Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

So how was the USSM meeting? Good I hope. I would have thought you could have posted some info about your meeting to help promote it and let everyone who was unable to attend know how it turned out.

Although just a fan I attended and was impressed by the presentation given by Ron and Joe. The room was full of current and former drivers, owners, sponsors, mod teams, soon to be married announcers, photographers and people like myself who are excited about seeing sprint car racing in our area again. I can't really speak professionally on the tech side but there were some issues brought up and the UMSS crew will address them promptly. It sounds like the balance of the schedule will be held at Kopellah Speedway and CLS with some other local tracks possible hosting single dates and a little variety for the racers and fans. They are also working with a web developer and hope to have their site up by the end of November. Thanks must go out to The Settlement for providing the venue along with a tasty lunch!

The meeting went very well. Saturday was a beautiful day and everyone I talked to either had to get back home to work around the house or had other obligations later in the day. We don't get many 60 degree days at the end of October up here so you're not going to find many people rushing home to get online on a day like that.

They started by giving us all a handout of a Flat Out article about a series started by Smiley Sitton down in Texas as an example of where they'd like to see this deal go.

Ron said that they've been tossing this idea around for 3 1/2 years so it didn't happen overnight. They discussed the cost of building the restricted engines and the modifications required to convert motors currently being used in classes such as the Midwest Modifieds. Joe talked about the cost of the spec motor and had some price sheets for an example of the spec motor. The meeting lasted until sometime around 2:30 so there was quite a few things discussed.

I recall Ron saying something about racing at tracks within a 100 or 125 mile radius and not going any further. They have been talking to Steve Sinclair of the IRA about some joint shows as well as possibly having the UMSS as the support division for the CLS WoO show. They have had some discussion with the Tim Haddy of the MSA from over in eastern Wisconsin about possibly doing something with them in the future. There are a lot of ideas and I think they'll be able to make it work

One track is onboard for about 4-6 shows, another one offered to run them weekly but they are hesitant to schedule too many shows in the first year. Ron said that Pat Willis of Hoosier Tire North couldn't make it to the meeting but Pat will be supplying the spec tire. Pat is closely involved with all the Wissota promoters so he can help Ron with bookings. Some people have been pointing to the MSS that tried going head to head with Wissota when they were still sanctioning Sprints as evidence that the UMSS can't succeed. That was a totally different situation, MSS was trying to get bookings at Wissota tracks for the same cars and drivers Wissota was sanctioning so it was a conflict of interest for Wissota promoters to book them. After Wissota dropped the Sprints the ASCS started their Northern Plains division but only has three shows at Brainerd and Brainerd is 175 or more miles from the area UMSS plans on racing at.

Ron was involved in the Cedar Lake finances before he sold his ownership share in the track and gave the example of when Cedar Lake sanctioned the Billy Anderson Memorial with ASCS a couple years ago. I didn't write down the exact numbers but bottom line was they lost a couple thousand dollars on that show and drew about 30 cars. Last year the Billy Anderson Memorial was unsanctioned and they drew the same approximate number of cars. You have to remember that this is Late Model country up here so unless it's the Outlaws or IRA the Sprints aren't going to pack the stands. Ron pointed out that even an Outlaws show in today's world has gotten to the point where it's almost a break even deal for a track like CLS that doen't run Sprints on a weekly basis. It was also pointed out that this IS NOT a Cedar Lake series. True, they will run a few shows at CLS but there are several other nearby tracks they'll be racing at.

The restrictors on the ASCS type engines as well as spec engine rules were discussed in detail. It's going to be a work in progress because the intent is to level the playing field so the spec engines will be competitive. Someone asked when the sleeved ASCS motors would be phased out and Joe brought up an interesting point. He said if in a couple years the rules are working to restrict those cars and they're not dominating over the spec motors why phase them out? It's unlikely for the purse they're talking that we're going to see anyone traveling 300 miles to race with the UMSS but if the rules work there's no sense disallowing those motors. That way guys could pull the sleeves out and run the Jackson Nationals or an ASCS race. Guys who didn't want to travel or couldn't afford the more expensive motors could just run the local shows. That made sense to me but like they said, it's going to be a learning process and they might have to adjust the sleeve sizes, etc.

I came out of the meeting with a good sense of where they want to take this. The intent is to have an affordable Sprint Car series near the Twin Cities that runs for a Modified type purse.

The nice thing about this is when they approach a local business they can sell them on 15 shows nearby. What benefit is it for a local sponsors around the Cities and western Wisconsin to have their name on a car that races at Arlington or Jackson? If I'm the owner of say for example a business in Somerset I want to spend my sponsor dollars on a car running nearby where I've got potential customers. The increased number of local shows can only help in this regard. Go to my photo gallery and look at photos from any of the Cedar Lake or Kopellah weekly shows and check out the sponsors on the side of the car. You'll see pretty much all local businesses and that's what they're trying to accomplish for the Sprints, get more local support for local shows.

I had a good feeling after hearing what they had to say.

Stan Meissner

I'll second that Mike, thanks to the Settlement and especially to the cook, Clay Gallagher, the only guy I know who's even crazier than a Sprint Car driver.

Stan Meissner

Tony

Thank you for your attendance. I need to correct you in the fact this is not a Cedar Lake Sanction . The UMSS will be racing 4 to 6 races at Cedar Lake. The ownership of Cedar Lake has nothing to do with the operation of the UMSS. This belongs solely to Ron Burnhagen. As for you not supporting this and or not being able to afford this that is your choice. As for the TIRE RULE, most everyone who has a 360 has SC 25s and RC 1s in the shop. That is why they were made this the tire rule.

Joe Kouba

I have a few thoughts that just entered my head and I dont intend to be opinionated but rather just putting some of this out there on the table to pick on I live a fair amount of miles away from the nest of this possible new venue ,but, I am interested as well, and would possibly compete if the tow lines up and I would be in the area traveling through states anyway, 3tk's instance he is running a 377 iron carbed mill, was there any discussion of adding wieght on a car pumping larger than 360 ci? this guy is down on CFM as compaired to the injection although has the added wieght of iron heads doesnt this level out the motor deal?

on the other side of things,

3tk , everbody has thier limits and interesteds (I understand)so please dont misunderstand my question I raced mods a few years back and one of the reasons I stepped into a sprint was for the injection and wieght loss, at the time, I looked at a new fuel system for my mod, it was a few hundred dollars less than a Injection unit, a good pump, carb, and up,to date intake manifold put you right in there close to the injection costs ,finding a used injection was proubly cheaper ? ,yes, the life of the motor might take a fall, but the throttle responce and true life of a sprint is in fuel injection JMO , but, the real question here is, some of the new blood might not be ready to bite into a large motor transformation to compete?, this might be a area that needs more attention, unless theres no such thing as a (wissota or "A"mod engine in your parts) a 383,406,377 are pretty common mills to be finding thier way into a dogsled ,and not a taxi, just a thought, tell me if im wrong?

Would have a better shot of getting horsepower to the ground with a late model nowadays than one of these...

...and late models don't need any engine rules...lol.

 
 
 
They don't even know how to spell sprint car 
much less chromoly...http://www.ycmco.com

so your point is, a latemodel in 2008 is the equivelent of a 1970 sprintcar? a latemodel doesnt reqire two large balls and resembels the TV show Survivor, Naw really, the taxis do put on a good show In my part of the country, but, isnt this a sprint board?

My point is engine rules aren't the answer, unhooking the cars is.

 
 
 
They don't even know how to spell sprint car 
much less chromoly...http://www.ycmco.com

I agree to a certain extent. I would love to see Knoxville take enough downforce away so that a guy has to work the throttle and the wheel at the same time while saving wear and tear on all those parts that never get a break. However, for this particular series and the tracks they are going to race I don't think it will matter too much.

It takes negligible financial investment to put small enough hard rubber on them and take the sliders away and check wing placement after the races to where engine displacement wouldn't be an issue at a majority of race tracks. Race fans would be more apt to watch unlimited horspower lighting up the tires sideways than 360s an 305s running in a train.

 
 
 
They don't even know how to spell sprint car 
much less chromoly...http://www.ycmco.com

This is going to be a looonnnnggg winter of message board moderating.

Stan Meissner

I've got a great idea we can use to cut down on the b*tching about the UMSS. We'll get a map and a compas and draw a 100 mile circle with the center half way between New Richmond and Centuria. Anybody who's out of the circle can't post because it's not about them. LOL

click here to put it in perspecive

Stan Meissner

Ill make sure when im "rolling through" with my ASCS 360 in tow, Ill just do that ...

Stan,,,,, So what you are saying is that Parsons and I are not invited to run the UMSS or say anything about it because we are outside of your circle??? Then I would imagine that you would also be excluding Gilbertsons and Jimmy K also for that reason......... Not trying to hack on ya ol buddy,,, just be carefull with the posts,,,,, unless that IS what you ment.....

Brian

I'm 99.9 percent positive Stan was being lighthearted in his comments. Everyone is welcome to run with the new series no matter how far they are away! Well, everyone except Tony Kaus and his cheater 377 motor.....Just kidding Tony!

Michael_N,,, I was also,,, Sometimes it just does not come accross that way on these message boards....

Brian

I said nobody outside the circle could b*tch Brian but I'll make an exception for you, Jimmy and the Gilbertsons. But truth be told I'm not an official source of information for the UMSS or anything else for that matter. Just hangin' around with too much time on my hands on the weekends watching these posts.

Stan Meissner

Am I still allowed outside of my 100 mile circle to watch the USMTS at Lansing?

Stan Meissner

Tony, read the IMCA rules for sprint cars. 361 max.