The Status of Micro Sprint Racing (December 2006)

Many sources believe that Micro Sprint racing is healthier than ever with large car counts across the country.  I personally do NOT believe this is true or at the least will NOT be sustainable in the future with the current rules variances persistant across the country.  The demise of the NMMA has fueled this rules free-for-all and has left the racer with questions of legality or competitiveness, of his car, at tracks throughout the USA. 

So lets shoot holes in the ‘believers’ stories:  I will compare their ‘stories’ to my formerly NMMA sanctioned track at Sweet Springs, MO.

Myth #1:
“Organizations (like POWRi) are the answer because the minimal rules and good payback.”

The car counts at the POWRi races are around 50 / 60 cars and pay $500 to win.  Lets remember that the POWRi ONLY runs ONE class of Micros (Open 600cc) and only 20 cars make the A-Main with an A-Main of 20 laps.  Sweet Springs runs FOUR classes of 600cc cars (Multi, A, Restricted and Non-Wing).  The Multis pay $225 to win, the A-Class pays $125 to win and the Non-Wing / Restricted classes pays $75 to $100 to win.  Add it up!  We get 20 multis, 15 A-Class, 8 to 10 Non-Wing and 15 to 20 Restricted cars WEEKLY!!!  That is 50 to 60 cars ALL making an A-Main and getting paid!!!!  So which is the better deal for the racer?  Also, the POWRi is a traveling series, so add in your travel expenses, your need for spare parts (for various race tracks) etc…

Myth #2:
“I can take my car anywhere in the country and be legal and competitive.”

Not anymore!  Take a look at the rules across the country and you will see this is total BULL!  Let’s look at the “unlimited” class: 
In Pennsylvania you can run up to a 637cc engine (NO STROKERS!)  with stock appearing CDI box (no Motecs, Tec3s etc…), NO porting allowed, STOCK rods, STOCK size valves, STOCK cam lift, STOCK gear ratios in transmission, charging system intact and operational,  etc…  Also, you can only run a MAXIMUM of a 12 square foot wing with 24” tall sideboards.

In Oklahoma (from Port City rules page) you can run up to a 619cc engine – all other modifications are LEGAL!
You can run a 16 square foot wing with the left sideboard up to 26” tall.

With the Southern Outlaw (SOW6) organization you can run any engine as long as the BORE is no larger than 1mm over stock. 
Your Right Rear tire must be a Hoosier D-35 or NMMA 50 and durometer above 50 after the race.

With the POWRi you can any engine up to a 636 BUT that is the starting point – ANY modifications are allowed to ANY of these engines!  You MUST run a Hoosier tire (any compound).

For the Tulsa Shootout:  619cc MAX, 16 square foot wing MAX.
As a side note:  Up until a week ago, you had to use “stock” carb boots in the stock classes, but fuel injected engines using carbs were legal (no carb adapters allowed).  This was pretty dumb and caused a lot of controversy and has now been changed.  Also, they tried to callout a MAX 6” offset to the wing panels (early December), but have now taken that rule out.  See what happens when rules are inconsistent across the country?

Are you getting the idea of how screwed up the rules have become over the last few years?  The “original outlaw” area (Pennsylvania) has the MOST restrictive rules!!!!  Doesn’t that seem funny to you? 

So what rules should we implement at Sweet Springs? How can we EVER make rules that will not factor out a group of cars? This is IMPOSSIBLE with the current status of Micro racing!

Myth #3:
“Outlaw” tracks are more fun because of fewer rules, fewer arguments etc…”

BULL again!  You all need to keep up with the controversies across various web forums from the ‘outlaw’ tracks.  They have the EXACT same problems that the NMMA had, but no way to appeal the decision to a competition board.  I have used the NMMA appeals process a couple of times and had decisions reversed – this stuff is important!  If you run at a track long enough you will see the same controversies and buddy calls that you supposedly see at the NMMA tracks! 
Also, as costs continue to increase – the ‘outlaw’ tracks will start to implement rules to contain the costs!  It is only a matter of time!!!  A couple of years ago you could use a Motec computer in Pennsylvania, but enough people complained and they were deemed illegal (due to cost) and you can only use a piggyback (Powercommander) controller.
Mark my words folks – the rules at the “outlaw” tracks are subject to change and they WILL!! The racers will tire of the spending and NOT making A-Mains. They will tire of only running a TOTAL of 20 laps for the night (heat race and B-Main). Racers will soon be begging for rules that equalize the competition and reduce cost!

Myth #4:
"$10,000 to win races are the BEST thing to happen to Micro Sprint Racing and we deserve to run for that kind of money"

Wow, three or four $10,000 to win races are scheduled for the 2007 season; Micro racing is really taking off --- BULL!!!!
These races are HURTING not helping our sport! These races drive the cost to compete UP, they take $100 to $150 from each entrant and award the top finishers with the lions share of the pot. Top teams spend countless dollars on "special" engines for these races since each sanction has DIFFERENT RULES!
I have not seen ANY national publications run articles on these races. I have not seen an increase in attendance at the local tracks due to these races and honestly the turnout at these "BIG" races is not very BIG. Why is that?? MONEY! Too much to enter and not enough spread through the field. Also, the "BIG DOGS" usually win these races leaving only memories and credit card debt to the common racer. That $50 entry for the NMMA "BIG" races seems pretty distant.

The BEST thing to happen to Micro racing are STRONG WEEKLY programs with healthy crowds and excellent cost effective racing. We had that in the early 2000's with the NMMA A-Class! We just about KILLED off the Multi-Class - then we went and RUINED the A-Class with wider tires, rev boxes and other ignorant rules changes.

Once again, I will say – Micro Sprint racing is NOT as healthy as you think.  It is only a matter of time before cost will change the rules even more.  We MUST develop a common rule package (National Organization) to stabilize our sport.  We MUST regroup the large contingent of racers and gain an overpowering foothold with potential sponsors.  There is POWER in NUMBERS and a National Organization with huge membership will get us that National Title Sponsor and other contingencies.  Splintered groups of racers will NEVER reap the rewards possible under a STRONG, United National Organization.

Lets get to work!