Rumors have been circulating that Lucas International Speedway has canceled the midget car races. This rumor started after a post on a car forums website claimed that “sources close to the situation” said the sprint car races at the Kentucky oval would be the last to feature in the United States. No concrete evidence has been offered to support this claim. It’s also unknown whether or not the rumor has any truth to it. Nevertheless, the uncertainty has hurt the popularity of the midget car races, which have been held at Lucas International and several other speedways across the country for almost a century. The news would be a huge blow to the midget car community, as well as the fans that attend the races. While the track is still technically open, it hasn’t hosted any real races since 2014.
The History Of The Midget Car Races
The first organized midget car races were held in 1915 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The early racing series were held in concrete tracks that were built over the previous two years in the city. The cars in these races were mostly modified trucks and roadsters. The most popular race of this era was the National Championship. The championship was decided by the best nine out of ten races that were held across the country. Teams could enter a maximum of four cars in each race, resulting in a total of 36 cars per race. The championship winners from these races were given a tour of the United States. In 1920, the Indianapolis 500 became an official part of the Midget car racing season. This gave the drivers the possibility of competing in both the Indy 500 and the National Championship. In that same year, the first transcontinental midget car race was held. It started in Elkhart, Indiana, and finished in Los Angeles, California. Since then, hundreds of races have been held across the country, with the Indy 500 serving as the main event each year.
Why Did The Rivalry End?
The rivalry between NASCAR and the Indianapolis 500 began in the 1960s. At that time, both series were struggling to gain popularity. The Indy 500 was considered an “old-guard” event, while NASCAR was looking for ways to stand out from the crowd. The solution for the sport came in the form of a computer program known as “Trackbanking.” The system was introduced in 1972 and allowed for instant replays and statistical analysis between races. This new technology made the racing world a much simpler place. It also brought the rivalry to a whole new level.
The first Trackbank-enabled race was the 1973 Indianapolis 500. Since that time, every Indy 500 and most major NASCAR races have used the system regularly. These days, it is considered essential to the sport. The rivalry between the two series continued to intensify through the ‘70s and ‘80s. In the early ‘80s, the Indy 500 switched venues a few times, mainly due to a lack of infrastructure. By the time the ‘90s rolled around, the NASCAR on Ice show had become a mainstay on ABC, and the rivalries of the ‘70s and ‘80s seemed outdated. People preferred to focus on the present, and the new millennium saw the two series mix it up again, as they were both included in the International Race of Champions in 2000. However, the midget car races and the Indy 500 were once again set apart in 2009 when NASCAR discontinued its support of the IROC. Since then, the rivalry has largely been dormant. The only major event that included both NASCAR and the Indy 500 was the 2011 National Prayer Breakfast, which was an annual event sponsored by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
How Big Of A Loss Is This?
The Indy 500 is an important part of American culture. It is the largest annual sporting event in the country, as well as one of the most important automobile races in the world. The loss of the midget car races would be a huge blow to the community. The races have been held all across the country for almost a century and were a major part of the American garage scene for most of that time. The cancellation of the races would mean that track owners would have to find a new date for their season finale. It is unknown at this time what will happen with the Indy 500 in 2021.
The loss of the midget car races would be a huge blow to the American garage scene. They have been a part of our culture for almost a century and were a major part of the American garage scene for most of that time. It is unknown at this time what will happen with the Indy 500 in 2021, but there will undoubtedly be a lot of tears and heartache in the process.