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Mid-American Forced To Drop Road America, Temporarily
by Matt Panure
Defending Mid-American Stock Car Series champion James Swan from Lake Geneva,
WI was one of many Mid-American competitors who were very excited to see Road
America on the 2007 schedule. "I haven't been there in years, so I'm
really looking forward to returning to Road America," stated Swan in an
early January interview. Unfortunately, just two weeks after the Mid-American
Stock Car Series banquet, series co-owner Doug Strasburg received some
disappointing news from the sanctioning body overseeing the June weekend.
Strasburg was informed of additional, previously undisclosed fees imposed by
the sanctioning body for the Mid-American field. The fee would end up costing
each team over $250 in addition to the regular entry and pit fees for the race
weekend. "After much discussion and batting around ideas to make it work,
we (Road America and myself) concluded there just wasn't a viable option but
to pull the June date," said Strasburg.
However, Strasburg and Road America have refused to completely give up on an
event for the Series in 2007. Several team representatives have contacted
Strasburg looking to fund the original date. If the June date does not work,
Strasburg and Road America have set aside a date in the fall that would
correspond with a non-racing event at Road America. The event is the annual
Cancer Run. The Mid-American Stock Car Series would be the lone racing series
at Road America on that weekend. "We (the Mid-American Stock Car Series)
have an opportunity to begin a tradition," Strasburg exclaimed. Should
Mid-American decide to accept the late fall date it would be a great
opportunity for drivers and teams to interact with fans and potential
sponsors.
The potential loss of the Road America date was not the only change made to
the schedule. Mid-American will make a return to the Marshfield Super Speedway
debuting the Stock Cars on Saturday, September 22. "(Marshfield) is
making an effort to build a fall race weekend and have asked us to be a part
of it," said Strasburg. The Marshfield Super Speedway is a semi-banked
1/2 mile oval located just outside of Marshfield, WI. The schedule remains
tentative, as Strasburg has been in contact with several other area tracks
about potential dates.
Mid-American’s season opener is at Rockford Speedway in Loves Park, IL on
April 14th. That event will be followed by a trip to the Golden Sands Speedway
in Plover, WI on Sunday, April 29th and then a trip to Grundy County Speedway
in Morris, IL on Saturday, May 26th. The trip to Golden Sands in April will be
a nice addition to the schedule as competitors needed to wait nearly two
months between the first and second event in 2006. For more information about
the Mid-American Series including the final 2006 standings, the tentative 2007
schedule and driver info visit www.midamericanracing.com.
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