You may be right Kirk. I certainly meant no disrespect to Levi or DD or those guys. In fact, I'm not sure I ever thought of those guys in those terms at all. I guess the real point, for me at least is that USAC did what they thought is best for USAC and so did Kamp. At the same time, it makes it hard on the same tracks that have tried to help out with the Midget Week Idea. Like you said, a Hard spot for both but for me, I tend to side with the tracks in Indiana....

Dwight,
The part where I disagree with you is that the race NEVER should have been scheduled against Oskaloosa to begin with. There were plenty of us on here who yelled about it then. Only THEN did McCarl and USAC come together to sanction this. The conflict made Oskaloosa become a USAC race. This is a race that the USAC drivers run EVERY year. It's on the SAME day. How can it get any easier to stay away from that race?

Point well taken, Kirk.

Hi everyone, I'm back. I'd taken a break from posting anywhere, but junk like this gets under my skin.

I've lost a lost of respect for USAC the last few years and I was hoping things were headed in the right direction. Apparently not.

It all boils down to a matter of INTEGRITY and HOW you do business. Yes, I agree with Dwight that this kind of crap goes on in business everyday. Just like people are scammed and bilked everyday. Still doesn't make it right.

Bottom-line: USAC put out a publicized Midget Week schedule months ago and, much to everyone's delight, Kamp was on it.

If USAC wanted to change this and sanction the Oskaloosa dea, they should have waited until 2009. At the very least, they should have offered Kamp a "points" event for the replacement date.

I wouldn't blame Kamp if they decided to dump the ISW date and just say the hell with USAC. Bring on MSCS.

Perhaps Kamp could issue a press release about dropping future USAC affiliation like USAC did about Dave Allison last year.

As far as sanctioning events in Iowa, why? Over the last few years, I've come to realize that USAC is NOT a national touring series. Never really has been and never will be. They are Indiana-centric and they need to realize this and grow from the inner circle out. That means fostering relationships with tracks like Kamp, not remote places like Iowa where most fans only care about winged sprinters.

If you want to move out from Indiana, go to Ohio, Illinois, Michigan or Kentucky. But stick to your strongest area. The lack of races in Michigan has always puzzled me. With all of the great asphalt tracks there and some good dirt tracks.

Oh well, that's my two cents. I'm headed out the door to North Florida and Volusia for the All Star action.

All,

The promoter of the 2007 midget week race at Kamp was Tony Barhorst - the promoter of the 2008 midget week race at Union County is Tony Barhorst

Chuck,

In my opinion, Union County isn't half the track that Kamp is. I know that they can put on a good show there but I have seen some real poor track conditions there regularly as well. It is closer for me to go to Union County than Kamp but that doesn't matter.

Bob and Gayle have gone out of their way to host USAC last season especially sprint week.:applaud: They could have pulled the plug and gone home and very few would have said a word. They understand HOW to promote, not just open the gates and hope folks show up.

I hope that they can somehow work this deal out for 2009 and get Kamp back on the midget week schedule. USAC can't afford to lose many more tracks.:headbang This situation shouldn't have even been an issue. I can already hear the s**t if Oskaloosa is rained out and it is a beautiful night in Indiana on August 5th.

AMEN :usac::moon: Cocoa

The only things I hope for in 2009 are...
a. I'm still alive and able to go racing
b. They move Midget Week to the following week so I can attend Iowa Speedweek and also USAC Midget Week...

Then there would be no conflict...Hey spridge...Any chance you can get them to move midget week back a week this year???

Theres all kinds of things I hope for in 2009...Those were were just a couple that pertain to this thread...

T

Wow... you sure are a hard bunch to please.

Bill Gardner is posting this reply for Tony Barhorst

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To Indiana Open Wheel Fans,

As the promoter of last years Kamp Motor Speedway event, and this years Union County event on August 7, I have to respond.

None of the changes regarding the date changes are USAC's fault. As in other cases, the promoters are the ones responsible. USAC really gets nailed unfairly in many, many cases, and this is one.

Here is the history of the Kamp date. I hesitated to tell the real story in public, but since I see this thread, I have to respond.

I approached USAC last May in regard to being a part of Midget Week. All the other dates were scheduled. I looked at, and spoke to other Indiana tracks before Kamp. I nearly had the event at another track. I took a hard look at Kamp, and decided to approach the owners in regard to renting the track. We reached an agreement for 07, and qualified that with "if the date goes well, I will want to return"

I then worked entirely from June until August 9 promoting that event with all my time, and resources. I invested quite a bit of money in advertising. I knew that this date needed 'new" fans from the area to make it. Thus, I hired an attraction called Megasaurus to entertain the kids for 20 minutes, and I even had him on display in Lafayette with the Brandon Wagner Race team giving away T-Shirts, radio remote etc.

The date was very well attended, and brought in good concession sales in addition to the rent I paid.

When it came time to renew the Midget Week date, my calls and e-mails to Kamp were not returned and ignored multiple times. They then attempted to schedule the date themselves, without even talking to me.
That is when they found out I had an agreement with USAC that I would have the rights to the Thursday night race during Midget Week. I have an agreement with USAC..Rollie and Greg Staab...that since I made the investment in Midget Week...that I could return. I I knew the possibility of a promoter seeing how well the date did.. and may want to take it over. I had to protect my investment. Without my date last year...Midget Week may still be a three day event. Needless to say, Kamp raised the rent considerably on me for the 08 date, making it impossible to work economically.

This is why my August 7th date was moved to Union County after a meeting with USAC. The facility there has been upgraded with new grandstands and very good lighting. The track prep issue will be attended to well in advance. Stock car tracks need instruction and more tools. The Liberty track is not like it was in the past. The fans will see good racing on another unique track.

My reasons for posting this is not to hurt Kamp...It is to tell the true story. I hope everyone comes to Midget Week with an open mind. I wish Kamp Motor Speedway the best of racing in 08.

Best Regards,
Tony Barhorst
Classic Motorsports, Inc.
www.rumbleseries.com