I was on hand when Harold Hunter held his organizational in Indy several years ago. He listened very intently>>asked a few questions went home and drew up the rules for his Midget Class at Montpelier Speedway. The following are the specifications that are his rules for the Montpelier Midget class.
2017 Montpelier Motor Speedway Midget Rules
Midgets
Appearance
All cars shall appear and fit the guidelines of a “traditional” midget
Weight
Minimum Weight – 1,050 Pounds (Including Driver) – Cars powered by Fontana, Esslinger, Stanton, Gaerte, and other purpose built engines are legal and will fall under this guideline.
Midgets Powered By Spec Engines, Honda/Ford Focus, Volkswagen, Entirely Stock Production Block and Head, Chevy II, etc… – No Minimum Weight
Tires
Open Tire Rule (Compound and Brand) ALL 4 Corners.A maximum 10″ width right rear rim may be used. A maximum 12″ width tire may be mounted to the 10″ rim.
Use of only 1 right rear for entire race event (heat race and all features) unless approved by race official to be flat or a potential safety hazard. If a replacement is required, the replacement tire must be the same compound and brand as the tire being approved for removal. All tires will be marked following hot laps.
Mini Sprints
Appearance
All cars shall appear as a “traditional” midget
Engine/Drive Train
All 1000CC and greater Upright Mini Sprints (Non Wing) are eligible to compete in the midget class. Cars falling under Mini Sprint rules will be motorcycle engine powered and may be chain driven or utilize a traditional drive-line and quick-change rear end. All cars under caution and restarts shall maintain an idle speed as great as the full production midget. Cars that fail to do this will be sent to the tail.
Weight
No Minimum Weight
Tires
Open Tire Brand/Compound ALL 4 corners with a maximum 12″ width right rear wheel rim.
It works>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>His rule is based on the right rear tire and wheel, He learned a lot in that meeting. I think he later made an amendment to prevent the MC cars from sandbagging the starts on the Midgets
DAD , The Montpelier rules are about as good as you can get, simple and includes most who have a base midget style chassis and engine combo, if these rules were adopted nationwide, it would allow you to tote your midget anywhere and race. Its five +years later sense you started this thread and not much has changed, midget specs and divisions are still all over the map. We are still just talking and life goes on !!!
The midget Offy came into being because Earl Gilmore was tired of unreliable home built motors blowing up and delaying his programs at Gilmore Stadium. In the 1941 Kuns Racing Annual the 1938 AAA midget rules are printed. All overhead cam or overhead valve motors were limited to 105 cubic inches. Flatheads were allowed 136 cubic inches. Outboards or 2 cycles got 61 cubic inches. No special deals for anyone; no leveling the playing field. Want to cut up a Buick straight 8 or Chevy 6? Go ahead but keep it under 105 cubic inches. Plenty of diversity until the Offy and V8 60 basically chased everyone else away.
The entire rule book is less than two pages & most of it is about the rules for running the events. If only things were that simple today.
No rules are the best rules. Guys spend as much or more money figuring ways around the rules then if they were able to do anything they wanted to begin with. That being said Montpelier rules look pretty good as far as rules go.
Can we change the original post to read "engines" instead of "motors"? Hate to be a nitpicking old fart, but a "motor" converts energy to motion (electric motor), "engines" convert fuel to motion (internal combustion)
I'm sure most folks here realize this.... you hear a lot of younger guys (especially on TV), use "motor"....
Originally Posted by revjimk:
Can we change the original post to read "engines" instead of "motors"? Hate to be a nitpicking old fart, but a "motor" converts energy to motion (electric motor), "engines" convert fuel to motion (internal combustion)
I'm sure most folks here realize this.... you hear a lot of younger guys (especially on TV), use "motor"....
Rev
Back in the good old days we actually had a discussion on this topic. Had a lot of fun with it, isn't that right Bob?? I think it started out about the "Indianapolis Engine Speedway?"
Originally Posted by Aces&Eights:
Very true, very true. I know I've learned a lot from this post and I apologize if I offended anyone with my ignorance earlier.
You're being too nice. I just read the whole thread & you didn't say anything offensive, at all
Originally Posted by Backitin:
I thought the midget outlived its usefulness the first time I saw a v/8 engine combined with a sprintcar. I could never make sense of spending as much or more on a midget then you would on a full size race car.
They're fun to watch, I like 'em every bit as much as sprint cars. Ever see POWRi? No qualifying, all racing, lots of passing
I think mini-sprints are fun to watch also, my favorite support class
I don't have any ax to grind here.... are people saying minis should run together with "regular" midgets? You tell me, would the competition be fair? Minis seem pretty quick...
