Unbelievable! Until I saw it staring plain in our faces for all to see:

SILVER CROWN MEETING FOSTERS NEW DIRECTION
Wednesday, 19 December 2007
Principals involved in the United States Auto Club's K & N Silver Crown Championship Series met at USAC Headquarters in Speedway, Ind. Monday to discuss series strategy and implement ideas aimed at strengthening the series and creating a business plan designed to ensure its future success.
USAC President Kevin Miller and Senior VP of Race Operations Jason Smith presided over the meeting which included car owners, builders, team members and other interested parties.

I can assure you that there was at least ONE (1) long-standing owner and team who was NOT invited nor asked to participate in an important discussion about series strategy and to implement ideas. When did ONLY new gen car owners become "PRINCIPALS" and Secondcrown series owners become red-headed stepchildren whose opinions are not welcomed? It looks like the decision-making about strategies has already been done. Writing a letter to USAC now as they suggest at the bottom of the press release is a BIG SLAP IN THE FACE.

The discrimination involved in USAC right now is beyond belief.

[Seadog]

Originally Posted by Iconoclast This is just rumor, so take it for what it is worth.

Good advice. Rumors are worth nothing so I will take it for what it's worth - nothing. Until you know what will actually be happening via a press release, etc., I suggest you not get worked up over something like a rumor that is of no value. :rolleyes:

My advice to you is don't believe everything you read or hear.

[Pat O'Connor Fan]

Do you people hear all of that whirring and scraping noise? It comes from someone who joined this board just because she/he "has an axe to grind" with USAC. :thumbsdown: :moon: :redflag:

[Dwight Clock]

Originally Posted by Iconoclast I heard through the grapevine that the the following was announced at the meeting -- that there are only 2 pavement Silver Crown shows booked for 2008, and that all of the other pavement shows have not been renewed as of yet. The owners of the Secondcrown series cars...oops, I mean dirt Silver Crown series, are taking it in the rear again. Not invited, I guess their opinions don't count? BOHICA This is just rumor, so take it for what it is worth. We are still patiently waiting for the announcement from USAC that Jim P alluded to. Knowing that the Secondcrown series is scheduled for Manzanita in 2 months, I wonder when this announcement will be forthcoming?

The direction of the Silver Crown division is/was a major decision that USAC had to make this winter. Management changed and the Kevin Miller - Jason Smith team has only been on the job a couple of weeks. Do you honestly believe that they could have worked out all the problems and booked all the shows in that time? Finding out what support they would get from owners of the NG cars was needed before booking races as I'm sure many track operators had/have the same questions we have. As for the dirt portion of the schedule it has hovered around 5 or 6 races annually for quite some time. How then are owners of these cars getting shafted? It is the owners of the old style pavement cars who are taking the brunt of all this. Hopefully something can be worked out for at least a few races for them. But give the new management team at USAC a reasonable amount of time. I don't know Kevin Miller but I do know Jason Smith and his passion for this segment of the sport is boundless. I'm sure that their vision and the direction of the SC division will become obvious in due time.

[Bubzilla]

Originally Posted by Dwight Clock The direction of the Silver Crown division is/was a major decision that USAC had to make this winter. Management changed and the Kevin Miller - Jason Smith team has only been on the job a couple of weeks. Do you honestly believe that they could have worked out all the problems and booked all the shows in that time? Finding out what support they would get from owners of the NG cars was needed before booking races as I'm sure many track operators had/have the same questions we have. As for the dirt portion of the schedule it has hovered around 5 or 6 races annually for quite some time. How then are owners of these cars getting shafted? It is the owners of the old style pavement cars who are taking the brunt of all this. Hopefully something can be worked out for at least a few races for them. But give the new management team at USAC a reasonable amount of time. I don't know Kevin Miller but I do know Jason Smith and his passion for this segment of the sport is boundless. I'm sure that their vision and the direction of the SC division will become obvious in due time.

Now you've gone and done it. You've taken a perfectly screwball series of posts, and thrown common sense into it.

I hope you're happy now.

[Charles Nungester]

See the whole Dirt and Asphault thing IMHO is USACs strength and its greatest weakness.

Strength in that drivers get a wide variety of racing styles and stratagies.

Weakness in that it cost so much to run both types of cars that many teams now just have one or the other.

I don't have a stake in it other than what I'll pay to see but The specialty car is and has to be a deterent to many from following the series in the first place.

In the case of the SC they've basically told everyone who ran most of the series both dirt and pavement that YOU DIRT Guys aren't good enough for us and unless you can pay, you can't play. IT really is a NEXT LEVEL but I think there are enough NEXT LEVELS like ARCA, INDY PRO ect to go around.

Chuck, not knocking anyone here but Id love to see all teams in all divisions be able to compete for the series championship.

As for the dirt portion of the schedule it has hovered around 5 or 6 races annually for quite some time. How then are owners of these cars getting shafted? It is the owners of the old style pavement cars who are taking the brunt of all this.

Many of the owners of the dirt cars are also owners of the old style pavement cars. I can name them, but most of you already know who they are. If the rumor is true -- nothing has been confirmed -- then the dirt owners/old style owners are really getting the shaft. Twice.

The first slap in the face was when the old style car was outlawed with very little notice. The second slap in the face is when they found out that their opinions did not matter to strategies regarding the future of the series. Why on earth would they compete when the entire series caters to the new gen cars and gives the shaft to the others? BOHICA

USAC ignored the old style owners when the new gen cars were originally created, and now these same owners are facing the same crap. There is zero incentive for a dirt car owner to compete in all of the dirt races when it is bitterly obvious that no one at the top office really gives a shxt. I think you will see a lot more dirt cars drop out this season.

[Dwight Clock]

Originally Posted by Iconoclast Many of the owners of the dirt cars are also owners of the old style pavement cars. I can name them, but most of you already know who they are. If the rumor is true -- nothing has been confirmed -- then the dirt owners/old style owners are really getting the shaft. Twice. The first slap in the face was when the old style car was outlawed with very little notice. The second slap in the face is when they found out that their opinions did not matter to strategies regarding the future of the series. Why on earth would they compete when the entire series caters to the new gen cars and gives the shaft to the others? BOHICA USAC ignored the old style owners when the new gen cars were originally created, and now these same owners are facing the same crap. There is zero incentive for a dirt car owner to compete in all of the dirt races when it is bitterly obvious that no one at the top office really gives a shxt. I think you will see a lot more dirt cars drop out this season.

Granted many of the dirt car owners are one and the same with the owners of the old style pavement cars. And as such they are getting the shaft but NOT because of their ownership of the dirt cars. As far as the old style cars being outlawed that has been covered on this board ad nauseum. What we need to remember here is that there is new management in place at USAC and we should give them reasonable opportunity to right the ship. No matter what not everyone will be pleased but if the overall picture becomes healthy then they will have done their job and done it well.

Originally Posted by Dwight Clock Granted many of the dirt car owners are one and the same with the owners of the old style pavement cars. And as such they are getting the shaft but NOT because of their ownership of the dirt cars. As far as the old style cars being outlawed that has been covered on this board ad nauseum. What we need to remember here is that there is new management in place at USAC and we should give them reasonable opportunity to right the ship. No matter what not everyone will be pleased but if the overall picture becomes healthy then they will have done their job and done it well.

Dwight,

I agree with you 100%. But the first impression is not a good one. New management or old, not asking the dirt owners to participate in matters of importance to the series is showing a complete lack of respect. It sends a message "loud and clear" that the dirt portion of the series is of secondary importance to the new gen portion.

If Ken Pierson can fly from CA and Jim P can join via conf call from Syracuse, then by all means it would have been easy to get participation from ALL owners if they so desired. It will not get healthy unless the entire series sticks together and works hard to make it happen. To alienate more than half of the owners is not a good way to right the ship. The series will not stick together as long as the red-headed stepchildren with dirt cars are relegated to second tier status.

[Dwight Clock]

Originally Posted by Iconoclast Dwight, I agree with you 100%. But the first impression is not a good one. New management or old, not asking the dirt owners to participate in matters of importance to the series is showing a complete lack of respect. It sends a message "loud and clear" that the dirt portion of the series is of secondary importance to the new gen portion. If Ken Pierson can fly from CA and Jim P can join via conf call from Syracuse, then by all means it would have been easy to get participation from ALL owners if they so desired. It will not get healthy unless the entire series sticks together and works hard to make it happen. To alienate more than half of the owners is not a good way to right the ship. The series will not stick together as long as the red-headed stepchildren with dirt cars are relegated to second tier status.

Time will answer all of our questions. We can only hope for the best for SC racing.