about qm

Quarter Midgets of America is a non-profit organization with over 2,500 family memberships and approximately 4,000 drivers. There are 13 Regions in our organization and 50 Quarter Midget Clubs Nationwide. This sport is definitely the ‘best kept secret’ you'll ever come across. QMA is a family oriented sport that involves racing in special prepared cars. The cars, rules and safety procedures are designed specifically for kids. They race on oval tracks approximately 1/20 of a mile. A child who is 5 to 16 years of age can race. Safety features include full roll cages, multi-point seat harnesses, full face helmets, and other gear. This sport has fewer injuries than little-league football. The Quarter Midget Association is constantly reviewing and evaluating safety rules to ensure that quarter midget racing remains a safe competitive sport. The racing environment is about children and family. Not only do kids learn valuable skills and sportsmanship, but they also make new friends. Mom and Dad will make new friends too.

A Quarter Midget car is a scaled-down version of an actual midget racer, approximately 1/4 scale. The cars are built around a tubular frame and are fully suspended with springs or torsion bars and shocks. The bodies are fiberglass, usually painted to the drivers preference. Surrounding the driver is a chrome-moly roll cage and nerf bars. The engines are single cylinder and are manufactured by Honda, Continental, Briggs & Stratton, and Deco. In the motors stock configuration they produce between 2.5 & 4 horse power. Modifications in the upper classes allow these engines to reach several times the stock horse power. These air-cooled 4-cycle engines are reliable and can produce as much as 10,000 rpm's in their more highly modified forms.

Types of Racing...
Quarter Midget Racing is divided into 14 classes and divisions with ages ranging from 5-16: Junior Novice, Senior Novice, Junior Honda, Senior Honda, Heavy Honda, Junior Super-stock, Senior Super-stock, Light Mod, Heavy Mod, Light B, Heavy B, Light A, Heavy A and World Formula. Additionally 1/4 Midget drivers may graduate to Junior 1/2 Midgets. Junior 1/2 midget drivers may be ages 12-17. Quarter Midget Racing not only hosts many weekly races, but also local Regional races, one State Championship race per region, and for the more serious competitor, three Grand National Events (two asphalt tracks and one dirt track race).

Benefits Of QMA...
Quarter Midget Racing was started to develop sportsmanship in the children while also providing a family oriented racing activity. In recognition of the drivers, trophies are awarded at Regional, State, and National events. No cash prizes are awarded.

Quarter Midget racing is not a "drop off your kid" kind of sport, but an involved family sport. Few other sports permit all members of the family to participate. The kids do the driving while other family members serve as pit crews, chief mechanics, scorers, timekeepers, and operators of concession stand or novelty booths.

It teaches the meaning of sportsmanship, fair play by following rules, how to be a good winner or a gracious loser.
It develops coordination, and a sense of timing and independent thinking.
It teaches self-reliance. Once a green flag has dropped, they are on their own.
The spirit of competition also comes along here. They learn to drive hard, but that rules must be observed. Rule infractions may result in disqualification.
Development of knowledge and an appreciation for mechanical devices.
It teaches safe driving skills that are carried on in their teen years on the road. Very few people develop the skill that these children acquire. We believe this level of skill is valuable when they become adult drivers. They learn that there is a place to race an automobile— which is NOT on the public highway systems where so many young adult drivers lose their lives.
It develops a sense of responsibility. Alertness and concern for the safety of others is acquired.

It gives drivers a well-earned right and a sense of pride and accomplishment. They stand taller and are more confident after becoming a proficient Quarter Midget Driver. This confidence and sense of "belonging to a group", along with our Race for Drugs Program, could someday be a factor in helping these kids "Say No To Drugs".