In this issue you can read about two hot late model drivers, Thunder Road’s Joey Becker and Seekonk pro stocker Matt Hudon. RA Silva provides us with an opportunity to check out some four-door monsters that once roamed the shorttracks of New England, and Thompson racer Larry Barnett follows up on his advice for restart setups in our last issue with some tips on controlling race-starts from the driver’s seat.

I also share with you the experience of racing a midget on dirt, as Don Douville gave me a chance to race one of his quad-4 midgets at Whip City Speedway. It was a wild experience, to say the least. I have more to say in print.

But Don is going further than that. This longtime midget builder continually collects midget-components as he builds cars to race, rent and sell in this growing division. He’s offered Shorttrack the parts needed to put together our own midget. We’ll be sharing the process with you folks over the next few issues - from the first inventory of components to our education in racecar-setup on the dirt at Whip City. Read the story in this issue and you’ll see how far we have to go.

So you’ve just been left with a racetrack in your uncle’s will. Now is the chance to introduce that one perfect racing division you’ve always dreamed about.

What would it be? And don’t say “I’d have pro stocks.” Use a little imagination. What needs of racers – or fans – aren’t being met by any existing division?

Or tour. It can be a touring series if that’s what you have in mind.  Would it be a new low-buck series? Or something more exotic than has ever hit a shorttrack? Does it take advantage of some potent engine being used by an auto manufacturer – or in a motorcycle? Is it a “mini” version of some other series?

Give us your thoughts. Hey, it’s your racetrack now.

For example, I’ve pondered over the years a mini-late model-type division powered by Ford’s ubitquitous SOHC 4 in either 2.0 or 2.3 configuration. There are tons out there as well as various OEM street-performance components Ford has utilized over the years that could be built up into a decent racing engine, dropped in a Legacy-type custom-built car.

But that’s just an example. What’s your idea?