Kevin Miller experiment
 

How much longer are folks going to keep supporting this guy.... Not that all of USAC's troubles rest on his shoulders but there is always a fall guy and he is it. If usac wants to regain their luster I feel some changes need to be made or they are ripe for a take over from another series. If anybody can not see the downward spiral of USAC they are blind. Sure Sprint Week packs them in and has good car counts but that would happen even if there was no sanctioning body running it. Time to bring in an actual Sprint car midget guy to run USAC not a self appointed master of marketing. Can anyone point out one thing Mr. Miller has done to make USAC any better for the fans or car owners and drivers? Sure they moth balled the New Gen Silver Crown cars but that was going to happen regardless once NASCRAP stopped funding them. Time to take the Parachute money and go back to drifting or monster trucks or what ever this guy has done in the past. Let the naysayers rip this thread up.

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USAC was on a downward spiral BEFORE the worldwide economic crisis. It has been in a spiral for years. I was really hoping Kevin Miller would be able to do something to stem it but I haven't seen anything so far and the Gold Crown series is another sign it is actually speeding up.

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USAC needs to work on encouraging drivers and car owners to participate instead of discouraging them.

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After ORP, Iowa , and Oswego, I know I would be pushing the Champ Cars as much as possible. The crowds were huge. They have a product that is wanted, and IF and WHEN they push it, it works. They just don't seem to know how to do it on a consistent basis. SSDD.

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Or negotiating with other groups like Powri and MSCS. When Miller said he disliked co-sanctioning events that really turned me off.

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USAC needs to listen to don Moore!!:9:

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I think it is Kevin Miller and USAC's fault that opening night of the TNT tour was rained out.

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:5:

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Heads would roll big time, believe me......... you really would see a "new" USAC...........

Re: Kevin Miller experiment
 

Insanity has been defined as continuing to repeat the same behaviors and expecting a different (better) result each time. I guarantee you Don would not repeat the same behaviors if he were in charge. Time to shake it up it looks like.

Whether he wanted to or not, he's been in charge while USAC has been brought to the Gold Crown Midget Nationals, Firemen's Nationals, and Ultimate Challenge. They returned sprint cars to Knoxville and Williams Grove for the first time in years, and rumors are that Knoxville will pay more next year. They're back at Iowa and in at Oswego. Unfortunately, midgets, pavement racing, and specifically the Hut Hundred are seeing the problems of a ten- to twenty-year downhill spiral. Those are his problems and I'm gonna try to have faith that he and others he can bring with him can make improvements and go in the right direction...
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Re: Kevin Miller experiment
 

USAC has provided me with the best racing on the planet for the past 49 years. In that time I have seen NAMARS come and go.....CORA come and go..........IMCA sprints come and go.........and others come and go. I've seen CRA taken over by Frank Lewis, then become SCRA (for all intents and purposes) to be run by Ron Shuman, then to become USAC/CRA in the most recent left coast iteration of traditional sprints.

There have been times when USAC misfires have driven me up the wall but never out of the grandstand. I don't work for USAC, never have, and don't personally know anyone who does......uh, unless Spridge is now on their payroll. ;)

Times are tough right now, but I fully expect USAC to survive while others may fall.

Just my opinion as a fan and I don't presume to speak for anyone else, most certainly not for those involved in actual competition.

:22:

Re: Kevin Miller experiment
 

Sorry Kirk, the sprints returned to the Grove in 2007 before Kevin Miller took charge. Give Greg Staab the credit for that one. :28:

It's been a only a year and half since he took over:the new people will need some time but results will have to seen in 2010.

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...with_the_times

Sorry Russ, but the Eastern Swing started in 2007 without Williams Grove. They were added in year two, which was Miller's first. The job was done by Staab, and I thank him for that whole swing, but the Grove came under Miller's regime. Speaking of Greg, why hasn't anyone grilled Team Six-R about his dismissal like USAC was???
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Re: Kevin Miller experiment
 

I would say that a naysayer is one who complains and offers no solutions or factual input. I choose to support the series and provide ideas to the leadership that is trying to create change.

To place the blame on Kevin Miller or the current management of USAC for not reversing years of decline of this race series even as we went into the teeth of a major economic recession is just wrong. The economic decline started as we went into the 08 season, this managements first year. BTW it takes at least a year to sell any new major sponsorship so the first shot they had was for 09 and everything new was DOA for 09. The series has to have new sponsors to increase purses and incentive to owners and drivers.

The basic problem is when times were good and car counts increased the former management failed to market USAC to both existing fans or to a new generation of true fans and instead chose to put its faith in becoming known as a feeder series for NASCAR which without a contract and ladder system is no business model at all. At the time that probably looked like a good bet but it was never fully capitalized on and the hardcore fans didn't like it.

Fresh ideas are exactly what this series needs we should be so lucky as to have the fan support, factory support and sponsor money that Drifting and Monster trucks have. Whoever thinks differently has never had to pay the bills for running these things.

When Kevin took over what USAC needed most was marketing and sponsorship in order to reinvest in the product and grow the fan base. They have made some smart moves to broaden the base(Q midgets , cost control ideas for Focus series, live timing and scoring and video via web ) but going into the 08 season major dollars were already drying up in motorsports and every other form of advertiser and sponsor driven business. I know this well as I run a large advertising supported business and have been involved in major league racing for the better part of decade.

Here are the real issues.


1. Sponsorship $$ have been scarce and getting more scarce hindering the original business model of bringing more series sponsors and higher purses.
2. high price gas and weakening econom hurt attendance and car count in 08
3. the recession in 09 squeezed it even more
4. the high cost of racing a sprint/midget /Crown car vs available sponsorship and purses

It costs $3-4K per show to run these cars ( not including breakage or intitial cost of the car) against a winner share of $4-5K , 10th pays maybe $1000 and $ 150-200 to start the main not a good prospect of even paying some of the bills if you run every night. BTW a new car cost at least $60K w motor. It costs $3-500 in maint and motor time to fire the motor and run a heat race.

Their is no economic model that makes any kind of sense in this series without media to attract sponsorship. Until there is a form of media that will attract a sponsor base USAC racing will continue to be an expensive hobby and there is a lot of racing that is just as much fun and cheaper than this. This management team has set their sites on solving that problem but it will take time and an economic recovery especially in the car business as that money trickles downhill from the major leagues.

If you want to help, tell a friend about the series and bring people to the racetrack . Spend time blogging , emailing and spreading the word about the series. Nobody and I mean nobody is making serious money in USAC compared to the risk and amount of work that it takes to be competitive as a race team or to put on the races.

If you have ideas on how to improve USAC you should list them on this site and I am sure the USAC guys would be open to them. Blaming Kevin or USAC in general won't do anything toward fixing anything.

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Kirk, looking at the date of this news release, it appears that Staab ,who was still working at USAC in December 2007, had a hand in getting the Grove race.

Mr Miller took over in December of 2007. Just a guess here, Greg did most of leg work for the the 2008 schedule.

http://www.motorsport.com/news/artic...6565&FS=USAC-S

... but Kevin Miller is to blame for both of the rain outs at the Grove... J/K

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In response to spruett here are a few (and I know I will get flamed but I don't care):

1. Get to tracks were the racing will be great. No reason to have a "bigger and better than this track or that track" type mentality.

2. Drop the sanctioning fee so more tracks can have USAC there.

3. Co-sanction events instead of taking over events

4. Put rules inplace to limit costs.

5. Make the Silver Crown series the absolute premier division in USAC like it use to be. Get the series to be a truly national series by getting more events (both pavement and dirt).

6. Three words: Illinois Midget Week

7. Two words: Buckeye Nationals (again)

Those are just a few ideas.

Okay vultures, pick them apart :2:

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These are great and constructive

somebody has to pay insurance which I believe is included in USAC fee but not sure. Tracks would need to provide local officials which always seems to be controversial but could be done.

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So............. Will somebody please tells us all what Kevin Miller and his staff did from October 4, 2008 (running of the disasterous Hut Hundred fiasco with 22 cars) to just a few days ago (cancellation of the 2009 Hut Hundred) to improve midget car counts and overall general health of the division? I'm coming up with zero. Please correct me. Thanks.

Re: Kevin Miller experiment
 

One other person that deserves a shout out for helping get the USAC sprints back into Pennsylvania and that is nonwingsjeff. He called and email Rollie and Greg for a long time about getting USAC racing back east. I know he tried for years to get it to happen and helped on the SCRA tours also.

Jeff deserves some credit also and the blame when the track conditions are terrible out there. :5:

Fans can make a difference.

:8:

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Vukie - You're right. I was throwing credit to Staab, but the fact is that it DID happen under Miller's regime.

DWB - I agree with what you say in 4 & 7. They're apparently looking into what to do on both, but especially 4. Remember that the Buckeye Nationals imploded a while back, long before Miller, and it was a tough money-maker with two divisions, yet didn't pay any more than a standard purse. They're trying, and racers are preaching for, races that pay a little more than standard.

As for #1, the racing is great virtually everywhere they go now. There is nothing wrong with trying to go to places that make a positive display of USAC racing and have the ability to build into bigger events in the future. Again, the goal is to have more races that pay better, and I don't think a lot of places have the ability to do that. That's just my point of view, based on the requests of the racers and owners (the full-time, professionals being foremost in that group). If that's looked at as a "bigger and better" mentality, so be it. You have to go places that can support good shows and hopefully have nice facilities to put USAC racing in a good light.

2. Their sanctioning fee is not out of line at all. The biggest reason that USAC has a higher sanction fee which leads to them being bashed for it being too large is mainly because of their outstanding insurance plan. I won't get into that - but you all need to do some homework and find out how people like the McDaniels are helped when guys who get hurt at a lot of local tracks or other sanctions are left high and dry.

3. Belleville, Knoxville, Granite City, Prairie are all co-sanctions. What else can be done? Nobody wants to be the little brother. Calling POWRi a "National" Midget Series is extremely misleading, by the way...

5. That's just wishing for something that is not overly possible. That's a big purse, and a big cloud hanging over any promoter's head. If the Silver Crown Series can basically keep the races they have now, and maybe add a couple dirt races, that would be good. The return to Iowa and the race at Oswego were met with outstanding crowds.

More races at the current purse is not the answer. They need more events, so their drivers and teams can get more in return without the cost of running more races.

The biggest challenges are midgets and pavement. Those are pretty big problems, but they've also been on a downhill slide for a while. It will take some deep thinking and some time. And honestly, you can blame USAC for the Hut Hundred cancellation all you want, but it would have been a big stinker, and that is IF Terre Haute didn't cancel due to low car count. In all actuality, the Hut Hundred has not been right in quite a few years, and it would take a much better purse and a much better rules package to get guys back there. It's gonna be a challenge.

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Kevin Miller took over on December 4th and the schedule was announced on December 6th. Yes, he was in charge but how much did he have to with it the schedule of the 2008 season? :2:

Spridge, you can give me grief the next time you see me. :33:


"Tuesday, 04 December 2007

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, Dec. 4 -- The United States Auto Club (USAC) announced today that its Board of Directors has appointed Kevin Miller as CEO and president of USAC. The Board also announced that Jason Smith has been appointed senior vice-president of racing operations, reporting to Miller."

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:3: :5: :3: :5: :3: :5: :8: :32:

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1. I have a strong belief that there are many places USAC could go that would put them in a good light and have enough fans that would make it profitable, not just a sucess, but profitable. Morgan County Speedway is a prime example. There are alot of former attendees to Little Springfield there that would make a rush to MCS if USAC came there.

2. The sanctioning fee is high for these economic conditions and in general. I understand the insurance for the drivers is high but there are ways to cut costs in the fee department.

3. To me (IMHO) co sanctioning and take over are two different things. Knoxville Nationals, Gold Crown Nationals, and the Firemen's Nationals were all started by another club before being touted as USAC races. USAC being an equal partner is one thing but to be the prime club is a little far reaching. At times USAC is becoming the NASCAR of midget racing: the 800 pound gorilla in the room just with less stroke. Hey if we are running down series UMARA is not a national midget series either but they call themselves national midgets. Care to take a shot at them?

5. This is very possible to do. It just takes determination and commitment, something USAC has had alot of problems doing in the past few years.

No comment on #6? #6 would add another way of doing co-sanctioning with both POWRI and Badger.

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They need to put Tony George in charge of USAC.

:15:
:20:
:32:

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:17: yeah because we all know how GREAT he has been on running a series based on a formula of oval racing with American drivers in American based cars.... I can see it now, Helio wins Eldora over Wahnica and they're running Dallara dirt cars with Honda power....lol

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To sprintcar62 You need to be banned for that comment/suggestion :3:

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I think what Spridge means regarding the National series is that they dont really travel anywhere. Ultimately in our type of racing you have USAC, WoO, ASCS (Nat'l), possibly the All Stars as National Series but only USAC, WoO and now ASCS Nat'l traveling virtually coast to coast. I think that by calling your series a national series when it really isn't is misleading. I think some series use the term "National Midgets" which is in reference to the "type" of midgets you see with USAC.

But the beauty of USAC is that they are truly a National Series... that's why they get the best of the best drivers and probably why alot of lower budget teams (unfortunately) choose not to race against them whether it be for big events mentioned if they are co-sanctioned or not. And probably the other reason many don't cross over to chase USAC points. I mean if it paid points for Powri or Badger or RMMRA or ARDC to come run Knoxville and/or Belleville... how many more cars we talking... i think not many.

I'm back from Knoxville and super tired... so if any of the above doesn't make sense im sorry.

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If that is what is implied by the term "National" then I would agree that they are probably not considered national series.

Rob, back in 2005 there was a healthy number of cars for the Knoxville Midget Nationals. It was a points event for BMARA, POWRI, ARDC, SMRS and RMMRA. I know first hand because I was there. USAC coming has actually lowered the car count iun the years since then.

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i realize the car count was bigger... now all the big dogs are there in their national cars... so its either economy or those drivers and teams dont wanna race when they go up against the best... or they are biased against USAC for their own reasons... either way they arent there.

In the case of Knoxville... the track contacted USAC to take over the event... that i know for sure.

Re: Kevin Miller experiment
 

Right or wrong ideas and suggestions are better than bashing.

The only thing that will help car count is to substantially lower costs When it cost $2500 bucks a night to run a competitive regional pavement midget or 3-4 K for a national show and not much less for dirt the amount of people who can afford to do that for fun is very limited. That is why you have the car count at Salem like this past week. The threat of killing a car at Salem is too great and a competitive pavement roller is $25K new.

People who don't believe that are living in the past when home built cars could be welded up and run week in and week out and motors run an entire season, not possible now, although at least you are assured to make the main with these car counts.

Think of it this way for the same amount as the net costs after winnings for running the entire national sprint or midget series an owner could just buy a couple of dozen new Ford F150 s and leave them at the race track and have a lot less hassle. These teams are mostly run out of the pockets of businessmen who love racing and are in it for the love of the game. In times like these love takes a backseat to cash.

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Good Word - there IS a market for the "big event" open wheel race.

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This is off topic, but Klepper did a mavelous job on the WoO SPEED broadcast. Congratulations.

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Agreed and his deal has done a lot more for USAC as well as all sprint/midget/ open wheel racing than almost anyone by creating a solid high quality media outlet

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I hope your kidding because I was just kidding also.:3::5:

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Oh heck yeah. The only person I want banned is :21:. WHAT! You can't say :21: okay his name rhymes with bridgeon and pidgeon :3::2:

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Thanks guys for the kind words... just wish we were still there shooting tonights finale.

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Spridge, Russ is right about Staab. Greg was out here at the Williams Grove National Open making contacts and getting the ball rolling before anyone ever heard the name Kevin Miller associated with USAC. I know this because I picked Staab up at his hotel which is close to my house & took him to the track.

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Jeff, believe me, I know how it all went down. Kevin Miller doesn't do scheduling, for the most part. I was only pointing out that those additions have been made under the current regime. Whether he wants to be included or not, Greg was a part of that for a while.

BTW, what name was associated with the sponsor of the three richest sprint car races of all time (And by "sprint car," I don't mean "winged sprint car")? Hint: They were all at Eldora.

Re: Kevin Miller experiment
 

Oh, you mean the one who's parent company is now owned by Fiat because of horribly bad business decisions and had to take government bailout money just to be able to be sold to Fiat?