Quarter Midget racing - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Quarter Midget racing is a form of automobile racing. The cars are approximately one quarter (1/4) the size of a full size midget car. The adult size midget being raced during the start of quarter midget racing, used an oval track of one fifth of a mile in length. The childs quarter midget track is one quarter that length, or 1/20th mile. An adult size midget in the 1940s and 1950s could reach 120 miles per hour, while the single cylinder 7 cubic inch quarter midget engine could make available a speed of 30 miles per hour, or one quarter the speed of the adult car. Current upper class quarter midgets can exceed 30 miles per hour, but remain safe due to the limited size of the track.

The drivers are typically restricted to age 5 to 16. Tracks are typically banked ovals one-twentieth of a mile long, and have a surface of dirt, concrete, or asphalt.

Statistics

Quarter Midgets have been around in one form or another since before World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, There are two sanctioning bodies for Quarter Midgets, United States Auto Club (USAC) and Quarter Midgets of America (QMA).

There were over 4,000 drivers in the United States in 2007. In the United States, an engine can cost from $400 to $9,000, the car chassis from $1,500 for a used up to $6,000 for a new chassis. Tires start at $50 a tire. There are many brands of cars as well as custom cars made by individuals. Some of the common brands are Stanley Racing, N/C chassis (Nervo/Coggin), Bullrider Racecars, Tad Fiser Race Cars, Rice Cars, GT American Race Cars, Ashley Chassis, and Profab. Cars are protected by body panels which are made of fiberglass, sheetmetal, or more rarely, carbon fiber.

The move from Deco to Honda was first highlighted by an exhibition race at the 1988 Western Grands in Pueblo, Colorado

Pueblo, Colorado

Pueblo is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The population was 106,595 in 2010 census, making it the 246th most populous city in the United States....

. The Honda engine proved to be the saving element as cost were skyrocketing with the Deco engine due to supply and demand. Attempts to put the Deco/Continental engines back into production have failed. Briggs and Stratton is also being used as a cost effective engine platform.

The oldest continually run dirt quarter midget track east of the Mississippi is THQMA (Terre Haute Quarter Midget Association) located in Terre Haute, Indiana

Terre Haute, Indiana

Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...

. On the west coast, Capitol Quarter Midgets has also been in operation since 1955.
Many of today's most recognizable names in racing got their start in quarter midgets including; A.J. Foyt, Jeff Gordon

Jeff Gordon

Jeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon is a professional NASCAR driver. He is the driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet Impala. He is a four-time Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins, and has the...

, Sarah Fisher

Sarah Fisher

Sarah Marie Fisher is a retired American professional racecar driver who competed in the IZOD IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500...

, Jimmy Vasser

Jimmy Vasser

Jimmy Vasser is a retired American racing driver and current co-owner of KV Racing Technology. Vasser won the 1996 IndyCar season championship with Chip Ganassi Racing, and scored ten victories in the series...

, Joey Logano

Joey Logano

Joseph Thomas "Joey" Logano , nicknamed "sliced bread" by Randy LaJoie, is an American stock car auto racing race car driver who currently drives the #20 Home Depot Toyota Camry in the Sprint Cup Series and the #20 GameStop/Sport Clips Toyota Camry in the Nationwide Series for Joe Gibbs...

, Brad Keselowski, Terry Labonte

Terry Labonte

Terrance Lee Labonte is a semi-retired NASCAR driver who occasionally drives in the Sprint Cup Series when called upon and is a two-time Winston Cup and IROC champion. He currently drives the #32 U.S. Chrome Ford for FAS Lane Racing. Labonte was introduced to the sport through his father, who had...

, and Bobby Labonte

Bobby Labonte

Robert Alan "Bobby" Labonte is an American race car driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He currently drives the #47 Kroger/Clorox/Kimberly-Clark/Kingsford/Reese Towpower Hitches Toyota Camry for JTG Daugherty Racing. He currently resides in Trinity, North Carolina. He is married to his wife...

to name a few.

Engines and classes

Jr. Novice & Sr. Novice - Honda 120(stock) , or a Deco Super Stocker (stock, restricted)

Jr. Honda & Sr. Honda - Honda 120 (stock)

Jr. Animal & Sr. Animal - Briggs & Stratton Animal engine

Hvy. Honda - Honda 120 (stock)

Lt. & Hvy. 160 - Honda 160 (stock)

Jr. & Sr. Super Stock - Deco stock engine

Lt. & Hvy. Mod - Deco Modified engine

Lt. & Hvy. B Modified - Deco B Modified engine

Lt. & Hvy. AA Modified - Alcohol Deco AA Modified engine

Lt. & Hvy. World Formula - Briggs and Stratton World Formula engine

Half Midget - Any single cylinder motor, 253 cc maximum displacement, air cooled only

Jr. Classes - 5–9 years old
Sr. Classes - 9-till 17th Birthday
Light Classes - Drivers normally under 100 lb but can still race if over 100 lb
Heavy Classes - Drivers over 100 lb

Half Midgets

Half Class - Any single cylinder, air cooled, carburated engine up to 253 cc, Drivers age 11 to 18.

Movie

The first feature film on quarter midget racing was produced in 2009. Called Drive, it captures kids (as young as five years old) hit speeds of 50 mph to battle for the Grand National race. Moms and dads turn gears and yell over revving motors as their sons and daughters push to win. Quarter midget racing relies on the family to work as a team. The heat, the stress and the drive to win put their bond to the test.

External links

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