I have posted the following info before, so here goes again. First off, we've got to let go of the exotic engines that are currently the norm. It doesn't matter if the engine is used, new or whatever, it still has to be rebuilt with expensive exotic parts. A few years ago I bought a FRESH Stanton Mopar at the Chili Bowl. It just had a major rebuild at a cost of $7900. I saw the bill with my own eyes and still have it here. That's $8000, people. Now, there are new engines RIGHT NOW available that use over the counter parts for $10,000-12,000. If you are still with me, that's just $2000-4000 more than to rebuild an exotic current engine. I have read that these engines will last up to 3 years or three seasons without a rebuild and when it's time for a rebuild you can use cheap over the counter parts to repair it. It makes no economic sense to continue running the exotic engines. If you look at the extended picture, running an OEM engine would be so far ahead over the long run it's not even worth a debate. And BTW, fans do not come to the race track to see speed. They come to the track to see good competitive racing.

Now let me give you one more example of where we should be looking to curb engine costs. Joe Ligouri has been running a midget at Montpelier with a motorcyle engine. Joe told me last Saturday night that the engines they have been running come from the junk yard, a long long long way from the cost of the current exotic engines. That particular car is one of the most competitive race cars at Montpelier and they are running it with a cost of next to nothing. And BTW, I have seen that car out run some of the expensive Esslingers at Montpelier!!!

Now, I have given all of you two very distinct and concrete examples of how we can drastically lower the costs of midget racing and get more people involved in the sport at a fraction of the costs of operating the current midget engines.

Let me add one more point. I would be interested to know just why the motorcycle engines are not allowed with today's current rules. They ran them with USAC way back when, I saw them compete with my own eyes. Joe Giba out of Denver used to race one. Just exactly wehat is the problem with running them? Last Saturday night at Montpelier a lady came up to me and wanted to know what was the difference between a exotic engined midget and a motorcycle powered midget. She was looking down the row of cars there and couldn't tell the difference. I told her there is no difference except for the engine.

Now I have given all of you two examples of how we can get back to more competitors, increase car counts, and get midget racing affordable again. Brian Gapinski... I hope you are reading this. And to the rest of you, if these two examples don't do it, then I invite you to explain to me in dollars and cents how you are going to keep running the exotic engines and reduce the cost of running a midget. You people have got to let go of the expensive stuff and move on to some new and fresh solutions.