Midget 85

Tom, Great photos and we do appreciate all the information and references to this thread. The Tiny Mite Midget was designed to look more like the old Sprint Cars and also had a sturdy Roll Bar! This midget was very simular to the Wahlborg Midget on the nose piece and may have actually been stretched from the original body mold. The intent here was for larger kids and even grown ups to fit inside the little stormers.. Again, Thanks for your support.

Looking at the center midget above # 16, I see it is a Race Craft Midget of the late 50's. Keep the cards and letters coming!

Meyer Speedway Vintage Footage 1966 Well, I'm sure most everyone has seen this vintage clip of Meyer Speedway provided by Red Ace. At least the quality is much better than some we have seen. This is a Labor Day Race at Meyer Speedway 1966. We can tell it is 1966 due to Charlie Ray Schild driving the famous Red and White Flying 1 Modified as it was his last season. In 1967 Charlie would assisit Larry Schild who would drive the Bronco's in his entry level year and Charlie would be the chief mechanic, thus leaving the Modifieds. Enjoy the link

As always Don, We appreciate all the information and history of these little midgets. If you owned or better yet drove one in those early days, you were a little star hoping to be a big star someday. These were truly fun days indeed! How I miss the thrill..

Mike, The Orange Quarter Midget you are referring to above is a "Moss" Midget from the late 50's early 60's. Raced against many of them and drove one a time or two. There are several photos of the Moss Midget through out this thread. Thanks for the link as well as the information.

Yes Danny, By all means let's find some additional photos of Meyer Speedway and I am here to assist in getting them posted if needed. Just drop me a PM if I can help. We need the photos scanned and saved as JPEG format to get them up and running. You can email them to me if you would like or get in touch. Thanks for stopping by and for your efforts. -Randy Midget 85

Wow! No doubt this midget could be restored and the value unlimited for those seekers that appreciate this classic midget. As with most cases, I would say this midget in restored condition would be worth thousands! What a great lookin midget waiting to be brought back to dignity for the time era it stood for. Wish I had more info on this car and if it sold or possibly a contact number. We really appreciate you contributing to this forum and the photo is priceless! What a piece of racing history from the mid century. -Randy

Mike, Thanks so much for dropping by our Classic Quarter Midget Forum. There are a few midgets left out there and the one's I have are in the process of being restored. They were in sad shape as age and neglect left them for salvage. By all means keep checking back with us and stay close by for I just might need a few parts! We appreciate your offerings and input for us old timers who got our start in the beginning midgets during the 50's and early 60's. I can't wait to to complete them as time permits. We also appreciate the invite and by golly we might just be there! -Randy

Doug McBride 1960

Racers strapped in the cockpits.. Dad's pose with sons and were very much part of the sport. 1960's

More from long ago..

Pacemaker Midget Late 1950's

Changes are visable as cages are in place and body styles begin to change during the 70's

Another Shot of 1/4 Midget Action Before the caged days, this driver might have had bells ringing from the right rear wheel. Here's the actual sequence and the cage saved the inside driver from a roll over in bottom photo. The little fella below shows how it get's done and the rewards afterwards are all too sweet! The style here is no different than the BIG Guys. What a way to start the racing scene.. In those days you had Captain Kangaroo, Mickey Mouse, Elvis on the radio and a challenge to be a little star during the introduction of 1/4 Midgets!

Yeah, That's the one alright!

Does anyone remember the Blue and White 57 Pontiac that rode on top of the turn one rail ..and then rolled down the banking backwards tail first at Meyer Speedway? It was just passed the pit gate. I am sure it was an ARCA race on a Sunday afternoon and probably around 1960-61. I remember the top of the post were ripping the bottom of the stocker and caved in the lower quarter panel on the old Pontiac. Can't remember the drivers name, but he was blonde headed and wore a flat top haircut.. Can't remember the number either but it did have a Mr. Horse Power Woodpecker head on the fender. ...Boy, I must really be scratching the old brain cells now. I'm pretty sure he was an out of towner if I recall correctly.. I thought at first it might have been HB Baily but, most of his cars were red and white or maroon and white.

Jim, Probably both.. 1/2 Midgets and 3/4 Midgets came later and probably inspired by the Micro motorcycled powered midgets. In those days, any power plant and creative ideas to race was just the beginning of scale down racers. It just got more refined and you had to build your own with whatever you could. There was a race track right off Hardy Road in Houston near Sam Houston High School where I saw the first Micro Midgets race and was usually on Sunday afternoons. Most were local guys with an itch to race somethin ...or anything as it was.. The first home made 1/4 midget that I had was actually built in one of the racers garage. He had the fiberglass mold for both a 1/4 midget and a mold for a somewhat 27 Ford roadster scale down micro midget. That was 1955-56. The "NMMA" (National Micro Midget Association ) was the formation league and was carried through much of my days of racing the quarters. Yes, Quarter midgets in the beginning were sanctioned under this league until the QMA was formed later in the 50's. So, the Blue #7 car of mine was built there. I broke it in on the same track that the Micro midgets raced on but there were no other 1/4 midgets to race against then... so, we drove to Dallas every weekend to the Devils Bowl 1/4 midget track just to race. Those were some days..

Don, This would be a "Micro Midget" of the 50's that simply took motorcycle engines from Triumps, BSA's and other 50's motorcycles and turned them into roaring midgets. Many of these midgets were raced on 1/10 mile tracks and were pretty mean machines as I witnessed. This is a good example of the popularity of Mid-century midget racing sought after by the popularity of big midgets like the OFFY's. It all had to start somewhere.. Remember, these were the days way before mass production of parts and factory cars were even available. Everyone wanted to race in some form or fashion and what a cheap way to get a start. Midget racing in the 50's was very popular.. Perhaps it was the showmanship of being seated in these open cock pit racers that focused on the awesome pilots that drove them. Drivers were the stars and were visible to be seen as well as the fancy paint jobs applied to these cars. Micro midgets could seat a full grown driver and were equivalent to the 1/2 Midgets later put into production by manufacturers like Moss and Kurtis Kraft. I am estimating this midget to be built around 1954-1956 This is an awesome find and a great looking Micro Midget!

Don, It's good to see some of these old midgets. The pictures above are relating to the full size midget that stormed the ovals in the 30's. This could really be a collector piece and a great project for the serious restoration perfectionist. Finding the parts would also be a challenge for someone out there. Jim is right, it is indeed and old flat tail full size midget of long ago.. It appears this car was registered under the association at one time even in 1956, it was a classic car ! Took some real drivers with no fear to drive these beast, Nice find and great photos.

Now wait a minute fella..no free rides here!!

Fun Days As I look at these photos, I can remember the thrill of driving one of these little midgets at an early age. Although small midgets, it certainly felt as though you were one of the big boys and the challenge was just as great!

Jim, It wasn't the Hot Dogs that you remembered so well here..now was it?

Next best thing to a full blown OFFY!

Awh come on Jim, You didn't do that did ya..??

The next year in '60 Parnelli Jones Beat AJ at Meyers, in a Sprint Car owned by the late Harlan Fike. I remember that race Mark. AJ was driving the Blue #2 AJ Watson OFFY if I'm not totally mistaken. I don't think I saw AJ so mad as he was that night after Parnelli took the race.