I just don't see why guys should keep getting a reprieve to move on. Jason, I understand what you're saying, but a USAC race is not the place to "get laps." A USAC race is the TOP echelon of sprint car racers in the world - and in any other sport or job, you don't get to just show up and learn against the professionals, the best guys in the world. Really, that is what is both good and bad about sprint cars.

Kevin, you know I am and have been a very big fan of yours for a while. But when the rule changes and we get to add you to the heat races, we also might be adding somebody who doesn't need to be there at all. I don't want to see somebody out there mucking up the program with extra cautions or being in the way. That happens enough at the shows where we don't have enough cars for a non-qualifier's race.

I remember a few years ago when you missed the show, maybe even missed the heats, at Lawrenceburg during Sprintweek. At Bloomington the next night, you put it on 'em. That's the way it goes. Sometimes it's not your night, but there's always another one.

One other thing on "big motors" having the advantage. I remember our good friend Kevin Besecker, just a couple years ago, qualifying up front CONSISTENTLY against the big fields of USAC and races like the Sheldon Kinser Memorial. They didn't have much under the hood, but he stepped up and kept it wound to qualify near the front. No excuses there...