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-   -   USAC/ARDC is history (https://www.indianaopenwheel.com/showthread.php?t=107879)

nowingsjeff 1/26/19 4:17 PM
USAC/ARDC is history
 
I went on there Facebook page & asked them about their 2019 schedule. Their reply was there is no schedule because they couldn't get any support from midget car owners back east. Very sad news for us fans of midget auto racing.

Dick Monahan 1/26/19 10:07 PM
Re: USAC/ARDC is history
 
Is the Eastern Midget Week off?

Jul 30: Midgets - Grandview Speedway (Bechtelsville, PA)
Jul 31: Midgets - Action Track USA (Kutztown, PA)
Aug 1: Midgets - Path Valley Speedway Park (Spring Run, PA)
Aug 2: Midgets - Linda's Speedway (Jonestown, PA)
Aug 3: Midgets - Lanco's Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway (Newmanstown, PA)

oppweld 1/26/19 10:30 PM
Maybe ARDC could do a reset like Badger did. They were going down the tubes and went to a more affordable engine package and has rebuilt their car counts!

nowingsjeff 1/27/19 4:50 AM
Re: USAC/ARDC is history
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick Monahan (Post 508037)
Is the Eastern Midget Week off?

Jul 30: Midgets - Grandview Speedway (Bechtelsville, PA)
Jul 31: Midgets - Action Track USA (Kutztown, PA)
Aug 1: Midgets - Path Valley Speedway Park (Spring Run, PA)
Aug 2: Midgets - Linda's Speedway (Jonestown, PA)
Aug 3: Midgets - Lanco's Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway (Newmanstown, PA)
Those races are USAC National events, not USAC/ARDC, so nothing has changed there.

Unless something changes the USAC National races will be the only midget races run back east all year, as east coast midget car owners seem to have given up on the direction USAC/ARDC was going.

ossuks 1/27/19 8:23 AM
Re: USAC/ARDC is history
 
Badger.....ardc....next

jonboat15 1/27/19 11:44 AM
Re: USAC/ARDC is history
 
Very Sad. Things started going downhill a few years ago. Seems like one person did this and now has cut and run.

revjimk 1/27/19 1:29 PM
Re: USAC/ARDC is history
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by nowingsjeff (Post 508044)
Those races are USAC National events, not USAC/ARDC, so nothing has changed there.

Unless something changes the USAC National races will be the only midget races run back east all year, as east coast midget car owners seem to have given up on the direction USAC/ARDC was going.
Yea, but will there be any East Coast cars to compete with USAC guys? I'd hate to see a car count of 12 or less....
Bummer....

Bostonian 1/27/19 1:49 PM
Re: USAC/ARDC is history
 
I know they're a little bit north racing in VT/NH/NY at 3 tracks, but this looks like their trying to do it right.
Maybe other series could try it.

http://www.usacdma.com/usac-dma-advantage-.html

jonboat15 1/27/19 2:31 PM
Re: USAC/ARDC is history
 
I'd rather not see usac involved. I think car counts really dropped when usac stepped in to begin with. Car counts were pretty good until you had to buy a $40,000.00 plus engine to be competitive. Our local midget racing was doing fine and we had some teams that could afford to run in the midwest, they had engines just for that. The blue collar guys are chased out because they can't afford to compete against the national type engines. Now the guy that was running the club is a partner in a company that specializes in micros. I guess there is no more conflict.

Dick Monahan 1/27/19 2:39 PM
Re: USAC/ARDC is history
 
It's really sad for those of us who followed ARDC in the 60s, when they were almost as strong as the USAC midgets with whom they occasionally sanctioned some shows. When a few ARDC cars ventured to a NEMA race, they tended to kick our tails. During the 70s, Ed Darrell promoted a weekly ARDC show at Grandview, and I believe that eventually killed them. The owners who wanted to travel switched to some kind of sprint car, rather than go to Grandview every Sunday night. Then, when the weekly shows died, a number of local (to Grandview) cars dropped out because they didn't want to travel. The car counts never recovered.

They lost more support when they went to wings and then dropped them.

Even if their own actions didn't hurt them, trying to run in an area that had 420 sprints, 360 sprints, 358 sprints, super sportsmen and various sizes of minisprints would have made it very difficult, anyway. There just wasn't room in the schedules to fit in a class that was confusing to many racing fans, but was trying to maintain a relatively high payoff.

In contrast, NEMA is surviving in New England. They started a "Lite" class that runs a lesser engine and, as a result, can deliver a 2-class show that regularly brings close to 30 cars. Last year, NEMA averaged 13 cars, while the Lites averaged 15. The costs still hurt, though. During the 2018 season, 31 NEMA cars and 48(!) Lite cars ran at least one show. NEMA ran 13 shows and the Lites ran 15 shows. For those who aren't familiar with them, both classes run wings and only pavement tracks.

Finally, there is a USAC-sanctioned group, the DMA Midgets that run without wings, with dozen or so shows at Bear Ridge Speedway in Northern Vermont, with a few shows at a couple of other nearby dirt tracks. I don't get to many, but I've been told the average 12-15 cars. Like the Lites, they run lesser engines. As with similar situation throughout the years I've been following them, I don't believe any of the engine rules are compatible between USAC, Nema, Lites, and DMA, which is sad.

jonboat15 1/27/19 2:53 PM
Re: USAC/ARDC is history
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by revjimk (Post 508056)
Yea, but will there be any East Coast cars to compete with USAC guys? I'd hate to see a car count of 12 or less....
Bummer....
Some of the top ARDC teams are selling out, check the classifieds. Turn out the lights cause the party is over.

billw 1/27/19 2:55 PM
Ardc was in trouble once non wing 360s came into the area. Ardc was weak to begin with and the tracks in this area are better suited to sprints plus they pay nearly double to win. Ardc was regulated to micro sprint tracks and half miles when they needed to be at places like path valley grandview and lincoln

jonboat15 1/27/19 3:09 PM
Re: USAC/ARDC is history
 
They were in trouble before the usac 360s which came in last year. Check wiki and look at some of the tracks the club raced at, many tracks smaller than half miles. And when did you start considering the ARDC weak, Have you been here to witness the last 35 years of their racing?

Ntfsprint5w 1/27/19 4:09 PM
Re: USAC/ARDC is history
 
From what I was told drivers wanted a May-August schedule and USAC didn't want that. As for "checking the classifieds for cars" there aren't any from PA on there yet but there are some for sale including Alex Bright's operation. There are rumblings of some people forming to have some races this year. There is one race scheduled for the midgets at Lincoln Speedway on May 11th as of now. Things could change.

billw 1/27/19 4:23 PM
Re: USAC/ARDC is history
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jonboat15 (Post 508064)
They were in trouble before the usac 360s which came in last year. Check wiki and look at some of the tracks the club raced at, many tracks smaller than half miles. And when did you start considering the ARDC weak, Have you been here to witness the last 35 years of their racing?
im referring to the last 5 years or so when theyve struggled to get 15 cars. yes they were in trouble before the 360s came in had ardc been as strong as they were in 2008-2010 or so they probably would have been ok with another non wing option in the area.

revjimk 1/27/19 4:57 PM
Re: USAC/ARDC is history
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick Monahan (Post 508061)
It's really sad for those of us who followed ARDC in the 60s, when they were almost as strong as the USAC midgets with whom they occasionally sanctioned some shows. When a few ARDC cars ventured to a NEMA race, they tended to kick our tails. During the 70s, Ed Darrell promoted a weekly ARDC show at Grandview, and I believe that eventually killed them. The owners who wanted to travel switched to some kind of sprint car, rather than go to Grandview every Sunday night. Then, when the weekly shows died, a number of local (to Grandview) cars dropped out because they didn't want to travel. The car counts never recovered.

They lost more support when they went to wings and then dropped them.

Even if their own actions didn't hurt them, trying to run in an area that had 420 sprints, 360 sprints, 358 sprints, super sportsmen and various sizes of minisprints would have made it very difficult, anyway. There just wasn't room in the schedules to fit in a class that was confusing to many racing fans, but was trying to maintain a relatively high payoff.

In contrast, NEMA is surviving in New England. They started a "Lite" class that runs a lesser engine and, as a result, can deliver a 2-class show that regularly brings close to 30 cars. Last year, NEMA averaged 13 cars, while the Lites averaged 15. The costs still hurt, though. During the 2018 season, 31 NEMA cars and 48(!) Lite cars ran at least one show. NEMA ran 13 shows and the Lites ran 15 shows. For those who aren't familiar with them, both classes run wings and only pavement tracks.

Finally, there is a USAC-sanctioned group, the DMA Midgets that run without wings, with dozen or so shows at Bear Ridge Speedway in Northern Vermont, with a few shows at a couple of other nearby dirt tracks. I don't get to many, but I've been told the average 12-15 cars. Like the Lites, they run lesser engines. As with similar situation throughout the years I've been following them, I don't believe any of the engine rules are compatible between USAC, Nema, Lites, and DMA, which is sad.
Yea, I met those NEMA guys from Bethany, Ct. (not far from my Mom's) at Chili Bowl. They were running VW engines (didn't do so well at CB...) My only gripe is that I don't like pavement racing at all. I've been tempted to try out Bear Ridge, but its a long drive... maybe this summer. A few years back I went to a SCONE race at (now defunct) Canaan, NH track, took an old buddy (now deceased) who was a gearhead, but never saw sprints. It was interesting, I guess OK for New England, but track was some kind of black stuff, almost looked like wood stove ash..... great pass on the last turn for the win... but i couldn't see a thing :14:
dust.
Maybe I'll drive up to Vt. this summer, have a buddy there too (but I think he's WAY up North (big state, North to South)

HDbill 1/27/19 5:27 PM
Re: USAC/ARDC is history
 
Indiana open wheel is available BECAUSE of people dedicated to open wheel racing and their fans. Our sport has suffered countless setbacks since the TV was invented along with the internet and track closures etc. So we all know that the days of ARDC running NINE shows a week in front of packed stadiums were over before most on this web site were born. But it also managed to survive and increase car counts with new blood countless times, over and over, because MIDGETS are just so cool. Nothing compares to the CHILI BOWL...So, PLEASE, REFRAIN from posting "from what I heard" gossip and negative comments that don't help anything. There are some people that love midgets trying to find a way out of this. They could use any help or support available and really don't need people "stepping on their shoe aces".

revjimk 1/27/19 5:56 PM
Re: USAC/ARDC is history
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by HDbill (Post 508073)
Indiana open wheel is available BECAUSE of people dedicated to open wheel racing and their fans. Our sport has suffered countless setbacks since the TV was invented along with the internet and track closures etc. So we all know that the days of ARDC running NINE shows a week in front of packed stadiums were over before most on this web site were born. But it also managed to survive and increase car counts with new blood countless times, over and over, because MIDGETS are just so cool. Nothing compares to the CHILI BOWL...So, PLEASE, REFRAIN from posting "from what I heard" gossip and negative comments that don't help anything. There are some people that love midgets trying to find a way out of this. They could use any help or support available and really don't need people "stepping on their shoe aces".
So are you saying ARDC is still alive & this is a false rumor?
That would be cool....:23:

wlesher 1/27/19 6:22 PM
Jon boat my name is wayne lesher....I'm curious what your name is?

I'm also assuming I'm the person who you are referring to as cutting and running

For your inadequate information I have recently purchased a midget in hope of supporting a couple races

Also if you would like to involved you can certainly help out. I'm sure though you will continue to run your mouth. Anonymously of coarse. Because that's the way you and those like you roll.

Everyone has an opinion on what happened to east coast midgets. Maybe it was the rules, maybe engine cost, maybe this maybe that.

The bottom line is most of the expensive engines have left and we still can't get interest in local events.

That's exactly why we arent racing.....when you have 30 cars available and 8 show up to a race.

But I guess you know that already since you seem to know everything.

Wayne Lesher
The man who killed the ARDC

wlesher 1/27/19 6:24 PM
Your information isnt even close to correct

Ntfsprint5w 1/27/19 6:50 PM
Really hoping the midget deal can stay together and have some races, even if it’s 5 or less. Midgets are my favorite kind of racecar and the guys who run midgets in PA are some great individuals. They deserve to get to run some races

wlesher 1/27/19 6:59 PM
Lincoln has added the midgets to the may schedule.....shannon maustellar is trying to piece together a schedule and of coarse USAC midget week will draw some cars out of the garage.

jdull99 1/27/19 11:55 PM
Re: USAC/ARDC is history
 
What were the engine rules the last couple of years?

davidm 1/28/19 9:34 AM
Re: USAC/ARDC is history
 
Don't write off ARDC so quickly. There are people still working to try and save Midget racing in the area. Let's hope there is still some interest left from tracks and car owners.

I'd like to see ARDC if they can make a good come back try and create or partner with the 600cc Wingless Micros and run them together as a package program. A lot of the guys that used to run with ARDC are now running 600cc Wingless Micros. Get guys a chance to run two cars at the same program might help get the midgets cars back out on the track.

jeffj 1/28/19 4:20 PM
Re: USAC/ARDC is history
 
There are going to be 2 Open Midget shows in New Hampshire this year at RumTown Speedway, (Formerly Legion Speedway) allowing both National and D2 midgets to compete.
They are July 20th and Oct 5th
We are hoping some of the ARDC cars out of PA will make the trip up.

TheJeffster77 3/24/19 1:36 PM
Re: USAC/ARDC is history
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick Monahan (Post 508061)
It's really sad for those of us who followed ARDC in the 60s, when they were almost as strong as the USAC midgets with whom they occasionally sanctioned some shows. When a few ARDC cars ventured to a NEMA race, they tended to kick our tails. During the 70s, Ed Darrell promoted a weekly ARDC show at Grandview, and I believe that eventually killed them. The owners who wanted to travel switched to some kind of sprint car, rather than go to Grandview every Sunday night. Then, when the weekly shows died, a number of local (to Grandview) cars dropped out because they didn't want to travel. The car counts never recovered.

They lost more support when they went to wings and then dropped them.

Even if their own actions didn't hurt them, trying to run in an area that had 420 sprints, 360 sprints, 358 sprints, super sportsmen and various sizes of minisprints would have made it very difficult, anyway. There just wasn't room in the schedules to fit in a class that was confusing to many racing fans, but was trying to maintain a relatively high payoff.

In contrast, NEMA is surviving in New England. They started a "Lite" class that runs a lesser engine and, as a result, can deliver a 2-class show that regularly brings close to 30 cars. Last year, NEMA averaged 13 cars, while the Lites averaged 15. The costs still hurt, though. During the 2018 season, 31 NEMA cars and 48(!) Lite cars ran at least one show. NEMA ran 13 shows and the Lites ran 15 shows. For those who aren't familiar with them, both classes run wings and only pavement tracks.

Finally, there is a USAC-sanctioned group, the DMA Midgets that run without wings, with dozen or so shows at Bear Ridge Speedway in Northern Vermont, with a few shows at a couple of other nearby dirt tracks. I don't get to many, but I've been told the average 12-15 cars. Like the Lites, they run lesser engines. As with similar situation throughout the years I've been following them, I don't believe any of the engine rules are compatible between USAC, Nema, Lites, and DMA, which is sad.

Nema Lites and DMA have the same exact engine rules. D2 engine rules. National cars are too expensive, D2 midgets shouldn't be viewed upon negatively, it's the exact same as a national car, just a different motor platform.

Wayne Davis 3/24/19 10:34 PM
Re: USAC/ARDC is history
 
I have spoken to Shannon and am working on a 2 2day shows in NE Tn. and Va paying $1200 to win $300 to start...we are D-2 but I have a provision in my rules to allow the "OLDER" nationals engines to race with us...ARDC guys will be welcome to race with us under that plateform...NO new style engines..2011 up


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