[Therealether]

Maybe I missed it somewhere, did the Xtreme Midgets fold? I haven't seen a schedule and can't find any info about the 2026 season.

[jdull99]

They still have a heck of a website, but you are correct...nothing about a 2026 season...

https://xtremeoutlawseries.com/news/

[dirtybob29]

I am very disappointed. That was the only midget racing we had in eastern PA anymore . This might be the first year since the 1930’s without midget racing in PA .

[Jonr]

There was a news article/web article about xTreme midgets. It was stated that they are in an evaluation period. They are not going to have a full schedule, but will release a reduced schedule later. It will only be co-sanctioned shows with other WOO shows. (Think Iron Man 55) I know that I have seen a couple of teams reference the schedule coming out later.

I was a fan of the xTreme midgets but like the other midget series the car counts were all over the place.

[jdull99]

High Limit should start one!!!

Actually, while it was proly nice for the midget teams (the big ones espcly) and drivers to race more (&, since many of these races paid well, I will say "make more $", but I realize no one was really "making" $ at his level of racing...); maybe one less f/t national series will end up helping USAC & POWRi? Once things cycle out, perhaps USAC could pick up a few more races too...

[Frank Reiner]

The persistent problem, as I see it, across the Midget ranks (BMARA excepted) is a failure of sanctioning bodies to address large differences in power, i.e., parity. Many owners & drivers, who would otherwise be willing to enter, and take their chances on the basis of driving ability and setup skill, are discouraged by power differences as large as 20%. If your night repeatedly stops at the first heat, your interest in driving four or five hours wanes substantially. The de facto sportsmen are the ones who fill the field.

[Bob Parker]

Frank, Didn't USAC at one time have a regional series to fill “that” void? Or is that what turned into D2’s?

[jdull99]

Originally Posted by Frank Reiner The persistent problem, as I see it, across the Midget ranks (BMARA excepted) is a failure of sanctioning bodies to address large differences in power, i.e., parity. Many owners & drivers, who would otherwise be willing to enter, and take their chances on the basis of driving ability and setup skill, are discouraged by power differences as large as 20%. If your night repeatedly stops at the first heat, your interest in driving four or five hours wanes substantially. The de facto sportsmen are the ones who fill the field.

I thought Xtreme counts were lower at times, but I was corrected and researched and they really weren't, overall. I mean, we aren't gona have 40 cars enter in about any outdoor race anymore (Turkey Night, Indy, are the exceptions).

...I'd have to think maybe the bmara Eslinger's have a little more power than some of the others...

[Frank Reiner]

Originally Posted by Bob Parker Frank, Didn't USAC at one time have a regional series to fill “that” void? Or is that what turned into D2’s?

The D2 engine specs roughly follow those of BMARA: production based w/untouched cylinder heads.

I was referring to those series & venues that on paper follow USAC type national engine rules. Engines that 10-15 years ago were at the front of the field, often based on Gaerte & Fontana blocks with Chevy, Ford, and Fontana heads are now down 50-60 horsepower. The folks who own those engines are the ones who would still be filling the fields if an effort had been made by the sanctioning bodies to ensure that they remained competitive.

[Bob Parker]

Originally Posted by Frank Reiner The D2 engine specs roughly follow those of BMARA: production based w/untouched cylinder heads. I was referring to those series & venues that on paper follow USAC type national engine rules. Engines that 10-15 years ago were at the front of the field, often based on Gaerte & Fontana blocks with Chevy, Ford, and Fontana heads are now down 50-60 horsepower. The folks who own those engines are the ones who would still be filling the fields if an effort had been made by the sanctioning bodies to ensure that they remained competitive.

Frank,

Thanks for your reply.

As I always get a little miffed when the subject of midget engines comes up. I want to make sure I follow what you are saying.

Based on your comment using my arbitrary % figure here —-- So are 80% of the non-D2 and BMARA midget engines just non-competitive at the Xtream and USAC national level?