How old is old enough?
 

We see a lot of youngsters come through indy trying to make it, but what do you guys think? Should there be an age limit or requirements? Never put much thought into it, but came across an article that got me thinking. Yeah, there are the Kyle Larson's, Jeff Gordon's but they are so few and far between...the likelihood of someone just hitting that pinnacle seems like a long shot.

Here's the article that got me thinking about it.
http://www.sprintcarinsider.com/news/old-old-enough/

Re: How old is old enough?
 

I myself believe 12 is way to young for a 12 yr old to step into a 900+hp sprint car.. But then again im not his parent.. He will be looked at as awesome doing great whatever till he screws up one night and really tears up some equipment or gets hurt. Parents are always in a hurry to get to next level when indeed they dont realize doesnt matter how good he or she is if you dont have a ton of money and i mean a ton your kid will never see a nascar track in a car. I thought i was forcing my daughter to fast when i wanted to put her in a mini sprint at 12 geesh couldnt imagine a sprint..

Re: How old is old enough?
 

I read through this earlier this morning. I thought it was an excellent write up.

Yeah, limiting the age will piss some folks off. But examine it this way.. If Johnny Slidejob starts at 5 in a kart, and classes (translated: his folks pay) up to a 410 in 7 years, can we really assume its raw, pure talent. Like, track champ 2 years in a Kart, 2 years in an outlaw kart, and 2 years in a micro?

Its gotta be a $$ paved road to the top. I mean, hell, it is possible I guess. But not realistic. I dunno. 16 makes more sense. Still young, but at least he can save on custom suit tailoring.

-Justin

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We are having this debate in my area now. There is a family that has bought a pavement late model for a 13 year old girl.I'm not saying that she isn't capable of driving it, but is this devaluing are sport? Are they going to say if this little kid can do this anyone can? Are you going to go to a minor league baseball or football game if she is the starting pitcher or quarterback?? And then God forbid that this kid is involved in accident that has terrible injuries or a fatality how is this going to effect this kid for their rest of their life. And don't you think the the media would have a field day with this?

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I didn't mention the liability thing earlier. But I could read the headline now. "12 year old killed in winged death machine. Congress to ban dirt racing."

Re: How old is old enough?
 

18... The government recognizes them as legal , they have finished high school , they signed up for the draft , let them race. Until then, keep them in a kiddie class and get all the experience they can get. By the time they are 18 they may want to do something else rather than live vicariously for their parents...

Re: How old is old enough?
 

Dan

When you and I were kids you had to be 18 years old to get into the pits, and women of any age were frowned upon for even thinking about getting into the pits. That is not to say we did not manage our ways in. Green on a race cars and peanuts were also taboo.

Times change and the way people view priorities also change. Now we are a youth based culture. we are obsessed with youth and beauty. TV has a lot to do in what the entertainment people decide is a good investment for drivers. They must have some talent but they must also be good looking enough to sell a product. Perhaps some very good drivers have been passed over in the search for the perfect selling machine. Being a stand out driver is not enough.

The biggest proponent for the young good looking driver is NASCAR they depend on sponsors and TV revenue to support their business. Indy car has chosen to place its priorities on the money the driver can bring to the table as opposed to their looks. It seems like some parents in their quest for their youngsters success just don't know when to start. Jeff Gordon has always been the poster boy for young drivers and rightly so. But before him we had many other young kids fighting just to be race drivers. The names Critter Malone and Sleepy Tripp come to mind.

To slow down the influx and demand for young the big time sanctioning organizations will have to be the ones to step in and place a reasonable age for competition. With the Jeff Gordon also came a legal loop hole for parents. It is called "Emancipation" The parents get a lawyer and go before a judge and "Emancipate" their kid. Once meant as a way for the parents to be free of a troublesome kid it is now the way that they skirt the age rule in racing. By being "Emancipated" the state recognizes the youth as an adult with all the responsibilities of an adult and they are allowed to race under age.

Kids all mature at different rates. Their driving ability matures very rapidly as seen in Quarter Midget> Jr Sprint and Go Kart competition. It is much easier to teach a 7 year old to race than a 37 year old, they take to it likes ducks to water. However it is the emotional maturity that bothers me. What do they know about life and death at 12 years old, what do they know about serious injury, Even at 30 years of age I have witnessed drivers do some pretty immature moves, is a 12 year old likely to make more of these moves and do they fully recognize the possible results that could come from these actions.

Like Chris Economaki I say let them all race. BUT why not slow them down just a little. Make the age for racing on Half Mile tracks and larger 18 years of age. On quarter mile tracks down let them race whatever they want, and let Mom and Dad take responsibility for their kid.;)

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

I would say every situation is different but in most cases 12 is a little too young. Most 12 year olds are not mature enough mentally or physically. 16 seems to be OK with me that's legal driving age.

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If they want to race full sized Sprint at that age why not limit them to 305's then once they tune 16 they can step up to 360's and then at 18 to 410's.

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I am old school on this one. 12 years old to ENTER the pits. 16 years old and a valid drivers liscense to race a car.

As dangerous as the race track is, I was always more worried about being hurt or hurting someone when I was in the pits. Having youngsters (8-12) years old in the pits running around and not paying attention is a big safety concern.

16 for car racing. Anything younger than that, they can race karts. I agree with above...16 is legal driving age.

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Lots of excellent thoughts. I for one think no youngster should be competing against adults in a sport such as ours. The liability issues and negative PR potential when something bad happens are enormous. Also, our sport is not like tennis, golf, etc.. I would compromise and let them compete at age 16 since they qualify for a driver's license. Often overlooked is the child's development mentally and physically at a time when they should be celebrating their youth, not how am I going to beat this 25 year old. Lastly, it is this kind of thing (12 year olds, etc.) which leave the general public and media with the impression our sport is a kind of circus/ carnival show.

Re: How old is old enough?
 

I'm sorry but 12 years old is too young for someone to be driving a race car especially a sprint car!
Last year at Bubba Raceway Park a young girl (I believe 15) was killed in her first race there. You would think Bubba Clem would have looked at that situation and pulled his son off the track but many parents think it could never happen to my child. Well, yes it can and does! Young kids should not be racing in full size race cars until the age of 16 at the earliest. It's OK when things are going well on the race track but when a youngster crashes or gets hurt then it is a different story with many parents. Everyone now a days is ready to sue at the drop of a hat. Every parent believes their son or daughter is the next Jeff Gordon or Kyle Larson but as we all know they are few and far between. Enjoy just being a kid first and then if you are 16 and still want to race go for it.

Re: How old is old enough?
 

Honestly I think 12 is too young but abilities IMHO are different from one to the next as well as maturity. I think it'd be a PR nightmare if something terrible happened, And in this sport, Its not if, It's when?

Personally, I say 151/2. If your legal to drive a 3500pd car your legal to race top equipment.

I say this will all due respect as I have watched many of the stars of today race from the time they were 14/15 in full up equipment. Bacon, Whitt, Armstrongs, Clauson, Windom, Schurenberg, Beuchamp, Burton and many others.

Gordon at 14 was setting track records and running top tens.

And Larson is a freak of nature :) don't matter what he's in, He'll get the most out of it.

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This, pardon the pun, is an "age old question", I remember Billy Puterbaugh being "emancipated", so he could run karts out of the Junior age, course that's history, but as I recall then, the "draft" was still in place, and that meant he was eligible for that also, he may have been 13-14 when this occurred, however, he was no doubt able to pull it off, but it's a hard call, I watched a 10 yr old fiddle player on the PBS channel last night, he's been playing since he was 5, maybe longer, but I'd sure hate to see a "child" get hurt, or cause someone else to be hurt, at such a young age, Lord knows, people considered as adults make plenty of bone head moves, and choices, we who have raced with them know it all too well, it's a tough decision, I know in the TQ's we've lowered the age limit, but at least there is still some control, small tracks, more involvement by being close to be able to watch the actions, sometimes you don't do a youngster a favor, by letting them compete. JMHO! Bob

Re: How old is old enough?
 

What is the age limit Tony Stewart has put in place to race at the Big "E"? This guy should have some idea about the age a driver should be to race at his race track.

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Off of the Eldora Speedway website:

Pit Access – Pit passes, which allow access to the pit area, are available at all Eldora racing events. A pit pass also allows for admission into the grandstand area.

Minimum Age – Only persons 14 years of age or older will be admitted to pit area. Minors 14, 15, 16 or 17 years of age submit a Parental Consent, Release and Waiver of Liability, Assumption of Risk, and Indemnity Agreement/Minor’s Assumption of Risk and Release and Waiver of Liability signed by a parent (or legal guardian). No exceptions. If the waiver is not signed in the presence of an Eldora Speedway official, it must be notarized.

Earl had the rule at Eldora must be 16 years old to race and Tony kept the same rule as far as I know.

Re: How old is old enough?
 

lets take the cages of sprint cars and see how many parents put their babies in them.

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There must have been exceptions to this rule as I was there when a 13 year old Jeff Gordon raced there. It was an ASCOC Speed Week race, maybe they allowed someone of that age to race and Earl went by their rules as they sanctioned the race. One thing I noticed about Jeff at this race and the other Speed Week races that year was that he seemed the have a tremendous awareness of what was happening around him on the track at all times.

I still think it should be 16 or older to run a 410 sprint car.

Re: How old is old enough?
 

I think your mistaken. Gordon got a exemption at age 15 to run the kings royal because it was only a couple weeks till his 16th in August but was banned before that. Not sure on the sprintweek, He might have for that as well but Earl was a flat 16 the entire time he owned the track. He raced the 16car then got the 6 Winterbothem. He did drive at Millstream and other tracks like Attica as I watched and talked to him there before he was 16. Raced Lawrenceburg almost weekly at 14-15 along with Joey Saldana, Huntley, Briscoe, Randy Kinser, Shields' Blands and Rice's.

Re: How old is old enough?
 

Eldora's race procedures and rules from their web site.http://www.eldoraspeedway.com/wp-con...procedures.pdf

The MMSA ran into this problem a few years ago with a young driver racing for points.

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: How old is old enough?
 

Glad to see everyone on IOW seems to be thinking along the right lines here.

I announced at the BOSS banquet back in November that beginning in 2015, BOSS now requires drivers to be a minimum of 16 years of age.

I've known this was a problem for years. We have kids 8 and 9 years old racing full size V-8 modifieds here in Ohio. I'm hoping to be a sanction that starts putting a stop to this.

I'm also researching effective ways to implement random drug testing ......... but that's another discussion.

Aaron Fry
Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series

Re: How old is old enough?
 

Nascar's Mark Martin had a son that was the next great thing a few years ago. Seemed like he was racing full size cars at 13. Then it seemed like he fell of the edge of the world. Does his story fit into this discussion? How old was Bill's son Chase when he was in a full size car? I would like to see 16 and under, only race with other under 16 year olds. Have then in a slower class, on tracks at or smaller then 3/8 miles.

Re: How old is old enough?
 

chop

Mark and his son were smart enough and mature enough to realize that racing was not what the young man enjoyed or wanted to do. He had the talent but not the desire.

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

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I would go with the states legal age. That way adults are making adult decisions.
Probably solves many issues.

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I'd vote for 16. If the State doesn't allow them on the Highway, I don't want them on the track around my equipment.

Wonder what Mark has planned for the future now, he has stated only dirt races in his future? Bob

Karts, quarter midgets, junior sprints, 250 micros, 600 modified midgets, mini wedges, legend cars, compacts and the list goes on. There are plenty of options for youngsters to learn and I'm all for it.

As for full size race cars 18 or 16 probationary period.

Re: How old is old enough?
 

Matt Martin (Mark's son) decided that racing wasn't for him on a professional level. Matt took his fathers passion for physical fitness and made a career out of it. He is now a physical trainer at Hendrick Motorsports.

Mark is spending a lot of time at the dirt tracks now and is a major sponsor of Jared Landers and Scott Bloomquist.

Re: How old is old enough?
 

bob his partner in the car business is a guy named landers. his son is jared landers on the lucas oil late model tour. jared was a big winner in the mods before that but has had a lot of problems getting going in late models. so mark and Jared's dad hooked up and sponsored scott bloomquist and bough multiple cars from scott. so now they are teammates. mark said on Sirius radio today that that's all he plans to do is go watch jared race the late model. he was in Georgia over the weekend for 2 shows...end of story. :D

Thanks, Chris, I remember the Blomquist part of it now. I've known Mark for many years, he once drove for a local team, of which I was a part, he and another friend were together a lot in NASCAR, and another local boy was a fabricator on one of the teams, he's going back to his roots. Bob

The minimum age to race should be 16 for any class, open wheel or fendered. I do not oppose 18 for sprint cars.

I dont care how much talent you think your kid has, until 16 they should not be in a full sized car. Nothing wrong with mini sprints, karts, legend cars, etc.

I didn't even let my oldest son run a focus midget till 16, then he moved to a full midget at 18 and finally a sprint car at 20. I guess I was a over protective father, lol. I had concerns of moving my youngest son out of the restricted micro class at 13, I could not even imagine putting him in ANY sprint car. My middle son turns 18 this year and I am giving him the opportunity to run the sprint car.

I dont think there should be any exceptions. 16 PERIOD!!

This 12 year old everyone is referring to, dad is good friends with Tony Stewart.
The kid is supposedly a Tsr development driver .
Do I think it's a real development deal, no.
He's friend with Stewart , probably gets some equipment and tech help from them but nothing more .
The father has some money and is putting it out there for the kid to race, which is good for the sport, but 12 is to young.

If you want to race with adults, then you should be 18. Because the lack of education in quarter midgets today, they need to be old enough to take an @ss whooping when they junk somebody's stuff.

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Does anybody remember Speed Allen at the Little 500,he was 10

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Its Bubba's son

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you mean Sport Allen

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Anderson Speedway website says Sport Allen was 13 years old as a rookie in the 1984 Little 500.

http://www.andersonspeedway.com/10_n..._back_1984.htm

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The kid is Bubba's Kid Named Tyler and as of What Bubba says on his radio station is Him and Tyler is really good friends with Tony Stewart. Bubba has even had Stewart on his radio station. Also Tyler does drive for Stewart in TSR Development which as of my research is a real thing.

My opinion is for a full size sprint car it should be at least 16 years of age no younger and for a 410 i would say 17-18 years of age.

FYI I am 17 years of age trying to go to 305 or 360's from 1000cc Upright mini sprints.

This is 100% my opinion, through my research and what Bubba (Owner of Bubba Raceway park which tyler was racing at) said on his radio station.