Originally Posted by Ovalmeister:
Sorry Steve, I was just going by Don's dirt midget number. I know there are buttloads of kenyon, regional, focus, etc... just wish there were more dirt midgets. I wish the X2RA had taken off. I'd be a loyal follower of full midgets at Gas City, then L-burg, then Kokomo, etc... every weekend. There are just sooooo many dirt tracks in Indiana that could host at least 1 or 2 midget races a year. Without the big USAC purse to pay. Nothing against USAC, they are national and need to have a sanction fee.
A club, like what X2RA was planning to do, would help USAC so much by helping develope talent and interest in midgets without the big engine/travel costs. Then a guy could get comfy and confident in a midget (economically and locally) then step up to USAC. TQ midgets are a good deal. Maybe some of those guys would buy a midget if there were a regional dirt club.
I hosted an X2RA midget race at Montpelier a few years back and it was cool. Shane Cottle won the twin features, the racing was good, the stands were packed and the fans told me they loved it and wanted to see them again. The car count was low but I believe it may have been the first race for that club. Don Moore came all the way from Cleveland and several other guys travelled. I had big hopes for that club. I think it's just a bummer that so many midgets are sitting in garages with nothing to do. :thumbsdown:
David.
And there we have it. The great idea of running dirt midgets in Indiana went over quite well when that Montpelier race happened, huh?
Quite honestly, why would Gas City or Kokomo or Bloomington or wherever stop doing what's working for them and voluntarily lose money by running midget shows? I love Midget Week, but the crowds that week are NOTHING compared to Sprintweek. Hopefully, with a fairly low supply of good, high-quality races, the demand will go up in the near future. Remember that Midget Week struggled mightily for a few years before gaining the momentum it now has.
Midgets are second-string in Indiana, so we have to take what we can get. Sprint cars are king, and that is something that is not going to change anytime soon!
Here it is: Unless there is an emergence of a new sanctioning body, you should not expect more races!! It's that simple. I think the level of competition and the schedule of dirt midget races (in the Midwest as a whole) have improved for a few years now, but I never heard any complaining before now....?