Novebmer 2002 - Inside Line Column - by Floyd Busby

The racing season is over and much is being accomplished in regards to the 2003 midget, midget lite and vintage midget season.

Meanwhile, its the "in between" season of other activities.  The 3rd Annual TCR Performance Johnny Baldwin BCRA Classic Golf Tournament was a big success. Played for the first time at the Oakmoore Goft Course in Stockton, the 4-person scramble was won by the team of Floyd Alvis, Cliff Servetti, Scott Bertkin and Dick Slate. A number of great prizes were awarded, including a quality driver and putter provided by Barry Lindsey.

The annual General Membership Meeting, held in Concord on October 26, had input from the good turnout of members. In the past, the board consisted of three midget and three midget lite members plus a member-at-large, who could be a member of any division. There was a proposal to change the makeup of the board that would not require the even split, but only that a minimum of one of the board members represent the midgets or midget lites. The proposal was voted upon and passed. Nominations and voting for the 2003 board of directors was held. As it turned out, all of the sitting board members who were up for reelection were elected, with the exception of midget lite member Jeff Kyle who did not wish to remain on the board. Elected in Kyle's place was midget car owner Jeff Trout. The
board now consists of: Bob Roza (midget), Pete Bray (VP/member-at-large/vintage), Gary Dickenson (midget/treasurer), Ken Bonnema (midget), Greg Dennett (lite) and George Chandler (midget). Current board president Roza was elected last year as a midget lite member, but he has purchased a midget and his lite is up for sale. At the next board meeting (Nov. 12), nominations and elections of officers will be held. Kyle had been the secretary.

Several proposed midget rule changes were announced. The general membership decided that a special meeting should be held to allow all interested midget car owners to participate in discussing and proposing the rule changes.

The special midget rules meeting was held in Walnut Creek on Nov. 9 with a good turnout. Engine rule changes were discussed. It was proposed that the Esslinger and Fontana engines be increased by eight inches to 174 c.i.d. in accordance with the new USAC ruling that has been adopted by five other midget organizations.

Additionally, there was discussion about increasing several other engines, including the V4, V6, Chevy II, VW, Pontiac, Deppe and Corvair, to 174 c.i.d. These proposals will be brought before the board on Nov. 12.

Much discussion was held pertaining to going to a harder right rear tire compound on paved tracks. Many owners want to make the change for cost reasons, as the harder compound tire lasts longer. It was proposed that BCRA conduct a test at a paved track in an attempt to verify the qualities of the harder compound Hoosier racing tire. The board will take that proposal under advisement.

The annual awards banquet is only days off at this writing and will be detailed in the next installment of "Inside Line".

Meanwhile, the midget board members have been busy working on the 2003 midget racing season. A number of track operators have been contacted and there is much interest in the BCRA midgets at their tracks. The new season won't be finalized until the Promoter's
Workshop held in Reno in early December. The midget lite division's schedule is usually done entirely at meetings during the three-day workshop where all of the promoters gather, but the midget division is getting an early start and a number of races have been scheduled.

The BCRA Shasta Marina Resort Pavement Championship Series, set for 2003, is drawing a lot of attention among midget owners. Bob
Rosen, who in recent years has picked-and-chosen a handful of races each season, has indicated his interest in running all of the stand-alone BCRA pavement races and going for the series championship. Also, Ron Yetter and expressed his plans to contest both the pavement series and the dirt events with son Lee at the helm, perhaps looking for the overall 2003 BCRA championship.

Rosen, known for his potent "Mr. Espresso Roasted Coffee" Brayton powered Beast in which Tony Hunt won at Stockton, recently sold his Beast chassis to John Harkrader and purchased a new Stealth pavement chassis. Harkrader is the owner of the Shasta Marina Resort on Lake Shasta and is the sponsor of the special pavement championship series - could it be that John wants to win his own series? Harkrader's Fontana Beast is up for sale. Meanwhile, Rosen also sold the former Pete Baraldi Brayton Ford Stewart to Bill Ferrari. Ferrari removed the Brayton to replace the Pontiac in his Beast. He sold the Stewart roller to midget lite owner Bob Roza, who will campaign it in '03 with his son Steve in the cockpit. Rosen had purchased the Brayton/Stewart from the cancer-stricken Baraldi before he passed away in order to relieve Pete of the burden of finding a buyer.

Board member Ken Bonnema, one of the most aggressive board members ever, had planned to concentrate strictly on dirt racing in 2003. Ken is so pumped about the new season that he has decided to run both dirt and pavement again, a real chore these days for an owner of a crossover car. Ken was also the spearhead of the special midget owner rules meeting, but missed the meeting when he came down with food poisoning after eating a chicken sandwich from one of the fast-food emporiums the evening before - it put him into the hospital.