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Post by youtubefiend on Feb 5, 2010 19:26:38 GMT 1
My view is that the development of midget car racing came to an end when it stopped thinking of itself as a speedway sport but linked in with small oval car racing. However, the end of the Skirrows with nothing to replace them was also a major factor IMO.
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Post by haflinger121 on Feb 6, 2010 15:33:18 GMT 1
I can find nothing to argue with in your statement. But in the UK, the arrival of stock cars in '54 can really be seen as the 'final nail in the coffin'. Yes, the Grand Prix midgets gave the sport something of a small comeback, and that likely wouldn't have happened without the existence of Spedeworth. However, I think midget racing is something of an acquired taste which hasn't that much appeal to British short oval car fans. It is probably no coincidence that hot rod fans are more likely to take an interest in midgets, while most car followers prefer their racing with deliberate contact thrown in. Increasingly over the last couple of decades, this has actually meant banger racing sort of contact, rather than stock cars, as evidenced by the much larger crowds attracted to banger events these days. It has a wider appeal to a lot of people and can, if I was wearing my cynical hat, be looked upon as simply appealing to the lowest common denominator. I tend to look upon bangers much as I regard greyhound racing; if it helps keep the stadiums open for the things I actually DO want to watch, so be it.
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Post by ezwalk43 on Feb 7, 2010 1:03:15 GMT 1
Well said there - whilst midget racing in the 1930's was a major sensation it has never recaptured the public spirit as it did back then. The same however could be said in the USA where the boom lasted longer probably up to the late forties whilst it still provided the grounding for any future open wheel star through to the 1960's (excellent feature on Parnelli Jones in this months Motor Sport) and possibly later - Some of the top Nascar stars still enjoy playing every now and again. Unfortunately it is true that the masses love banger racing but in some respects it has been that way since the early 70's - don't think that is going to change now.
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Post by tobyhalter on Feb 7, 2010 10:25:22 GMT 1
It is going to be very hard to redevelop midgets in the UK back into a major oval formula. Yet the class seems to survive reasonably well in other countries - where has it gone wrong in Britain. Can it be because so many of the cars give off a wrong image for the formula? Only a handful now seem to look anything like midget cars in the rest of the world.
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Post by rodpashley on Feb 7, 2010 11:48:48 GMT 1
Most of the spectators that I have spoken to over the years say they much like the front engined Midgets best.
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Post by haflinger121 on Feb 7, 2010 12:06:37 GMT 1
And well said that man! At least cars like Frank Boyles' Fireballs still looked pretty. Modern rear engined Midgets just look horrible, whatever they are, and aren't Midgets anyway to my way of thinking; they are a type of pavement modified.
This won't be a popular viewpoint, but I'm afraid I would have banned rear engined cars long ago.
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Post by ezwalk43 on Feb 7, 2010 13:03:32 GMT 1
I'm sure everyone knows my views on what a midget should look like! Having said that our views are obviously different to the majority of current club members however one of the four new cars being built this year is front/side engined and another new front engined car should also be out as well so the front engine class is starting to pick up. I'm still convinced that if someone was to produce a front engine car in reasonable numbers there would be a market and not possibly 100% from the ovals. The club was looking at taking a stand at race retro to promote the formula to an audiance that may have read up on the history but chose not to go ahead at the AGM which to me is a shame as I would have taken my old Kurtis along.
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Post by tobyhalter on Feb 7, 2010 13:54:09 GMT 1
I fancy the GPMC has probably unintentionally done more harm than good to the furtherance of midget car racing in Britain. It went out of its way to stop a group tried to start front engine cars on speedways about 30 years ago. It stays clique and has only a club stance about it rather than trying to develop the sport. Really it is there just for its member and not to promote a formula to the motorsport public at large as I see it.
I remember reading a Post on here when the site first started from alfaboy in Argentina who said we did not have midget cars but fourmla-type cars, while haflinger's liking of them to pavement racers is also near correct...midget cars as seen worldwide the GPMC cars are not. I think the South Africans were surprised when they saw what the UK took there for the test series some years back didn't they.
Rear engine cars should never have been allowed. But that doesn't seem to be GPMC thinking I am sorry to say.
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Post by haflinger121 on Feb 7, 2010 21:23:51 GMT 1
While we're all busy agreeing with each other, I'll just add that I totally concur with what Toby says about the GPMC and what seems to be their outlook. I know almost precisely what I'd do about reviving the formula and, broadly, it would be similar to what we did with National Hot Rods almost exactly 20 years ago. Take a long hard look at all the things that are wrong and tell everyone who matters, then set about putting those things right, and have the patience to know that a resurgence will take time. And by that, I mean years, not five minutes. But I already have my hands full with said hot rods and, at the end of the day, modern day midgets are none of my business anyway - something they will likely tell anyone who tries to interfere, with some justification. They are probably happy doing just what they're doing.
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Post by ezwalk43 on Feb 8, 2010 23:49:55 GMT 1
I think you'll find the majority of my friends in the Grand Prix Midget Club enjoy it just the way it is. Over the years various people have tried to bring change with little success. As I wasn't there first hand I cannot really comment on what went on in the Westfield days whilst Evan Stones Cheetah was accepted until he put a top line driver in it and dominated the class. We tried to add shale meetings and whilst they attracted a lot of favourable comments and were great fun for those of us who took part (apart from your very unfortunate incident Rod) the majority were not in favour so that was dropped. I offered to run a Jedi off the back of the grid as there are plenty of small attractive rear engined single seaters around but as all have bike engines that was not allowed. Strangely enough the one thing that so many people were set against is the one thing that seems to be leading the resurgance in the formula this year namely to get fixtures the club has accepted meetings on the Incarace pay to race programme consequently with a large proportion of meetings now based in the Midlands one or two drivers are being tempted back. At least we can look forward to increased grids this year - next step is to tempt a few more of the front engine cars out - I'm down to my last two but from memory how many has Ben got Rod, five is it?
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Post by stealth on Feb 14, 2010 22:37:08 GMT 1
unlike many people i am an open minded racer. i dont mind where you put the engine as long as you turn out and race. the only thing holding back uk GRAND PRIX midgets is small grids. spectators that i talk to seem happy to watch the racing when the grids are reasonable. by the way the capitals were deliberate, i know midgets worldwide can be very different, although similar cars called gp midgets are found elsewhere in the world. my preference is for rear engined cars, i have tried a front engined one and hated it,but it certainly makes no sense to me to bar any car that fits into the spirit and rules of a class that simply needs more drivers
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Post by ovaltrack on Feb 15, 2010 20:39:06 GMT 1
Most of the spectators that I have spoken to over the years say they much like the front engined Midgets best. Shame they won't come out and build / race them then!
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Post by rodpashley on Feb 16, 2010 19:34:41 GMT 1
Your right there, only trouble is that most "spectators" are just that, not compititors. Another thing that I was during the week after meeting at Belle Vue,(By one of Belle Vue's staff) was that their 'phone hardly stopped ringing for two days,with "spectators" wanting to know how soon the Midgets would be racing there again.
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Post by administrator on Feb 16, 2010 22:15:24 GMT 1
It needs another batch of these cars to be built and then to find their way back in as a second-half attraction at speedway meetings.
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Post by rodpashley on Feb 16, 2010 22:40:26 GMT 1
I dont think there is much chance of ever getting time on Speedway meeting, it was Speedway that caused the end of the "Progressive Midgets"
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