[SteveB31]

As a 1000CC upright mini sprint owner/driver, I can say that nearly every upright minisprint driver would love to race a Midget. Midget racing is the most pure dirt racing their is. The ONLY reason we don't is engine costs. My chassis is a midget, My wheels are midgets, My front end is a midget. My tank and bladder is a midget. If they didnt cost so much, my engine and rear end would be a midget and I would be racing midgets. One of our local midget clubs even lets us race with the midgets to fill up their car counts. Bring down midget engine costs, and you will see many upright 1000cc minisprint guys running midgets very soon!!!! We race for about the same purses as the midgets, but if we blow up a motor, we get another for $2K, ready to race. Can't do that in a midget. I WANT to race a midget, but the average middle class unsponsered guy (which is every mini sprint racer) cannot afford $20K + eninges. Plain and simple. We have 20+ car fields every night of mini sprints, and 8 car fields of midgets. IMCA modifield guys I see every week at the track LOVE to watch the midgets, and many of them would have one as well.....but too many $$$$$.. As always , just my 2 cents worth......

[DonMoore10]

To the person who suggests buying a used Gaerte: The spec engine such as the Revolution power plant and other comparible engines developed and on sale for $10-12,000 would be the only engines that would be allowed. I am not suggesting that the Revolution engine take on the exotic engines unless the exotic engines were altered such as a restrictor plate or added weight or some other compensation to equal.

[Anderson36]

STARS sanctioned race at Grundy County Speedway Sept. 17th.

The purse breakdown for the 36 lap event is as follows**

1- $1,500
2- $1,100
3- $750
4- $600
5- $450
6- $425
7- $400
8- $375
9- $350
10-$300
11-$250
12-$250
13 thru 20- $225

Total Payout- $8,550

And.....

We bought a GREAT used Mopar for $10,000 that has won 2 races run 3rd and set quick time in it's 4 appearances this season. The deals are out there, but agreed that midget racing is far out of hand.

[DonMoore10]

I too bought a used fresh Mopar for $10,000 but unfortunately the former owner spent $7900 to have it rebuilt. As I have pointed out before, $7900 and the rebuild cost for the bargain popular $22,000 engine of $9200... that's just a few dollars away from a new $10-12,000 engine that will last up to three years with OTC parts. None of these exotic engines are a bargain when the rebuild cost (and often) is sky high.

[polecar]

o.k. after reading, reading and reading all of these posts, i figured out that all i want from a night of racing is to just break even. if i leave the house with 100 dollars in my pocket, after i pay all my bills for the night (gas, fuel, pitpasses, tires and driver), i want to come home with a 100 dollars in my pocket, (plus a beer or 2 of course). i don't care about the initial investment. that's a loss anyway. Cheaper tires would help, no pitpass fees or entry fees would help. how does this happen? restucture the purse, pay less to the top cars and pay more at the bottom, so everyone can break even. why is this bad?

[bullring]

Originally Posted by polecar o.k. after reading, reading and reading all of these posts, i figured out that all i want from a night of racing is to just break even. if i leave the house with 100 dollars in my pocket, after i pay all my bills for the night (gas, fuel, pitpasses, tires and driver), i want to come home with a 100 dollars in my pocket, (plus a beer or 2 of course). i don't care about the initial investment. that's a loss anyway. Cheaper tires would help, no pitpass fees or entry fees would help. how does this happen? restucture the purse, pay less to the top cars and pay more at the bottom, so everyone can break even. why is this bad?

With everybody's amount of disposable income reduced, I don't think people want to dig deep into their pockets every week to put their midget on the track. If owners could break even at the end of the night like you say I think you would see more cars at the track.

[Kent 5K]

I've been reading this for a couple of days now, and must admit that it really pisses me off. All the misinformation about midget racing and it's current state. It must make some feel better about themselves to spout off higher numbers like its the norm. Yes, there are new motors on the market for $22,000. But, there are also plenty of motors on the market for $9-$12k. As far as rebuilds go, I myself have heard about the pricetag that comes from shipping a motor back out west, Cant deny it. But, in the same breath I can say that the average rebuild for a National Midget Motor is gonna cost around $3-$5k. This would be from a reputable engine builder such as Dave Conn, "JD Performance."
Spec racing is not the answer, if it were the Focus series and the latest gimmick with the Ecotec motors would be sweeping the nation. In my opinion, watching one of those races is like watching paint dry. Just not enough speed there.
Pointing out the motor cost as a reason that is keeping someone from owning a car, or racing one is just a scapegoat. Plenty of competitive power plants available reasonably priced on the market. The MAJOR item keeping racers away from certain shows is most likely fuel costs. Travel expenses have tripled in the recent years. Our team did not travel to Lasalle simply because it didnt makes sense on paper. Spend $400-$600 dollars on diesel fuel plus a hotel room, or stay closer to home and choose to do something else. Not trying to single you out Don, but notice you were not there either. What would be you're truthfull number one reason?
In closing, my main complaints are tire rules and travel costs. Usac or anyother organization can get tire rules opened up a bit for other manufacturers to sell tires of equal compounds and size. I'm almost positive that Kenny Brown or Kevin Miller can't do anything about the fuel costs though. It's basically up to the racers, they control the fate, and most choose not to travel anymore. You figure out how to make that happen and fields will flourish. I seem to remember Lawrenceburg having a low sprint count sometime this year and nobody jumped on the soapbox to declare the death of sprintcars. What gives? Just some comments from an average racer.......

Kent Schmidt

Here it's not about money so much it's about if you dont have a modified nobody wants to help you. Were smack dab in the middle of the marcellus shale natural gas boom. I have no land or job in the industy, I hate it, water trucks run 24-7 365 days a week, thousands of them. Pollution and accidents are daily stuff. On the other hand something like half the people here are instant millioniares. I know of someone who gets $127,000.00 every two weeks in royalties, will for at least the next 25 years, on top of the 1.2 mil he got just to sign. I asked him for help the other day. He says what you got ? I says minisprint, he says I'll have to ask my wive, lol. I'll Never here from him again, this was while hanging out in his brand new shop surrounded by brand new mod's while unloading (3) yes three brand new 501 crate engines. He'll never put any of it to good use, he aint no racer, he does however have the toys.

[Jonr]

This thread has officially pissed me off. The answer for the problems lies in the threads, but no one is looking for them. There are a lot of teams that cannot afford to run a NATIONAL midget program. There are a lot of cars that are sitting in the shop because of the cost to run a NATIONAL series that would like to run in a series that is more economical. There are a lot of people (including myself) believe that a $10k spec motor would greatly help midget racing. Also, there are a lot of people who enjoy the performance of the current NATIONAL series.

The answer is for the people that enjoy the NATIONAL midget programs to continue to support those. One could look at the race at LaSalle and say that this model is broken, or one could look at the 40+ cars at last years Gold Crown and say that the model works well. The truth is somewhere in the middle. Without a doubt, the two biggest midget programs need to be on the same page. The people that can not afford to run a NATIONAL midget should run a series that they can. A series with a spec engine, a series with an intelligent weight rule, a series with a tire rule that everyone can live with.

The ASCS works well because they have a rule package that works for them. The WOO works well because they have a rule package that works for them. The ASCS guys do not sit around and complain that they cannot afford to run a 410 motor. IMCA modifieds works well because they have a rule package that works for them. Currently, there are a bazillion cars in Boone for the Super Nationals proving that the IMCA rules work. USMTS modifieds work because they have a rule package that works for them. On most nights, is a IMCA modifed comptitive with a USMTS modified? No. Does that mean that an IMCA show is less appealing than a USMTS show? No.

Many people will argue that the 360 Knoxville Nationals are a better show than the 410 Knoxville Nationals. Many drivers will find a ride in both events. Also, by having a strong regional series (the ASCS) it forces the national sereies (the WOO) to constantly evaluate thier rules and programs. Having a regional midget sereies will force the NATIONAL midget series to constantly improve.

Don has said several times that the current thinking in midget racing needs to change, and I agree with him. However, instead of changing the rules to where everyone confirms to Don's opinion. We need to have options. The days of all midgets being competive with a NATIONAL midget is the change that we need to make. We need to have the NATIONAL series (The WOO) and we need to have the regional series (The ASCS)

[F5 Racer]

I think whoever said seperate the two series hit it on the head. The only think I think needs to change in the national level is a good weight rule and figure out the tire situation. The payout is fine to me other than the middle of usac and powri's needs a little beefing up. Too top heavy. There doesn't seem to be a problem with powri's car count this year so they must be doing something right. Just my two cents. Whatever happens next year I can't wait to be apart of it as I am switching over from the fendered world to a midget.
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