Quarter Midget Racers from Late 50's/early 60's

[NickHolt]

Actually, a person could probably gather enough information from sites like this to fill in whatever gaps they have in their own recollections to put a decent history together.

 

I'm trying to talk Tom "The Walking, Talking Encyclopedia of Texas Stock Car Racing" Taylor into putting his vast storehouse of information in writing before he gets any older. Someone should do the same for the Texas Midgets.

 

Nick

[PAPA]

What about you Nick? You've been around this sport for a loooooong time. I know you have a bunch of stories and memories. You guys need to go to Radio Shack and buy one of those small recorders that fit in your pocket and carry it with you. When a memory pops up all you have to do is start talking into the little box. Maybe we need a "Random Story" section on here where people can just tell a story and all the stories can be put in a book and sold to help pay Nick for taking care of this site. I'd buy one or two.

[Midget 85]

Bruce,

 

I am thinking it was Chubby Chapman in the 24 Wahlborg Midget in turn 2

 

If this is the one you are talking about at the Gulfgate track.

 

Again there were sevearal flips at the track but can't say I can recall the exact one you are referring to here unless it was Chubby.

 

Was the flip at Gulfgate?

 

At the Nationals at Gulfgate track in 1959 there were two racers from Lubbuck or Tulsa that actually received upside down trophies after flipping.

 

One of the drivers went too wide on the backstretch, got into the dirt, clipped the fence and did two end over enders in a Kurtis Kraft Double AA fueler. The driver broke one arm and fractured the other as his arms were thrown out if the cockpit as the midget filpped end over end.

 

I remember the track team removing him from the cockpit and carrying him to the ambulance.

 

The roll bar was a slide in bar on the Kurtis and after the first flip actually came out of the slots and after the second flip the car landed back on his wheels against the fence.

 

Were you there that day?

 

The other driver did a barrel roll in turn 4 after climbing wheels and landed on his head after two roll overs. He was shaken but OK.

 

Both were awarded "Hard Luck" trophies from the track promoters as the cars on the trophies were mounted upside down..

 

That was a two day event for Saturday and Sunday. The one driver received his award with his arms in arm cast on Sunday and received a standing ovation from the crowd.

 

 

The little midgets were serious when you hammered down!

[BruceBoening]

I was at the 59 Nationals and do vaguely recall one of those flips where the guy went to the hospital. I think we got elimated early at that event in the qualifying heats. Again, you're very correct about the push-in roll bar on the Kurtis. We used to pull the roll bar off and load the Kurtis up in the back of our tourquoise 1955 Ford Country Squire station wagon. Fit in there just perfect.

 

Yes, the incident I'm referring to happened in the same spot that you and I got into it.... between 1 and 2 at Gulfgate.

 

Don't remember if the guy that ended on top of me actually did a flip. I'm kinda thinking he just got squirrly and bouncy in front of me after losing control and just ended upright on top of my car after possibly hitting the fence. I just don't remember.

 

Seems like little Joey Jordon got hurt one day (broken arm?) after flipping at Gulgate also. I also recall one of his early races where he sort of freaked out and was a run-away car and the parents had to chase him down to stop him.

[Midget 85]

We welcome readers all over the world to share your Quarter Midget experiences in the early days.

 

A friendly Texas welcome from Lone Star Speed Zone to a fellow Quarter Midget racer in South Carolina..

 

We welcome Doug Plank

 

Randy

 

I have enjoyed following your discussions in Lone Star Speed zone. I grew up in Ohio (now live in SC) and raced quarter midgets from 57-62. I started out in a Wahlborg 300 and finished up in a Kurtis Kraft 500. I am presently restoring a Wahlborg and looking for 58-59 Kurtis to restore.

 

 

 

This link should get you to the story of our club and has some good pics. http://www.examiner.org/index.php?option=c...s&Itemid=57

 

 

 

 

 

You mentioned Shoji in one of your discussions and the article talks of him. He came to West Liberty Ohio in 59 Labor Day races, the big event of the year. He set a new track record in his silver Kurtis at (I think) 7:32. He won the AA feature I won the B and have an identical trophy. Attached is an old photo of him on the track receiving his trophy form Scooter West, whose dad designed and built the Westcraft, a very nice car mostly a copy of the Kurtis. The Shoji visit dramatically changed racing in our area. Within less that one year later, I had the B track record at 7:20. Kurtis built 6 more cars identical to Shoji’s only the next five were fiberglass. Ron Stewart and Chris Yoder, both members of our club, had two of them. Chris held the World’s fasted time for a while.

 

Thought you might find it interesting that the things you were doing in Texas paralleled my childhood in Ohio. Best times of my life and I will again return this July for a reunion.

 

Keep up the good work and if you see a Kurtis that is available please let me know!

 

Doug Plank

 

Beaufort, SC 29907

 

 

Richard Shoji - pictured above

[jakdad]

Welcome Doug,

Pics and stories are always appreciated. I don't care if it's 1/4 midgets or Indy cars, anytime you are running wheel to wheel with the other fellow, that's racing!!!!

[Midget 85]

Jim,

 

10-4 on that statement!

 

All I can say is the experience with racing as a kid lives with you forever.

 

What a way to start your life. I still love racing although the career was somewhat brief as you have experienced in the Stock Car years.

 

Racin' is Racin!

 

Here's an add on the Westkraft Midget which was a spin off the Kurtis Kraft Midget.

 

I had forgotten about this midget and our thanks to Doug for sharing with the Texas boys!

 

[jakdad]

The Westcraft almost has a "Roadster" look to it.

[Midget 85]

Jim,

 

I guess the cars were all designed by their master designers with their own interpitation of how they wanted them to look.

 

My favorite body style was always the Wahlborg in general as they looked more closely to the midgets of the Big Brothers during that time span.

 

The Race Craft was second to the Wahlborg in my books.

 

Then, there were the midgets that handled the best which in my opinion and experience were the "Pace Makers" and "Moss" midgets.

 

I drove many different ones and can only speak for my experience as to how the cars handled on the track..

 

The better your car rode and drove the more likely you could stand on it and get the feel for the characteristics and know how it would react in any situation.

[BruceBoening]

Well, this is all I could find after Hurricane Ike.

 

Just the 16 trophies, my old helmet and the flag set from the Galveston airport track. The t-shirt was air-brushed by the painter who did the pin striping on my car. One of the first air-brushers in the country I might add as it was a new technique.

 

Hmmm... wonder what that helmet would be worth on Ebay - ha.

 

Would have had more trophies but the Evening Optimist Club for two years decided we were going to race on a point system and didn't give out trophies.... but they were generous with the airplane rides.

 

I think the late Sandra Honea mentioned helicopter rides but don't ever recall those as a prize for winning a race....just airplane rides. My dad happened to be one of the co-pilots who would take us up.

 

Just so happens that in the mid 60's we sold the 1/4 car to a helicopter pilot for PHI who flew out of Galveston to the offshore oil rigs. Got my share os copter rides in those old gasoline Bell bubble front (MASH) type helicopters and really don't want to go on another one.

 

-Bruce

 

 

[Midget 85]

Bruce,

 

I can add to your comment that the trophies on the frount row were from Gulfgate track as the others in the rear came from the Pasadena track.

 

They used different trophy companies pending on the tracks.

 

Matter of fact, I don't think the mold castings exist anymore as I have contacted several of these companies for possible purchases of parts are replacements for some that I have damaged.

 

Whatever you do, you should try and preserve the trophies or in the future donate to me as I am trying to start a museum of sorts if things pan out right.

[BruceBoening]

Well, Randy....

 

Can't wait to see your museum but I'm afraid you're going to have to pry my trophies, etc from my dead cold fingers. My wife and daughters love them and their going to stay in the family.

 

BTW.... just got back from the NASCAR races in Ft. Worth. Got to see the ARCA race on Friday and those dudes were going at it, man.

 

Saturday and Sunday got to spend lounging in one of the luxury suites on the 2nd level for 8 or 9 hours each day before they called the race.

 

Monday... watched the race about 25 rows up from the pit exit yellow line and the crash with 10 cars involved was right in front of us. Love that smell, boy.

 

-Bruce

 

ps - at least the 48 car didn't win this time... just one lap short I suspect.

[Midget 85]

More Vintage 1/4 Midgets

 

A small world out there..

 

Just found out that one of our Street Rodders attending our events has been hiding some of his collections of the Tiny Mite Midgets!

 

With his permission he has allowed us to share a few photos of his collection of Quarter Midgets.

 

Thanks to Jim Swenke for his contribution

 

The Blue and White Midget is a full size or otherwise known as a "King Size" Wahlborg he recently purchased.

 

The larger Wahlborgs came equipped for two types of racing and could be ordered and equipped for the 1/4 Midget or 1/2 Midget class!

 

The 1/2 Midgets were equipped with McCollugh 2 Cycle Chain Saw Engines

 

 

The bottom photo reflects a "Do It Yourself" kit that was obviously structured and built in the early days of midget building.

 

 

Note the Air Vent to cool the engine at the bottom of the midget

 

Also note Pre Roll Bar era..

[BruceBoening]

Very nice indeed.

 

Is the gray car another Wahlborg? Almost looks like it might be a Cherokee.

 

-Bruce

[Midget 85]

Bruce,

 

The primered 1/4 Midget in the background is a later model 1/4 that I am not familiar with.

 

It appears it is from the late 60's or possibly 70's and as we know the body styles changed considerably.

 

Maybe someone can verify it is a late model Kurtis is what I am guessing.

 

I think Wahlborg midgets were out of business by the time this era of midgets were produced.

 

I would almost bet it is a Kurtis Kraft

 

Even more..the body closely resembles the Daytona Viper in some ways..

[Alvin]

I believe the gray quarter midget might well be a Potter Kurtis, likely the FX model.

 

Potter made his version of a Kurtis quarter midget for almost 20 years, after he bought the

Kurtis quarter midget rights from Frank Kurtis.

 

(great chat room....this is my first day.)

 

Alvin

 

 

As far as the "rather large side pods" on Potter Kurtis cars, they were called "wings"

at the time.

 

Most Potter Kurtis cars had no wings, and ran normal knerf bars on the sides. The

so-called "wings" were extra cost options, and served the same purpose as knerf bars.

Potter made perhaps 6 or even 8 versions of Kurtis cars, after he bought the rights, and the Potter cars were a bit smaller and lighter than the original Kurtis built design made in the 1950's.

 

I raced a 1958 original version, and my son raced a 1975 Potter FX version when he was little.

Later still, I fielded a very early Stanley, which was a carbon copy of the last Potter kurtis, which potter called the "FEX".

 

I still have photos of all three...

Edited July 6, 2010 by Alvin

[Midget 85]

Alvin,

 

Thanks for your input on the midget and welcome to our 1/4 midget chat forum!

 

-Randy

[BruceBoening]

Welcome Alvin and thanks for the info.

 

There are pictures of several Kurtis variations on

 

http://www.vintagequartermidget.com/bodies.html

 

and I think both you and Randy are correct about it being a later model Kurtis.

 

Don't know about the Potter Kurtis FX though because they had rather large side pods.

 

Again, welcome.

 

-Bruce

Edited May 27, 2010 by BruceBoening

[jakdad]

What a great history lesson on the little cars!

Thanks.......................................

[Midget 85]

1/4 Midget Restoration progress

 

Have really been busy with life but hope to have a few photos posted before too long on the restoration of one of my 1/4 midget projects.

 

Would like to have finished it long ago but, life get's busy as we all know...

 

Keep us in mind.

 

-Randy

[Doug 500]

Randy,

 

How is the museum project turning out? If I can help in any way please let me know. I think that your efforts to preserve Texas Quarter Midget Racing history is not only beneficial to those of us that participated in the past, but to those that are doing what we really enjoyed doing today.

 

Doug McBride...

[Midget 85]

Hello Doug,

 

Thanks for staying in touch buddy!

 

Well, all we need to do is gather up a few Quarter Midgets to start with as I have two I would like to display.

 

The Wahlborg is completely down to the frame and progress on straightening out the frame that was obviously bent and out of shape from years of racing and perhaps a few wrecks and was in worse shape than I figured.

 

The signs of some butchered up work is noted and a few altercations to the original production are a far cry from original.

 

I do plan to update a few items on the car with hopefully disc brakes and wheel assemblies to give it some character since many of the original parts were missing.

 

It will however be a nice project when all is said and done and efforts to bring it back to a worthy character is the plan.

 

It will definitely be a "Show Car Midget" with a few added bells and whistles and perhaps the way I would like to have seen them in there day.

 

It's only money..right?

 

I guess the term will be classified as a "Modified Wahlborg" but yet enough character to note it's original concept.

 

Plans are to enter it in car shows and eventually it will find it's home in the game room along with the trophies I have saved over the years.

 

Museum? It would be nice but will have to see what response we get from fellow classic midget owners in Texas.

 

I would like to purchase Larry's Daytona Viper and we have spoken about it a few times.

 

 

The second midget will be a cloned version of my second midget (#76 ) that had a short life and since I found the duplicate body, all that will be needed is to duplicate the frame and suspension components and go by memory and photos in efforts to bring a piece of history back to life.

 

Have a full plate on my hands for sure.

 

None the less, I hope to have the first midget completed before the end of the year and as time permits to work on it.

 

I will post a few photos soon.

 

Please stay in touch and keep us posted with things going on in San Antonio!

 

Best Regards,

-Randy

[jakdad]

Wow, I'm envious! Sounds like too much fun! As you know, progress pics are compulsory!

Enjoy the project(s).

[Midget 85]

More Interesting History..

 

Thought we would share this site with everyone who's into the classic Lil' Midgets and their start in history of their beginnings.

 

This site will refer to some of the classic car guys who attend my events as well as others in Texas.

 

They are the Pylant Brothers and their reflection of a fun era gone by.

 

It is the story of the midget, it's concept as well as the story behind it.

 

Enjoy!

 

Click here >> http://www.racerboys.com/index.html

[jakdad]

Wow!! What a story. Thanks...........................