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Topic: "Kids in Racing"
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Page 1 of 1 of 7 replies
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July 22, 2008 at
05:24:00 PM
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Other threads have discussed the topics of kids in racing and I thought another thread might be in order. It's only been the past few years in OK. a person under 16 could actually drive a Dirt Track car in the OKC area and maybe throughout the state. Most tracks didnt even allow anyone under 16 into the pits. I remember that Gary Flat came up through the go cart track on S. MacArthur and that is where I believe he got his experience as probably a few other "Middle Aged Drivers" of today. But what went on in OK. is not the norm throughout the country, other states have accomedated the younger Drivers for alot longer than OK. has and have had more Professional Drivers from their area to show for it. I'm just curious what some of the other promoters policies are on letting a Driver under the age of 16 might be? {Ardmore, Elk City, West Siloam, Meeker, Creek etc.}. It seems like the influx of the Mini Sprint has produced a younger OK. Driver which I'm all for but most of Oklahomans are not use to it. Good, Bad or Ugly what are your thoughts? What accomplishments or criteria should a under 16 year old Driver have to have in order to go race an injected car or any other V8 Race Car or can anybody do it???????????? Just a thought!
"Racing is an Addiction cured by Poverty"
BOBCAT
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July 22, 2008 at
05:47:00 PM
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First thing that comes to my mind is, if your a parent of that kid/child your ultimately responsible for him/her. As far as racing goes. Hell man, if they can handle themselves in any type of car, let em go for it. If it's more than they seem to be mature for then give em time to grow. They are, after all, just kids. The most important thing is being with them. Spending time with them and showing them how to take responsibility in they're own hands and run with it. Don't hold em back but show em the reins every now and then to. We got alot of good young drivers in this area already. Mainly because of those afformentioned smaller tracks running those micros and go karts. These are my thoughts. Seat time, seat time,seat time!!!
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July 22, 2008 at
06:08:46 PM
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Any age should be allowed as long as the young driver or old like Galen can prove their ability to drive.With all of the up and coming drivers many at i-44,they should not have to cope with the legal hassel that Robb's went through.It is though a good idea for them to get the mini-sprint experience and seat time before moving ahead.Morgan is a good example,she races i-44 now.will one day be racing SFS and elsewhere.Why should they have to go to court to be allowed to race anywhere?Everyone knows of the dangers they face when they drive through the gate,they accept that.
Steve Moyer CKS Fabrication & Welding
CKS Chassis
I want my last words to be "damn this is fun"
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July 22, 2008 at
07:45:55 PM
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This message was edited on
July 22, 2008 at
10:52:54 PM by AMP
Some sanctions and racing organizations require classroom instruction, track instruction and schools and testing prior to issuing a competition license to participants. Many require new participants to compete in and place in a specific number of races prior to moving up from Provisional Novice to the next level. With some organizations there are engine size restrictions and separate levels or Formulas that make up the class structure, which affords a stair-step progression for participants.
I read in Sprint Car & Midget Magazine that NASCAR now owns one of the major Quarter Midget Sanctions in the U.S.
Actually at some ¼-mile tracks the Micro-Sprint Outlaw division cars turn quicker lap times than the heavier less efficient V8 Sprint cars. Up to ½-second quicker lap times than the injected 360s were recorded for the Outlaw Micro-Sprints during the ASCS Nationals held July 14th at Creek County Speedway.
As I recall Brady Bacon was allowed by USAC to race, at select smaller tracks 1/4 miles, in the larger cars when he first started competing in those sanctioned events. All the drivers not yet of the age of majority, racing the USAC Ford Focus cars then were required to be emancipated by a district judge to enter into a legal contract to race with USAC.
In Oklahoma participants in Micro-Sprints in the Junior division at area tracks are as young as 6 yrs-old and race for a cash purse. The Restrictor division age requirement is 9-16 yr olds, Sportsman class is 9 yrs and older, A Class and Non Wing is 13 and up, Outlaw is 14 and up.
Karts and motorcycles, with youth participants, are raced on larger asphalt tracks in Oklahoma up to 1.8 miles in distance and on 3.4-Mile courses in distance in neighboring Texas. Speeds on those tracks exceed 160mph in many of the classes.
AMA allows amateur racers to participate on any size up to and including the twins class. In AMA Pro racing participants must have reached the age of 16 to be eligible to participate in the Pro Sport class, once they attain enough transfer points they can move to basic Expert and compete in the twins class. By earning a starting position in a Grand National event, they earn a straight up National Number and become a National Expert.
One may agree with the earlier statement that a progressive increment of a participant moving up through the class Formulas seems to be the most logical format. However, with that said it is difficult for many seasoned veteran racers to compete against minors for larger purses when many of the participants do not know the age of the participant operating the vehicle next to theirs. In the heat of the battle competition and adrenaline take over.
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July 22, 2008 at
11:35:45 PM
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Allot of good information there AMP.
We've got to have some requirments for these younger people. A month or so ago I had my car destroyed on a caution while I was stop on the track on the front straight and it was long (as in a few minutes) after the caution droped. I'll be the first to say that its a slap in the face getting your rearend handed to you by a grade school driver, but some of them are juming in higher classes with no expirence at all.
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July 23, 2008 at
08:37:42 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: JJR_84 on July 22 2008 at 11:35:45 PM
Allot of good information there AMP.
We've got to have some requirments for these younger people. A month or so ago I had my car destroyed on a caution while I was stop on the track on the front straight and it was long (as in a few minutes) after the caution droped. I'll be the first to say that its a slap in the face getting your rearend handed to you by a grade school driver, but some of them are juming in higher classes with no expirence at all.
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In Wichita they have a mini stock(hornet) class specifically for kids.youth hornets are 12,13 and 14 yr. olds and jr. hornets are 15 and 16 yr. olds.Jrp speedway in tulsa has some young kids running in all classes.USMTS modifieds has had some 14 yr. olds.my 13 year old daughter has ran champ karts for 4-5 years and got bored with them and is now going to race a mini stock.my 8 year old son has moved from karts to mini sprints.kids now days have 5-6 years of competitive driving experience by the time they reach 10 years old.it's not like the days when we started and some of us never did get any good.i'm all for it as long as they prove there ability to control the vehicle there racing.
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July 23, 2008 at
09:35:42 PM
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A thought to ponder:
The adult take on this thread. Do they race the under age kids the same as they do an adult?
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July 23, 2008 at
11:24:28 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: Sheila on July 23 2008 at 09:35:42 PM
A thought to ponder:
The adult take on this thread. Do they race the under age kids the same as they do an adult?
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From a racer from Fairgrounds Speedway,hopefully Larry,Danny,Lee or the man himself Earnest could say if they race Trey the same.From a racer @ i-44 I took it easy around them,until Cody wouldnt take it easy around me.That boy would scare me stupid sometimes with his unorthodox lines he would pick then.Whitworth turned out to be a good driver as did Trey,with many more to follow.
Steve Moyer CKS Fabrication & Welding
CKS Chassis
I want my last words to be "damn this is fun"
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