FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tony Barhorst
(317) 418-3216 or
tbracefest@aol.com
May 8, 2009
Rumble Series gives kids chance to race at historic Speedrome
By RON WARE
Classic Motorsports
INDIANAPOLIS - Imagine following in the footsteps - or, in this case, the tire tracks - of A.J. Foyt, Darrell Waltrip, Tony Stewart and John Andretti.
That's the opportunity awaiting quarter-midget drivers in the Rumble Series' special Sunday afternoon programs at the Indianapolis Speedrome. And not only are they getting the chance to race at the historic track, they're doing so as part of events that also include national midgets and winged sprint cars.
In the pit area at the May 3 series opener, quarter-midget drivers like Mike Gass, Rachel Marks and Jonathon Lesiecki were rubbing elbows with the likes of rising midget stars Billy Wease, Kyle Hamilton and Mario Marietta.
In the interest of safety, the five quarter-midget classes are using a track laid out on the asphalt infield, just inside the 1/5-mile oval. While turnout was light for the opener, race director Dave Lesiecki was pleased with the quality of the racing and the safety the track afforded.
"Our track was nice," said Lesiecki, who said the outside groove measured 235 feet from the apex of turns one and two to the apex of turns three and four - making it about 1/11th of a mile.
"The drivers liked the track. It was bigger than the standard QMA track. There was plenty of racing room, and plenty of room between our track and the walls of the fifth-mile track. It went very well and was very safe for the kids."
The Speedrome races - which continue on May 31, July 19 and Aug. 30 - are promoted by Tony Barhorst of Classic Motorsports and patterned after his popular "Rumble in Fort Wayne (Ind.)" indoor event.
To encourage participation, the entry fee is just $5 per car, and "early" pit passes, good through the conclusion of the quarter-midget races, are $10. No membership is required, and trophies or plaques are awarded to the winners. Competition includes Heavy Honda, Senior Honda, Junior Honda, Heavy 160 and Light 160.
Lesiecki, from Lorain, Ohio, is a former president of the Northwest Ohio Quarter Midget Racing Association and has served as the Rumble Series quarter-midget race director since 2004. His sons A.J., 16, who now drives midgets and 600cc winged outlaw midgets, and Jonathon, 12, began racing quarter midgets when they were 8.
Barhorst and Lesiecki stress that Rumble Series events are open to drivers from both the Quarter Midgets of America and the U.S. Auto Club's .25 series.
"This is for the kids," Lesiecki said.
Organizers are determined to keep the Speedrome races family-friendly, both in price and in the time commitment required. Following the drivers meeting at 11 a.m., warm-ups begin at 11:50 and heat races at 1 p.m. The quarter-midget portion of the program is scheduled to wrap up by 4. Families can elect to head home or stick around to watch the Rumble Series midgets and/or Hoosier Outlaw sprint cars. The $10 pit pass can be applied toward the price of grandstand admission or a regular pit pass. (For kids 11 and under, there is no additional charge for grandstand seating.)
As a bonus, quarter-midget drivers who compete in at least three of the four Speedrome races and place in the top five in points will receive one pit pass for the Rumble in Fort Wayne on Dec. 26-27. A driver can earn a maximum of two pit passes.
Lesiecki, who works closely with Rumble Series kart director Larry Boos, is optimistic the car count will grow as word of the series gets out.
"Like Larry Boos said in the drivers meeting (on May 3), before you can build a house, you have to start with a foundation," Lesiecki said.
Information about the series is available at rumbleseries.com. Lesiecki may be contacted directly by calling 440-288-9526 (afternoons are best) or e-mailing him at
ftwayneqmidgets@aim.com.
Attached photo by Kevin Lillard
Jonathon Lesiecki (black car), flanked by Rachel Marks, leads the field to the green flag during Senior Honda racing at the Indianapolis Speedrome on May 3. On the second row are Riley Greenup (blue car) and Garrett Johnson.