The Sport:
Quarter Midget Racing...
Quarter Midgets of America is a non-profit
organization with over 2,500 family memberships
and approximately 4,000 drivers. There are 13
Regions in our organization and 50 Quarter
Midget Clubs Nation wide. This sport is the "best
kept secret" ever come across.
QMA is a family oriented sport that involves racing in special prepared cars. The cars, rules and
safety procedures are designed specifically for kids. They race on oval tracks approximately 1/20
of a mile. A child who is 5 to 16 years of age can race. Safety features include full roll cages,
multi-point seat harnesses, full face helmets, and other gear. This sport has fewer injuries than
little-league football. The Quarter Midget Association is constantly reviewing and evaluating
safety rules to ensure that quarter midget racing remains a safe competitive sport. The racing
environment is about children and family. Not only do kids learn valuable skills and
sportsmanship, but they also make new friends. Mom and Dad will make new friends too.
Quarter Midgets...
A Quarter Midget car is a scaled-down version of an actual midget racer, approximately 1/4
scale. The cars are built around a tubular frame and are fully suspended with springs or torsion
bars and shocks. The bodies are fiberglass, usually painted to the drivers preference.
Surrounding the driver is a chrome-molly roll cage and nerf bars. The engines are single cylinder
and are manufactured by Honda, Continental, Briggs & Stratton, and Deco. In the motors stock
configuration they produce between 2.5 & 4 horse power. Modifications in the upper classes
allow these engines to reach several times the stock horse power. These air-cooled 4-cycle
engines are reliable and can produce as much as 10,000 Rpm's in their more highly modified
forms.
Types of Racing...
Quarter Midget Racing is divided into 14 classes and divisions with ages ranging from 5-16:
Junior Novice, Senior Novice, Junior Honda, Senior Honda, Heavy Honda, Junior Super-stock,
Senior Super-stock, Heavy Super-stock, Light Mod, Heavy Mod, Light B, Heavy B, Light A, and
Heavy A. Additionally 1/4 Midget drivers may graduate to Junior 1/2 Midgets. Junior 1/2 midget
drivers may be ages 12-17. Quarter Midget Racing not only hosts many weekly races, but also
local Regional races, one State Championship race per region, and for the more serious
competitor, three Grand National Events (two asphalt track and one dirt track race).
Benefits Of QMA...
Quarter Midget Racing was started to develop sportsmanship in the children while also providing
a family oriented racing activity. In recognition of the drivers, trophies are awarded at Regional,
State, and National events. No cash prizes are awarded.
Quarter Midget racing is not a "drop off your kid" kind of sport, but an involved family sport. Few
other sports permit all members of the family to participate. The kids do the driving while other
family members serve as pit crews, chief mechanics, scorers, timekeepers, and operators of
concession stand or novelty booths.
It teaches the meaning of sportsmanship, fair play by following rules, how to be a good winner or
a gracious loser.
It develops coordination, and a sense of timing and independent thinking.
It teaches self-reliance. Once a green flag has dropped, they are on their own.
The spirit of competition also comes along here. They learn to drive hard, but that rules must be
observed. Rule infractions may result in disqualification.
Development of knowledge and an appreciation for mechanical devices.
It teaches safe driving skills that are carried on in their teen years on the road. Very few people
develop the skill that these children acquire. We believe this level of skill is valuable when they
become adult drivers. They learn that there is a place to race an automobile— which is NOT on
the public highway systems where so many young adult drivers lose their lives.
It develops a sense of responsibility. Alertness and concern for the safety of others is acquired.
It gives drivers a well-earned right and a sense of pride and accomplishment. They stand taller
and are more confident after becoming a proficient Quarter Midget Driver. This confidence and
sense of "belonging to a group", along with our Race for Drugs Program, could someday be a
factor in helping these kids "Say No To Drugs".
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| Minnesota Quarter Midget Racing Association |