Re: Usac extending career ladder to include quarter-midgets
 

Originally Posted by Motormasher:
What is a quarter midget? Is that a picture of one in Melmo's post? Do they have a suspension or are they just "Cage Carts"? I don't know anything about them so whatever help you guys can give me would be appreciated.
My 10 year old son is wanting to start racing go carts and I don't know where to start him out at.
Thanks.....

Melmo's picture is a quarter midget. Quarter midgets are fully suspended miniature racecars. They generally race on 1/20 mile purpose built racetracks, both pavement and dirt. I believe the closest track to you in Princeton is Terre Haute (www.thqma.com). There are also tracks in Indianapolis (www.miniindyspeedway.com), Kokomo (www.kqmc.org) and Nashville, TN (www.musiccityqma.com) within a reasonable drive.

Kids ages 5-16 race quarter midgets in several different classes. Classes are seperated by engines and divided by age and weight. We have classes using Honda, Briggs and Deco engines. Your son would start in Sr. Novice (honda GX120) and move on to SR. Honda (or Heavy Honda if he's over 100#) after he gets comfortable on the track.

I'm happy to answer any additional questions.

David

Re: Usac extending career ladder to include quarter-midgets
 

Melmo - What is USAC offering? anything on paper? I agree we need new leadership in QMA and some safety issue's need to be taken. Rumors are that Hoosier will be the tire of choice and even the Briggs engine.

We do not want to jump to quick, lets think this out and make sure all members get a chance to vote.

See you Saturday, sorry we had to miss last weeks race:greenflag:

Re: Usac extending career ladder to include quarter-midgets
 

Originally Posted by photoman:
Melmo - What is USAC offering? anything on paper? I agree we need new leadership in QMA and some safety issue's need to be taken. Rumors are that Hoosier will be the tire of choice and even the Briggs engine.

We do not want to jump to quick, lets think this out and make sure all members get a chance to vote.

See you Saturday, sorry we had to miss last weeks race:greenflag:

I agree with you!!! Yes USAC has it all on paper and when you get to the club come early and I'll show you!!! Also about the Hoosier tire taken spec tire its all rumor right now the members of all the clubs going has to vote on what tires or tires will be in for the 2009 season. About he engine deal yes it looks like it might be Briggs going to be phased in but for next year its honda and it will be also the same way with QMA because of the new teir 4 that's coming out!!!

Also talking to several members from other tracks its now 4 clubs that will be going to USAC so far.

Also yes I don't want to jump to quick either that's why its posted and I would like to hear all the Neg. and Pos. about this before voting.

Re: Usac extending career ladder to include quarter-midgets
 

Originally Posted by Melmo:
What would be real nice would be if some of the parents along with some of the Drivers that has been through the Quarter Midget rankings step up and let us hear there thoughts on this deal. I think that would help out a lot.

So come Parents and Drivers step up and help us out!!! This could be a deal where you will be back to Quarter Midget racing with grandkids and kids of your own!!!

Melmo,
I guess I am one of the few that can fit into whatever category is possible in this scenario. My parents owned a 1/4 midget whan I was born. My dad was the first dealer for Frank Kurtis east of the Mississippi. I started racing 1/4 midgets when I was 4 1/2 years old in Phoenix, Az. My dad was stooging for Clint Brawner on the Dean Van Lines cars at the time. This was in 1961. I raced on and off till 1970 when my parents started thier Big Red Q Quickprint that finally helped us to somewhat fund our racing fix for the next 25 years. My brother Pat won the heavy "a" Grands in Tacoma,Washington in 1977 beating out Robin Mccall Dallenbach, Linda Finch and Mike Groff. Quarter Midget racing was much more controlled back then. As a driver there was not much leeway on driving. You had to do it right. I continually tell parents today that it is a shame that I have more confidence in thier childs ability than they do.
After quarter midgets we moved onto USAC midgets. We raced several years paying our dues and in 1981 Rich Vogler ask my parents if he could drive our car! What? Arguably one of the greatest drivers ever aked my dad and mom to sit in our race car. We had a tremendous association with Rich that paid off in winning the 1983 USAC midget championship.
After a couple of years layoff we were suckered back into midget racing. This time I got a chance to sit in the seat of the Streicher # 8. I embarrassed my folks for a while(Thier Cars were not normally seen in the back), but then we started running up towards the front. Losing the USAC championship to Jeff in '90 made me more resolved to win it in '91. I never thought i had the ability to do i, but on a cold November night in El Centro, Ca. I beat my old 1/4 midget buddy Stevie Reeves for the championship.
In 1993 Usac mandated that the midgets put starters and clutches onboard. They made me out to be the poster child against them and even took me off the USAC mailing list(among other things). I was not happy. we hadn't sufficinntly tested them, The other area's around the country had not adopted them, so our car counts went down by over 1/2. We put ourselves on an island. It took a couple years but they finally went back to in/out of gear and using push trucks.
Now 15 years later I am involved with quarter midgets again. This time with my son Richie. It is a far cry from what I left 30 years ago. There is such a turnaround in management every 5 years that the same problems just keep cycling around. This is one area that I believe that the "new" USAC can help in keeping a consistent platform that the membership can rely on. The USAC 1/4 midget Competition committee can give a expierenced view for both competitor and organization to keep from entering these pitfalls. QMA just keeps changing back and forth as rcp's come and go each year. These changes keep increasing the costs to the families that particpate.
As I have said before to many of you, Quarter midgets is NOT a kids sport , it is a FAMILY sport!
Mike Streicher
Chief mechanic of the 1977 HVY "A" Grand National Champion

Re: Usac extending career ladder to include quarter-midgets
 

Originally Posted by streihawk8:
Melmo,
I guess I am one of the few that can fit into whatever category is possible in this scenario. My parents owned a 1/4 midget whan I was born. My dad was the first dealer for Frank Kurtis east of the Mississippi. I started racing 1/4 midgets when I was 4 1/2 years old in Phoenix, Az. My dad was stooging for Clint Brawner on the Dean Van Lines cars at the time. This was in 1961. I raced on and off till 1970 when my parents started thier Big Red Q Quickprint that finally helped us to somewhat fund our racing fix for the next 25 years. My brother Pat won the heavy "a" Grands in Tacoma,Washington in 1977 beating out Robin Mccall Dallenbach, Linda Finch and Mike Groff. Quarter Midget racing was much more controlled back then. As a driver there was not much leeway on driving. You had to do it right. I continually tell parents today that it is a shame that I have more confidence in thier childs ability than they do.
After quarter midgets we moved onto USAC midgets. We raced several years paying our dues and in 1981 Rich Vogler ask my parents if he could drive our car! What? Arguably one of the greatest drivers ever aked my dad and mom to sit in our race car. We had a tremendous association with Rich that paid off in winning the 1983 USAC midget championship.
After a couple of years layoff we were suckered back into midget racing. This time I got a chance to sit in the seat of the Streicher # 8. I embarrassed my folks for a while(Thier Cars were not normally seen in the back), but then we started running up towards the front. Losing the USAC championship to Jeff in '90 made me more resolved to win it in '91. I never thought i had the ability to do i, but on a cold November night in El Centro, Ca. I beat my old 1/4 midget buddy Stevie Reeves for the championship.
In 1993 Usac mandated that the midgets put starters and clutches onboard. They made me out to be the poster child against them and even took me off the USAC mailing list(among other things). I was not happy. we hadn't sufficinntly tested them, The other area's around the country had not adopted them, so our car counts went down by over 1/2. We put ourselves on an island. It took a couple years but they finally went back to in/out of gear and using push trucks.
Now 15 years later I am involved with quarter midgets again. This time with my son Richie. It is a far cry from what I left 30 years ago. There is such a turnaround in management every 5 years that the same problems just keep cycling around. This is one area that I believe that the "new" USAC can help in keeping a consistent platform that the membership can rely on. The USAC 1/4 midget Competition committee can give a expierenced view for both competitor and organization to keep from entering these pitfalls. QMA just keeps changing back and forth as rcp's come and go each year. These changes keep increasing the costs to the families that particpate.
As I have said before to many of you, Quarter midgets is NOT a kids sport , it is a FAMILY sport!
Mike Streicher
Chief mechanic of the 1977 HVY "A" Grand National Champion

Well said!!!:checkered:

Thanks Mike and very well said that's what we need right now!!!

Re: Usac extending career ladder to include quarter-midgets
 

Originally Posted by Melmo:
Well Patti I agree. If you something we don't know you should spit it out and let us here it. That's what were waiting for. We have 60 some members and I only have one vote. Believe me I voiced several and as it stands this is where our club is. But like you said The children's best interest is what matters. So in my book if you stay tight lipped and stay nothing then looks like The children's best interest is what matters is not in you game plan!!!

Melmo, I don't know any thing that hasn't already been played out on this board already about the Sliver Crown situation. IMHO I believe their are alot of disenchanted car owners in that division at this time. I know a few of them!

As I have seen posted on here before, I don't have a dog in this fight. I have attended quarter midget races before however not in the state of Indiana. So, actually I know very little about the clubs in Indiana. What I do know I have learned from this message board.

I thought USAC tried this before with the quarter midget ranks and didn't deliver what they promised, just charged higher fees than what you had at the time.

Hopefully this time will be different if this is the route the clubs choose.

Patti

Re: Usac extending career ladder to include quarter-midgets
 

the way i understand it when USAC contract expired QMA said they didnt want them helping anymore and would not renew the contract so now this where we are right now USAC has a great plan for the kids and iam very excited about this:applaud:


Photoman we will talk about this more this weekend,,, or you can email me and we can get together about this think you will like it aswell!!!

to everyone who reads this please post your thoughts we have told are club members to read this board and see what some of the former drivers and handlers or other track members have to say about this!!
thanks

Re: Usac extending career ladder to include quarter-midgets
 

Well said Worm!!!

If anyone is interested in what's going on about this we will be having a meeting and voting on it at 10am Sat. Also herd DO was going to show up and do some videos of the racing going on this SAT & SUN.

Saturday is just a regular show.

Sunday will be the Willy Gorden memorial race meaning they will be running 100 lap races all day. So come and check it out!!!

Directions - http://kqmc.org/


Hope to see you all there!!!:checkered:

Re: Usac extending career ladder to include quarter-midgets
 

Originally Posted by IndyBound:
Melmo, I don't know any thing that hasn't already been played out on this board already about the Sliver Crown situation. IMHO I believe their are alot of disenchanted car owners in that division at this time. I know a few of them!

As I have seen posted on here before, I don't have a dog in this fight. I have attended quarter midget races before however not in the state of Indiana. So, actually I know very little about the clubs in Indiana. What I do know I have learned from this message board.

I thought USAC tried this before with the quarter midget ranks and didn't deliver what they promised, just charged higher fees than what you had at the time.

Hopefully this time will be different if this is the route the clubs choose.

Patti

Patti, I'm sure there are alot of owners and drivers over the years that have not been happy with USAC, including Mike and a couple others that have posted on other threads concerning this topic. I have been around different forms of racing for awhile, not USAC, but after getting into quarter midgets with my son 3 years ago, after 1 year in karting, all I could think of was WOW what a screwed up mess.

I don't want to bash QMA but what we have to deal with in the current series has been for years beyond ridiculous. If this does not get fixed quick, with the state of the current economy, quarter midget racing is going to suffer. We have a constant change of rules from year to year that is killing us. For an example, QMA mandated a timing change on one of the motors we use, 20 degrees max. In 2008 most all motors had to be fitted with an offset key, no problem, less than a $5 part. QMA mandated you had to buy a special "logod" key from them for $18, the great part is in 2009 you have to throw the key away and buy a flywheel for $80 to $100.

And this is just a very small example.

This weekend I had the first chance to meet James from USAC, I was more than impressed. He is putting a tremendous effort into this deal and I honestly believe USAC hired the right guy.

We have nothing to lose in this venture.

Re: Usac extending career ladder to include quarter-midgets
 

Originally Posted by sprinter25:
And I'd like to add, maybe USAC should get the rest of their house in order before adding new responsibilities.

I would argue that they (USAC) have a head start in getting their house in order by having James Spink in charge of the Point .25 program.

I have never met him, I wouldn't know him if he came up and slapped me in the face, don't know his past, his vision or leadership abilities...but I do know this isn't the same USAC that QMA dealt with the last go around. USAC has fresh blood, they have a business plan, right or wrong they have itiniative and QMA will have a different USAC representative overseeing the program. That in of itself is a step towards getting your house in order.

Hopefully everyone will get their patches this year! :applaud: