Mini Kart Racing - Five-Year-Old Follows In Sister's Footsteps

Five-Year-Old Follows In Sister's Footsteps

Story and Photographs by Bob Savage

Publication Date: August 1997

In the December edition of Extremz, we did an article on six-year-old Jacguelynn Long of Souderton, PA, and her love for racing 1/4 midget race cars. For those that don't remember the article or have never heard of 1/4 midgets, let me give you a little background information. Quarter midget race cars are exactly like the full size midgets, only scaled down to fit drivers from the age of five to fifteen. Powered by several types of engines, these cars are capable of reaching speeds of 35 MPH, which on a 1/20 of a mile track is very fast. Because of the size of the track, cars come out of one turn and are right into the next, causing the driver to steer constantly to the left.

Since starting with 1/4 midgets, Jacquelynn has won four feature races, along with 10 second places and 10 third places. She has done so well at racing that her five-year-old sister, Jessica, has decided to follow after her and is starting to do very well.

Taking over the #86 car her sister had driven for the past two years, Jessica is racing in the Junior Novice Class, where the cars have restrictor plates in the carburetors limiting fuel intake. Jessica races at both the Little Airport track in New Castle, Delaware and the Phoenixville Speedway in Pennsylvania, while big sister Jacquelynn drives a new Bull Rider car in the Junior Stock Class.

In just a couple of months, Jessica has already started accumulating an impressive track record, as well as, list of sponsors for her car. By mid-July she had already taken one first, one second, a fourth, and two fifth place finishes at the Phoenixville track, as well as, one second and two third place finishes at Little Airport.

When asked what she likes best about racing, Jessica replied that she likes "winning trophies." She also indicated that she likes racing at the Blackbird track in New Castle, DE, because she "wins more." Jessica's parents, Mike and Monica Long, fully support her in racing. Her father Mike is never too far from the edge of the track providing moral support, as well as, a push to get her car started. Mike stated that Jessica has "come along way since the beginning of the year." Those attending races at Little Airport have been able to see the improvement that she and the other five-year-olds have made.

Along with her parents is her grandmother "Gigi," who also attends each race, making this a family affair. This goes to show that 1/4 midget racing is probably the most family-oriented racing in the United States.