Every once in a while you come across something unique, special, and pretty cool. While the national racing headlines drown the race fan and blur reality of what racing ought to be, every once in a while you find a gem. The CarbonX Rocky Mountain Challenge Series is something special and it is based in Boise, Idaho; miles from the epicenter of big-time auto racing.
There are a lot of really well-run and organized racing series across the country full of extremely talented drivers. Each series has their hardcore and loyal fans along with competitors who call their series home. It would be foolish to call one better than the other, however the RMCS is unique and attractive to not only the race fans, but to the drivers, the track operators, and sponsors like CarbonX as well.
This gem of a series is thanks to Mike Minegar (President of the RMCS) who gathered a group of dedicated and passionate racing purists and formed the RMCS back in 2003. They had one mission in mind and that was to create good old-fashioned racing where there was plenty of passing from start to finish and the fans never needed to use their seat.
The secret to the series' success is three-fold according to Minegar. "Hey, racing ought to be about having fun and something the whole family can enjoy," Minegar said. "When we started this deal it was important that we made sure it was all about family and it was something the fans would pay to see."
The second point preaches no "exclusivity" like so many other series that required you to have a specific car that could only run in one series. You have a Late Model race car, the RMCS welcomes you to come race.
Third, and probably most important is the mantra of keep it simple stupid. Racing is not rocket science, it is stock car racing. In the RMCS everyone has a chance to compete and win. Add in rules like full-field inverts, award passing points, base the payout on point accumulation for the event, and you have a recipe for excitement.
The series just concluded its sixth season and crowned John Dillon of Eagle, Idaho champion. Dillon, a former NASCAR NW Tour champion back in 1990, had the opportunity to go south and take a shot at big time NASCAR but opted instead to build a business, raise a family, and enjoy racing as a hobby. A hobby that is as intense as the Chase for the Sprint Cup in NASCAR.
With the season over, a new champion crowned, and the car covers draped over their chariots of speed, competitors of the RMCS have a little time to reflect on seasons past and dream of what might come.
"We continue to receive calls from all over the region about our series," Minegar offered. "People outside our area have heard about the series and want us. The future looks pretty bright."
No matter where the series races next season one thing is for sure: it will be fun to watch and something pretty special!
Comments