What happened to UMRA? I Googled them and the last update there was in 2008. Are they gone now?

go to the website

http://www.umra.com/

it's up to date. UMRA ran a full season in 2009 and will run a full season in 2010 with a season sponsor signed.

I moved to Arizona about 18 years ago and lost track of everyone. I was going to ask what happened to cause a split in the umra, but I am not so sure that I want to know what really happened. This does not look like economics to me.
I see more of the old names in the mtqrl that use to be in the umra.
What a shame to see umra downgraded to this. It is probably the oldest TQ club in history, or what is left of it. Sad, very sad.

Tim,
Glad to see you were trying to contact old friends from your racing days, that what makes the UMRA so strong is it tight bonds and great friendships. Most of those guys are probably still around just not driving. A newer crowd such as myself and others have tried to fill some of the shoes of past greats that have paved the way for us youger and newer guys to race on quality venues in Indiana. This season will be the 50th year of the UMRA with many awesome events taking place and a great schedule for 2010. The split was not pretty but most have moved on and trying to make TQ's better than it used to be. If I can help you find someone please let me know and I will do some research and try to get you a number. Stay tuned for updates for the oldest and greatest TQ club in the US.

Happy Holidays

Michael Koontz

Happy Holidays to you too Michael, and thanks for the offering to help find old friends. I will be going back to Arizona this weekend and don't have much time to visit now. I did recieve a few e-mails and tracked down a couple of the phone numbers I needed. Racing people are some of the best people in the world when it comes to helping out.

Sorry about the split, but I think I see why the two series are going in opposite directions.

Take care and Happy Turkey Day,

Tim

Tim the reasons behind this split are large and deep but don't let the "flash" of the new series fool you, when you're spending money that your club isn't earning, ie your own money, then it's easier to make alot of offtrack noise. The UMRA continues to put on races for it's members with the money it earns as a promotional body, not by using some rich persons money to buy "show trucks" and rent tracks and so on. The UMRA will celebrate 50 years this coming season and will be around for a long time. The UMRA has a great season sponser signed for 2010 and several tracks. The UMRA races on pavement and dirt. The UMRA is home to the best racers TQ has to offer and when you compete with and beat them then you have beaten the best. The UMRA is a club for the racers and teams ran by the racers and teams.

All I can say is WOW. I ran with the UMRA for years and you're right there really are some great people and great racers in the club. As far as what the new club does and how they spend their money isn't that really their business. I have to believe that the France family probably spent some of their own money to get NASCAR going and that seemed to work out pretty well. Plus they sponsored the UMRA for years for what? Not to promote their own company but to better advance TQ midget racing which is exactly what they seem to be doing right now.

Look I don't even run TQ's anymore and I'm not trying to stand up on a soap box here. I have friends in both clubs I just hate to see unnecessary mud thrown anywhere other than at the race track.

forget it, not worth going thru yet another time......... Happy Thanksgiving everyone

I did not mean to get anything started. Sorry for that.

As racerdog45 said, Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Take care and hope to see a racetrack the next time I am in Indiana.

Tim