Re: What's in a name,
 

I agree with all that has been said so far and have been thinking along the same mind frame as DAD has for a little while now. I have just bought my first Upright / Mini Sprint / Lightning Sprint / 1200cc Sprint / Modified Midget a couple of months ago. I found the following in the Illini Racing Series Sportsman Midget rule book.

Motorcycle powered cars – No intake restriction necessary.1200 cc max with RPM limited to 10,500

 Chain drive allowed on the motorcycle engine. The chain must be enclosed for safety.

 The seat height minimum is 10 inches on the chain drive motorcycle midgets. Measured from the bottom of the frame rail to the lowest part of the seat.

So with these we are already classified as a Sportsman Midget as well.
We can be called Sportsman Midget, Motorcycle Powered Midgets (or like Steve said Moto-Midgets), my favorite of Chain Driven Midgets, a Chained Midget, or a combination of these like in the Seat height rule above.

Papa, you are probably right. Most groups have already changed to Lightning Sprints and wouldn’t want to change again. I agree with DAD, however, and feel that because we have so much more in common with a FULL midget that the name should reflect that. Midget's have a history of having a diverse field of engine sizes and manufactures, whereas Sprints and Stock Cars have been dominated by small block Chevys. This diversity could allow our engines to be ran in a Midget but the chain drive still set us apart thus the name Chain Driven Midget.

AJ

You guys are making this way too hard...
Mini-Sprints are upright, chain driven cars that can be run with or without wings with engines from 600-1200cc...
Micro-Sprints are sidewinder, chain driven cars that can be run with or without wings, with engines from 250-1000cc...
That's all it is, this thread should be over...
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Re: What's in a name,
 

I hear ya AJ, the unfortunate thing is I have spent thousands of $$$ this year promoting LIGHTNING SPRINTS here in Florida and I would be shooting myself in the foot to change my series now specially in it's infancy stage....I know to the racer it is not that big a deal but the way I am promoting my series Lightning Sprints are just a Division of Southern States Sprints Series...next year I will be starting a new Division call SW600 which is the Sidewinder 600 Micro Sprints. You guy's in Indiana need to think a lil outside the box as a promoter and not just a racer and what everyone else across the country might be doing...I have to cause my Winternationals bring several different groups together in Feb.

Re: What's in a name,
 

Papa,

I totally understand about not wanting to change the name for the marketing sake of promotion. Other series across the country have changed to Lightning Sprints or will change soon as well. Whatever the name is, it should be as close to universal as possible, along with the rules between sanctions. This allows for racers to travel easy and fans across the county to recognize these cars quickly for what they are. This should help the promoter advertise if the public clearly understands what is being offered. I just wonder if we would benefit more from name being related to a midget rather than a sprint because of the size of the cars in the fan's perspective.

AJ

Re: What's in a name,
 

What's in a name ? It's getting late here in no. Ky tonight, I've read this thread all day, (thanks Dad) I'm about to put it to bed, I have come to the conclusion that, If it works, don't fix it, as far as the MMSA is concerned, MINI SPRINTS is working.

We just finished a very good season, 18 races in 3 states,on 9 different tracks, 10 different winners, 70 different race drivers from 10 different states, 15 of the races we served as a support class, not a single promoter asked me what a mini sprint was when I contacted them to schedule, they just want to know, are we self starting ? they want to keep the show moving, the race track promoters in this area know we provide a field of top quality cars and drivers and are cooperative in serving the tracks need, that's why they place us on the schedule. I fail to see the need to change our name.

The name "Lightining Sprints" apparently appeals to a lot of orginizations,
Maybe they feel that helps them with scheduling, fan appeal, etc. I wish them all success, In the future, if condition change, we may want to adapt a different monicker. presently, I kind of like the -
"Midwest Mini Sprint Association" Winged Warrior Tour, It's worked satisfactorily for four years. I hope we can all be friends, we don't have to have the same name, some new M&M group may show up.

Bill May

Re: What's in a name,
 

NY has Empire Lightning Sprints and Central New York Mini-sprints.

Re: What's in a name,
 

M&M's :3: I call mine a lightning sprint since I've heard the name. Around here say midget or mini and you can forget about anyone showing any interest. Everyone who see' my car say's hey nice sprintcar. use the names midget, mini, or micro and no one in these parts give a crap about the car. I believe the goal is to bring new fans to the sport, which in turn usually brings more racers. Mini, micro or midget aint gonna work except for us old timers. I dont understand how it can be said that a lightning sprint isnt a sprint car, Its a slightly smaller sprint with a motorcycle engine and chain drive. It aint no midget. Midgets are dinosuars pretty much everywere but the midwest and the ardc. Everyone on this site and promoters also know what a minisprint is but your average fan has no idea anymore.

Re: What's in a name,
 

Spend a week in Tulsa the second week of January and talk to me about Midgets. They might be dying but they all come to life again in January. If you put your lightning "sprint" on a track with a REAL sprint car it--Will look "MINI". Since you have a midget frame if you put it on a track with Real midgets iit will fit right in.

I do appologize us Indiana people are around both Midgets and Sprints more than you other people and we tend to take some things for granted.

I don't understand the desire to be associated with midgets. Full midgets themselves are near death. Even in Indiana not that many people give a damn about midgets, its sprintcars. Calling these cars "fill in the blank"-sprints, at least makes them associated with something very popular all over the country.
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Re: What's in a name,
 

No need to apoligize, but I dont have a midget frame, it was built around a 1200 engine for the express purpose to build a minisprint, not a midget. So I either have a minisprint or a lightning sprint, I dont care which it is anymore. The only people who think my car is a midget are usually over 70 years old, everyone else tends to think I have a minisprint.