Abe Lincoln Quarter Midget racers head to nationals

[July 29, 2013]  BROADWELL -- Racers from the Abe Lincoln Quarter Midget Association at Broadwell head to Terre Haute, Ind., for a week of racing to determine who is the best of the best. Racers from all over the U.S. will compete for a huge trophy and bragging rights of being the champion in their class in the 2013 Dirt Grands. Kids ages 5-18 compete in classes divided by age for the younger ones and by engines for the older racers.

"These kids work hard all year long to get to this point," said an email to Lincoln Daily News. "This is the Daytona 500 to the racers, and they all love what they do. They meet and make friends from all over the country, and some will remain friends for years to come.

"We want to wish every driver good luck, and in our book these amazing kids who do amazing things are all champions," the email said.

Besides this event, there are the Western and Eastern Grands. Some drivers travel to all the grands across the country. Also, some races are on pavement, which is a completely different experience.

Quarter Midget racing is a family sport where kids ages 5-18 race and the whole family is involved one way or another. There are tracks all over the United States, and it is a not-for-profit organization.

The Abe Lincoln Quarter Midget Association doesn't charge to watch their races, but each car is charged to race, and there is a concession stand including sandwiches and drinks. The food sales, fundraisers and sponsorships support the track.

To find out more about the club and the schedule, go to http://alqma.com/.

[Text from file received]