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I will probably get bashed for this but here goes:
Many of the posts on here have made valid points. The problems facing USAC today are not new and have developed and or worsened over a few decades.
Previous administrations held the belief that USAC was the premier sprint car sanctioning body in the country and therefore all the other sanctions should follow USAC’s lead. This was in an era of declining car counts, declining TV coverage and stagnant purses. There was also a philosophy that USAC was a sanctioning body only and therefore should not have to market or promote the series, the sport, the drivers or the races. In recent years there was a push to book as many races as possible, usually with additional travel involved, for the standard purse despite the increased costs to travel. The thought behind this was to broaden the fan base and collect sanction fees but at the expense of the teams running for the championship.
I would like to point out that in speaking with Kevin Miller and his lieutenants I have noticed a fundamental change in the philosophy under which USAC operates.
They are actively soliciting the participant’s opinions on how to bring uniformity to the rules among the various sanctioning bodies so that the pool of cars available to compete can be shared and the local competitors can run the same car without modifications under multiple sanctions.
They sincerely want to put a quality product on the track at each event so that all the fans (new and old) can leave knowing they got their money’s worth.
They want to create excitement and buzz surrounding USAC events to pack the stands so that everybody (promoter, USAC, drivers and owners) can share in the increased revenue generated by a larger attendance.
They have a desire to simplify the administrative side so that USAC teams no longer have to stand in line to sign in at each event.
They want to foster a fan friendly atmosphere at the track through driver introductions, getting the fans to the pits to meet and greet the drivers and crew, having the races end at a reasonable hour and having “events” where fans are entertained.
Kevin has set goals and embarked on a path to achieve them. A journey of a 1000 miles begins with one step. Kevin and crew have taken many steps along this path. There will undoubtedly be missteps, stumbles and about faces along the way but if they can execute on their plans, USAC and sprint car racing in general will emerge healthier and perhaps once again lay claim to being the premier sprint car organization.
I would not look for any one earth shattering change that will turn this sport around but more like hundreds of little changes that may or may not be noticable but will have a profound effect over the long run.
I am sure that I will not personally agree with all the initiatives Kevin undertakes as President of USAC but I am more than willing to see where his ideas take this sport since he is approaching it as a business and he has a true love of the sport.
Rob Hoffman
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