How young is too young
 

I just saw where a child was critically injured in a 600 sprint car race in texas.i doubt that he is even 15 years old.opinions on the ages of children racing now and the ramifications.a lot of people take a dim view of racing to begin with,as more injuries occur to kids how will the landscape change.are age requirements a necessity to protect the sport from litigation.everyone knows it is coming.the stage has been set since the age of kids competing has been getting younger.i have read many posts on this forum discussing it.opinions.

About 1600 kids die each year in car accidents not involving racing. People always want to talk about the danger, but more people die on their way to and from race tracks than at them.

I don't think it's always age that matters but maturity. And how do we know if the accident even had anything to do with age. Racing can dangerous no matter age

Re: How young is too young
 

we currently own a speedway motorcycle record that will never be broken. At 12 years of age a young woman won a speedway main event on our 500cc bike at a ama sanctioned race. She is the youngest rider in the world to win a speedway race on a full size bike. Speedway is kinda dangerous. I, her parents and the young lady all knew she could do it.
15 years old is plenty old enuff to be racing a 6oo. I've seen plenty of 12 year olds drive micros great, its a fairly safe and character building hobby.
Wanna see some really scary racing involving kids ? Go to a local mx race, the micro sprints will look like a easter egg hunt after that.

Re: How young is too young
 

I don't like seeing kids race sprint cars, but the cat is out of the bag. It's not unheard of to seeing kids 15 or 14 racing sprint cars (even in CA). I personally think kids this young don't understand the consequences or risks. I'm old, new generation of kids racing fast cars when there quite young, and combining with race car simulation, the kids are much more experienced.

I don't have to like it, but it's here. Racing is relatively safe, but sprint cars are still dangerous, and I just dread hearing bad news, whether its an adult, but especially a kid. I think kids as young as 12 race winged micro sprints, and just a tad older to race non wing

Re: How young is too young
 

In 2015 there where 13 High School Football deaths. Could you imaging the public outcry if that where to happen in motorsports?

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"Giovanni is 15 years old and drives a 360ci Winged Sprint Car. " Winning winged 410 races in Ca and Iowa. Does winning against the best, mean u should be racing, I don't know. But these young racers have the skill to race :) and win

Yes,david m i can imagine outcry,that is why i am asking this question.you seem to be in tune with how this country works now.many still don't understand.new jersey is the most regulated state when it comes to racing.what is there rule or do they have one.anyone in jersey viewing or does anyone know.if anyone has age limit it would be them.

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The young man in Texas woke up today and is alert doing pretty well from the sounds of things.

It was a micro sprint that he was hurt in.

Re: How young is too young
 

I know that all driver who race in NJ in a "pro division" MUST have a valid driver's license regardless of age. Several drivers who have their license suspended for various infractions were barred until their suspensions were lifted. If memory serves me correctly a young man who wanted to drive URC sprints had to get special clearance because he was only 16 or 17 and NJ had a requirement drive full size sprints was 18. To me that makes the most sense on this issue. I am not sure how accurate this is but I was told of 14 year old who was running wingless 600s as a support division with the recent USAC Eastern midget series was not allowed to run with USAC even though he has run with PowerI series this year. I know that there are many young drivers who are mature enough and with talent enough do drive full size race cars but what is the hurry? Forget the potential for injury or worse. What about the financial risk to the parents who risk future financial stability to fund the program? How do you justify not spending the money on siblings education? I am well aware of traffic deaths and football deaths, but sadly because so many people are killed in traffic accidents, the news media only deals with local issues. You are not going to see reports of a traffic accident in PA in a KY newspaper, but I am very sure a death of a youngster in a full size race car will be picked up on the wire and will be national news. 18 is young enough for me, heck there are a lot of 20ish and 30ish drivers who are not mature enough in my opinion but at least they are of age to make their own decision about their future.

Re: How young is too young
 

I started racing karts at 5 years old and moved into TQ's at 14 when I was finally old enough. Then onto a full midget last year at 18. And honestly I think 14 is a good age to require for TQ's and other cars of similar size and speed such as a 600. I think there should be some age restrictions in racing, I feel 14 and 15 is too young to be in a full size sprint car. I dont know if I've met a kid that age that I feel would be mature enough to handle a car like that... but obviously there are some. I dont think it is a big deal to make a kid wait two more years or so before letting him or her hop into a full size car. There seems to be a huge rush in racing with kids and parents now to get to the fastest car possible as soon as possible. But I guess that's why we are racers, we want to be the fastest and the first ones there.

Re: How young is too young
 

I know Bobby Santos III was racing weekly in a small block (350) super modified at 13, or 14 years of age. :10: It's a tough choice for families to make. I just don't like it when you can tell that the child is being pushed by the father.

Stp has it correct.minimum should be 16.preferably,18.i think in this case the sport, read organizations,need to protect the parents and kids from themselves.what is minimum age to compete in usac's three open wheel divisions.

Re: How young is too young
 

I say 16 for any class over 600cc or 305c.i. 18 for ANY form of midgets or sprints (maybe 19 for the "big" tracks). Let kid's be kid's and how many people really wana buy tix to go watch a bunch of teenagers...

So your telling me just a few years back you wouldn't pay to see Kyle Larson race Rico gulick bell BC etc to race?

As a parent of a 14 year old driver, I personally wouldn't mind the ages being increased. 15 is now USAC's minimum age limit, at least for their national series. My son is in his second year of racing micros after 7 years of quarter midgets and was asked about future plans last weekend. He was told he has to move up soon because if not he'll be too old. Being told you're going to be too old at 14/15 yrs of age, imagine??? David Gravel is one of the hottest drivers in all of motorsports right now and in this month's Sprint Car and Midget magazine, he mentions his window has probably closed to move up the ladder, he's 25. That's sad!

We've raced with the driver who was injured and he's either 12 or 13, and there are plenty of 12-15 year old
Micro drivers out there. He's very talented, more than capable of handling the car and the accident was an accident where another car got into the cockpit. Thankfully he's now awake and all signs point to a full recovery.

The truth is I don't know how young is too young. I deal with this question
in my mind everyday......

Re: How young is too young
 

I don't know how many people attend Micro (600s) tracks, but the one near Kansas City is quickly becoming one of my favorite tracks. The cars there are amazingly fast. When the track is sized for the cars, it makes for really good racing. I have sometimes seen 600 on a quarter mile and they never put on a good show, but on their home track they are amazing.

With that said, they run Jr. sprints ages 6-12. Restrictor 600's Minimum age 9. All stock classes minimum age 12. Open class minimum age 14. I don't know which is stranger seeing a 4 foot nothing 12 year old step out of stock class car, or seeing a 6 foot 200 pound adult climb out of a stock class car.

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Re: How young is too young
 

FB post said 12

Re: How young is too young
 

how many kids play football? apples and oranges

Would you let the same child.....ride a rodeo bull?

Re: How young is too young
 

I've seen where children have been paralyzed in sports & cheerleading, they get hurt in a race & people lose their minds:10:, Group on FB Mother against death sports I think it is, whoeee is this a group of prized nut balls:18:, want to do away w/ racing. I have been involved in teaching high school students drag racing since Aug of 87, had 1 kid mess up his finger but he lived:14:. Saw a 10 yr old kid driving a stock car but it was one of the best built cars I've seen, kid drove a pretty good race too;). Then again I've some old guys that couldn't drive nails in a 2X4:14:

Re: How young is too young
 

Don't let the little brats race until they can pay for the carnage and damage they cause. All they do is eat,sleep and blow all your retirement.