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Author Topic: USAC vs QMA  (Read 142207 times)
GAQMRacers
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« on: January 03, 2010, 02:34:43 PM »

I would like to hear from someone either WITH QMA or someone who LOVES QMA to tell me what is wrong with USAC. There are definitely some very opinionated QMA members who will never go USAC and I'd like to understand their reasoning. We are currently QMA members, however we are contemplating changing to USAC. It appears that USAC will save us money because of the spec tire. While I agree and understand that no sanctioning body is perfect, what I can't understand is if USAC will save their members money with a spec tire, what does QMA do for their members?Huh? So.....someone out there explain to me, if I have the choice for either staying QMA or changing to USAC, why would I or should I stay with QMA?Huh I can't seem to find anyone who will speak up and say what is WRONG with USAC?HuhHuh
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ssssmoke
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« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2010, 03:19:55 PM »

why not run both? the only problem i see with usac is it was the first year for them. what i would call a work in progress. problems included racing procedures and such. mainly was experienced qm racers adapting to how usac runs races. there was problems with not enough cars finishing races because of the strike system and it was changed. its hard to point out anything seriously wrong because the people can voice opinions and they will run races how the racers feel they should be ran. we had the choice to vote at our clubs on a spec tire and it was submitted to usac and we got it. we did that in qma and it was tabled. thats a perfect example!
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Toeknee
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« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2010, 03:35:39 PM »

I'm a 7 year QMA member and am still evaluating USAC vs QMA. Currently I have nothing really negative to say about either organization. I have never run a USAC event however am considering it this season. I have run 8 QMA Grands events and assisted in officiating some of them. I have held local club positions and love my QMA club (Oaklane). I have run 2 kids at over 15 QMA tracks and Columbus indoors and just flat out love racin'! My older daughter is now running micro's. With all that being said, I consider myself a level headed guy, off the track  Smiley who is just looking for great racing opportunities for my kids.

Now some of the major topics: Spec tire - I Still do not understand how a spec tire really saves money because if you are looking to be as fast as possible you will put new shoes on every chance you can, be it VEGA, Hoosier, Firestones or yes even Goodyears in NASCAR! By the way QMA does allow local clubs to have a spec tire rule and some have tried it in points series racing. I race several local clubs with Vega fastest at one and Firestones fastest at another.

Engine platforms: Both have too many engine platforms(and classes) and should look to lower the number of engine platforms by less engines and more restrictors to the engines (Like an animal or Honda 200) that can be changed as the kids grow and want more speed. BTW I run Hondas and Deco's.

Judging: I raced enough (quartermidgets & micros) with and without judging to know that the only real racing is to race without judges(QMA) or a strike system(USAC). I've always said that volunteer parent judging is like playing little league baseball with a husband/wife volunteer crew rotating each inning to umpire the bases and balls/strikes, I would pull my kid from that league in a heartbeat. Judging should be the same in all racing, go dead on the track and go to the back, if a group of officials feel you caused the wreck in a deliberate or flagrant manner and did not go dead you are going to the back with all the wrecked cares.

All that being said I believe there is room for more than one quartermidget sanctioning body as we are still way behind all other forms of youth racing. Competition is good and hopefully this will help grow our best kept secret. We must ALL be careful that we do not run each other into the ground as this is still all about the kids and not us parents.

My hope is that the future holds some opportunity for both leagues to come together in an open  yearly championship that will allow the best from both QMA & USAC to compete like World of Outlaws & PA Posse. My fear is if we are not careful we may become more like IRL and Kart which was not a good thing for either league.

Happy racing to both QMA & USAC, enjoy the time with your kids because it will be over before you know it!

Just my opinion.
Sincerely, Tony Lofton
Lofton Family Racin'
Oaklane QMRC
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Tony Lofton
Driver: Bubba #5
Lofton Family Racin'
miketsmith
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« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2010, 06:22:14 PM »

I have only been in quarter midget racing for one year now. My son doesn't even know the difference in QMA and USAC. If you see him at a track, and you will see him all over the country this summer, ask him what he is doing. I bet his response is going to be, learning how to drive, making new friends, and having fun. The word winning will not even come out of his mouth. Take it, he is very competitive, but all he wants to do is race and have fun. Now, taking that into consideration, I go along with what Tony Lofton had to say about the kids. We the parents are their worse enemy. We go out there and push and push them to the limit. Well, like any other sport, they will get burnt out and start to just hate it. The time we spend with our kids at the tracks should be some of the best memories, not screaming at them because they made a small mistake, let them have fun and if you do this, they will bond to you better than if you are screaming at them.
As for USAC and QMA, we are going to run both of them and just have fun. I see no reason to down grade either organization as they are giving us the opportunity to spend some of the most valuable time with our children and make memories that nobody can take away.
The world is not perfect and no racing organization is going to be either. Run both and make your own opinion but in the end, it is still racing.

Thanks,
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Swartz
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« Reply #4 on: January 03, 2010, 07:09:12 PM »

<Now some of the major topics: Spec tire - I Still do not understand how a spec tire really saves money because if you are looking to be as fast as possible you will put new shoes on every chance you can, be it VEGA, Hoosier, Firestones or yes even Goodyears in NASCAR! By the way QMA does allow local clubs to have a spec tire rule and some have tried it in points series racing. I race several local clubs with Vega fastest at one and Firestones fastest at another.>

Not true with the Hoosier. While there were some tracks where that was the case, flat abrasive ones, for the most part used tires were faster than new and we won races on tires that had up to 4 races on them. Considering I am talking about Hvy. AA and Hvy. WF that's saying something. The Hoosiers saved us a couple of thousand dollars over the Vegas we ran last year.
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Toeknee
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« Reply #5 on: January 03, 2010, 08:26:20 PM »

Thanks Mike as I remember those early days of racin with my 5 year old boy. We have a sayin at Oaklane "Go Hug Your Kids".

Hey Swartz. Some of my fastest tires were 2 race flipped Vegas and I have gotten 5 races out of a right side set of Vegas. I will run any tire that makes us fast and holds up over time. We are planning on testing some Hoosier this year. But you said it yourself "flat abrasive tracks" wore tires out faster. No Kiddin' That is true in any racin.....so is it the tire or the track. Spec a hard that will wear slower but you go slower than a soft tire that wears faster and goes faster.

So what you are saying is you saved a couple thousand on running harder, slower tires on a $10,000 AA engine/chassis class?
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Tony Lofton
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GAQMRacers
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« Reply #6 on: January 03, 2010, 08:34:01 PM »

but if everyone is running the same brand of tires, what does it matter if you're going faster or slower? If there isn't a spec tire, you're not comparing apples to apples. We were able to get 2 races out of Vegas last year and have Hoosiers in our trailer that have been raced at least 4 times that don't even look like they've been run at all. When Vega changed whatever they changed last year we had to spend extra $$ to have them cut. If not, the people who had old Vegas were 3/10 - 4/10 faster.
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Phil
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« Reply #7 on: January 03, 2010, 11:35:18 PM »

 Not bustin your balls Tony I appreciate your input....BUT

"By the way QMA does allow local clubs to have a spec tire rule and some have tried it in points series racing."

2008 National Short Sheet

RCP# 12
Do not implement the spec tire rule. Effective Immediately. No spec. tire implementation is allowed in any Region.
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GAQMRacers
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« Reply #8 on: January 03, 2010, 11:41:44 PM »

does Vega give kick backs?Huh
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slowpoke
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« Reply #9 on: January 03, 2010, 11:47:55 PM »

If you listen to the audio on the NCQMRA website from the Dec. meeting with QMA you can clearly hear the QMA representative telling the group that Vega is giving QMA  kickbacks. I don't know of anyone else giving any.
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sfreitas20
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« Reply #10 on: January 04, 2010, 12:50:11 AM »

I don't want to hi-jack this thread, but that audio is really informative and those members asked really good questions and made some great points.
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Scott Freitas
Patriot Motorsports Inc.
Swartz
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« Reply #11 on: January 04, 2010, 01:00:10 AM »

Thanks Mike as I remember those early days of racin with my 5 year old boy. We have a sayin at Oaklane "Go Hug Your Kids".

Hey Swartz. Some of my fastest tires were 2 race flipped Vegas and I have gotten 5 races out of a right side set of Vegas. I will run any tire that makes us fast and holds up over time. We are planning on testing some Hoosier this year. But you said it yourself "flat abrasive tracks" wore tires out faster. No Kiddin' That is true in any racin.....so is it the tire or the track. Spec a hard that will wear slower but you go slower than a soft tire that wears faster and goes faster.

So what you are saying is you saved a couple thousand on running harder, slower tires on a $10,000 AA engine/chassis class?

You miss my point. If I were going to pick a spec tire it would be a firestone with a manditory D50 reading at the scales. A common tire that is cheap and easy to buy. Saying that the ability of the kids is no more important than the ability of their parents to spend money just takes away from the sport. Name me ONE national sanctioning body that does NOT require a spec tire. I look forward to our basketball game tonight that has nothing to do with the parents deciding how big the ball will be or how hard it will be in order to give their little Michael Jordan an advantage. I was also pleased to see the results of the the Tulsa Shootout. A whole lot of former QM drivers with great efforts in a lot of classes  that use  spec tires to level the playing field.
Myron Swartz
« Last Edit: January 04, 2010, 01:01:57 AM by Swartz » Logged
Toeknee
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« Reply #12 on: January 04, 2010, 10:25:20 AM »

Phil, I appreciate your input and my understanding is that was a regional issue, not a club level issue. If you read QMA by-laws, local clubs can make alot of their own decisions. Some clubs have done it for points series that you must run spec tire to compete.

Scott & Slowpoke, I did listen to the audio and it was informative. But I think you missunderstood the Vega kickback info. It was discussed when QMA was reviewing spec tires, but never took place......so my understanding is Vega has not and is not kicking back anything to QMA. However they were nice enough to supply gift certificates and tires for center pieces to our club banquet as a donation.

Swartz, I hear ya and have no problem running a spec tire as it will make us handlers step up our game instead of just throwing tires at the car. QMA is still reviewing spec tires as an option.

Everyone, I appreciate the opportunity to discuss racin' with all of you racers! All I know is QMA has been around for 50+ years providing an awesome racing opportunity for families all accross the country. I agree that at times it seems we are being over governed and we are trying ot change that.

But it seems that USAC is just providing a points series (Generation Next) and your local weekly show is just that , your independent local weekly show. I appreciate that USAC is now stepping up and providing an alterative to QMA, this is what makes capitalism great! We just need to be careful that we do not become IRL vs Kart and harm the sport.

God Bless and Safe Racin!
Tony Lofton
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Tony Lofton
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lawsonracing
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« Reply #13 on: January 04, 2010, 10:29:30 AM »

I also race with Mike Smith son, I do agree we put to much effort into racing with our children. Many try to live through them. I myself have tried to learn to pull back with my son. With a newer car this year he has started to now start passing. I found out to tell him  to go out and do the best he can do and no pressure. Sounds crazy but he did the best driving his last few races with me telling him that. I do not want him to think that its not any fun.
I do like the tire rule and it will save many alot of money. throw Hoosier stickers on the cars and it will not do any good. We actually ran Hoosiers A35 last three races and we were right there with Vega tires or quicker . My driver just needs to be a little more agressive which he has started to do. I do like the 2 person judging and this will make the day go by quicker( we have problems of getting people to judge sometimes)
My opinion if it matters.
« Last Edit: January 04, 2010, 10:29:07 PM by lawsonracing » Logged

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Swartz
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« Reply #14 on: January 04, 2010, 11:03:36 AM »

<Everyone, I appreciate the opportunity to discuss racin' with all of you racers! All I know is QMA has been around for 50+ years providing an awesome racing opportunity for families all accross the country. I agree that at times it seems we are being over governed and we are trying ot change that.
God Bless and Safe Racin!
Tony Lofton
[/quote]

Glad you get the chance to chime in. Just like the QMA open..... forum..........oh, wait........ Looks like you guys have a LOT to fix.
Myron
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