Millbridge question?

[Rajflyboy]

Wings. Yes Wings more better. For all the reasons you mention CIRF

[CIRF]

The wingers are not better, and generally not as good, in regards to the quality of competition and excitement but they have the reputation for not being as unforgiving to the drivers in the event of a mishap. The respect for life and limb between wingless sprint and midget competitors is much more essential on all tracks but the bigger, faster places like Eldora and Terre Haute require drivers to take extra care as to not put their fellow competitors in undo, unnecessary danger.

I prefer watching wingless sprints and midgets on the shorter tracks. Not because the racing is so much better but because I hold my breath at places such as Terre Haute & Eldora hoping everyone respects and takes care of each other and no one gets hurt. I don't get that foreboding knot in my stomach at the shorter tracks when guys start clacking wheels, feeding each other questionable right rear's or throwing slider bombs in the corners.

[CIRF]

If anyone can find 25 laps of better A-main racing than the USAC National Midget portion of the 2019 Four Crown Nationals at Eldora I'd like to see it. I've seen some just as good but not better! It's the best A-main I've ever seen at Big E and I've been to over 20 World Hundreds and several Dreams and a few Kings Royal's.

We were in the stands for this race and a lotta' people, including myself and my wife, were holding their breath from start to finish hoping no one did anything stupid. Luckily they didn't!

[Rajflyboy]

Cars are just not exciting even when the racing is good. It’s kinda like crate sportsman vs late model. Just not strong enough to create excitement for fans. Fun to drive and all though.

[CIRF]

Forgive me for saying so but you're probably not really be a race fan if that video doesn't show some of the most exciting racing humanly possible. I've never interacted with a true dirt racing fan, regardless of their preferences, who doesn't express appreciation for the quality of competition! It's really not clear what you're expectations are or if they're realistic. No full bodied car of any kind could maneuver and race in such an exciting and breathtaking manner, especially at Eldora. You know it and I know it.

Its either some sort of blind bias or you're a conveniently unaware contrarian 'cause that video is great racing and I think you know it but won't admit it. Either way attempting to understand is no longer worth the bandwidth.

[Rajflyboy]

Nothing personal but those things are honestly just tumble buggies to me. Good term for them 👍. Not my thing.

[EvelB7]

Midgets are bad a@# for sure, wish I had taken the time to follow them more. CIRF, thank you again for sharing.

[over4T]

CIRF, As you said the '19 Four Crown midgets were about as good as it gets and it's definitely a breath holder watching the little cars on the Eldoras of the country. Personally, I much prefer them on the Millbridges. Never been there and likely never will but we've got our own 1/5 dirt out here in Orland Speedway, a steeply banked small town small track north of Chico that regularly runs the 250 and 500 micros and it tops almost every kind of racing anywhere. Put 12-20 of them on it and 3 or more lead changes per lap were the norm.

We often ran Silver Dollar Speedway on Friday night with the Super Stock, then stayed over to run at Orland on Saturday, again with the SS. Never changed a gear or hardly anything to run there and were way over geared, only turning about 6,500 rpm compared to 7,400 at Silver Dollar. Difference was at Orland, if you had the nerve (we did) you just put your foot to the floor and never lifted or touched the brakes. Ten or 15 of the big cars on the tiny track got awfully crowded and a few wrinkled body panels were normal but it was a a ton, or should say ton and a half of fun. My son, many years ago, got his first clean sweep there, something I never accomplished, winning the dash his heat and the main lapping up to second place. The grin he had was priceless.

Unfortunately, our class hasn't been scheduled for a few years and with the Covid thing they didn't open at all last year. Hopefully this year will see them reopen and, if we're invited back we'll be there in a flash. It's a perfect example of what Saturday night hobby type racing once was.

[Rajflyboy]

Hopefully you can get back to racing soon. The type of racing you do looks like a lot of fun👍

[CIRF]

Midgets are bad a@# for sure, wish I had taken the time to follow them more. CIRF, thank you again for sharing.

When I was fresh out of school and prior to marital bliss I was involved with a multi-time championship dirt late model team. I was so immersed in that whole world I was totally blind of how good dirt open wheel racing really is. How brave, talented and skillful the really good drivers of those divisions are!

I befriended a now hall of fame driver who won races in 4 or 5 different types of racecars. Midgets and dirt late models were just 2 of the different divisions he won in. Watching him opened my eyes, big time.

That video of the 2019 Four Crown Midget A-main is some of the best racing I've ever had the privilege of witnessing. I've seen some great stuff of every division but that one is AGAIG's!

CIRF, As you said the '19 Four Crown midgets were about as good as it gets and it's definitely a breath holder watching the little cars on the Eldoras of the country. Personally, I much prefer them on the Millbridges. Never been there and likely never will but we've got our own 1/5 dirt out here in Orland Speedway, a steeply banked small town small track north of Chico that regularly runs the 250 and 500 micros and it tops almost every kind of racing anywhere. Put 12-20 of them on it and 3 or more lead changes per lap were the norm.

We often ran Silver Dollar Speedway on Friday night with the Super Stock, then stayed over to run at Orland on Saturday, again with the SS. Never changed a gear or hardly anything to run there and were way over geared, only turning about 6,500 rpm compared to 7,400 at Silver Dollar. Difference was at Orland, if you had the nerve (we did) you just put your foot to the floor and never lifted or touched the brakes. Ten or 15 of the big cars on the tiny track got awfully crowded and a few wrinkled body panels were normal but it was a a ton, or should say ton and a half of fun. My son, many years ago, got his first clean sweep there, something I never accomplished, winning the dash his heat and the main lapping up to second place. The grin he had was priceless.

Unfortunately, our class hasn't been scheduled for a few years and with the Covid thing they didn't open at all last year. Hopefully this year will see them reopen and, if we're invited back we'll be there in a flash. It's a perfect example of what Saturday night hobby type racing once was.

over, I too prefer the small cars at shorter venues. The excitement of competition is generally more consistently good at places like Macon and Belleville, Illinois than it is at Eldora and Belleville, Kansas. But that 2019 A-main at Big E is one for the ages no matter what your track size and race car type preferences are!!

The experience you speak of at Orland sound like one of those once in a career highlight reel. I would guess that even today that night brings smiles to the faces of all involved! Glad you shared that experience here!

I think I've already posted this to you but here goes again. If the covid19 thing is under control and the tracks are operating and we feel comfortable we're coming out to west for the USAC Midgets at Placerville and Turkey Night at Ventura. Ventura is a 5th mile and the midgets put on an exemplary show at Mr. Naylor's track. Hope it all works out, and if it does it would be cool to hook up with you out on the left coast. There will be 4 or 5 in our group and we'd love getting advice on where to go and what to do in that part of California when we're not at a racetrack!

[CIRF]

Nothing personal but those things are honestly just tumble buggies to me. Good term for them . Not my thing.

Again, it's safe to say you're not really a race fan. The only clear conclusion is that you like or dislike certain types of race cars not the racing itself.

You're participating in the wrong section if dirt open wheel racing isn't your "thing". It's also unclear exactly what your "thing" is.

Enjoy your perception of great racing, whatever that may be! LOL!

[Rajflyboy]

Well. I do like the Winged sprint cars and plan on following the Carolinas Sprint tour this year and going to as many races as possible. These folks put on a great show.

[EvelB7]

CIRF, you have to understand the area he is from. Great racing around here is few and far between, especially open wheel. The dirt is not like midwest dirt, compound the racing formats that promote single file racing and you get very little passing. Great people and some great drivers in the area, but the shows are not what you will see in other parts of the country.

[CIRF]

CIRF, you have to understand the area he is from. Great racing around here is few and far between, especially open wheel. The dirt is not like midwest dirt, compound the racing formats that promote single file racing and you get very little passing. Great people and some great drivers in the area, but the shows are not what you will see in other parts of the country.

From you as a competitor what is, in you opinion, the problem with the clay composition that works against good racing in the area you speak of? It seems that some Georgia and most Florida tracks are conducive to good racing whether it be fendered or open wheel cars.

The mystery to me is how anyone could watch the Four Crown Eldora video and say with sincerity that the racing that took place was not good. It's one thing to not be particularly interested in the drivers or even the cars. The truth is, that is undeniably some good stuff!

[Rajflyboy]

CIRF. Those cars just do not impress me enough for me to spend money going to or spend time following them. It’s pretty much that simple and yes it’s true they don’t race around here much at all. The USCS and the Carolina series does come through on a regular basis and I try to go to as many of those races as possible. I grew up at Lernerville watching Outlaws.