Getting Started in the NASCAR Youth Series
The NASCAR Youth Series is a Quarter Midget Series that spans all across the United States. From local track racing on one of our 60 sanctioned tracks, regional races in one of our 7 regions, or national events, there is always a race going on somewhere in the country! This document will take you though how to get started with quarter midgets, show you some aspects of quarter midget racing, and give you some contacts to make your journey into quarter midget a little easier.
About the NASCAR Youth Series
The NASCAR Youth Series (previously named USAC25) has been sanctioning tracks and holding races since 2008. Since then drivers have gotten to race at famed events including in the infield of Daytona International Speedway during the Daytona 500, in the infield of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in the infield of Pikes Peak International Raceway, on the grounds of Disney World, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Talladega Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, Portland International, Circuit of the Americas, Watkins Glen International, Darlington Raceway, Kansas Motor Speedway, and many more! The NASCAR Youth Series is sanctioned by the United States Auto Club, the largest and most diverse sanctioning body in the world.
Needs and wants are very different. Lets be honest, you can go out and buy the best of the best car for thousands of dollars, but you have to access what your goals are in racing with the NASCAR Youth Series. Do you want to start out small and then grow as a team/driver over time? Do you want to find someone to work on your car full time for you and you just show up to race? These are all things to think about when getting into racing. This document will help you find everything you are looking for, and some more information that may be helpful to you when starting out. So lets get into it.
Step 1
When you start out racing, you are going to want to find your local club. A local club finder can be found HERE. Research your local club and contact the president or someone you may know from the club. See if you can attend an Arrive and Drive (an event where your child can get in a car for a set number of laps and see if they like it). If they like it thats great! And if they do not like it that is fine too. We want your child to be comfortable in the car and feel like they are having fun. Because if your child is having fun, then you will have fun racing as a family. Your local club will be your extended race family, where you will come together, hang out, make friends, and much more. They are also the ones that will help you the most. If you have any questions about setup, gearing, what kind of car to buy, advice, or just looking for a pick-me-up, your local club is the best people to turn to.
Step 2
To race, your of course going to need to have a car. The best thing to do is to follow step 1 and ask around to see what kind of cars are popular at your club. This is due to the fact that if you have the same car as others at your club, they can help you with setup advice, spare parts, etc. But maybe you are one of the rebels that like to be different. That is okay too! We have you covered! Below is a list of car builders and their contact information.
Storm Chassis - Curtis Pepe (stormchassis@yahoo.com)
Sherman Race Cars - Jeremy Sherman (jeremysherman3@gmail.com)
Tad Fiser Racing, Inc - Tad Fiser (tfracing@msn.com)
Ultimate QM - Andy Loden (ultimateqm@gmail.com)
Talon Race Cars - Paul (taloncars@gmail.com)
Bullrider Race Cars - Richard Fitz (richfitz1980@gmail.com)
Nervo Race Cars - John Nervo (jnervo@ncchassisco.com)
Ashley Race Chassis - (ashleyent@joink.com)
Bullet Chassis - Casey Watson (casey@bestbuiltpool.com)
Now we have to mention, all of the builders listed above are chassis builders for new cars, but that does not mean that you have to get a new car. The best thing to do starting out is to start out with a used car. We can be honest, you will tear up some parts when you are first starting out, and that is okay! You can always reach out to some parts suppliers, or reach out to your chassis manufacturer to ensure that you have some spares on hand. The absolute best place to find a used car is Facebook. Below are some groups that you can find a used car in:
Quarter Midget Classifieds - Southeast - https://www.facebook.com/groups/744906125644094
Quarter Midget Classifieds - Northeast - https://www.facebook.com/groups/880025158676427
Quarter Midget/Kart Racing Classifieds - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1634559720103601
You absolutely do not have to buy a car local to you. If you run across a good deal, go for a good old fashion road trip and pick up a car! Make sure when you pick up your car you ask for if they have any spares that they are willing to throw in, any spares that you can buy, any tips/tricks that they have for that certain car, any big races that the car won, and anything else that you can think of.
Step 3
Now that you have your car all picked out, with either contacting a new car manufacturer or finding one on one of the Facebook groups, you are ready to start getting your car outfitted with some essential needs. This can be a variable step, because if you buy a used car, some items may come with the car, and if you buy a new car, you may be able to get a package deal, so make sure you know what you are getting in step 2 before you complete this step. Shocks and an engine are the essentials other than a car for you to race. Like mentioned before, many cars can come with shocks and an engine, so verify before you go buying more shocks or another engine that you may not need. But, if your car does not come with shocks, here is a list of shock manufacturers that you can contact to purchase shocks for your race car:
Competition Suspension Inc - 317-858-8775
Advanced - 317-271-7100
AFCO - 855-682-4403 or ultimateqm@gmail.com
The next thing you will need is a motor. When you are first starting out, a used motor is a great option so you can get racing and get through rookie training. Lets be honest, your driver is going to need to learn, and rookie training is the best option for that. If you are wanting to start out with a new engine, or are down the line and are wanting a new engine, here is a list of engine builders that you can contact in order to get one ordered:
Flash Engines - (336) 782-5977 or Yonchuk@aol.com
Baker Racing Engines - (419) 460-1699 or Bakerracingengines21@gmail.com
Raptor Racing Engines - (336) 521-1410 or raptorracingenginesnc@gmail.com
Lederer Motors - (610) 495-1407 or lederermotorsllc@gmail.com
Step 4
Now you have your car picked out, shocks ordered, and engine ordered. You are almost all set to race! Car is all done, but we need to get your driver outfitted in some cool new swag. You will need the following safety items in order to race: Fire suit, helmet, neck restraint, arm restraints, and gloves.
First lets get you fitted with a helmet. You will need to make sure you find one that is legal with the NASCAR Youth Series rulebook (Don't worry, we make it simple here). You will need a helmet that has a SNELL2015 or newer helmet (Hint: The CMR2016 rating is NOT legal, so the ZAMP youth series helmets are not legal for competition).
The next thing you will need is a suit and gloves. Most likely these will come from the same place (heck most of the safety gear you can get from one place). Here are some good places to look for your safety gear needs:
HMS Motorsport - https://www.hmsmotorsport.com/
Radical Racegear - https://www.radicalracegear.com/
Impact Race Products - https://www.impactraceproducts.com/
When picking out things, make sure you think about your driver. They will grow! Make sure when you get a suit, you get a little extra room. You do not want it to be super baggy, but you do not want them to outgrow it immediately either.
Step 5
Now that you have your car (with shocks, engine, and everything else it will need to run), along with your safety equipment, it's time to go racing (well almost). The last thing you need is to get some paperwork filled out (I know, boring legal stuff, but after this your are ready to race!). Below are the things you will need to fill out and complete and then you are all set:
1. Club Membership: this is done directly through the club that you choose. It can be the one that is closest to you, or it can be one that you just want to travel to and race at. Either way, the club you pick is where you will do your rookie training, so make sure you communicate with them and get all of their paperwork filled out first.
2. NASCAR Youth Series Membership: The NASCAR Youth Series membership is your insurance and waivers for racing. You must complete this and put any handlers that you want to go in the hot pits as additional handlers (hint: the person you put as primary handler and spouse are considered handlers, so you do not need to list them and pay for them again down where it says "additional handlers"). You can access the membership by clicking HERE.
3. NASCAR Youth Series Speedwaiver: This speedwaiver is needed for anyone who you list on your NASCAR Youth Series membership. It is to be completed by the certain individual, and you will also need to complete it for your drivers as well. You can access the speedwaiver by clicking HERE. (Hint: It helps if you do this on a phone due to it will make you take a picture of yourself).
And thats it! Now it's time to race. If you have any questions, or just feeling overwhelmed, its okay, as we are here to help. Shoot us over an email with any questions you have anytime at 25@usacnation.com and we can pair you up with a family who has been in your shoes so you can ask any questions. We want you to feel comfortable in the NASCAR Youth Series family!
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