All posts by : Keith Inglin

Racing is important to all of us and that is what this article is going to focus on.

This week the Xcel Touring Series is heading to Big Diamond Speedway in Pottsville PA.

Even if you are new to the series, you have to recognize that every track we race at presents an opportunity to take it all in. Each track has a spot that is unique.

The entry to the pit area in Big Diamond has that iconic hill with a view from the end of the race track after a drive up the hill that opens up.

Here is the thing, we need to be a part of this and all tracks that we attend.
Our participation is not guaranteed at any venue, but some behind the scenes negotiations have made our return to Big Diamond possible and we want to ask that you do everything you can to get ALL of our cars to return.

Here is a communication from Ray Gradwell (driver #28)

To all Xcel drivers. We return to Big Diamond this Friday and it is very important to see great car count there. There was a lot of phone calls and messages among myself, Doug, and Jake (promotor Big Diamond). It was a lot of work to just get us back. I would love to see counts up and some great racing . I know we can all do it. Was proven time and time again if we use our heads. Doug has even said he start more cars for feature if we at certain number. So come on guys come out this Friday. Let’s show the number of cars and how great racing we can do. In reality our returning does depend on it. Thank you all. Ray

So there is it in a nutshell. If you were on the fence about this track here is your appeal to attend.

PLEASE do your best to get to this track this Friday night.
If you grew up going to Flemington, Nazareth, East Windsor, Reading, Harmony or any of these other tracks within distance of this track you can appreciate that racing is so important to life, but not fully appreciated until it is missed. Let’s not miss out on this opportunity to show the fans at Big Diamond that the Xcel Modified Tour is worthy of being on the docket.

Short Version

To lessen the caution flag, Xcel features will be counting caution flag laps starting immediately.

The feature this week at Hamlin will be extended to 30 laps (from the originally set length of 20 laps) and the caution flag laps will count toward the 30 lap event.

There will be an Xcel Drivers meeting for all race teams and you will have the opportunity to comment on the policy change.

The Long Version

The Issue:

There is one problem that has been a consistent damper on the series – a lack of green flag racing.

The series promotors are aware, the race teams are aware and, in the stands, if you sit next to the fans of racing who are not families of Xcel teams you will notice that they are aware as well.

This has led to tracks being a little sour on the series and Xcel Chassis owner Doug Borger has been taking corrective actions incrementally in an attempt to remedy the problem.

Some of those steps to date include working with people who are spinning frequently by communicating, single file restarts when there are multiple cautions, changing the area where the start zone is and having a three-spin rule when needed.

Without specifically saying, one of the tracks made it clear that it is a problem and will be going forward if not solved. It has been a factor in tracks adding us to the schedule and generally not a favorable look for what is otherwise a terrific series with talented drivers and some great racing.

Case in point:
Last tour race at Hamlin was cut short after a series of yellows elongated our feature over 20 minutes and it was just half way.

Spin rules, single flag restarts are helping, but still there are nights when the class is just not on par and caution after caution fly.

The Next Step:

After some careful consideration, here is where this is leading..

The races at the AMA sanctioned events on our calendar this year will see our division racing alongside motorcycles. It is a fit that is beneficial to both classes. We get to be a part of the venue and they gain the advantage of our division running in the track in places giving them an opportunity to have more racing lines. Racing at the Bloomsburg Fair and BAPS are alongside the AMA.

When Xcel attends those events – caution flag laps will count. This is already part of the program and was/is a condition of our involvement.

Starting this week at Hamlin, caution laps are going to count.

To soften the down side of this, Xcel is going to elongate the feature from 20 laps to 30 laps. If the race is green all the way you will have 10 extra laps, but if it goes the direction it did last week, caution laps will count and a total of 30 ‘competition’ laps is all that will determine the contest.

At the descretion of the race directors, if there is an incident that requires time to clean up, cars may come to a stop on the front and the lap counting will stop.

There is going to be an Xcel Drivers meeting at the trailer this week and YOU will have the opportunity to comment on this at that time.

Goals for Implementation:

Be clear that no one wants this. Xcel included, but it is going to be tried on the idea that it will help the series become a healthy thiving class that race tracks want to see drive into the pits.

Some of the stated goals include:

• Preventing drivers who could have continued from bringing out the caution to help their individual cause
• Prompting teams that are seasoned in the class to help those struggling in a mentorship way with setup and driving tips
• Implementing a two-spin rule on occasion if someone is having a bad night and needs some help retiring from the show
• Putting more focus on clean passes and less on winning from the first turn type of driving

Understandable, this is often a learner’s class in some respects no matter how you implement rules there are still going to be incidents. There have been times in the past when there were ‘rookie’ class races, AND that has been discussed with it being too much of a time factor so it was shot down.

Again, it isn’t a first-choice solution, but the time has come and this is not intended to be a permanent change.

After multiple reminders, it is time to switch gears into a new registration phase.

Registration is required for ALL Xcel Teams.

Here is the new information about registration effective immediately:

Teams must register and pay for registration by the weekend of May 27/28th

• Registration cost nothing online and there is extensive information on the website about why/how
  • To register online, visit: https://registration.xcelchassis.net
  • Create an account
  • Add your race team information
  • Fill out your serials and seals
  • Optional: Add a car and driver image
• Teams can pay for registration by mail or pay Doug Borger at his trailer on any night he is in attendance.
• Cars not registered by the date above will be penalized*
• Registration is key to keeping people informed. If Xcel doesn’t know who bought/sold which cars, how can updates and information possibly be handed out. Evidence by the recent article about fire dangers from improper fuel line assemblies.
• You have asked and asked for accountability as far as making spec information public and showing any changes. We have put hours and hours of time doing just that as well as many other things.
• Registration is part of putting out standings. Not having proper information creates huge amounts of work for managing the points funds. Database entry is no friend of ad hoc entries. Your lack of registration means that your name and information have to be manually entered each week. Coming from the guy who is writing this and does that entry – that f’n sucks big time.

*Penalties for not registering

If you are not registered by the required date:

• If you enter a tour race, your registration fee will automatically be deducted from your winnings.
  • This may also translate to the weekly points fund and payout. We are discussing that with the tracks to make it consistent if applied.
• If you are entitled to ANY winnings from a points fund and have not paid your registration, you may forfeit ALL of those winning and any points you have.
• Your registration fee for the following year may increase as a penalty. This depends on the severity of how teams respond to this year’s registration.

As always, if you have questions, you can get answers to them by just reaching out. Xcel has been more then responsive in responding to website and other inquires.

If you have questions about registering online, reach out to Keith Inglin

• Message Keith Inglin on Facebook
• Email keith@xcelchassis.net or admin@xcelchassis.net

Questions outside of online registration should be directed to Doug Borger 484-131-5319

Took a nostalgic ride to the Dirt Track Heroes Show now being held at the Palmer Park Mall not far from (and on the way to) the long-shuttered Nazareth racetracks.
My older brother used to race at the famed aforementioned small track and as kids us twins piled in the back of the ’72 pickup along with all the tires and toolboxes in a common practice to what would surely be frowned upon these days. Boy some nights we froze on the way home!

Along the way there were the familiar landmarks that told us how we were progressing:

It was a pleasant sunny day and the ride was uneventful. Pulled into the mall and worked my way in for the tour all by myself and in no particular hurry. This was my first time at the show since it moved from the more familiar Phillipsburg mall so I wasn’t really sure how to get in. I ended up going in the main entrance to find some cars scattered about like the old mall show.

After passing on the idea of a mango smoothie, I found the main hall and all along took some images, most of which I tried to get interesting tidbits instead of the same old full-on shot.

I commented on some of the photos, look at the captions to see them. Great opportunity for racers to get their sponsors noted. Happen to see Pop’s Bees & Trees (see image below) on one of the cars. They did some great work for us last fall. Glad to see them promoting racing and that is one of the reasons I called them.

Xcel Chassis wants this area to be a place where Xcel Modified Teams can come and get information directly from the source. As this area is realized, we hope to make it the place for us to put out information, notices and official responses to anything Xcel.
That doesn’t mean that we will stop on Facebook or other social media, but that this is intended to be the place (especially for those who aren’t on social media) for everyone to get the message the way it was intended. Please tell people about this area – Thanks in advance!