National champions are decided after 10 races, held from California to Florida. 25 series, which organized local clubs under one set of rules, and began hosting national events.
Then USAC, which sanctions full-size-midget and sprint-car racing, and from 1956 to 1997 sanctioned the Indianapolis 500, smelled an opportunity.
Until a couple of years ago, quarter-midget racing was loosely organized around local racing clubs, which would typically build a little track-dirt or asphalt, they run on both.
Old stock car driver#
And there are definitely a lot of parents single-mindedly steering their kids toward stardom here, especially judging from the 40-foot trailers towed by diesel trucks, evidently required to haul a couple of quarter-midget cars that weigh from 160 to 320 pounds, driver included. 25 Nationals who hope to follow in those footsteps? Yes.
Old stock car drivers#
Jeff Gordon was five, and had won a championship by age eight.Īre there young drivers at the Mopar. Joey Logano started racing quarter-midgets at age six. And so did Johnny Rutherford, Swede Savage, Bobby Labonte, Terry Labonte, Jimmy Vasser, Sarah Fisher, and Ryan Newman. Mickey Mouse must have drawn the short straw, because he is the only one who showed up.Ī.J. Since the racing was held at Walt Disney World-or, more accurately, on a vacant parking lot at Walt Disney World Resort-it was assumed that the Disney cast of characters would present trophies. 25 Nationals, a genuine big-deal motorsports event for quarter-midget-racing kids, many of whom are still young enough to put out milk and cookies for Santa. This is, after all, the first-ever Mopar. It has happened before.īy now, everyone is ready to go home, but the trophy presentation is an integral part of any United States Auto Club (USAC) national event. An assistant leads His Mickeyness to a nearby but concealed location because, at Walt Disney World in Orlando, it is assumed that actually seeing the mouse head pop off and some dripping-wet cast member inside the costume guzzling Gatorade could be so traumatic for children that lawsuits may result. It's so hot inside the tent that Mickey Mouse must take a break every 15 minutes to properly hydrate.