USAC Racing Forum

Hey USAC Guys-

Greetings to all, just writing to inquire about a viscous rumor I heard today at the Buckeye Ohio State Championship race. I heard something about there not being a kid friendly "Kalahari type" banquet for the .25 kids this year? I heard something to the effect of only the top 3 in final points per class get recognition and it will be in Indy at the big "USAC Night of Champions" event or something to that affect....?????

I told the source I didn't think that was the case, otherwise we would have been informed of that prior to the season so as not to have everyone running all over the country racing with potentially false expectations of the final reward for efforts and costs incurred. Can you please provide some feedback to calm the rumor mill that is floating around?

Thanks much, happy racing to all. See you all at Buckeye this weekend for the 9th installment of the 2010 Gen Next Series.

Note to all- mark your calendars for this winters Buckeye Indoor Winternationals at the Ohio State Expo Center. Check out the Buckeye Club website (www.bqmra.com) for more info.

 

Tony

I believe your question is in reference to the Generation Next Tour series but just in case it isn't I'll answer for the Midwest Thunder series.  The MWT Series will be having a banquet at Kalahari on Saturday, December 4th.  As stated in the series event information, drivers competing in six events per class will receive an award.  Top 3 drivers in the class (assuming they competed in six events) will receive a trophy.  Retiring drivers will also be honored.  If a driver is present at the MWT banquet that did not meet the six event criteria, they will certainly be presented and given an opportunity to speak.

As far as the USAC Generation Next Tour, you'll have to get James to give the official answer on that one.

GenNext Tour, not MWT!

GO FAST, TURN LEFT.

Thanks for the info on that Kim.

Is there any more info on the banquet/end of year awards for the GNT series? 

The USAC "Generation Next" awards ceremony will be held on Friday night, December 3 at the Indiana Roof Ballroom. 

The top 5 in "Generation Next" standings will receive their awards at the Annual USAC "Night of Champions" gala which recognizes all USAC Champions from 2010.

Those that were in attendance last year can attest that this a fun event where the top drivers in the sport are recognized for their year long hard work and commitment to the sport.

We understand that not everyone can attend this event.  If your unable to make it we will make arrangements to get the award(s) to you.

Will the drivers that ran at least 5 of the GNT races, and are not in the top 5 in points still recieve an end of the year award?( like the jackets that you did last year)

Can't wait to see the pictures from the event this year so I can use them as motivation for AJ to make the top 5 next year so he can attend. :)

The pictures from last year's looked like it was a great time for everyone.

What a great weekend of racing we had for GenNext Series event #9 at the Buckeye track in Columbus. The weather was almost perfect and the racing was fierce. Congrat's to all!

I heard quite a few grumblings this weekend at the track regarding the GenNext banquet "plan" and schedule for this year vs. what everyone's expectations were going in. What is the overall concensus or thought regarding were things stand at the moment?

Folks, keep in mind this is an open forum for valid, well thought out, non-offensive or abrasive pinions to be voiced. USAC does and has listened in the past regarding both the good and the bad with regard to the happenings of our sport.

Good Luck to all!

I think that if we all new that this is the way the points were going to work, everything might be a little different on how many people attended most of these races.  The way the banquet went last year was realy awsome.  All the kids felt like they were in big time racing.  Rather you got 9th in the points or 1st they got to thank there parents and sponsers.  All these kids try very hard and I think they deserve to be recougnized.  I think the top 5 and thats it, is wrong.  And on top of all that they have it 1 day before the Mid-West Thender banquet, which is at the Kalahari.  That does not leave much time for those kids to enjoy the park that cost us parents alot of money already.  Sorry for the negitive response but as Tony said before USAC would like to here are opinions and hopfully they listen to some of them.  We love racing quarter midgets and we love racing them with a great organization.  Hope everyone has a great time at Eldura next week.  We will not be going due to the fact of the point system, even with a great finish we will still not be in the top 5 in points.  So there is no reason to go and have some one else tear my cars up. = Joe Woosley   

Joe, it's a shame you won't be there. For us the race at ELdora has nothing to do with points. It's a dirt race at Eldora for quarter midgets. The first ever. How cool is that. I'm just glad that, after two years of waiting, we are not so far out of the sport as to miss it. It will be our last QM race ever but I'm looking forward to every minute. If you change youre mind let me know. Be glad to help you with setup.

Buckeyeqmdad,
We just returned from the 14 hour drive one way back from Columbus and left the principals office with Chandler. We were told that his unexcused day last Friday is against the Board of Education codes. Now that we know the penalty we will not be able to make the Dirt Nationals. The banquet really means a lot to the kids and I will have to come up with something good to keep him out just for that day. We really enjoyed the Columbus race and USAC did a great job keeping the event going. The track was really great and we enjoyed racing on it. Hope to race on it again in the future. As a group, meaning the USAC .25 racing family, we need to really help USAC come up with a good schedule as best as it can be for next year so that so many kids do not miss out on the year end races and events. USAC is really going forward and that is great. I know they are looking into next year already to try and change the schedule so that this doesn't happen. It will not be perfect because there will always be someone that has a conflict of interest. We just need to voice our opinions on-line so that USAC can hear our thoughts. Talking around the track and spreading rumors   does not create a communication level that is positive. Lets talk so we can be heard and they will listen.

Thanks to all and have fun this weekend.  :)

Mr. Swartz.  Thank you so much for the offer on helping me set up Hayleys race cars.  God know I sure could use the help from some one like you.  You guys are definitely a class act in quarter midget racing or any other type of racing.  Quarter midget racing is sure going to miss you guys.  I just really started knowing you last year and now your moving on.  That sucks for me but good for you becouse I would just bug you to death.  As for Eldora we really would love to go but since we are out of the top 5 in points we thought we would save are money and race the last Mid-West Thunder race since we are in a good spot in the points.  And at least she will get recognized in that series, even if she gets 6th or 7th.  Had a great time this year and I think Hayley and my self have learned a little bit more than we did at the beginning of the year.  Not enough to probably win yet but we are getting there.  I hope ya'll have a really good time this weekend and I seen on tv where the weather looks really good for you guys.  Hope everybody's safe this weekend and I am sure everyone will have a great time if cowboys announcing, because that guy makes racing so exciting the way he does it for the kids.  Hayley feels like a big shot at the nationals.  Sure wished we could have done better in the points but there is always next year.  USAC puts on one heck of a show for the kids.  HAVE FUN=Joe Woosley         

Mike, The school told YOU what days and WHEN you are allowed to take YOUR kid out of school? Don't get me wrong, my kid had perfect attendance for 5 years but, WHO THE (can't use that word) DO THEY THINK THEY ARE! It would be nice if nothing in life had conflicts but that's stupid. If I need to take my kid out of school for whatever reason, not the "choice" of the school, I call and tell them. Period. I am the parent. Period.

Anyway, Joe, thanks for the kind words. If there is ever any question I can answer for you just ask. I want all of these kids to do the best they can.

That is funny Swartz...I had the same discussion with my wife this morning, unfortunately for me she works at the school so that didn't go so well for me.  Oh well, since AJ started racing in Kindergarten he has missed half a day every other week to go to racing practice and about 10 other days just last year so we could travel to races.  He will continue to do the same.  He works his little butt off on the weekends and evenings doing work to stay caught up, but that is the sacrifice he has chosen to race.  When he complains about the amount of make up work I tell him we can cancel some races and he quiets down and gets the work done.  As long as the kid is progressing as they should the School Board should have no say so...

Thats too bad that the school says it is against code.  Here is NC, I have a form to fill out and request an excused absense(s) to go and race.  My son Joshua has been doing this for 4 years and has always been approved as educational opportunity.  His work is given out ahead of time and tests are allowed to be made up within 15 days.  He has continued to stay on A honor roll though missing many days to race.  I guess we are lucky in that aspect to have that opportunity.  We sometimes have to sacrifice like this weekend for example.  We really had to push hard for 11 hrs to get home in time from Eldora so he could make it to school an hour late.  This is one reason I do not like racing on Sundays at the big events.  It screws up the travel time.