The Metro Atlanta Quarter Midget Association (MAQMA) will host USAC racing action at the MAQMA .25 Speedway on March 17. Photo courtesy MAQMA
On Saturday March 17, the Metro Atlanta Quarter Midget Association (MAQMA) will host the third out of 15 national USAC sponsored quarter midget races at the MAQMA .25 Speedway.
Young drivers ranging from ages 5 to 16 will travel from as far as Texas, and the North East to compete. The age and weight of the driver classifies what class they can race in. Most quarter midgets are less than 10 horsepower, but can have almost 20 horsepower.
A quarter midget is much safer than go-carts, simply because there is a full roll bar along with the usage of head-and-neck restraints. There is scheduled to be close to 200 participants in the race in various classes. Track officials are expecting a great crowd, for both drivers, and fans.
USAC officials were pleased with last year’s national event, as well as events held in the past. USAC is a national organization who just recently started a national quarter midget club, but is not new to the sport of racing. The United States Auto Club sponsors full-size midget races, sprint cars, triple crown dirt cars, among other groups. They also used to have a stock car circuit that attracted the names of NASCAR legends, such as Curtis Turner and Paul Goldsmith.
What’s so unique about the sport of quarter midget racing is that the whole family can get involved with it. Both male and female drivers starting at the age of 5 can compete in the novice level, and can only go up from there. NASCAR Sprint Cup Champions Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart both got their start in racing in quarter midgets.
For more info, visit maqma.org.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.