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Once upon a time in the Garden of Eden known as the Pahrump Valley, modified drivers woke up May 17 and realized that while things were still status quo, they had a real opportunity to make some real money. Now everyone knew that there were plenty of snakes in this idyllic spot, more than a few Eves and very few apples.

But the idea of taking the money paid to the IMCA sanctioning body and putting it into a fund that would benefit not only the modifieds but the minis and supporting divisions seemed like Joe Rogers Jr. had eaten the infamous apple or consumed some magical mushrooms.

But how can that be, Buzzman? queried the faithful readers. This isn't a fairy tale. In probably one of his hardest decisions, other than banning this motorsports writer at the beginning of the season (I still get threatened on a regular basis and probably will get 86'ed again at some point), Rogers, the track promoter, has hit the pause button on his remote control on the IMCA track sanction.

In conversations with Brett Root, head honcho at IMCA headquarters in Boone, Ia., I was informed that Rogers and he had amicably decided that the sanction just wasn't working for the track at the present time.

"It was purely a business decision on Mr. Rogers' part and we understand. If your modified count is down and you've tried everything to get your numbers up (including offering more money per event than Mohave Valley offers) and it still isn't working - then it's time to contemplate other options. This is what Rogers has done. We wish him well and success."

It's important to point out that when the Farstveets and Natenstedts complete their seasons up North, they will be back and the sanction would kick back in.

According to Rogers, "There are many modified drivers that cannot afford to comply to the strict rules and regulations imposed by IMCA. This decision will allow those drivers to compete against drivers who fall underneath the IMCA umbrella."

Rogers was emphatic that spectators will still be able to get their modified fix.

"We'll have the same drivers and maybe more," said Rogers, who is working on getting the Barnett series to come to the speedway. The Barnetts run their own competitive series out of Texas, and they just happen to own the largest Harley-Davidson dealership in the United States.

While they run their own series, they don't compete for IMCA National points but are licensed members of IMCA which allows them to compete at the Duel in the Desert in Las Vegas, as well as the Supernationals in Boone, if they so desire to make the tow.

"They have a rather conservative schedule at this time and there is a very real chance that we could be penciled in the very near future," said Rogers.

Believe me when I say that this has been the most trying season that I have ever covered. I have said on several occasions that it seems that the bible of IMCA appropriately called "Inside IMCA" seemed content to spotlight the racers and the tracks within the immediate vicinity of Boone.

I have felt that if they devoted just a little more money and effort into developing their program here in the Southwest that they would reap huge rewards, as well as help struggling car counts here.

The racers here spend just as much money and travel many more miles than their counterparts in other areas of the Midwest. Growing up in Michigan, exiting my back door put my family within 50 miles of at least a dozen tracks, some asphalt and most dirt.

Here is a crash course on what having the sanction entails. The promoter pays a sanction fee for each race based on car count. He is required to send a portion of a IMCA driver's entrance fee; it is placed in a points fund that will be paid back to the drivers at the end of the year.

By doing this, the IMCA assures those unscrupulous track owners and promoters won't abscond with money that would be due at season's end. What a novel idea; do you think that there are owners and promoters who have scruples?

It is a built-in protection plan that also includes IMCA insurance and benefits.

With all that said, what does this mean? It means that your favorite drivers will still be at the speedway.

Only now, instead of competing against what I consider some of the best drivers in the Southwest, they will be up against money drivers who scour the landscape looking for huge purses.

Drivers competing for the national points (Rogers said that quite possibly there were only three drivers competing for National points) will have to decide what IMCA-sanctioned track to travel to, either up north or south to Mohave Valley Raceway.

Economically, it may prove to be more beneficial for the drivers to maintain their IMCA ties but race for guaranteed purses offered by the speedway. By guaranteeing a specific purse, drivers will not be hesitant to ramble into Pahrump with the hopes of stealing the gold at the end of the rainbow.

When promoters-owners offer a purse without a guarantee, this indicates to drivers that there is doubt that the purse will pull the expected field. In other words, if a promoter offers a $2,500 purse based on 50 cars showing up, he can dramatically reduce the payout should he get only 45 cars.

By guaranteeing the purse, drivers will be assured that if only 10 cars show up, the winner will get the $2,500. And if anyone knows anything about dangling the carrot in the front of a race car driver, offer these kinds of purses and you'll see grown men turn into money-hungry speed demons.

Over the years I have witnessed what increased purses have done to the aforementioned Duel. Words like intensity, tradin' paint and Katie bar the door come to mind.

Rogers said, "If I can make this work, it'll make me look like a genius." That's not exactly a word that I would attribute to Rogers, but I'd like to see him pull this off.

We have become so accustomed to the same eight, nine modifieds that the thought of seeing 30 or more is more than a reward, it's a blessing.