UMRA, AMSA, etc......
 

I am a huge fan of sprint car racing but also like going to races and watching guys move up in their career to sprint cars. My question is this. How much does TQ midgets, AMSA mini sprints, Micros, etc. help when adapting to driving a sprint? Several UMRA standout drivers have adapted well to the sprints like past Bloomington Speedway champion Derek Schefel (sp?) and just recently Nick Spiedel (sp?) has made it look easy to adapt to sprints. Several have also came from AMSA such as Shane Cottle and recently Coleman Gulick. I think AMSA champion Jason Soudrette would do very well in a sprint as well. Several have also came from micros and adapted well to sprints. How much does it really help coming up through the ranks into sprints? Would sprint car racing suffer if guys could not get experience in other ranks first?

Re: UMRA, AMSA, etc......
 

Before Cecil and Chuck get in here I will go ahead and say they are worthless and need to be removed from the face of the earth or race in cow pastures where people do not have to witness them!! :wink1:

In my opinion they are a necessity when it comes to progressing although there will be people who disagree.

Running these cars gives younger drivers a chance to see tracks they may race on in sprint cars. Plus being open wheel it hopefully teaches them to respect other cars around them or they will end up on their head.

The learning curve would be A LOT steeper in my opinion if these classes weren't around.

AND!!! As you come through the ranks a lot of times you will progress with other people who you race with. When I went from go-karts to TQ's I moved up along with a couple others, and then from TQ's to sprints I once again moved up with people I had raced with for years. In a way it made me comfortable to see others going through the same learning curves and being able to share knowledge between each other because as a rookie not all the veterans were willing to help.

P.S. I'm disappointed I didn't make your list of former TQ stars being that is my only claim to fame! :crying: hehe :redflag:

Re: UMRA, AMSA, etc......
 

LOL Jake, Your experience is far more than mine and I don't dispute that.

All I say as a fan is they do nothing to improve a show and certainly not 14 races.

I DO DISUPUTE that it's the only and best way to transfer from lower classes to full up sprints, We've seen people come straight from carts, Modifieds and other classes and be very successful. I also think the UMRA has a huge advantage over that crutch however that crutch teaches you to be smooth.

Chuck, Who says if it improves the SPRINT count. I really don't have a problem with it, if thats the way people choose to advance.

Re: UMRA, AMSA, etc......
 

Well. Davex, your wish to see Jason Soudrette in a sprint car will come true this year. Had a nice visit with his Grandpa at the engine shop my father frequents at and they have purchased a 2003 Comp welding car. Jason, IMHO, should do quite well. I have known him for 8 years dating back to when my daughter was karting, he is a stand on the gas type racer and also a very smart racer with the type of attitude and demeanor that makes it a pleasure to talk to him and his family every time he is at Lawrenceburg. Good luck to Jason on your first year in sprint cars.
Also a good luck to Shawn Westerfeld on your new sprint car ride this season. After years of destroying all Go-kart competition glad to see you moving up.

Re: UMRA, AMSA, etc......
 

Originally Posted by davex:
I am a huge fan of sprint car racing but also like going to races and watching guys move up in their career to sprint cars. My question is this. How much does TQ midgets, AMSA mini sprints, Micros, etc. help when adapting to driving a sprint? Several UMRA standout drivers have adapted well to the sprints like past Bloomington Speedway champion Derek Schefel (sp?) and just recently Nick Spiedel (sp?) has made it look easy to adapt to sprints. Several have also came from AMSA such as Shane Cottle and recently Coleman Gulick. I think AMSA champion Jason Soudrette would do very well in a sprint as well. Several have also came from micros and adapted well to sprints. How much does it really help coming up through the ranks into sprints? Would sprint car racing suffer if guys could not get experience in other ranks first?

Obviously I'm biased....but this summary of a statement came straight from the horses mouth about 12 years ago. The horse being Tony Stewart...."TQ's are harder to drive than Sprints or Midgets, sure they aren't as fast, but thats just it, they dont have the power to pull yourself out of a situation and with the narrower wheel base, they react much quicker than anything else."

That being said, I'm not saying Dave Darland, BC, or Coondog couldn't get in my TQ and win.

Re: UMRA, AMSA, etc......
 

[QUOTE=Charles Nungester;24338]LOL Jake, Your experience is far more than mine and I don't dispute that.

All I say as a fan is they do nothing to improve a show and certainly not 14 races.

I DO DISUPUTE that it's the only and best way to transfer from lower classes to full up sprints, We've seen people come straight from carts




Ahem, Its Karts with a K, now you may proeceed.:headbang:

Re: UMRA, AMSA, etc......
 

Gotta stand behind Chuck here! I have nothing personal with them and think they are probably fine on a smaller track, just concerned that on the new 3/8 mile track they are going to be very boring to watch. Hopefully they will prove me wrong and put on good competitive show since I make nearly every show.

Just my opinion!

Shane

Re: UMRA, AMSA, etc......
 

Jason, a lot of good sprint car drivers have driven TQ's and minis and a lot of good sprint car drivers have never sat in one. I don't believe it is a "must" as a training ground for sprint cars. I think this holds even more true on the big tracks where you simply flat-foot and steer the car around the track straight as an arrow. That, in my opinion, teaches an aspiring driver nothing. Are they fast? absolutely. Are they real race cars? absolutely. I've never denied that. My only point is, that it is a very poor show on the 1/4 mile or larger. That has been my experience everywhere I've seen them run on the larger tracks. They've obviously served you well because, in my opinion, you are an excellent race car driver. I don't begrudge you your love for the little cars, I simply don't enjoy watching them. Nothing more than that.

Re: UMRA, AMSA, etc......
 

Im just absolutely amazed that on anybody who says that Amsa or Umra dont add to a program on a 1/4 mile or bigger. Well Maybee its not the kind of racing your used to....... I mean what could a driver possibly learn from running wide open and keeping the car as strait as possible, while running through traffic. One thing is for sure, they dont hurt the program any at all, they dont tear up the track ( heavy streat stock bomber ect) They (mini's or Tq's ) dont have enough HP to wear out a track or tear up the cushion . Usualy they have very few cautions. Yes I prefer to watch sprint cars, actually I prefer wings (crutches as some of you like to call them) becouse they go sooooooo much faster. Last time I checked racing was about speed. Several years ago Amsa ran as a support class for the Woo the Terre Haute The two lead cars ran side by side the entire main event. ( Ted Johnson had a fit becouse the announcer raved about what a great show they put on and didnt need push trucks)I have seen several very good races at Bardstown Ky, 3/8. So lets not rush to judge how they will do on the new track till they run a few times. Yes I know that a few of you on here dont like the mini's , All I can tell you is go visit the consession stand, beer stand, or the bathroom like I do when the steetstocks are runing. whats the old saying , if you cant say somthing nice dont say anything at all. A couple of you have made it very clear that you dont like them, but its time to stop saying what a bad show they put on , IN YOUR HONEST OPINION, becouse its just not fair to those of us who do enjoy them way more then some of the other support groups. Stop posting negative , thats all im asking, be nice show a little love for other classes or cars. oh About how much harder its going to be on the motors we allways had less trouble on the bigger tracks becouse the cars got up to speed and had a constant rpm range. Time will tell, I still :kookoo2: everytime I read about sombody complaing about a race driver running wide open. :loser: Im looking foward to seeing little :briscoe: run with wing next year in a sprintcar. I wonder why Kevin is starting him in a car with a wing???????????? oh yah maybe so he will learn to run the car strait and stay on the gas . :emote20:

Re: UMRA, AMSA, etc......
 

[QUOTE=Dale800;24500]Im just absolutely amazed that on anybody who says that Amsa or Umra dont add to a program on a 1/4 mile or bigger.

Yes I prefer to watch sprint cars, actually I prefer wings (crutches as some of you like to call them) becouse they go sooooooo much faster. Last time I checked racing was about speed.


I guess those two sentences say it all! Not much left to debate.:angry-smiley-007:

Re: UMRA, AMSA, etc......
 

Originally Posted by cecil98:
Jason, a lot of good sprint car drivers have driven TQ's and minis and a lot of good sprint car drivers have never sat in one. I don't believe it is a "must" as a training ground for sprint cars. I think this holds even more true on the big tracks where you simply flat-foot and steer the car around the track straight as an arrow. That, in my opinion, teaches an aspiring driver nothing. Are they fast? absolutely. Are they real race cars? absolutely. I've never denied that, Jason. My only point is, that it is a very poor show on the 1/4 mile or larger. That has been my experience everywhere I've seen them run on the larger tracks. They've obviously served you well because, in my opinion, you are an excellent race car driver. I don't begrudge you your love for the little cars, I simply don't enjoy watching them. Nothing more than that.

You know....we've beat this dead horse before and we've heard yours and Chucks opinions upteen times, not only on this, but pretty much every post on this board. Your opinion is your opinion and thats fine, why it has to be repeated by both of you dozens of times is beyond me. Almost makes me long to see Larry O back around.

My final saying on this board is this, there's more to putting on a good show than a last lap pass. Number of cars in attendance, quality of competition, quality in the looks of the cars, speed and efficiency of the show as well. I've seen PLENTY of boring sprint car races on 1/4 miles. Hell, theres a ton of them each year complained about on this board.

It's been real, I'm spending the rest of my night watching Chili Bowl with friends and family, and the rest of my winter getting my TQ and my son's 1/4 midget ready for our schedule this summer, where we'll continue, in our opinion putting on a good show.

Later

AJ Nigh

Who thinks its ok to post opinions, just tired of the same people in every single post, and who think because they are regulars at a track that they speak for EVERYONE at the same track. And yes...this is a slam on someone speaking in the 3rd person.

Re: UMRA, AMSA, etc......
 

Aj,

I couldn't have said it better! :applaud:

Dale who thinks you are being way too nice.

Re: UMRA, AMSA, etc......
 

So my name gets mentioned in a post.

I respond with my opinion, Whichis just that BTW and isn't a diss on the class, Just my view of it. I've said numerous times i respect all classes and compettitors, That their hard work and skill is every bit as respectable as any other form. But It just doesn't do it for me.

That then gets my name drug into every other post on the thread. The boards for opinions. If you have a different one fine. Please don't disrespect me for having mine.

Thanks
Chuck

Re: UMRA, AMSA, etc......
 

when i go watch sprints i would rather see the umra or the minis run as a support class than watch the bombers,street stock...or the modifieds...at least they usually run most of their programs without too much trouble or very many cautions which seems to happen in many of the other classes..

Re: UMRA, AMSA, etc......
 

A couple of you have made it very clear that you dont like them, but its time to stop saying what a bad show they put on..Dale800

Dale, I had no intention of repeating my dislike for the small cars on the bigger tracks, but, if you read the second post on this thread, Jason kinda drug me (and Chuck N) into it.

PS....if you're not interested in my opinion on issues, skip anything you see with "Cecil98" because I will continue share my biases on this board.

Re: UMRA, AMSA, etc......
 

Originally Posted by TQ97:
Obviously I'm biased....but this summary of a statement came straight from the horses mouth about 12 years ago. The horse being Tony Stewart...."TQ's are harder to drive than Sprints or Midgets, sure they aren't as fast, but thats just it, they dont have the power to pull yourself out of a situation and with the narrower wheel base, they react much quicker than anything else."

That being said, I'm not saying Dave Darland, BC, or Coondog couldn't get in my TQ and win.

Hey Aj, Tony Must have said this after a wild night of drinkin haha just joking with ya.

Goodevening ocifer take me drunk... im HOME!

Re: UMRA, AMSA, etc......
 

While I agree that a racer could go directly from gokarts to sprints, I think that they should get seat time in a 3/4 midget or minisprint and work their way up to full midgets and sprints.

Like someone else said, driving the 3/4 midget is a whole different ballgame. The handling of the car is very different than a sprint car. The sprint car is handled by power, the 3/4 is controlled a lot by body strength. This conditioning is a benefit to someone moving up through the different cars.

Racing is an athletic sport. If a driver is in good shape, they typically perform better consistently.

The good thing about larger tracks, you can easily see which car has greater horsepower. On the shorter tracks, luck and positioning are determining factors of who wins. On a long track, the faster car can move to the front.

I didn't see many saying that those classes put on a bad show but for those who think they do, when was the last time you saw a UMRA show? For a reasonable price, you can take in an entertaining show and usually good food. Check it out some time.

Re: UMRA, AMSA, etc......
 

I don't really think theres much difference in driving a TQ and sprintcar. You control both cars with the throttle. i have only ran a sprintcar a handful of times at most and the horsepower is the obvious thing to get used to. when i went from racing karts to TQ's, it wasn't difficult as far as driving them, but hardest part was remembering that you aren't surrounded in bodywork with a TQ like a kart. i had a very rough start with equipment because of it. karts are alot tougher to win in since you have to drive perfect or get freight trained, you can mess up going into a turn in a big car and not lose too much ground. i would definently suggest starting a very young kid off in a racing kart with a blueprinted briggs to learn how to drive in traffic, be very smooth, and keep momentum up since the field is always extremely close in competition, then possibly go straight into a sprintcar.

Re: UMRA, AMSA, etc......
 

I was told a long time ago by an Older Gentleman, keep your boy in a fast car on small tracks and he will be a good driver. And I feel running on the smaller tighter tracks did help greatly. And running the lower classes helped me also with setup. Not saying I know a lot but it helps when better setup people try to tell me what I