EDITORS NOTE: This is the first of what we hope will be a series of articles on lightning sprint / mini sprint racing in the Midwest. We hope to also do articles on the American Mini Sprint Association, Waynesfield Motorsports Park, 35 Raceway and others.

Midwest Mini Sprint Association Crowns Champion and Prepares to Race into the 2011 Season

The Midwest Mini Sprint Associaton (MMSA) will crown Colin Ambrose their 2011 champion at their upcoming banquet which will be held at Mensendiek Auction House in Jonesville, Indiana in November.

2011 was in many respects what some would call a make or break year for the Midwest Mini Sprint Association (M.M.S.A.). Although with four seasons behind them one might think that the wind should be at their backs, there was still a lot to overcome. Not only had the series lost its founder and initial financial backer, Allen Rupenthal, but it also found itself continuing to compete for the attention of competitors and most importantly track promoters in what had become an increasingly crowded upright mini sprint market in the Midwest. As the 2011 season now draws to a close Midwest Mini Sprint Association front man Bill May feels the group has not only weathered the storm, but is in position for a great season in 2012.

Off season jockeying prior to the 2011 season left many doubting weather mini sprint racing could continue it strong pattern of upward growth. Two sanctioning bodies and two tracks running regular Saturday night programs within a 2 to 3 hour radius made car counts a question mark. In the end, car counts dwindled a little, but not as badly as many of the other classes competing at the same tracks. The Midwest Mini Sprint Association, The American Mini Sprint Association and Waynesfield Motorsports Park all saw average weekly car counts somewhere around 20 cars each. Several new drivers joined each of the venues and interest increased among track promoters, competitors and fans.

Bill May is certainly not a stranger to upright mini sprint racing or racing for that matter. His involvement in the class dates back nearly to the classes beginnings when his son Todd was a regular competitor in both 1200cc and 600cc upright mini sprint racing. In the 90s May spent a few seasons at the helm of the successful Buckeye Mini Sprint Association—a 600cc upright class. He also helped form and run a 305 Series in the Midwest for a few years. When approached by Allen Rupenthal, May accepted the opportunity to stay involved. May knew that starting a new organization in what can only be termed as a politically charged environment would be difficult. However he also had experience on his side and knew that putting his head down and tending to the basics would be his only chance for success.

In May’s eyes tending to the basics meant working the schedule and taking care of the promoters and drivers. He split his time between talking to promoters and staying in touch with competitors to thank them for racing with the series and inviting them back out. For the 2011 season his efforts had paid off with a schedule that any touring group would be proud of. Famed Indiana tracks like Brownstown, Bloomington, Paragon, and Montpelier all had one or more Midwest Mini Sprint Association races included on their schedules. Additional events included county fair races and the first annual Allen Rupenthal Memorial race held at Windy Hollow Raceway in Owensboro, Kentucky.

2011 was also a year that saw the group dabbling a bit more in the non winged arena. After testing the water in 2010 a Brownstown with the wings off, the group returned with 6 non winged races in 2011. Although the first event was a bit rough—with more than a little equipment damage—people said they really liked taking the wings off and would like to see more of it. “Taking the wings off just seems to make sense. The increasing popularity of non winged sprint car racing in the Midwest has created an appetite for non winged racing. The decline of midget racing in the area has also created a gap which the mini sprints could likely fill in their non-winged trim. Finally taking the wing off certainly increases the emphasis on the driver—in my opinion”, commented May. The MMSA's mix of tracks and winged/non winged races paid has attracted new interest in the class. During the 2011 season 72 different drivers competed in Midest Mini Sprint Association events.

Plans for the 2012 season will remain largely unchanged from the 2011 season. May was happy to report that the schedule will maintain events at all of the same venues. The group will continue to offer competitors a mix of both winged and non winged races—with the possibility of adding a few additional non wing events. One item that will be new is the group’s inclusion in the Rumble Series in Fort Wayne Indiana at the very end of the year. “I know that guys are always looking for a chance to beat the winter blues with a little off-season indoor racing. Tony Barhorst has been nice enough to include us on the card for the Fort Wayne event. We look forward to offering larger than normal purses for those race events. It would be great if this became an annual event”, commented May. Although May didn’t want to tip his hand too much, there are additional opportunities that he is actively pursuing that could be exciting for the series and its competitors.

May stated his intention is to have 80% of the 2012 schedule posted by the end of January. For more information on the Midwest Mini Sprint Association, visit www.midwestmininisprints.com or call Bill May at 859-331-4968 or e-mail wmay36@insightbb.com

 

Mini Sprint Racing 101 Inks Second Edition

Mini Sprint Racing 101 has become a popular book amongst individuals with an interest in mini sprints / lightning sprint racing. Due to changes, including new organizations and new chassis builders, a second edition of the book was recently released. The book can be ordered online for $22.95 at www.minisprintbook.com.