Racerliz25
07-29-2008, 12:30 PM
Even though this is the micro forum, I wanted to post this press release about several quarter midget drivers from Little Airport Speedway who are traveling to Illinois next week to compete in the QMA Dirt Grand Nationals. We are very proud of these kids and wish them all the best of luck and a safe trip!
Press Release
Blackbird Quarter Midget Racing Club
Little Airport Speedway, New Castle, Delaware
NASCAR has the Daytona 500. Micro-sprints have the Super 600 Showdown and the Linda’s National. Quarter Midgets have their own “big” race too… the QMA Grand Nationals. Each year, Quarter Midgets of America, the sanctioning body that many quarter midget clubs across the country belong to, chooses a track to host one of the Grand National races. There is a Grands race for the asphalt drivers and one for the dirt track drivers. In the last few years, the Dirt Grand Nationals has been hosted on the West Coast, so many drivers hailing from the East Coast were unable or not willing to make the drive. But this year, QMA chose a track a little closer to home: Christian County Speedway, located in Taylorville, IL. For many of the drivers at Blackbird Quarter Midget Racing Club in New Castle, DE, that announcement was music to their ears! Being able to travel half way across the country to race, even with gas prices as high as they are, is a sacrifice some parents are willing to make for their children.
“Having your child compete in a national event like this is awesome. It isn’t something I ever dreamed I would do, but when the announcement was made that the Dirt Grands would be in Illinois, we decided that the 14 hour drive would be doable and a lot of fun,” said Blackbird President, Ralph Parks, whose daughter, Renee, drives a quarter midget in the Jr. Honda class. “My wife has family in that area [where we are racing], so having family come out to support all of our drivers will make it that much more exciting.”
Surprising, there are many drivers from Blackbird making the trip to Illinois. Besides Renee Parks, some of the other drivers going are Alex Funari, Nina MacMillan, Kayla and Dustin Stoltzfus, Tyler Massie, Cody Bartleson, and Brandon and Matthew Traino. Brandon Traino is a previous winner at the 2006 Dirt Grand Nationals. His dad, Ken, was brave enough to travel all the way to the West Coast and it paid off. Bringing home that big trophy was a huge accomplishment, one that the other drivers hope to do, as well. “Having one of our drivers [from Blackbird] win the Grands would be amazing,” Parks said. “These kids love to race and work very hard to do their best on the track. But no matter what they do while we are out there, as long as they have fun, nothing else matters.”
The Dirt Grand National race is week long event, beginning on Saturday, August 2, 2008 going through Saturday, August 9, 2008. For more information on Blackbird Quarter Midget Racing Club, please visit their website at www.bqmrc.org.
Press Release
Blackbird Quarter Midget Racing Club
Little Airport Speedway, New Castle, Delaware
NASCAR has the Daytona 500. Micro-sprints have the Super 600 Showdown and the Linda’s National. Quarter Midgets have their own “big” race too… the QMA Grand Nationals. Each year, Quarter Midgets of America, the sanctioning body that many quarter midget clubs across the country belong to, chooses a track to host one of the Grand National races. There is a Grands race for the asphalt drivers and one for the dirt track drivers. In the last few years, the Dirt Grand Nationals has been hosted on the West Coast, so many drivers hailing from the East Coast were unable or not willing to make the drive. But this year, QMA chose a track a little closer to home: Christian County Speedway, located in Taylorville, IL. For many of the drivers at Blackbird Quarter Midget Racing Club in New Castle, DE, that announcement was music to their ears! Being able to travel half way across the country to race, even with gas prices as high as they are, is a sacrifice some parents are willing to make for their children.
“Having your child compete in a national event like this is awesome. It isn’t something I ever dreamed I would do, but when the announcement was made that the Dirt Grands would be in Illinois, we decided that the 14 hour drive would be doable and a lot of fun,” said Blackbird President, Ralph Parks, whose daughter, Renee, drives a quarter midget in the Jr. Honda class. “My wife has family in that area [where we are racing], so having family come out to support all of our drivers will make it that much more exciting.”
Surprising, there are many drivers from Blackbird making the trip to Illinois. Besides Renee Parks, some of the other drivers going are Alex Funari, Nina MacMillan, Kayla and Dustin Stoltzfus, Tyler Massie, Cody Bartleson, and Brandon and Matthew Traino. Brandon Traino is a previous winner at the 2006 Dirt Grand Nationals. His dad, Ken, was brave enough to travel all the way to the West Coast and it paid off. Bringing home that big trophy was a huge accomplishment, one that the other drivers hope to do, as well. “Having one of our drivers [from Blackbird] win the Grands would be amazing,” Parks said. “These kids love to race and work very hard to do their best on the track. But no matter what they do while we are out there, as long as they have fun, nothing else matters.”
The Dirt Grand National race is week long event, beginning on Saturday, August 2, 2008 going through Saturday, August 9, 2008. For more information on Blackbird Quarter Midget Racing Club, please visit their website at www.bqmrc.org.