Into the new year and the 2003 racing season is fast approaching - for BCRA it looks to be a very exciting, and in several
ways, different season.

At this writing both the midget and midget lite divisions still have a few dates to fill in. The vintage division schedule has been completed.

The expected 20-race midget season is shy by three races at this time. On the schedule are ten pavement races and seven dirt.
Several other dirt shows are currently under consideration.

The midget lite division includes 18 shows with the possibility of two more. Of the 18, several are tentative, but firmed are races at the Twin Cities Speedway in Marysville, Placerville Speedway and a first-ever race at the Reno-Fernley Speedway in Nevada.

The Twins Cities Speedway has a new owner/operator. Clyde Tipton purchased the facility from the Hall family over the hiatus between racing seasons and has signed the lites to six races on the quarter-mile dirt oval, including the division's opener on April 5. Tipton's racing background stems from Sprint 100 racing.

The '03 midget season will kick off the Shasta Marina Resort Pavement Championship Series for the midgets on seven of the ten
asphalt events, including Redwood Acres Raceway in Eureka, and including two races each at the Stockton "99" Speedway, Shasta Speedway in Anderson and the Lakeport Speedway. The Eureka race will pay 775.00 to win and a minimum of $190 to start the feature. As the special series is for stand-alone BCRA races only, the three pavement events co-sanctioned with USAC do not count towards the in-house title. One exception to that is the June 14 race at Anderson which will be co-sanctioned by Oregon and Washington's WMRA. This race will pay $1,500.00 to win with $150 to start the main for BCRA cars and $300 to start for WMRA and IMRA (Idaho) entries. The pavement championship offers wonderful vacations on Lake Shasta to the first and second finishers in the series.

Two of the co-sanctioned BCRA/USAC events will be USAC National events, the other will be with the Western States USAC division as have been all of the other co-sanctioned events with BCRA over past years.

The midget season kicks off with one of the national events at the Stockton "99" Speedway on Sunday, March 30, followed on April 18 at the Madera Speedway with the other national. The co-sanction returns to Madera on September 20 with the Western States USAC'ers. The fourth and final BCRA/USAC co-sanctioned race will be on Oct. 11 at the Kings Speedway in Hanford, the only dirt show in the co-sanctioning agenda.

The "Gerhardt Classic" program at Madera on April 18 may, and I stress "may", be a 100-lapper starting 33 cars three-abreast! The track is hoping to attract a "big name", such as a fellow named Stewart. Both national events should draw some of the biggest names on the national circuit as the races are held before the season begins in the Midwest and the earning of points will be very important.

A new destination for the midgets will be the Sunset Speedway in Banks, Oregon. Located west of Portland, the dirt oval will provide the furthermost destination for BCRA since 1995 when we raced two nights at the Skagit Speedway in northern Washington and one race on the return trip at the Riverside Speedway in Cottage Grove, Oregon. The Sunset winner will receive between $1,000.00 and $1,500.00 to win and $200 to show up.

The opening Shasta Marina Resort Pavement Championship Series race will be at Eureka on May 10. This will mark the fourth season of racing on Rich and Linda Olson's very fast and well prepared 3/8-mile oval since returning to Redwood Acres after a twelve-year hiatus.

When the midgets returned to Redwood Acres after the hiatus, the spectator turnout was less than great. The second year was not much better, but last year the attendance zoomed upward. The Olson's attributed it to a lack of knowledge of what a midget was, some thinking it was a gokart in this very out-of-the-way part of the state. Now, with great and fast racing, word-of-mouth, and very good pre and post-race coverage by the local newspaper, the Times Standard, we look forward to continuing growth in the far northwestern part of the state. Track announcer and local radio show host Rollin Trehearne is one of the best track announcers that I've had the pleasure of working with!

Word is out that we can expect several new owner/driver combos this season. Donny Oliver, who won the car owner championship and placed third as a driver in 1996, hasn't raced with us since 1998, but is prepping his car for some races this season. Bob Thurman is searching for a midget to put son Rob in. Rob is highly experienced as a top kart chauffeur.

The rules committee provided, and the board of directors approved, new engine rules for the midget division. Coinciding with the USAC rule that provides extra inches for several of the prominent racing engines, BCRA has gone further to provide an eight-inch displacement increase for older engines such as the Chevy II, VW, etc. Providing only marginal power increase, the move is primarily an economy measure, allowing more time between partial and complete rebuilds to same money for owners.

Marc DeBeaumont, 1995 BCRA champion and past USAC champ, will display his Stealth midget in the upcoming Oakland Rod, Custom & Motorcycle Show to be held February 7-9 at the Oakland Coliseum Arena.

As this column is being written, several of the BCRA cars and drivers are competing in the annual chili Bowl in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

BCRA regulars Floyd Alvis, Glenn Carson, Greg Nelson, Pete Davis and Ralph Cortez are running as are occasional BCRA competitors Jimmy Sills, Dallen McKenney, Johnny Rodriguez, Danny Olmstead and Shane Matthews. BCRA's car owner Chris Walker has Iowa's Jamie "Jammin" Ferrell at the wheel. BCRA's Cliff Servetti had planned on driving at Tulsa, but the veteran owner/driver slipped and fell down the stairs in his home several days before Christmas and broke several ribs.

Cliff has made the trip but will have to watch as Indy car driver Tice Carlson drive his brand-new Stealth. I had hoped to attend for the first time this year to report for the BCRA newsletter and website, but my late credential request was turned-down.

We were sorry to hear of the passing of Janice Boune, wife of former driver and ART midget lite chassis manufacturer Art Boune. She passed away December 23rd at the age of 63. Services were held on December 28th.

Also, Stockton "99" Speedway publicist Jim Shiels passed away the same day from diabetes complications. Jim was a real supporter of the BCRA midgets. His wife Jo will take over Jim's responsibilities. Jo will also continue her work at the pit gate sign-in and race compilation duties. A special memorial has been planned for Jim at the speedway on January 25th at 1 p.m.

Check out the BCRA website at: BCRAracing .com. Tee-shirts, etc., are on sale!