Quote:
Originally Posted by JShock66
"changes need to be made so that working people like you and me can afford to support a household an still go race." ... I do not agree!
I know this is getting off topic (sorry Don), but another thing I am getting tired of is people acting like (National) midget racing should be at the point where everybody should be able to afford to race if they want to. And that cost is killing the sport ... this argument continues to be proven wrong.
This argument has been going on for years and years. I can remember when everybody said Steve Lewis is killing the sport and midget racing was done and the cost is out of control and the sport will die of quickly.
Well, all these years later and midget racing is still going strong.
The Chili Bowl had a record car count, that new Cowtown race had over 40 cars (I think) and the USAC western swing had car counts in the mid to high 30's for each event. All of this in a down economy.
The cost of racing is 100% controlled by demand. If people stop buying, business would have no choice but to lower their prices. But, people are buying and plenty of cars are on the track.
If cost is an issue, run a Focus or some other division that requires a smaller budget. National Midgets are the top tier, and like other forms of racing, not everybody can afford to run the top tier ... be it USAC, World of Outlaws or NASCAR.
Joe Shockley (Sorry I haven't signed before, I always think that my screen name says who I am)
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If you would have read my post you would have seen that I clearly stated that Midget racing is not a national sport. Just putting national behind the name doesn't mean it is. I do not know how much you know of the history of our sport but Midget racing is supposed to be a stepping stone to Sprint cars. You start with smaller cars on smaller tracks and then move on to bigger ones. Don't you think that if more people could afford to race that it would make it better. More racers=more competition=better racing pretty simple. Have you ever looked into how much it costs to go racing a Focus midget or any kind of race car? Midgets are supposed to carry less speed than Sprints and be cheaper to purchase and operate. I know there are guys who have $20,000 to $30,000 invested in a mod. Mini sprints cost just as much as a sprint car damn near. Go carts, $4,000-$5,000 investment to risk your neck with no cage or belts and race with beginers. The best race driver EVER could be out there right now but we might never know of him/her because they did not have a silver spoon in their mouth. A very real possibility.
Bob Shutt