Forum: Minnesota Dirt Track Racing Forum (go)
Moderators: StanM

I received a copy of the tentative UMSS rules from Chuck and have created a page on gotomn for the new series. I want to make it clear that I am not affiliated with the series so I'm not the guy to contact with your questions but am reposting this information for your convenience. There will be contact information and more added when I get the go ahead to post it. As the series progresses I will include a schedule. Please understand that this is very preliminary so don't try to read between the lines and make a mountain out of a molehill. I'm sure the people working on this series will gladly welcome your ideas and input if you present it in a constructive civilized manner.

Gotomn UMSS page

Stan Meissner

looks like a very good set of rules. only a few engine things i can think of to ask.address:

1. maybe set up a dyno test of a open motor with the sleeves vs a umss motor to make sure the power is comparable. i've got a dyno guy in mankato that dynos for a very reasonable price if interested.

2. maybe a weight rule for the crank. i can see this being a gray area as far as lightening goes

3. are shaft rockers ok?

4. allow a chevy 6 in rods since the fords have a 5.956 rod

I'd run a 16" right rear tire instead of 18" like they do with the IMCA & ASCS sprint cars.

I didn't know the engine rules were going to be that limited. However, I think it's a great idea. What is the estimate for building the UMSS engine? So, is the year 2010 going to be the first year for the UMSS engine?

I wish that a track in SW MN would follow suit. Eliminate the need for 305s and have one, more affordable, class of sprints with good car counts. Good job guys! I hope you achieve all of your goals with the new series.

This idea is patterned after the MSA Sprints that race over in eastern Wisconsin. They typically draw as many as 50 cars and race for a purse in the $500 to $750 range. They raced at Kopellah Speedway up by St. Croix Falls a few years ago and if memory serves me they drew around 30 cars from eastern Wisconsin. The organizers are looking at their success and know 50 cars in this area might not be a realistic number (more population near Milwaukee/Chicago) but if they could get 20 or 25 regular runners after a couple seasons it would be a success.

If you take a look at their schedule you will notice that they had 41 races on their schedule at five tracks in close proximity to each other. In other words the five tracks, Beaver Dam, Manitowoc, Plymouth, Sun Prairie, and Antigo, probably don't involved more than a 100 mile tow between all five of them. There were something like 42 drivers listed in the points standings, some new to Sprints and others long time veterans that have run IRA or 410's at places like Wilmot.

I'm sure that after the meeting they'll be able to put out a mission statement to spell out exactly what the club's expectations and goals are.

Stan Meissner

Another point about MSA is that they have run joint shows with the IRA and have served as a feeder series for the IRA Outlaw Sprints. Stop and think about a few of the drivers who ran Wissota 360's at Cedar Lake on a pretty regular basis in the past and names like Travis Whitney and none other that Donnie Schatz come up. We had Mike "the Loner" Rich, the Sandbergs, Late Model standout Jim Bruggeman, the Kamraths, Kent Winters, Billy Anderson and others there pretty much on a weekly basis back in it's heyday. Cedar Lake has always produced great drivers in all divisions over the years and if this series goes as planned and a couple other tracks sign on we could see some future stars get their start with this group. We've also got some talented drivers living in the area that might decide to put something together and drop in when there isn't a schedule conflict. A couple still have older cars sitting in their garages and there's a lot of used cars right here in Minnesota. There's guys running used stuff they got from Craig Dollansky and Guy Forbrook to name just a couple.

I think it's a great idea.

Stan Meissner

I believe that it would be in the best interest of the future of sprint car racing in our region, if all participants would seriously consider a change to these types of rules. Think of how many cars are sitting because of the increased cost of 360 racing, not to mention fuel. It would probably cost about the same as running a 305 does now. Have we all forgotten what the original intention of 360 racing was when it was introduced in the 1980s ? A more affordable way to race sprint cars that don't break the promoter to put on a show as well. If everyone could swallow their pride and realize that 360s aren't 410s, and get off the idea of who can outspend who, this could be the best thing to happen to ensure the future of our sport.

My only fear is that promoters could see this as a "green light" to pay less money in the purse. Things are so skewed right now. It's kind of like the price of gas. Everyone was seeing $4.00/gallon for a while. Now that it's down to $3.50/gallon a lot of people are smiling. Racers have become accustomed to the same purses that were being payed 20 years ago. A lot of them have endured, a lot of them have come and gone. There shouldn't be any reason to lower the purse if this type of rule package were to be implemented.

Cedar Lake

Menomonie

Kopellah

Rice Lake

Superior

Ashland

Proctor

Jim Falls

Would make for a cool schedule for me!!! lol