Born to race Born to race (June 24, 2005)

Young kids get behind the wheel in unique car racing club

By Patricia Bass

High in the dusty hills of south-east Santa Clara valley, a group of racing enthusiasts are cheering on Tristan "Homey G" Gaurdino and "Wild Wild Wes" Guiterrez as they race around a track in sprint cars reaching speeds of up to 50 mph.

The cars are ridiculously small, from 74 to 82 inches long, and light enough to lift -- but the roar of their engines is deafening, rendering conversation between the spectators almost impossible.

Suddenly, one of the cars attempting to pass another is bumped -- sending it spinning out of control until it flips on its side in the center of the racetrack. Handlers from the sidelines race wheel the car and driver off to safety. The driver unfolds his body from the tiny vehicle and promptly throws his helmet to the ground, stamps his feet and begins to cry.

No, this is not a dramatic NASCAR moment, but a typical day at the racetrack for families involved in the Baylands Quarter Midget Association, a professional-grade racing club for kids between the ages of 5 and 16. The association, which has been active since the early '60s, is devoted to providing a space for young people to race Quarter Midgets -- small racing cars one-fourth the size of professional Midget race cars.

Despite declining membership in recent years, a group of enthusiastic families has stood by this unusual past-time.

"Our kids learn sportsmanship, coordination, a self-reliance, responsibility and sometimes how to handle disappointment," Lynne Romano, an active Quarter Midget parent from Atherton, said. "In a world where families seem to be pulling apart and doing things individually, this is the perfect sport to bring families back together."

The cars, which sell from $1,000 to $4,000 and are built according to national safety regulations: small and open-air, with metal sides, bottoms, and tops, but only a few metal bars where a windshield would be on a normal car. Many families pay exorbitant prices to get designs and logos painted on their cars, such as M&Ms or cartoon characters.

One car that stands out is a custom-painted Pokemon car with a brightly colored Pikachu emblazoned on the side, which is proudly owned by the Modderman's of Mountain View. Quarter Midget father David Modderman used to professionally race Porsches and now his sons, Race and Win, follow in his footsteps in the Baylands Quarter Midget events.

When the children begin their drivers training, flag signals and vehicle etiquette, often at ages as young as 4 1/2 years old, they use cars and safety equipment provided by the Baylands racetrack. However, if they continue to join the association, attend the races that occur a few times a month around the area, and practice on their own, they usually buy their own cars and gear. Training simply consists of between three and six (depending on the child's readiness) two-hour sessions with two trainers.

Being a part of the Baylands Quarter Midget Association means many things, but mainly it signifies a devotion to the sport. Not only is the purchase of a car and equipment a financial investment, especially since many families purchase trailers for transporting the cars to races, but there is also a considerable time commitment.

"If you wanted to, you could race every weekend, and some families do," Romano said.

There are several races a month -- always on weekends -- that are open for racers to attend, and many other races occur on racetracks in Madera, Livermore, Pomona and Sacramento. Some races are day races, but others last entire weekends.

Despite the open-air cars and the high speeds, the competitors and their families swear by the sport's safety. According to the Baylands Quarter Midget Association's online site, injuries are largely avoided due to "thorough training programs, stringent car safety inspections, and a mandated set of minimal safety clothing and equipment that must be met before the driver or car is allowed on the track."

Certainly for the times that cars do flip over mid-race, the children seem more frustrated with the failings of their car than upset over the minor scratches they receive.

"When my son first flipped, he ran up to me and said, 'That was cool!'" Romano said. "Once you flip, you get right back out there."

Most of the racers are boys between 11 and 13. Ashley "Pink" Haleigh, a 14-year-old high school freshman, is one of the few girls racing.

"I have a lot of fun, especially when I beat the boys," Haleigh said. "One kid got seventh when I got sixth, and he got really mad and said, 'Girls shouldn't drive in this class!' and then his dad had to make him calm down."

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