Quarter Midget experience

[bssmith1220]

My son turned 7 a couple of months ago and asked me when was he old enough to be a race car driver. So we found a local quarter midget track that did an arrive and drive tryout last fall. Needless to say he was hooked. Fast forward 4 months and we are starting his rookie season next month. Just curious if anyone did this themselves as a kid or has kids that do it now. I’m sure it’s going to be challenging since we have no background in racing but I am as exited as he is to start the season. #paxtoncolemotorsports

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[Deceptive]

Was not the midget experience I was thinking. Thoroughly disappointed. Happy for your son though since he is too young to enjoy other midget experiences.


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[raustin0017]

OP = Dad of the Year!

 

[sleek98]

Enjoy the time, we did 3 years of racing go karts with my son. He had a blast for a while then lost interest.

 

[blk02edge]

One of my best friends did, ended up in 600's and needless to say, has had a LOT of concussions... my kid would be in Karting lol

 

[CobraBob]

I attended a local Silver City 1/4 midget track event years ago that was primarily kids maybe 7-12. It was fun to watch the level of competition offered. I was really surprised. The parents were easily as much into the competition as the kids. The racing was great. There were, of course, those who were really, really good (as young as maybe 9) and those who were what I'd call average or novice. I'll bet your son is going to love it. The big question will be what happens down the road if he is not as competitive was the other drivers. I think that's where kids might lose interest. Others leave it for other personal reasons.

No doubt this will be a great experience for him, and for you. You're doing it as a family. I hope he really loves it and grows from the experience.

Just out of curiosity, do the new kids get any training when first start out? Practice sessions?

 

[bssmith1220]

I attended a local Silver City 1/4 midget track event years ago that was primarily kids maybe 7-12. It was fun to watch the level of competition offered. I was really surprised. The parents were easily as much into the competition as the kids. The racing was great. There were, of course, those who were really, really good (as young as maybe 9) and those who were what I'd call average or novice. I'll bet your son is going to love it. The big question will be what happens down the road if he is not as competitive was the other drivers. I think that's where kids might lose interest. Others leave it for other personal reasons.

No doubt this will be a great experience for him, and for you. You're doing it as a family. I hope he really loves it and grows from the experience.

Just out of curiosity, do the new kids get any training when first start out? Practice sessions?

New kids have to go through “rookie training”. Basically a day of classroom instruction and another day or two of on track training before they are allowed to race. Then they race in a red restrictor plate Honda class until they are given the ok to move up to blue restrictor plate Honda. After that they can run the other classes. It seems like they are eased in so to speak the first year.

 

[Zemedici]

One of my best friends did, ended up in 600's and needless to say, has had a LOT of concussions... my kid would be in Karting lol

this x35000

 

[bssmith1220]

this x35000

This may be a dumb question, but why should I expect concussions? He has a 5 point harness, helmet, and a necksgen (like a hans) device. Or is it just that it would happen as he moved up to higher level cars as he gets older?

 

[rotor_powerd]

Wish we had that here. Have my 7 year old racing quads but midgets would be awesome

 

[13COBRA]

This may be a dumb question, but why should I expect concussions? He has a 5 point harness, helmet, and a necksgen (like a hans) device. Or is it just that it would happen as he moved up to higher level cars as he gets older?

His head will still move. Typically those races turn into a race of bumper cars.

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[bssmith1220]

His head will still move. Typically those races turn into a race of bumper cars.

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Think the headrest will help? Not everyone runs one but it was suggested we do from the chassis builder.

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[13COBRA]

Think the headrest will help? Not everyone runs one but it was suggested we do from the chassis builder. View attachment 1737461


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If it's fitted properly, yes. If not, it'll make it worse with impacts.

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[blk02edge]

This may be a dumb question, but why should I expect concussions? He has a 5 point harness, helmet, and a necksgen (like a hans) device. Or is it just that it would happen as he moved up to higher level cars as he gets older?

He'll be fine now, it's when/if he moves up. This is the most violent form of racing by far...

 

[bssmith1220]

Got our engine back from the builder this weekend. It even came with a dyno chart showing the whopping 2.24 hp it makes with the red rookie restrictor plate lol

 

[CobraBob]

2.24 hp! LOL. Looking at your earlier post, it's good that they ease the kids into the faster racing in stages, as they gain experience. The racing that I saw local (various classes) didn't look dangerous at all, but it IS racing competition so accidents will happen. As they get older and move up to full size midgets, that's what the danger level moves up as well. My cousin in Hawthorne, CA used to race midgets, and my wife and I went to a few races at Ascot Park. THOSE were serious races. Not for the faint of heart.

Enjoy racing with your son. It's a great family sport/endeavor. You'll be his crew chief and pit crew.

 

[bssmith1220]

Rookie training started yesterday. The kids had a “classroom” day to teach them things like flag meanings, how to line up, and restart procedures before on track training today.


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[CobraBob]

That's awesome. Thanks for the update. You son is going to have a lot of fun, as will you. Keep us posted, and maybe take a short video showing him on the track.

 

[bssmith1220]

After several weeks of 4th place finishes we finally got 2nd in the heat and finished 3rd in our feature. He was super excited!

Here’s the last two laps of his heat race. We are the 2nd place green car.





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[CobraBob]

Congratulations to your son! He's doing well. There's a '1st. Place' trophy surely coming soon. Does he race on the same track all the time?

I love his midget's paintwork and graphics.