Upright Mini Sprints Delivers Competitive Fields, Full Schedule and Affordable Fun in 2010

Organizations like the Midwest Mini Sprint Association already have strong schedules in place for 2010 and are enjoying car counts often numbering into the 30s.

For the past few years mini sprint racing has been enjoying steady growth in its ranks.  Each year the number of events, tracks and competitors has increased.  2010 promises to be a break-out year for this class of racing with a schedule that, although not yet complete, offers its competitors over 35 events at no less than ten different tracks in a narrowly defined geography.  Add to this the fact that mini sprints represent one of the most economical classes of open wheel racing in existence and its easy to understand while the class is well poised for continued growth into the new decade.

Mini sprint racing in the Midwest is supported by two different organizations and several promoters.  The oldest mini sprint organization in existence is the American Mini Sprint Association (A.M.S.A.).  which was started in 1989.  The A.M.S.A. has been instrumental in launching the careers of some of the countries top open wheel drivers including Kraig Kinser, Shane Cottle and Jimmy Kite to name just a few.  The Midwest Mini Sprint Association (M.M.S.A.) is a fairly new organization that hosts events in roughly the same geography as the A.M.S.A., however has grown a new group of tracks and drivers.  There are also a few tracks that have adopted the mini sprints as part of their weekly programs.  Waynesfield Motorsports Park, located in Ohio, has hosted upright mini sprint racing for several seasons now on its 1/3 mile high banked oval.  While in the past the cars that raced there were powered by 600cc engines, they have made the decision to move to a 1000cc format for 2010.  35 Raceway Park in Frankfort, Ohio is where the uprights really gained their stronghold in the area.  They run a weekly show for 600cc upright mini sprints on their 1/5 mile oval.  

For 2010 the strength of the schedule really has to be the diversity offered.  Competitors will have the opportunity to focus their efforts on a single track, just a few tracks or several tracks—without significant travel.  The A.M.S.A.’s 2010 schedule is centrally focused around Lawrenceburg with several events also being run at KC Raceway in Chillicothe, Ohio.  There will also be at least one event for the A.M.S.A. at Moler Raceway Park located east of Cincinnati, Ohio.  A.M.S.A. competitors will have the opportunity to complete a full schedule of racing without ever venturing outside of a 2 hour radius.  The A.M.S.A. has been fortunate to have Lawrenceburg as the center of their schedule for a few years now and indicates that they will be there for several more years.  Lawrenceburg is easily one of the country’s nicest dirt track facilities.  The M.M.S.A. has put together a schedule that provides an excellent slice of what the midwest has to offer in dirt track racing.  A peek at their schedule reveals multiple events at tracks like Bloomington, Twin Cities Raceway Park, Brownstown, Kokomo, Paragon, Montpelier and others.  The M.M.S.A. has also compiled a nice schedule that for the most part is well contained geographically.  Although not published at the time this article was written, Waynesfield will include 1000cc mini sprints as part of their weekly rotation.  The bottom line is that mini sprint racing in the midwest will provide an incredeible smorgasboard of events during the 2010 season.

Upright mini sprint racing has represented a strong value for its competitors for many years now.  Like any clas of racing, its low cost formula has been challenged.  The 90s witnessed a trend towards expensive motors that almost resulted in the death of the A.M.S.A.   The new super bike motors have been the group’s apparent savior.  The motors are so good right out of the bike that there is not really any work required to make them competitive.  Furthermore they are much more reliable than their ancestors.  It is completely realistic for a competitor to spend $1,000 - $3,000 on a motor from a crashed super bike and go run up front.  Both the A.M.S.A. and the M.M.S.A. are attempting to keep the lesson of the 90s close at hand.  Both groups have instrumented rule changes that work in favor of a competitor running a stock motor.  The bottom line is that an awful lot of people get excited when they realize they can go buy an inexpensive motor and compete.  The cars themselves are a spitting image of a midget with a few changes to accommodate the engine and the chain drive. In some cases the cars even come out of the same jigs as a midget.  A new turnkey upright mini sprint can be purchased for anywhere from $14,000 to $20,000 while used cars are typically in the $4,000 to $12,000 range.  The cars construction also means that in most cases midget parts can be utilized, providing an excellent outlet for used parts.

Midget driver Jacob Wilson and brother Clinton Wilson are joined by Merrill Calvert.  While Wilson is a champ dirt car driver competitor who runs the upright mini sprints whenever he gets a chance, Calvert is a retired midget driver who is a regular competitor with the AMSA.  Wilson recently was victorious in the upright mini sprints at Kemper Arena--brother Clinton finished second.

Proponents of the sport of mini sprint racing are working hard to keep the sport a division that is offers something for all competitors.  Although there are several classes designed to provide an interim step in the development of an open wheel driver, the upright mini sprints serve not only as a rung on the ladder, but also as a home for the weekend warrior.  While the field is littered with young go-karters and quarter midget drivers it also has more than its fair share of wiley veterans and even a few former midget and sprint car drivers.  While other classes designed to fill this open wheel niche like the Ford Focus and Kenyon Cars are drawing fields of 8-10 cars and delivering very limited schedules, the upright mini sprints are delivering fields ranging from 25 to mid 40 cars and offering an incredible amount of seat time at a very diverse set of venues—2010 looks to be a great season.

For more information on mini sprint racing in the midwest, be sure to visit these sites:
www.americanminisprints.com
www.midwestminisprints.com
www.waynesfieldmotorsportspark.com
www.35raceway.com
www.minisprintbook.com