Summary

The meeting was held at the shop as it has been in recent years. The attendance was good and the mood for the meeting was civil without any major issues.

Discussion on spotters helping to determine any issues during the course of a feature. Doug discussed getting people to volunteer to have radios to add an extra set of eyes.

New Track Potential -Birdsboro PA.

Doug went to a new track, Pagoda Motorcycle Club.  It is a small but wide, egg-shaped track.  Doug liked what he saw and believes we would put a good show on down there. However, it is in the Motorcycle Clubs hands as they are still figuring out what they are doing for next year as this is a new track.

Weekly Tracks 2025

Linda’s, Hamlin and Penn Can are weekly tracks for 2025. (Penn Can added the day after the meeting) The plan is 3 weeks of racing, 1 week off.  Of the 3 race cycles, 1 will be a tour race.  So expect to see Linda’s and Hamlin holding a good amount of tour races like this year.

Hamlin, Doug Borger to participate in track operations

The track management is changing for 2025. Doug is now going to manage aspects of the track.  The facility and track are going to be improved and revamped to fit the style of the new management.  Payouts for racing will be bolstered.  According to Harry, all adult classes will see $500 to win as long as 14 or more cars show up.  Pay throughout the field will also be pretty good, however this is all still being finalized.  Hamlin will be promoted for the racer and the spectator.

The track will be changed a bit as well.  Doug wants to make sure the track surface will be good from the beginning of the season until the end.  The shape of the track won’t change too much, but the lines will.  Track will be reconfigured in the turns to promote higher lines and racing up top. Doug Newbigging asked if it would be possible to rip the fence and he said it is a possibility.  Also, Hamlin will be televised.  Doug is going on Saturday to play around with the track and test some new ideas out. 
Hamlin is going to be the place to be on Saturdays!

2025 Tour Schedule

• Big Diamond will host the tour twice
• Hamlin and Linda’s will have 1 tour race per 4 week cycle as stated above. (expect 5-6 times a year at least depending on when season starts)
• The tracks at BAPS will host the tour for a 2-day event. One at each track on back to back days.
• Grandview will be on the schedule for 2025 likely with the enduros again.
• Lincoln show with sprint cars/normal night
• Bridgeport will host the tour for 1 event. Great tire wear last year.
• Path Valley, new promoter and Doug is in talks with.  Discussion of a Friday night show at that track.
• Penn-Can will have 1 or 2 shows if discussions with new track staff work out.
• Thunder Mountain, Doug has tried but has gotten no response, is what it is.
• Pagoda (new track) – everything is still being worked out.  As of now we would have to rent the track out if we want to race there and are awaiting a $.  If we are going to race here, expect to race about 4 or 5 times.  The track owners did say that the if we rent the venue, they will handle track prep for the event.
• Kutztown [updated information post meeting here] The track will be running for 2025. The tour is set to be on the schedule for 2 events. Likely the opening race and again fair week as in the past.

Rulebook Changes | Clarification

Tires

Hoosier will continue to produce the small Left Rear Tires.  Can use big or small next year (same as this year’s rules).  Hoosier still has some RD15 Right Rear tires left, but once they are out, they are out. 

Steering

Power steering will be allowed but is optional. It will be a jam steering system which will be adjustable and is a good quality product.  If you have the old power steering system that the class used to run, you may use that too.  The new system will cost $900.  New cars will come with this.  Power steering will be open for everyone to use if they would like to use it.

If you run power steering, you can not have your camber over 7 degrees. This will be teched if you run power steering.  There is a tolerance as obviously stuff may happen, but it will be an immediate dq if it is over.  If you do not run power steering, you are still allowed to use however many degrees you want. For tech, car will be leveled and digital protractors will check for degree angle.

Weight

Remaining at 900lbs

Suzuki Motor

Gear position sensor has to be unhooked from the wiring harness. If you have a harness from Doug, you are fine as this is already unhooked.  This senser needs to be unhooked as it tricks the computer and gives an advantage over the Xcel wiring harness.  Xcel harness keeps everything the same no matter what gear you are in.  If you have the sensor hooked up, then the computer will change the engine timing and other things to try and suit whatever gear you are in.  Can still keep gear lights.

Teams will have a choice of which air box (and inserts) they choose to use.

Yamaha Motor

The muffler that was run in 2024 was not stated specifically in the Xcel Tour rules. That muffler will remain the same for 2025, but will be expressly stated in the rulebook to avoid confusion.

Previous Feature Winner Rule & Feature Procedures

No change in that the top three finishers are expected to go straight to the Xcel trailer for technical inspection.

The rule on where the previous tour winner starts (9th) is being eliminated for the 2025 season.
The starting rules will retain the pill pull of the top three (or four depending on the night) finishers picking a pill pull to determine starting position. The previous tour winner will again pick a pull to determine starting position.

Fire Rule

If a car catches fire, they are done for that race.  Not done for the night, just that race whether it be warm-ups, heats, or feature.

Banquet

Plan is to host a Hamlin/Xcel combined banquet for next year. 

Special Races

• Tim Van Horn Sr. Memorial race is going to be scheduled. Track location is not set.
• Another $1,000 race at Penn Can or at Hamlin.

Rookies & Training

Doug will have a racing school setup at Hamlin for new drivers to get used to the car.  This will be ran on non-race nights.  It will be a multi-day sort of deal for new drivers to learn the basics of racing, race craft, and to just get used to this car.  A rookie can learn more here than they might in a whole race season. 

Yamaha and Suzuki’s

Still don’t know how they compare on the big tracks since they all got rained out this year after Suzuki’s got upgrades.  Will keep an eye out for this season when we get there.

2025 Pricing

Prices for parts, tires, and cars are staying the same as this year.  New car is $16,000.