning Sprints)
which primarily run winged races. Mini sprint participants will be required to meet the rules and
membership requirements of the co-sanctioning mini sprint association, and will not be required to obtain a
USAC membership. Each association will track points for its own members for any applicable point
championships. These partnerships will benefit mini sprint racers by providing non-winged race
opportunities at premier speedways in the Midwest, including Waynesfield Raceway Park, Limaland
Motorsports Park, Atomic Speedway, Jackson Speedway, and Plymouth Speedway, and benefits current and
potential USAC members by giving them assurance that they can own a HPD legal car and have ample
opportunities to race in the Midwest throughout the season. Negotiations are ongoing to finalize purse
structures and points’ funds, however several tracks including Waynesfield, Limaland and Atomic have
committed to a $500 to win, $100 to start payout.
The series is also committed to a long term strategy to bring asphalt midget racing back to the Midwest.
Columbus Motor Speedway, the Indianapolis Speedrome, Kalamazoo Speedway, Shady Bowl Speedway, and
Toledo Speedway have demonstrated their support in the future of asphalt midget racing by committing to
dates at their facilities for the 2015 season. In order to provide the best possible field to these promoters,
the Midwest Midget Thunder Series will utilize USAC HPD national rules for these events in 2015, and will
work with the North Carolina based Eastern HPD series for a ‘home and away’ series for races at Speedrome,
Columbus and Hickory Motor Speedway.
Please contact 317-771-6596 for additional information on the series, the Honda HPD engines, or rental car
availability.
USAC HPD Midwest Midget Thunder Series Schedule
April 25 Columbus Motor Speedway (1/3 mile asphalt) open to all USAC national HPD legal cars
May 1 Toledo Speedway (1/5 mile asphalt) with the USAC Silver Crown Series
May 2 Shady Bowl Speedway (3/10 mile asphalt)
May 23 Indianapolis Speedrome (1/5 mile, asphalt) co-sanctioned with USAC HPD East Series
June 6 Waynesfield Raceway Park (1/3 mile dirt) co-sanctioned with American Mini Sprint Association
July 24 Limaland Motorsports Park (1/4 mile dirt) co-sanctioned with American Mini Sprint Association
July 25 Waynesfield Raceway Park (1/3 mile dirt) (co-sanctioned with American Mini Sprint Association)
Aug 8 Plymouth Speedway (3/8 mile dirt dirt) co-sanctioned with Midwest Mini Sprint Association
Aug 22 Kalamazoo Speedway (3/8 mile asphalt) USAC HPD National Race
Aug 28 Jackson Raceway Park (1/4 mile dirt) co-sanctioned with Southern Ohio Lightning Sprint Association)
Aug 29 Atomic Speedway (3/8 mile dirt) co-sanctioned with Southern Ohio Lightning Mini Sprint Association)
Sept 5 Shady Bowl Speedway (3/10 mile asphalt)
September 18 Columbus Motor Speedway (1/3 mile asphalt) open to all USAC national HPD legal cars
Nov 21 Hickory Speedway (1/3 mile asphalt) (co-sanctioned with USAC HPD East Series)

Wow that sounds cool. I will go the USAC web site and find out the rules for this class. Also where I can get a Honda engine. LOL go to the site and try to find something out about this new class. Nothing about it at all

Glad to see a grass roots midget series again. It is also nice that USAC is having some co-sanctioned events with lightning sprints. This is a step in a positive direction to get midget racing back on track again and giving the lightning sprints a chance to get some exposure to new race tracks and fans.

Don't have a dog in the fight but it doesn't say to go to the website for more info. It gives you a number to call. Probably trying to avoid issues with those who have problems with reading comprehension.

I can read, can you read? 1st word in the thread name USAC. How much does usac care about this if they have nothing at the web site?

http://www.usacracing.com/news/hpd-m...late-announced

We all know USAC has had its faults, but to me it seems like that in this instance they are trying to take a step in the right direction. The article says the chain cars will be required to abide by the rules of the co-sanctioning organization, and the midgets abide by the USAC rules. They just get to compete together! If YOU are serious about this, give the phone number a call. What's the worst that can happen?
I'm glad USAC is giving recognition to midgets that aren't national midgets. There used to be a two tiered system back in the forties. When the Offenhausers became prevalent, they were given a separate class so that the older/other midgets could still run competitively. Sound familiar?

I hope that the Southern Ohio Lightning Sprint series grants some leeway into their rules for these races. You have to run their RR tire and be on gas only to run that series. If USAC wants to draw all of the Ohio cars in that area they need to at least open it up to alcohol.

Their Facebook page also says "if we schedule a special race for our group you will have to race two race nights prior to the race to be able to race."
That's a very odd way to attract cars...

Where does it say that, Jim? Jackson's page or the southern lightning Sprint page?

Thanks

What MMSA guys would be interested in trying asphalt. Tires would be the big challenge and after talking to numerous midget teams, used tires could easily be obtained. I feel like alcohol would be a must...