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Date: 9/12/2017 9:25:10 PM | ||||||
USAC Sprint Car racing is coming eastbound on a
full-time basis in 2018 when the newly-formed USAC East Coast Sprint Car
Series makes its debut
USAC's newest division joins the slate after series
director Curt Michael and the United Racing Club conducted a pair of
wingless sprint car events during the 2017 season.
"The very first one at Big Diamond, we had 16 cars
and the place was packed," Michael explained. "(The promoter) took two
races this year because he's seen it's something to build on. The next
time out at Path Valley, we had 26 cars and I think it's only going to
get better."
Michael believes the series, which will utilize
engines that are 360 c.i., 358 and under in size, creates a place for
young drivers competing in wingless micros to step up to where they can
run sprint cars without the wing, a foundation he saw being laid down in
this past year's events.
"They're cool cars and it's different," Michael
said of wingless sprint car racing. "The biggest thing is these kids
coming up are racing 600 micros, 270s and SpeedSTRs. It's a big thing in
the lower ranks. We brought in a whole bunch of new guys to race with
us this year. It didn't hurt URC's wing deal. We even had a couple
wingless guys buy wing cars."
The East Coast and, particularly, the state of
Pennsylvania is obviously well-known for wing sprint car racing.
Michael, who, himself, has made a living racing with the wing as a
9-time URC champion and will continue to race with URC in addition to
his new side endeavor leading the USAC East Coast Sprint Cars, sees an
opportunity for a different breed of racing to feed the appetite of
drivers, teams and fans in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and
Delaware region.
"I know there's a lot of classes and that's a bad
thing in racing," Michael admits. "But on the east coast, nobody can
tell me where to go to see wingless sprint cars. It's one thing we don't
have out here yet, but it seems like fans and racers want it. There's
no doubt about it that it's cheaper. I've done both now. It's less fuel,
it's easier on the tires, you don't need wings and you don't need a big
trailer. I'm not putting down the wing deal, but it's a fact. It's
cheaper to run a wingless sprint car."
Michael is adamant that the USAC East Coast Sprint
Cars will not be competing with URC, where he serves as vice-president.
The wingless series will be competing on URC's open weekends. A full
2018 schedule is in the works and will be announced at a later date.
"It just seems like it would be best if I did it on
my own on the side and didn't book against URC races," Michael
explained. "I'm hoping both series will help each other. URC is known as
a wing series, which it will remain, and the USAC East Coast Sprint
Cars will be the wingless series." |
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