Badger Midget Engine rules
 

Disclaimer: I absolutely loved going to Angell Park Speedway, and by association I loved the Badger midgets. It was always exciting to see who was going to pull into the pits on any given night. I have moved away from Wisconsin several years ago, but still follow both the track and the series.

I know that Badger started going down this road last year, but to completely outlaw purpose built motors seems like a big step. I was surprised that this article did not make the board yet.

Badger Announces Engine Platform for 2016
McFarland, WI - The Badger Midget Auto Racing Association Car Owner's voted on Tuesday, October 13, 2015 to move forward with their plan to fully implement their new engine platform designed to bring affordability to Midget racing engines while maintaining ingenuity, creativity but most importantly performance.

The BMARA voted to disallow purpose built race engines designed specifically for Midget racing. The new engine platform is based on the use of production engines from passenger car vehicle manufacturers. Engines are required to utilize an OEM cylinder head, OEM engine block and an OEM crankshaft from manufacturers such as Chevrolet, Honda, Ford, Toyota and many others. The maximum cubic inch limit is 146.457 CID which means that most engines will be 2.3 to 2.4 liters according to manufacturer standards. These engines can be found in vehicles such as the Chevrolet Colbalt, Honda Accord, Ford Fusion and Toyota Camry as well as many other vehicles found on the road today.

Chevrolet, Honda, Ford, Toyota manufacture hundreds of thousands of these engines every year making OEM components readily available for extremely low prices from your local car dealerships or salvage yards. The OEM cylinder head, OEM engine block and OEM crankshaft are not allowed to be significantly modified in order to maintain parity between manufacturers and to keep the cost of these components to a bare minimum.

Race teams or engine shops are then able to utilize aftermarket performance parts from suppliers who are already manufacturing parts for these engines, many of whom make the specialty parts for traditional Midget Car engines as well. This reduces cost due to the increased volume of parts being manufactured and the increase in suppliers.

The result of the change in the BMARA engine platform has been a 60 percent reduction in cost from the purpose built race engines, and only a 15 percent reduction in horsepower. The 2015 season saw an increase in participation from car owners, drivers, and fans bringing with it a fresh new outlook on Midget racing in Wisconsin. The 2016 season is set to see an even bigger increase in participation and competition bringing action packed Midget racing back to the levels that made fans fall in love with the sport.

Re: Badger Midget Engine rules
 

Now that is a short set of rules.

By the end of next year they should be up to or above National Midgets in Horsepower>>>>and very close in cost. Just got to raise them ports a tad. Ti valves and rods would be in order next.

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Badger Midget Engine rules
 

Uh, I think this looks like a press release, not a rule book.

Correct. Copied from their website after reading a tweet about it.

Re: Badger Midget Engine rules
 

Simple and concise the way it is not much tec required.;):D

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Badger Midget Engine rules
 

No mention of chain drive cars. They're not referenced in the 2015 rules either. So I'm assuming they'll continue as they have been?

Great move should have been done years ago. More programs go to this may bring midget racing back.

Re: Badger Midget Engine rules
 

I know you have listed this in an earlier thread, Dad... but let's do it again. If I was going out to our area car dealers and Powersports dealers (Hello SDHill if you read this) and wanted to round up some bonus money for racers that win with various badges... knowing that the Ecotech is probably the most common direct drive option... list for me the production engines from various manufacturers that are realistically capable of competing in a DII class like we had last week at Jacksonville.

It would be nice to get some old fashioned battle of the badges on production-based engines going again.

Re: Badger Midget Engine rules
 

Kdobson

Well Chrysler has the Neon and Ford has the DuraTec, however I think the late model versions have been raised up to 2500cc that makes them 6 cubic inches too big. That little Honda does a pretty good job also. And like I said now the manufactures are making smaller motors and forcing the air in all by itself and then squirting the fuel into the combustion chamber like the diesel does. Times and engine design is changing at light speed. The rule makers need to learn to change also. The only way to make money however is to sell racers expensive race parts. Whenever a new class comes on board the "Speed Merchants" are in hot pursuit of them. Mini Sprints and the 600cc Sidewinder have had great success running basically stock Motorcycle Motors. But sure enough they can find ways of throwing lots of money at them also. Seems like they always have a ready made market in the racer.

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Badger Midget Engine rules
 

Dftly was a "big step"...just at the end of a short season / the 1st BMARA had of any efforts of this such...lots of plans and efforts to bring "national engines" back out, are now null & void...hope some one brings up a motion to vote the restricted "Nationals" back in (for even a year or two), at the Nov meeting...

Re: Badger Midget Engine rules
 

Jason

(quote)

Dftly was a "big step"...just at the end of a short season / the 1st BMARA had of any efforts of this such...lots of plans and efforts to bring "national engines" back out, are now null & void...hope some one brings up a motion to vote the restricted "Nationals" back in (for even a year or two), at the Nov meeting...

The way I understand it is the Old motors are probably going to be forced into retirement and to me that is a shame...Not knowing what BMARA rules are actually going to be it would probably cheaper to take the old motor out put it on a stand and put it into their living rooms until they can find a buyer. Actually if the DII people do not get too far away from the rules used this year, building one of their type motors might be cheaper than a freshen up. If BMARA opened the flood gates and only require stock head block and crank their motors are going to be a little on the pricey side, once the racers get their wallets open. The way I read that one post you made You had 3 National Midgets in the last race of the year up there and they finished 1>2>3. That track is an HP track and I see the Race engines having an advantage there. So they are probably sacrificing 3 or 4 cars in hopes of attracting more stock block cars, probably not a bad decision on their parts.

With Powri starting several groups of DII Midgets in Illinois they might be the best bet to race with. With their insurance and size they just might be the better choice. I guess there will still be some old Midgets running next year at a few tracks in Indiana but they probably won't be as regular of a show.

Now all the racer has to do is hold on until they release the rules and go to work. I will make a prediction however


"There will be quite a bit more Midget racing activity taking place all around the country next summer". And to me that is a good thing.


Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Badger Midget Engine rules
 

2015 rules said u can replace basically all but that block, head, & crank. I know you don't HAVE to, but you CAN...just like u CAN buy as many $168 tires a week you want...idgi...

WAY more than 3 "national" engines cars were there, or ALMOST (I was just hours & a few $100 away - actually I posted that on IoW back in early Sept...lol) were there. Many got interested once the schedules moved around (races added, etc) & the restrictor sizes got smaller (the engine I have was a 2" stack).

It is what it is tho...someone would have to make a motion at the meeting to have another vote...

Re: Badger Midget Engine rules
 

Jason

From looking at the DII numbers in the poll it appears that one of the most positive votes was to include the old National Motors. That meeting should be interesting. I wish You luck.

You know a guy could spend a few thousand dollars welding up one of these DII heads to straighten the intake ports up a tad and give that Toyota Midget a run for it's money. Do it with RPM's. I think the crank and block would be up to the task.

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Badger Midget Engine rules
 

Again, please do your research before spreading false information. Please read the rule book and BMARA by-laws before commenting on their rules, policies and procedures.

http://midgets.bmara.com/downloads/get.aspx?i=250243

Re: Badger Midget Engine rules
 

Ray

Jason posted that it looked like the older national motors were out. I mentioned to Jason that a very large number of respondents wanted to allow some form of purpose built motors to still race with DII Midgets. The way I read the rules they would not. Is that correct???

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Badger Midget Engine rules
 

They are out as of last week. There were 13 votes. I don't know how many voted to keep the National engines. The poll you refer is most likely not anything to do with BMARA...lol. Us in the "large numbers" of that poll may need to start our own club...lol. Or, if someone would bring it back to vote with BMARA at the Nov meeting...

Re: Badger Midget Engine rules
 

The OEM cylinder head maybe machined or strengthened for longevity. Portingof the cylinder head including intake matching is NOT ALLOWED. Machining, grinding, sanding, or etching of the intake
and/or exhaust ports are STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Camshafts, valve springs, valve spring retainers, keepers, and fowler maybe replaced with aftermarket products. All timing components such as cam gears, sprockets, timing chains, and timing belts maybe replaced with aftermarket products. Titanium products are NOT allowed

Given the fact that porting of heads is not permitted, does the Ecotec really have the CFM to make 300+ Horsepower?? Maybe the Honda does??

From what I understand the difference between DII and BMARA is mostly in the use of aftermarket bolt on parts. Cams, valves, pistons etc. Both have opted for stock blocks, cranks and heads allowing only minor changes to these parts.

It is great to see so much interest in the class and so much interest in keeping the cost down for all the classes of cars. I think we should wait to see the DII rules posted to compare the two. I really don't expect to see a big difference and probably a good DII car could compete with the BMARA racers. I really don't think a lot of guys realize how good of a motor the Ecotec is right out of the car and on to the race track. Many of these aftermarket parts I would classify as Glittering Bull $^it.

Horsepower is directly proportional to how much air you can cram into the cylinder on each stroke and then how much can you compress it until it is time to fire it off. Cams help a little but port design and valve area are paramount and both set of rules take these variables out of the equation.:)

Honest Dad himself:6::6: