[TQ97]

The stupidity of letting the kids hang out of the car just amazes me......in the insert the gentlemen with the cut off grey t I think was struck by the car, but amazingly not seriously injured other than a nasty cut above his eye. On an interesting note, the car and driver flying through the air....won the race. This was the initial green flag start when the other 2 cars in the picture got together coming out of 4 and the black car climbed one of the wheels and went over the wall into the catch fence.

[riskybrisky5]

I have never understood why they let them race without a seat that contains them in the car. We only ran Chase in a quarter midget twice but he had a regular Kirkey seat. I would not have let him do it without it. All racing is dangerous and it can happen in any form of racing. Just think if his head or neck got into that fence. If it is a rule that all cars have to have a regular seat then there is no advantage for anyone. It is no different than an arm restraint rule or helmet rule. Just my two cents glad everyone was alright.

[Phylo82]

Amazing picture....unfortunately I think it's going to take a serious injury before anything changes. Two thirds of that kid's body is outside the car.

Numerous track records were broken again this year at the Mini-Indy regional race. How fast do QMs need to go for heaven's sake?

Dump Vega tires and go to a good hard compound that actually teaches a driver how to hold onto a race car. No one will be breaking any track records but they'll be learning how to set up a car and how to drive it.

When we started racing QMs I put a seat in the car to keep my son from moving around. He never leaned out of the car. I had people telling me 'your son is fast, but he would be faster if you can get him to lean out of the car'. No thanks.....it's nuts that the only form of racing I know of that allows the driver to hang out of the car is the one that is supposed to be 'racing for kids'.

Weren't cages put on race cars (especially the open-wheel type) for a reason?

Lucky someone wasn't seriously hurt...

[slide22]

I've seen a kid in a mini sprint do this, without a containment seat of course. Just shows the bad habit this teaches.

[griffithracing]

I have a 3 year old son, and have been torn when to get him into racing if he so chooses. I can assure you this, I will not put him in a 1/4 midget, unless they change some things!

[illiNOISE]

While I don't understand a rule that lets kids lean out of the car, one has to remember that it is brought to you by the same people that think it's a good idea to sub-divide classes again and again and again. This way every other kid can be a "feature winnner." Now the dads can brag that their kid won 90% of the Senior Novice/ Medium Light 160/ World Formula/ Honda features that they entered. Never mind that the kid very rarely ran with more than two or three other competitors on the track at the same time.

[spankytoo]

We were in quarter midgets for 7 years. The worst accident causing an injury was a sprained thumb from the steering wheel spinning or a sprained ancle from a head on crash. These cars have been raced like this for over 20 years. If there was an issue you would think that the rules would have been changed.

[TQ29m]

I seem to remember an old saying, " an ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of cure", seems to fit a lot of things, I have also wondered why they were allowed to hang out of the car, and I'm surprised that the insurance companies don't crack down on it, looks like a perfect way to get some bad hurts! Seems even more foolish to allow seat belts, that are so loose, could get caught on a passing car, and hurt both drivers, it sometimes amazes me, what dangerous positions parents will put their kids in, for bragging rights, or a trophy. But, I guess I'm easily amazed, I managed to live thru almost 40 years of Kart racing, and 15 years of Midget racing, plus boat racing, and motorcycles, and jalopies back in the 50's, course both shoulders remind me of my foolish ways, every time I try to reach up, but what th heck, I was lucky. Bob

[Charles Nungester]

while I kinda agree with the hanging out of the car being dangerous, How many parents put their kids on Karts that often times are much faster and have less safety built in? the only flip I seen at the indoor rumble in Ft wayne was a kart and then that dude was hit by another kart at top speed.

I don't have any times but just from apearance and how quick it was to watch. Both times at the rumbles I've attended the karts seemed to be the fastest class.

Not to hijack the thread. I think there is more ways to put weight in the left side than offset seats and hanging out of the cars.
Chuck