BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

We heard it was coming. Only time will tell if it was the death blow for the club or a life saving change. I hope they get what it is they are looking for. I'll leave my comments at that.

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

The 2010 rules package will appeal to the core group of BCRA racers, many of who have combo cars, and discourage the non-BCRA regulars from cherry-picking. I wonder what will happen to the BCRA/USAC joint shows in 2010. The ASCS division could be a plus, but it bothers me that they will run with the regular show, becuase they have shown this season that the ASCS cars cannot run with a full midget. We'll have to wait and see if these changes revitalize BCRA

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

This is novel. A midget club actually thinking for themselves rather than rubber stamping the big box rules.

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

Combo Cars, now that's a thought,
:8:

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

While I am not going to speak for the BCRA, there are no plans to do joint races with USAC (from what I understand) their memebership does not support them.

As for the ASCS division, I would tell you that you are wrong. Many of the cars stay on the lead lap during the main event, are they running up front, no, but neither are the Pontiacs. The LeMans style race has worked well. In addition the joint races this year have been mainly Focus powered cars. This Saturday night we will have 3 EcoTecs on the track, they might change your opinion.

Hell one night Dillon Silverman had a top 5 finish going but was passed on a late race restart (the Focus cars really struggle against the midgets on the restarts) finally finishing 7th on the lead lap (within a straight of the winner). On a tacky track you are correct the cars do not stand a chance, but how many of those do you get during Summer in the Central Valley.

So what you have seen this year is that the Focus cars cannot run with a full midget (which we already knew) the ASCS motor should be a different story.

The BCRA made decisions based on their membership and I for one think they are headed in the right direction.

As for the Capital City Midgets, we have seen our car count grow from 2 to 10 in about a year. I challenge you to find another group that has done the same. Unfortunately 2 of our cars are "combo" cars that only run pavement. We will carry that momentum into the BCRA ASCS division and help make them a stronger club. Hopefully by 2010 year end the joint show will have two main events, an ASCS and a Midget. It would be the hope that the top 4 of the ASCS main tag the midget main. At about 14 ASCS Legal Cars I will propose/support that change to the program (who knows that might be the start of the seaon with the number of calls I am getting per day, I know we are building 2 new cars which should increase our car count by 2, and take us to 12).

Without a doubt there are good things on the horizon for the BCRA and I am proud to have been a small part of it.

Rick

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

Wow!! Congratulations guys.

Don Moore

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

The BCRA has a very unique opportunity and I am glad to see that they are taking advantage of it. The Northern part of California is blessed with an abundance of great short tracks. We have good fans and lots of competitors who know about and enjoy Midget Racing. We don't have an Irwindale, or an ORP, but I think thats a GOOD thing. Seems like it keeps USAC away which is fine with just about anybody you ask up there.

So now, rather than continue to try and keep the INSANE dirt/pavement Midget formula alive and thus continue to watch participation dwindle, it seems that the BCRA has adopted a strategy that matches well with their competitors, fans and with those awesome, "home town" short tracks they have so many of. This is a formula that is perfect for this part of the country. Just watch....

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

My comment was based on what I witnessed at Placerville and Shasta. If there are 12 ASCS cars, I think that's a stand-alone feature. Dont get me wrong, I think BCRA is headed the right direction.

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

You are correct about Shasta, we brought dull knives to a gun fight. But also keep in mind these were Focus powered dirt cars that we put some slicks on to drive in circles to support the show. With that said we had some fun, and added to the car count for Rick which I know he appreciated. Remember without us it would have been a 9 car show, not good for the fans. Also we were running on 2-3 year old Focus pavement tires (harder than hockey pucks) as we were not going to go buy a bunch of new tires to run one race. If we go back to Shasta on September 12th with the EcoTec, you can bet I will put sticker tires on all of my cars.

As for Placerville?? Which show? I have never finished the main more than 1 lap down and the last time I was there we beat a couple of full midgets in the main. Yes Marguson put us a lap down, he was on rails. We do have a few rookies that are struggling a bit more and thus are getting lapped a couple of times, but that problem could be resolved by car count as it would create a semi that they could race in to get more experience.

I think over time you will see the gap decrease, but lets face it on a tacky track we cannot compete with the current cars. Also, we have to run a 50 durometer RR, which also hinders us on slick tracks. It is more difficult to hook up the cars, if we went to the same tire it would also make the race closer, maybe something that we should think about.

It is true that we are running two different classes together and on some tracks we will be "competitive" (i.e. close to the lead lap) on others we are going to get spanked (especially with the Focus engines). But in the end we are having fun and isn't that what it is about.

Thanks for clarification on where you saw the races, that helps put it in perspective.

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

Ok Don hear me out...

I do have a horse in this race so I will tell you how it will effect us. We won't run any pavement races next year. Why??? Because it just made our pavement car illegal. You may ask why not make the dirt car legal to run??? Well now you are asking me to spend a few thousand dollars to make this happen..... Motor plate to move motor in dirt car, new bars ( and need a few till you figure out what the dirt cars need) shocks, plumbing, motor plate. All this with a pavement car that is useless staring at us... Is it a step in the right direction... Maybe, time will tell. Is status quo the right way??? No. I will agree with that. There are parts of this announcement that are progressive and I agree with. But when you ask someone in times as tough as this country is in to sit and stare at $20,000 that is now worthless, and then spend at least $3000 to run with a combo (dirt) car, I think you may and I say may lose more cars than you will gain.

But then again I can always take the advice of all the whiners on the computer and just not go... But is that the answer???

I would love to talk with people in BCRA, or Capital City or anyone on some holes I see in the rule that should be addressed before the smart ones take to the rulebook and make is more expensive than it already is. IM me and I would love to talk to some about this.

Another thing the best part of the new rule package and I mean the best part is.........NO TESTING FROM THE START OF THE SEASON TO THE END OF THE SEASON PERIOD. This should be a rule in all organizations!

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

That is not true, the BCRA did not make pavement cars illegal. You can still race your pavement car, you just have to get 55% left side weight and can only use one cockpit adjustment device, and run the spec RR tire.

If you choose to run a pavement car and a dirt car you will most likely have trouble winning an owners championship. The driver championship can still be won by utilizing two cars. So with that being the case I am not sure how you figure your car is illegal.

What you wrote about needed to do to you dirt car..... that is part of the problem (no offense intended). The thought process behind the changes is to get back to being a dirt organization that runs a few races on pavement. Take your dirt/combo car change the shocks, bars and front axle then go race. Don't pull the engine and change the offset from dirt, don't swap the rear end, don't do any of that.

What you are seeing is the first year of changes that hopefully will get the BCRA back to a single car teams being competitive and there are some holes that will need to be filled. The changes they made were bold, but with the attempt to not exclude anyone. As for how many cars will it cost v. gain, have you been to a BCRA pavement race lately? As Rick Faeth said in a board meeting, "could it really get worse?"

But in the end they did not make any car illegal, motors yes, but not cars.

I am sure that Rick Holbrook would love to hear your thoughts, his email and phone number are on the BCRA website. As I am the Capital City Midgets and working to progress the concept of ASCS Midgets in this area, I am always available and ready to talk.

Give me a call,
Rick
916-717-3122

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

interesting

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

again you made it illegal unless we are willing to spend money. The same thing you are attempting to not make us do. I will come by and see you at Petaluma to show you I am not just a keyboard jockey!!! I like a few of the rules but in this economy you have made it impossible to race pavement unless we spend money.

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

WOW....BCRA....
With Midget racing in California on Life support I do believe you just pulled the plug.

Its a shame that your Board and Officials are so affraid of competition and giving up some of their power at Co-sanctioned races that they kill midget racing.

With 8 midgets and 4 Focus powered cars promoters and Track Owners will be beating down your doors to book you....

Best of Luck to you

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

Honestly nor the Board or Officials are afraid, why would they be..... the membership was not supporting the shows. In case you missed it the group has been pulling about around 20 cars for their dirt races. But only about 3-4 for the pavement shows..... it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that the membership does not support the joint shows.

By the way, not that anyone has to answer to you but tomorrow night in Placerville we expect 25+ cars.

Once again, the idea is to get the cars racing on dirt back on the pavement. You must have missed that point in your desire to slam the BCRA.

With that said, I am curious why the BCRA would be responsible for killing midget racing by trying something new... following USAC's lead has put "Midget racing in California on Life support" (your words). So by definition by doing nothing you are allowing a sport to perish.

I would venture to say that this move is going to hurt USAC more than the BCRA, and based on your affiliation I am sure that is why you have issue with it. Keep in mind they have not outlawed any car, the DMS cars are still legal. They have just decided to move a different direction. Also based on your affiliation you are not even BCRA members... so why do you care?

In closing we took the Focus cars to Shasta to support Rick, and he thanked us. Your joint BCRA/USAC show (that you value so) was not that great of a show anyways, not like we made it any worse.

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

WOW, getting a little personal here aren't we. Rick, I have not had the pleasure of meeting you, but I applaud your efforts with the Capital City group. Too bad this economy has slowed your growth prospects some what.

I think there is enough blame to go around in the California midget scene, BCRA and USAC. As a former BCRA car owner, driver and YES official and as a current USAC member, I know the history here. NUTTY was making a personal obsevation which is what I did earlier in this post AND which is what IOW allows us to do. Maybe he worded his a little stronger than mine, but I don't know that I disagree that much. I can tell you one thing I am not anti any group. I will not speak for Marc and DMS because it is not my place, but from what I have witnessed, neither is Marc. If you saw how much time he has spent on the phone over the last two years trying to get cars to support BOTH groups you would be ammazed.

This move by BCRA has been in the works for sometime and I was hoping that BCRA and USAC would colaberate on these changes, but I guess not. YES these changes are major for pavement cars. I'm not the chassis guy, but these new rules are going make these cars very diffferent animals. Which is what BCRA wanted I guess, and making them pretty much useless outside California.

What I'm wondering about are the guys like DeGeorge, Bedford, Dickerson, Nichols and Chevello that all have newer or new pavement cars to compete with BCRA AND USAC. What are they to do? This was a crittical discision by the board at BCRA. and lets face it, some of the POSITIVE posts have been from groups that will gain the most, your club and Revolution Racing. I don't blame you at all, but I think some of these issues were not thought out well.

Was any on track testing done to see what effects this makes? How will it be enforced? Scales at the track for total weight are one thing, but checking left side weight accuratly? Again, I DO NOT KNOW, but as a former official, I would like some of these issues addressed BEFORE a rule was placed in effect. Maybe there was, maybe not.

There are a core group of people in BCRA that still believe that midget racing should be out of open trailers with Sescos and Pontiacs and there are those who want racing to be racing based on hard work and engineering and yes that does take money,but more importantly it takes PREPARATION, EFFORT and DESIRE. If all you do after each race is load your trailer go home and then not unload your trailer until you come back to the track at the next race you will not win no matter how many rules are created to level the playing field.

I wish BCRA all the luck in the world. I truelly want them to succeed because I like midget racing PERIOD.They have taken a very bold step and only time will tell what will happen. As for me, I'll stick with hard work and preparation because I KNOW for fact that money isn't the only key to winning.

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

Ryoung..I dont know you and you don't know me..My views and opinions are my own and have nothing to do with DMS..

I will respond to a couple of your points, even though I don't have to..
I have supported BCRA since the late 80's either by membership or pit passes be it stand alone or co-sanctioned races...

I never said that BCRA is solely responsible for Miget racing being on Life support, both clubs as far as I'm concerned have their Heads up their ***..
So when you say " Affiliation" I have none..I just want to see Midget racing survive on the West coast and spreading these 2 clubs futher a part will not do it..

Its great that "WE" will have 25 cars tonight, without 2 Clubs competing against each other, you will get that good of a car count..

In your comments you use the word "WE" alot...So, are you the mouth piece of the BCRA ?

I have comments about the Shasta race but Ill save them..Its nice that you supported Rick because he is a good guy...

In closing next time you want to speak to me like you know me, dont..

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

We = I am a member of the BCRA and it is a club, thus we.

Apologies if I offended you, but I read your previous posts about being a part of DMS (so it was not a stretch to think you have an affiliation). I have met Mark once and he is a nice enough guy and do not know him either (nor do I know his thought on any of this) but it was my belief that he is a USAC supporter and does not support the BCRA shows and I would suspect that this change did not sit well with him.

But let's not kid ourselves I am keenly aware of the BS that has gone on about boycotting shows that were not joint USAC shows etc. (i.e the BCRA opener at Shasta). That is what hurts midget racing in this area.

I assure you my post was not meant to be any more personal than you blaming the BCRA board for "killing midget racing in California" and calling them cowards (ok you said they were afraid of competition, basically the same thing).

Best wishes,
Rick

btw, feel free to introduce yourself or post your name so I will know who I am addressing.

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

I'am glad too see someone is is taking the right steps and getting midget racing back on track! One car for dirt & pavement!!!!! :8::9::22:

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

The comment was made here that the changes BCRA is making would be of maximum benifit to my company. That sounds really good to me, but I am having a hard time understanding why that would be. I just make an engine product - you could put that engine into a dirt car, or a pavement car, or a dune buggy for that matter. The only thing that is of benifit to my company, is when MORE competitors get involved in the sport, so maybe that is what was meant in which case I agree - I believe that next season will see more competitors taking part in BCRA pavement racing, and yes, that will be good for anybody who makes thier living supporting this type of racing. Meanwhile, does ANYBODY reading this think that west coast USAC pavement racing will see growth for next year? For that matter does ANYBODY reading this think that the West Coast USAC pavement program will not shrink further still?

A lot of people commenting on this topic have felt the need to first weigh in with thier "credentials". So, here are mine: In 2001, with cooperation from Tommy Hunt, we brought the Ford Focus series on line as an economical way to race midgets on the west coast featuring the combo car concept as a key component. For those first few, golden years, the program was awesome. Then the era of Eric Bunn, pavement-only Focus cars, High dollar "driver development" teams (barf....) and the rest of it took a perfectly good idea and completely screwed it up in the finest 16th street tradition. My point is this - I too, have been on both sides of this fence and I want to share an observation with you all. This year I have been to several BCRA shows and what I have witnessed is a group of people out having a great time racing. Good car counts at the dirt shows, great racing on the track, good crowds in the stands, awesome little race tracks.... not much to complain about at all. Saturday night at Placerville they had a nice, full field of cars, a good crowd in the stands and they were the headliners for the night. To take what they have there on the dirt, and transfer it over to the pavement also, makes perfectly good sense to me. Especially... ESPECIALLY when you consider what the current pavement situation looks like.

I hope that the other club gets it together, and figures out a way to save themselves. But I do not see how it is any of BCRA's responsibility to do anything other than what is right for their own constituents, and it looks to me like that is what they are doing, and it is working. Hats off to 'em.

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

Please explain how you are going to regulate what a COMBO car is. You may find that there are cars that could conform to Combo specs, but are designed and built with all of the pavement advantages. Are you Ok with these cars?

Sean

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

..... and now, the other shoe drops. THANK YOU, Sean, for raising this very important issue. And how appropriate that it comes from one of the most fiercely competitive crew chiefs in the game. The question you are really asking here of course, is; "HOW DO WE SAVE THE RACERS FROM THEMSELVES?"

This is an age-old question within Midget racing and unfortunately, up until now, the answer has been "We Can't". Rick Young from Capital City Midgets is fond of saying that the phrase "We Can't", is simply code for "We Won't".

Too often in our past, officials simply threw up thier hands and said "We Can't". What we are starting to hear now - finally - are some officials who have the huevos to say "We WILL". Sean, you and I have only had this convesation about a thousand times already. You KNOW what I'm about to say....

There are only about a jillion ways to set and maintain a group of parameters that define what a combo car is. This is not rocket science. The difficult part - the part that has been a failure by sanctioning bodies up until now - is PICKING A SET OF PARAMETERS AND STICKING TO THEM. Long story short, up until now, officials have not had the sack to stand up to guys just like you, and say "NO". And after all, in the final analysis, isn't that what we pay the officials to do? Finally, FINALLY we are starting to see some clubs around the country who are willing to take a stand, and back up what they say instead of caving in to the various special interests that have been pushing them around.

There is a way to set and maintain a combo car standard in Midget racing. It's called LEADERSHIP, and finally, it appears as if the local clubs around the country are getting tired of waiting for leadership to fall on them from above, and are taking the issue into thier own hands. Not a moment too soon if you ask me.

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

When it comes to rule changes 1000 people 1000 different ideas. As far as me I can live with no brake bias and one shock adjuster. But to get 55% left weight with a car that is built for 57-58% its harder than you think. I"m not sure I would want to drive it with that chassis set up . I could make one change to the car at the track and make myself illeagl. I guess i would have to scale it for every change. Would i want to run a combo car against a purpose built dirt cars i would not. These pavement rules effect sarale,cortez,mckenny, mcqueen, nichols, de george, chevello, bedford.dickerson,foster,prickett, pierovich,alvis,gundo, faeth, roza rosen, arata, eskesen. And im sure more.These are bcra members and supporters. All own purpose built pavement cars which is most of your current inventory of pavement cars. So if you sell pavement shows will you promote them as a limited midget show. Because you will probably get 1-3 combo cars and the focus cars.

Duane Mcqueen.

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

Duane, You know I have a ton of respect for you and what you do. I'm not going to disagree with you here. What I will say to you is this. There IS a way. In fact, as I have said many many times, there are probably about a JILLION ways, to formulate an equitable set of parameters that allow combo cars to compete on the same track as the purpose built cars What is important here, is to decide once and for all that we WILL accomplish this goal for the betterment of the sport overall, and then to make the committment to DO IT. It is not important, and in fact i think it is counter productive, to get too bogged down in the fine details right now. If 55% is not the right thing to do then lets make an adjustment there, but lets keep our eye on the prize - lets not say "We Can't"

For God's sake - we put a man on the moon... You trying to tell me we can't do this if we put our minds to it?

I have had this conversation with so many racers for so many years.... Racers always want to get down into the fine details, they always want to give THEIR exact version of HOW it should be done. I understand all of that but what I'm proposing here is that we all, as a group, take one big step back and look at what needs to be done to save the sport. Then, we can go about the work of accomplishing that goal. Ths is not rocket science, folks.

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

To restate the goals that were communicated by the membership to the board...

1. Reduce the cost to race for a championship
2. Slow down the cars on pavement.

That is what drove the changes. One car, one number means that you only need to own one car to be competitive. That will make the sport cheaper.

Slow the cars down, limiting the left side weight to 55% will help do that.

By no means am I an expert on setting up a pavement car but I do not understand why getting to 55% is so tough... move the roll center of the car to the right side until you are at 55%. Move the front axle to the left and space the LR out. Yes the car will be more "unstable" but that is part of the point, slow to the cars down.

Who knows if a dirt car given the short wheelbase would even be able to compete with a pavement car at 55%, but it would stand a better chance than if nothing is done.

All I have read is how the pavement cars cannot run 55%, has anyone actually tried to get their car to 55%? Remember all the "like" cars will be at 55% on the same tire, so why would you think the car would be uncompetitive? Slower yes, but uncompetitive, I doubt it.

I am also curious if you (not specific you for any person, but used in the generic sense) were as concerned about how it would effect the sport when you bought your pavement car and put the guy with a combo car at a disadvantage when the rules changed an allowed pavement cars? My guess is no.

It is not like the BCRA outlawed pavement cars and everything I have read up to this point is purely speculative as I highly doubt anyone has tested the effect of 55% left side weight (why would you when you did not have to).

Duane,
Please stop by this weekend, I would love to meet you.

Best wishes,
Rick

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

I am sorry but you again have missed the point Rick.

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

Rick, EXACTLY my point from earlier in this thread, DID BCRA OR ANYONE ELSE TEST THIS 55% RULE BEFORE THEY MADE THE RULE !!!!! Like I said before, I don't know EXACTLY what effect it will have. What I do know is that, I probably know alot more about pavement cars than you, NO DESRESPECT. But, I/ME do not think it is that easy to do by just moving the axle around and changing the role center. Duane could probably answer that better than I.

SO, did the BCRA rule make the cars very unstable and dangerous to drive at ANY speed or did they just SLOW them down?? Did they address the tech issues at the track?? One small adjustment could be all it would take. Kieth and Rick, my point here is while applaude BCRA for trying to do something, I do not believe they researched the effects of that something.......maybe I'm wrong, but I haven't heard that they did.

My frustration with BCRA is with the APPARENT lack of. What will happen and how do we tech it? BEFORE the rule was made.

I think BCRA would probably have been better off by going Focus/Ecotech engines only and leave the chassis alone. Then at least there would be a clear divide between BCRA and USAC. Let the best club or better yet both clubs win and survive with their respective teams.

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

First of all how many people are going to build true combo cars. So who is this rule going to benefit. The no practice is very smart this will be a great cost savings. The tire they choose is a good tire and cheaper. the lack of cockpit adjusters I can live with. With that said, purpose built pavement cars are less forgiving than a combo car. Thay can be evil when you miss the set up. So will i run this car doing the things you suggest no I won't! I don"t think many others will either. Do you think people in the club are going to change there true dirt cars to run pavement? So once again you are going to have two or three combo cars and the cars you promote. I think bcra stomped on it's members and supporters. And please don"t tell what you think since you admit youv'e never set these cars up. I have spent countless hours in the garage on the scales.

Duane McQueen::15:

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

You guys.... I beg to differ but it is YOU who are missing the point. I'm going to take one more run at this then I'm going to leave it alone...

With ALL DUE RESPECT - and I MEAN that - you guys are focusing on the fine details when what we should be looking at right now are the broad strokes. Hear me out here. Let's just say, for the sake of argument, that you guys are 100% correct. 55% weight is impossible, dangerous, and will add to the federal deficit. Great. Fine. Agreed.

We have just answered the WRONG QUESTION. The question for today is (or SHOULD BE): Does it make sense for the BCRA to take steps to a) allow members to compete on both surfaces with one car? And b) commit to developing a formula that will also allow purpose built cars to remain competitive?

Based on what we all have seen (and NOT seen as evidenced by recent low car counts and outright race cancellations), The answer to both of the above questions is a resounding YES. These steps SHOULD be taken as a way of immediately increasing participation at pavement events by BCRA members.

Taking these steps will ensure that BCRA has the best car counts of any west coast group for next year. Heck, the way things are going they may be the ONLY midget group racing on pavement next year. DON'T TELL ME it can't be done (code for "we won't do it"). The first, and hardest, step is already behind us. Now, we have all winter to test, fine tune, and get it right.

Final comment - I am not (nor do I want to be) any kind of official with anybody. I don't own a car of any kind, but I DO have a vested interest in the survival of Midget racing in all of its forms. I have no inside information regarding exactly HOW BCRA intends to develop and implement the initiative they have undertaken but it makes sense to me that what they have done is declared a "mission statement" for their own future. It makes sense to me that what this amounts to is the START, not the end, of what they are trying to accomplish. So one last time, I would ask that you guys not get bogged down in the fine details but rather, get involved in the process of saving pavement racing on the west coast. We have all winter, lets get busy.

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

Good luck! Time will tell. Most quit runnin pavement out here because of fri practice cost and tire cost. I still fell the 55% will elimanate your current inventory. Iv'e ran 10 dirt shows for what i spent for two pavement shows on tires. If you want to make this work you need to go to a spec. chassis and motor. Is a combo car at a disadvantage against purpose built dirt or pavement cars more than likely. So well the next changes be to elimanate current dirt cars. All i want is for them to reevaluate there 55%.

Duane mcQueen

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

:15::15::15::15::15::15::15:

Re: BCRA midgets announces changes for the 2010 season
 

I am not taking sides on this issue, however I totally understand the point in which Keith and Rick are trying to make. In my job I have the exact scenario play out as has played out in this post on a regular basis. When “new” directions are taken after years of status quo there is always hesitation/uncertainty/pessimism by a majority of people. Things cannot change entirely overnight and not all the exact/correct elements will initially be known. However, in order to get exact/correct elements you have to start somewhere at sometime. This is what the BCRA is trying to do. A holistic view must taken, a vision of sorts. I guarantee that even if the BCRA did testing prior to the new rules and concluded the 55% was adequate, there still would be people on here saying there is no way it will work.

I know the intent is not to put these rules in stone and never review/change them if something doesn’t work. Not one time did I read that this proposal was the end all save all for the association. Something must be implemented in order to work towards bettering racing otherwise this exact discussion will continue year after year with no progress.

I will take an example from my work experience. The community that I live/work in has for years always been against impact fees for new development. Each time the issue would come up the community would come forth with opposition stating impact fees will run developers away and put an unnecessary burden on potential homeowners as the fees will be passed on to the consumer. Every one got caught up in the specific fees that would be charged, instead of looking at the overall broad concept that this will help the City pay for services and most importantly take the burden of the taxpayer for years into the future. The economic downturn hits, the City is hit hard and revenues are only a 1/3 of what they once where, yet the service needs are the same. The City had to cut some services. However, had the City Council stood there ground and implemented the impact fees the City would have more than enough revenue to sustain/maintain current service levels. This is exactly what the BCRA is trying to prevent. Nobody wants to be discussing in a few years the good old days of the now defunct BCRA.