Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

What is up with the low car counts this weekend? I almost drove 300 miles,glad I didn't.

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

Hint: You might want to look in the win column for the past two years for a clue...... :13:

Usually all you need is 8 Kunz car's for a show anyway ;)

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

It could come down to that.....:(

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

I'm worried to see what the car count will look like next weekend at Angell Park!:13:

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

I noticed that only 19 cars were at Belle-Clair. Glad I chose to go to Bloomington instead of the six hour round trip to Belleville. Hate to see the low car counts; I really love Belle-Clair Speedway.

Originally Posted by axman775:
I'm worried to see what the car count will look like next weekend at Angell Park!:13:

Angell Park is $500 to start. What do they normally pay for start money?

Here's another question. Could someone with a Badger-legal car also run the National race?

There were only 15 cars at Montpeiler and they allow just about any combination possible with not a Toyota in sight.

Car counts for all divisions are down virtually everywhere. There is a much bigger problem facing racing than Toyota powered cars. If anything....the argument could be made that KKR is doing all they can do to keep midget racing going.

I have to agree, it appears that the beloved sport of racing is either not as popular as it has been, or the loose change that once made it affordable just isn't as available to both fans and owner/drivers, costs for both parties have gone up, it started to die when the fuel costs went up about 3-4 yrs ago, but started before that, think about it, there for a couple of years, we were getting 50+ tq's an event, but like everything else, those days are over. Just sayin! Bob

It's become an odd world. The promoters who try to promote and offer higher than average payouts are often greeted by less cars. Teams don't want to go to higher paying shows because of the tougher competition. Then the fans who paid extra to help pay the purse are mad because they don't feel they got their value.

I could drone on....but I feel that not enough competitors and fans truly value the sport and that many tracks and organizations try to make their nut on the backs of the competitors because they are afraid to count on the front gate fans.

I often feel that it's simply a case of too much of a good thing. It's not a big deal anymore to see amazing drivers doing extraordinary things. It's not special and there is little mystery surrounding it.

Couple that with stagnant wages and the ability to watch highlights almost immediately and problems start to arise.

Badger has it right do away with the expensive motors who cares if the cars are a little slower I just want good racing

There are badger motors that cost more than my national motor. It's just all racing is suffering right now. Remember we just had Indiana midget week followed by Illinois midget week a lot of guys aren't following series for points so they don't come when it's 100 degrees or if it's a track they don't like. Also have talked to some esslinger guys that aren't coming because of the new rpm rule. They feel it has hurt them.

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

Maybe it's time to start worrying more about the back end of the purse and not so much about the top end.

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

Originally Posted by huskermudd:
Badger has it right do away with the expensive motors who cares if the cars are a little slower I just want good racing

The bmara website Rules and Engine Data pages define all the money that CAN be spent still...

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

I feel over saturation is a big part of the problem. I am afraid sprints in Indiana are in the same danger if we aren't careful.

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

There are tracks attracting cars and drivers. One example is the Action Track in PA. They run three classes and usually have over 120 cars every Wednesday night. 30-40 usac str's, usually 50-60 600 nonwing micros and a bunch of slingshots. The STR and slingshots are spec cars and the 600's might as well be.
If I was a promotor I'd be on the phone with Richie Tobias seeing if he was interested in getting your track to run his STR midgets. Besides the large amount of cars the stands are packed every Wednesday.
The 600 micros I believe are the class that is going to get bigger not smaller.
I don't care if you only have a handful of cars racing, I'd support the racing otherwise your racing could look like the crap we have here.

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

Im with Brent on this one, Over saturation. Consider that most of the teams maybe can get out to 20-25 shows a year, The number of teams half of what it was 15 years ago and now some Saturdays, Five or more tracks fighting for that 80-100 cars, A couple are going to come up short. And fans that are going to start picking and choosing, when and where they go.

I went to a track not local this weekend for 16 cars. Oh locally that wouldn't be too big a deal, But to me, The two hour drive and tank of gas was barely worth the travel and $$ for three races in the only class I knew anyone who ran in. If that was three or four heats, A consi and the main, I wouldn't even mention it. The guy who I chatted with and was telling me Butler Stories all night said, Well, It's clear nobody's going to haul any distance for a thousand to win, two hundred to start. He also said, What happens when this becomes 8-10 cars? I said I seen that before back in the 90s when the indiana tracks were running wings and started having 7-10 car turnouts and they went back Non Wing except for a few specials and counts rebounded big. This track I was at only two or three years ago had a 35 car average. IDK all the reasons, But there are certainly reasons that some are parking, others are putting a wing on.

Midgets take a hit every motor revolution. Staab told me that as soon as you are current and competitive in a midget, Something changes, a lot more $$ has to be spent, IN the 90s it was the Pontiac, The Gearte, 2000's the Esslinger and Fontana. Now, Toytota and SR11

Vs the Sprint while to run up front consistently is going to take a hammer motor. But in many conditions a 1990 technology -12 chevy can run up front with a decent driver and setup. Or at least keep you at the tracks more nights than not.

I think its many things, And simple slight purse increase or anyone one thing isn't going to fix it alone. Quite honestly, I think it comes down to It cost way more bucks to run than ever and a lot less people able or willing to spend the bucks to do it.

Purse's haven't significantly increased vs 20 years ago, In fact some are less up top. Gates haven't significantly increased, Ten dollars in 1990 vs fifteen today?

I even say Over Saturation in number of classes. If your goal was to be a sprint or higher level driver in the 80's You started in quarters or karts, Went to Karts or TQ's then sprints or midgets.

NOW, LETS JUST MAKE A CLASS so racers can race something resembling a sprint car and still afford it. vs the old days, You bought a sprint and ran according to what you could afford and your ability, Building on it every year. If all these classes were development and we got a half dozen a year moving up. There'd be no problem. Right now I see more moving down. The Jury's still out on that. But Im not traveling to see the undercard. I don't know any of them and won't be there enough to get to know who's who and who's hot or not.

Will it survive? Probably. There's been sprints and midgets almost a hundred years, There might be less tracks at some point or alternating weekends between tracks to keep a full field. It might take a revolution on some rules to quit having thousand dollar tire bills a weekend or other things.

]What happened to that Purple boycott? Last weekend the tracks that had the four corner rule had more cars than the ones that didn't??????

IDK all or even most of the answers. I do know other than local I'll be really picky on what to travel for. In midgets its been that way for awhile now as you can't be assured a decent field anywhere other than midget weeks and Chili Bowl. Even Turkey Night has been hit and miss the last decade or so on car counts.

There's lots of changes out there in entertainment and sports. Its really easy these days to buy the 60-90 inch TV, a surround sound and watch the MLB game that only 12k are attending in person today vs ten years ago when that game would have had 25k plus and not deal with the travel. $15 plus parking, High concessions with 7 dollar beers

It's like this in all motorsports, Indycar hasn't fielded a full field other than IMS in years mostly. Nascar cut their limit from 43 to 40 and has only filled that half a dozen times this year. Half the tracks removed a third to half their grandstands. NHRA isn't filling its brackets in all classes every weekend.

But the economy is great, Wages are up, The unemployment rate is only 4.8!!!!!!!!!!! You believe that crap, I'll gladly sell you some premium swampland that I don't own :).

See you next weekend, While we still can!

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

Bob

What night of the week do those guys race on????????:)

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Well not all classes, wing and non wing shows the 1000cc cars are averaging over 30 a night.

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

Originally Posted by Backitin:
There are tracks attracting cars and drivers. One example is the Action Track in PA. They run three classes and usually have over 120 cars every Wednesday night. 30-40 usac str's, usually 50-60 600 nonwing micros and a bunch of slingshots. The STR and slingshots are spec cars and the 600's might as well be.
If I was a promotor I'd be on the phone with Richie Tobias seeing if he was interested in getting your track to run his STR midgets. Besides the large amount of cars the stands are packed every Wednesday.
The 600 micros I believe are the class that is going to get bigger not smaller.
I don't care if you only have a handful of cars racing, I'd support the racing otherwise your racing could look like the crap we have here.

Im sorry, I don't get the comparison whatsoever as there is no competiton to it. If four tracks were running them Wed's nights, would the counts in both cars and fans be anywhere near what it is? As it is, Its the only thing going in divisions that are not top tier but fun and affordable to more vs a full up sprint or midget. And both entry level and some stars racing in it because it competes with nothing. Is it a success, Yeah, But it didn't happen overnight. They built it that way and competed with nobody to do it.

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

We went to Macon for the June 11th POWRi National Midget event and there were 33 midgets there for that show. What happened that way over half of those teams didn't show up at St. Francois?

There was a full field of mini-sprints at Macon, as well.

I sure hope there is more than 12 or 15 national midgets for the Fairbury POWRi event. They'll get laughed out of that place if that's all the midgets they draw. They get 27 or 28 late models for a regular weekly show there and the place is full every Saturday night.

Fairbury is our home track and we'll definitely be there on July 15th & 16th with the camper weather permitting but we'll take some serious ribbing from our late model buddies if there are 15 midgets as the top division. Those Fairbury late model people are hard core and that will be the only night all season that the late models will be running in basically a support class roll.

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

Originally Posted by DAD:
Bob

What night of the week do those guys race on????????:)

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

DAD, if you're asking me, it's mostly Sat nights, except during Fair season, then it's usually 7 nights in 10 days, which has worked in the past, kinda hard on a one man operation, but it can be done, if you don't break the wagon! Bob

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

Most people miss the real culprit for the rising costs and, in turn, low turnouts: inflation.

Do you know what the minimum wage was in 1964 (the last year our money was backed in any way by silver and/or gold)? It was $1.15 an hour in September of 1964. That was one silver dollar, one silver dime, and one nickel/copper nickel. Excluding the actual value of the nickel in today’s terms, the silver dollar and silver dime would be worth about $21. Consider that for a moment.

That means that the minimum wage in 1964 had an equivalent buying power in today’s dollars of about $21 dollars an hour. That was minimum wage.

Without getting too political, let me just say that ALL OF US are getting screwed by this "invisible tax". Everyone is getting poorer each and every day, as the value of the dollars we have is worth less and less. Our "lawmakers" know that we won't stand for higher taxes, so this is their answer.... and it ain't gonna magically just come to an end unless the good people of this country put a stop to it.

(I'm sorry if I'm out of line for posting this here, but it's something I think about everyday and I believe it to be pertinent to this discussion.)

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

Turn>Turn>Turn

Reading and taking part in these discussions about the demise of racing and midget racing in particular take me back to my coming of age in the turbulent 60's. We had songs for everything.

Racing like everything and everyone have a time in life that it blooms and prospers and a time for harvest and a time to die. This is the natural progression of everything around us. Enjoy it, try to propagate it share your love for and it make the most of it. It does have it's Time.:)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA2IYnGRYac


Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

I think everyone is underestimating the weather effects from this weekend's shows. The St. Louis area has been brutally hot, and there was every reason to assume that rainouts would be the winner last weekend. We went to Belleville and the stands were as empty as the pits. It's unseasonably early for this kind of weather in the area.

I'm not ready to say the sky is falling just yet. We had some really great car counts earlier this year. Hopefully this weekend was the exception.

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

Dad

Heat index of 105+ degree take the "Joy" out of Enjoy. Most racers race for the pleasure and nothing about last week end was too enjoyable.

I take that back>>>the water in my pool was 89 degrees last weekend and floating around in it with a drink by my side was pretty nice.:D

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

Originally Posted by Charles Nungester:
Im sorry, I don't get the comparison whatsoever as there is no competiton to it. If four tracks were running them Wed's nights, would the counts in both cars and fans be anywhere near what it is? As it is, Its the only thing going in divisions that are not top tier but fun and affordable to more vs a full up sprint or midget. And both entry level and some stars racing in it because it competes with nothing. Is it a success, Yeah, But it didn't happen overnight. They built it that way and competed with nobody to do it.

I'm also sorry you don't get it.
Someone mentioned that car counts are down EVERYWHERE obviously not true, that's all I was trying to show.
As for running on Wednesdays, couldn't anyone ?
Is POWRI a top tier division ? No you say, just like the racing I was talking about.
12 cars vs 35-40 STR midgets plus another 50 or so micro's, yep nothing to possibly learn here.
Yep, not built overnight but built none the less by not following the leaders right down the tubes.

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

Originally Posted by Backitin:
I'm also sorry you don't get it.
Someone mentioned that car counts are down EVERYWHERE obviously not true, that's all I was trying to show.
As for running on Wednesdays, couldn't anyone ?
Is POWRI a top tier division ? No you say, just like the racing I was talking about.
12 cars vs 35-40 STR midgets plus another 50 or so micro's, yep nothing to possibly learn here.
Yep, not built overnight but built none the less by not following the leaders right down the tubes.

I wasn't trying to be sarcastic and your point about not following the others is valid. I never said Powri wasn't top tier, You did.

I still ask if five tracks ran the classes would it still be "THE THING"?

And your point about a couple of our tracks doing something different is valid as well.

Hell, Id love to have the old days of Sprints, LM and Sportsman as our every week show and thats reverting.

19 Powri cars at Belle-Clair Friday ($200 to start) with 15 Powri D2 cars 2 hours up the road at Lincoln ($300 to win, $200 second). All of the low buck mid level guys that used to battle for transfer spots out of the b have decided to be a part of "the revolution" instead and form their own series that they feel is a better bang for their buck... Nothing wrong with that. I get it from an owners perspective. But it's created a new racing climate with split car counts and disgruntled fans going to low car count shows.

Bloomington had the same issue Friday. 20 cars for the nationally televised sprint main that paid $300 to start while 16 305s battled it out for $600 to win (3rd paid $250).

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

Originally Posted by Jim Gardner:
19 Powri cars at Belle-Clair Friday ($200 to start) with 15 Powri D2 cars 2 hours up the road at Lincoln ($300 to win, $200 second). All of the low buck mid level guys that used to battle for transfer spots out of the b have decided to be a part of "the revolution" instead and form their own series that they feel is a better bang for their buck... Nothing wrong with that. I get it from an owners perspective. But it's created a new racing climate with split car counts and disgruntled fans going to low car count shows.

Bloomington had the same issue Friday. 20 cars for the nationally televised sprint main that paid $300 to start while 16 305s battled it out for $600 to win (3rd paid $250).

BINGO!!!!!!!! on both counts. and on both counts, Yes there is nothing wrong with it. But to the casual fan willing to travel for the headliner having four heats and a consi. What I see is it hurting it. as far as my leisure investment is concerned. It cost me 60 bucks to get there and back, in the gate and some concessions. If I see three NW Sprint races, Two heats and a feature. Thats $20 per race. If I see six races of NW sprints. its ten bucks a race. A second consi's a bonus :)

I Know its different for locals, There are going to be fans of every car and every class. And in the Mods I might know some from my home track and others I've been too.

Will D2's and Race Savers be feeder classes? The jury is still out, Right now its looking more like the future and a future im going to decide if I like or not.

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

Originally Posted by ernart3:
There are badger motors that cost more than my national motor. It's just all racing is suffering right now. Remember we just had Indiana midget week followed by Illinois midget week a lot of guys aren't following series for points so they don't come when it's 100 degrees or if it's a track they don't like. Also have talked to some esslinger guys that aren't coming because of the new rpm rule. They feel it has hurt them.

The part about Badger engines costing more than purpose built engines is false. There is not a single new Badger engine that costs more than a new purpose built engine. Not a single one. Spreading false information like this does not help car counts one bit. Badger has a great thing going, and people are already buying cars, looking for cars, etc for next year. We don't need them being scared away by inaccurate information from someone who is not intimately involved in the series. For more information on the Badger Midgets I recommend calling the BMARA President Quinn McCabe. Anyone interested feel free to message me and I will send you his number.

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

Just my 5 cents and open to criticism but I think alot to do is with the economy. The money isn't floating around like it used to.
You only get 10-14 nights from an engine before a rebuild so I guess alot of guys that only have one engine did the 2 midget weeks and are having a few weeks off.
It upsets me hearing any comments along the lines of K.K.M doing any bad for the sport because it is only doing good. They say it is making the sport too expensive but at the end of the day that's what midget racing is. People need to accept that. I have accepted that when I roll my $25'000 car on the track that the odds are not in my favor........ BUT I want to go midget racing at a national level against the best guys and it is what it is. You do the best you can, do how much racing you can afford for the year and be happy. Not criticize the costs of midget racing, the top dollar teams and divide the masses by trying to bring out new rules/classes etc.
I believe POWRi and USAC are doing a great job. What would help midget racing the most is having it televised on main stream t.v channels. And I am not talking MAV TV which are doing a great job but ESPN / FOX SPORTS. People that have never seen it that love motorsport would say "holy ****, this is racing." Get the masses following and with t.v time teams can access sponsorship easier. I can't secure any sponsorship mainly because the sport is not televised and businesses that hand over $10'000 plus these days want more than a sticker on a car for racing that gets no media attention. So what have I got to offer when I am asking for $50'000?
And when I say I race midget cars most people say "what are those?"............"they are open wheel cars that race on speedways"............."oh like those ones that have the wings on the top?" F#@* me, no joke, this is the start of every sponsorship proposal for me. I could maybe get a few truck rides because its televised but I don't want to go race in Nascar. If this could happen I believe it would do wonders for the sport. Convincing the fat cats in the corporate t.v world of midget racing wont be easy but if drifting and tractor pulling can get air time its got me beat.

I hate making comments on these type post because it turns into a pi$sing contest
I live in the metro St. Louis area
Farmington for whatever reason has never drawn a full field of midgets
I really don't think the health of POWRi is as gloom as everyone makes it sound on here
Miserably hot weather stopped us from heading there.
I imagine when the POWRi group gets back to their usual haunts you'll have the car counts back to an acceptable number
Jeff Palazzolo

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

Originally Posted by red70racer:
I hate making comments on these type post because it turns into a pi$sing contest
I live in the metro St. Louis area
Farmington for whatever reason has never drawn a full field of midgets
I really don't think the health of POWRi is as gloom as everyone makes it sound on here
Miserably hot weather stopped us from heading there.
I imagine when the POWRi group gets back to their usual haunts you'll have the car counts back to an acceptable number
Jeff Palazzolo

Powri didn't have many cars at Farmington last year either and these same things were being said but it was all forgotten within a few weeks.

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

Belleville High Banks 39th midget nationals is expecting at least 40 cars according to the source that predicted 35 last year which was right on. $1000 to start and $500 for non-qualifiers. August 5 and 6 with racing the 2nd at Fairbury Nebraska and racing the 3rd at Beloit KS and on the 4th a Tim Dugger concert on the infield of the Belleville High Banks

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

Originally Posted by DonMoore10:
Hint: You might want to look in the win column for the past two years for a clue...... :13:

You hit the nail on the head Don. Couldn't agree more.

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

JMO but I think there is a lot more going on than just the heat for not having fans & cars at Powri events.
A lot has changed over the years and change is good as long as its positive & your growing but now it seems they're grasping for straws & its kind of on the downhill slide.
What I see from the fan perspective is less fans at the races, more classes of cars at your events, more track prep because the additional classes, nights that are lasting longer, fans are leaving before the midget feature because you run the support classes first, same fans that left weren't back to support the next race.
Now onto the number of cars-
I'm not so sure the Toyota is good for midget racing with its 50-$60,000 cost or rumor to rent the motor for $1000.00 night. Last time I looked Powri paid $200.00 for last place finish.
I agree a few years ago the Esslinger was winning quite a bit but more owner/drivers could afford used $15,000 or in some cases a new $25,000 motor. But the Gaerte & Fontana were still winning too.
What we have now seems to be the Toyota Midget Series.
There has been quite a few rumors floating around that the new RPM rule to increase the Toyotas(push rod motor) and reduce the Esslingers RPM(OHC) turns out to be $$$$.
Why the rule change?
It would be a shame if the rumor is true that sanctioning bodies were rewarded with $$$ to change their rules to benefit the Toyotas.
Kind a interesting and good to see a few of the Fontanas(push rod motor) have been pretty competitive lately since the new rule.
Sad issue is there are probably 20 + cars in the MO-IL, IN area sitting for the reasons mentioned above and a few more listed here-dislike of the sanction body owner, cost of creative pill draws & heat race line ups, preparing the track for one groove at the top for your high RPM motors, no tech on motors or ignition boxes not being checked, payout for finishing positions haven't changed in 5+yrs and continuance of top 10-12 finishing positions are Toyotas.
Racing has always been about the haves, some with a little of haves, & the have nots.
There is a much bigger divide in all aspects now than when Powri started. I read an article in either Flat Out or Sprint Car/Midget magazine interviewing the owner of the series and his comment was something to the extent of keeping grass roots racing alive.
Right now its on life support.
JMO

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

I guess the above poster was at least partially right:

(just released from Powri)
Belleville, IL – After reviewing the data provided by on-track results from POWRi Illinois SPEED Week and races up until present day and comparing that data to information from the races earlier in the season, pre-current rev limiter rules, it has become apparent that the rev limit rules must be adjusted.

Effective immediately, POWRi will be going back to the previous rev limits allowed.

Gathered data has shown that with the two major types of engine designs (push rod engines and overhead cam engines), the rev limit rules have impacted the performance and slanted the table against the overhead cam engines. The present rules have not affected the push rod engines as much as the overhead cam engines because the push rod engines’ power curve is broader and comes in at much lower RPM range. On the other hand, the overhead cam engines have a narrower RPM range and work better in the top range.

“We thought this rule was a step in the right direction,” said Kenny Brown, owner of POWRi. “After reviewing the data, we realized it was not. The goal of implementing these rev limit rules was parity, to ultimately save money for car owners with increased time between engine maintenance cycles, and to welcome lower cost alternatives to current engine platforms. But it has become apparent over the last month of racing that the rev limit rules never actually accomplished this. We made a mistake heading in this direction and therefore, POWRi is going back to the previous rev limit rules.”

POWRi will continue to monitor all engine performance and will make necessary changes as needed.

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

My question in this age of technology, Do they actually dyno these engines before, during and after making up the limits or is it just a guestimate?

I mean today you can have real time performance mapping from the track, Most teams dont and shouldn't, But shouldn't a organization if its going to implement stuff? I really don't need a computer, I can hear it. A esslinger works best and is pulling harder in the high rpm band. A Toyota seems to come in much sooner and not lose much at the high end.

Much like the Two Cycle and Four Cycle motorcycle engines.
The Two Cycle needs to be at the upper band of the tach to perform best. The Four Cycle pulls at much lower RPM and doesn't lose much at the high end.

I also always wondered why stock block low cube v6s weren't allowed such as that old small 2.8 litre V6 ford used to put in it's capri's and mustangs, or the v6 cosworth vega? You'd have the power in a package working one third less hard.

Just thinking out loud on the last bit. But still wondering if there are actual data test before putting limits. And yes, I think getting 25 races before a rebuild is much better than maybe 15.

I always loved the innovation of the midgets, Heck at one time a outboard boat motor was the hot ticket. About five or six years ago some team from down under had a block and crank made to combine two hyabusa motorcycle engines to make a low cubic litre v8. I know it ran the chili bowl and I think they had two cars. Here's a link. Synergy Engine Midget http://www.synergypower.co.nz/index....-installation/

Was it written out of the rule books or never let in? They said the cost comparison for building was negligible compared to the top midget engines at the time. But that motor would be working half as hard and build right lasted longer.

Oh well, just more thoughts through the proverbial keyboard.
Chuck

Re: Only 12 cars? POWRI really?
 

Here are the car counts for the POWRi shows to date this year:

4/1 -- Port City -- 52
4/2 -- Port City -- 52
4/22 -- Jacksonville -- 31
4/23 -- Macon -- 37
4/29 -- Belleville -- 35
5/6 -- Valley -- 39
5/7 -- Wheatland -- 34
5/20 -- Brownstown -- 24
5/21 -- Macon -- 32
6/8 -- Belleville -- 32
6/9 -- Quincy -- 24
6/10 -- Jacksonville -- 30
6/11 -- Macon -- 32
6/12 -- Lincoln -- 27
6/24 -- Belleville -- 19
6/25 -- Farmington -- 12

Three of the four shows without a B main were at tracks that POWRi only rarely visits (Brownstown, Quincy, and Farmington). I fail to see how these car counts are indication of 'life support'. There's only been one rainout this year (Pevely), we're just coming off the Speedweeks shows, and coming up on the Pepsi Nationals.

I know there was some backlash with the RPM limits (they actually didn't 'raise' Toyota's RPM limit, or lower Esslingers- they matched the USAC RPM limits that have been the same for years). That being said, Kenny quickly reversed course when they saw that it wasn't having the effect they were hoping for.

Kenny and the whole POWRi organization have done more for midget racing over the past ten years than anyone, hands down. I just don't get all the doom and gloom posts.