Quarter midget racing excites family

NORTH TOPEKA --- Racing quarter midget cars is a family sport.

For the Degand and Tefft families, that means three generations of extended family. The hobby of racing the little cars has gripped first grandpa Bert Degand, then other members of his family.

It has caught on with his children's in-laws, and also with his grandchildren.

That also includes the children's other grandparents, Alvin and Dorothy Tefft.

They now live in Moberly, Mo., but attend the races when they can and plan at retirement to move back to the North Topeka area with the rest of the racing family.

"No one is left out," said the senior Degand.

The family's current focus is on the grandchildren, Brian Tefft Jr., 12, and Brittany Tefft, 8, who both are veteran drivers.

While quarter midget racing is a whole family sport, the actual driving is for kids, from age 5 to 16.

Brian started at age 6 in 1997, when the Topeka quarter midget racing was done at the old Boyles Joyland facility, which then was on the east side of town.

Brittany started practicing at age 4 1/2 and began racing when she reached the age of 5 in the year 2000.

That was the year the Topeka quarter midget club opened its track south of Topeka at 1121 S.W. University Blvd., near Montara.

The Topeka track is a semi-banked oval, 1/20th mile in length, with a concrete surface. The Topeka racing club did much of the work on a facility that Bert Degand estimates is worth $150,000.

It sits on land leased from the city.

Brittany has won 10 Region 6 races in Topeka, Tulsa, Okla., and Austin and San Antonio, Texas. When "Race Chic," as Brittany is called at the track, reaches age 9 on Aug. 13, she will move up to driving a more powerful and faster senior Honda car.

Brian, who has adopted the title of "Racer Dude II" (his uncle Bret Degand was "Racer Dude"), has competed in over 100 races. This year, his total of accumulated points puts him in first place in all three of his racing classes.

The placings at each driver's finishes add points to his or her season's total as the season progresses.

At the year-end banquet, which closes its quarter midget season, the Topeka club awards trophies to winning drivers. No prize money is given.

Young Brian won both the heat and the feature race on Sunday, July 11, at the Topeka track, before the team headed for northern California and a grand national race this month. Both Brian and Brittany have competed in national championship races that are held in late June, mid-July and early August. When the Degand-Tefft team is out of town, it uses the name "Team Kansas GT American Racing."

Now, half-way through this season, they will attend five more races, including Austin on Labor Day weekend in September, and Tulsa on Columbus Day weekend in October. The six-month season for Region 6 opens in April and closes in early October.

Actively involved in the Degand-Tefft racing team are Bert Degand, the grandfather, and his wife, Viola; Bert Degand Jr., Bret Degand and his wife, Rachel; Brian Tefft Sr. and his wife, Tammy Tefft, the children's parents. They provide support in the form of preparing, repairing and servicing the cars, and helping to get them started in the races.

Bert Degand Jr. himself drove from 1980 to 1985 and Bret ran 1989 to 1992. Bert drove in Topeka on Thursday nights and in Lawrence on Sundays. Tammy watched the quarter midget races for a couple of years, then decided to follow her brother's example. She drove for one year.

Each member of the team offers specialized services at the track, and all club members are expected to help out with operating the track.

It took Alvin and Dorothy Tefft some time to get adjusted to the idea of kids racing "roundy-round" an oval track, as Bert Sr. differentiates from racing on a straight drag strip.

For some time, the elder Teffts couldn't watch their grandchildren race, fearing they might get hurt in a collision. When they discovered that "quarter midget racing is safer for the kids than football or soccer," as Dorothy put it, they relented and now join in preparations for the races whenever they can attend.

Novice training is required of all new drivers. Drivers are trained first in the basic operation of the cars and safety equipment. Then they are taught actual racing skills. After completing that training, the novice driver is eligible for a full race program for beginning drivers.

After they demonstrate total competence, they move on to stock or Honda classes and can continue to perfect their skills. They are permitted then to compete for a national championship title, the QMA says on its Web site.

Safety regulations not only require thorough driver training, but also require proper car and driver equipment. Minimum and maximum car dimensions are set, and roll cages are required. Drivers must wear a full face helmet and neck brace. They also have on a fire resistant, two layer racing jacket or suit, and the same type of gloves. A four- point Simpson belt holds them firmly in the seat, like in the big race cars, and an arm restraint prevents a driver's arms from extending from the car's cabin in case of an accident.

"Have no fear, our sport is very safe ... Our safety record is squeaky clean," the QMA says.

The tracks pay an average of just $5 a driver a year for medical coverage for all drivers, pit crew personnel and race officials.

Quarter Midgets of America is the primary sanctioning body for quarter midget racing. It sets and enforces the standards for equipment safety and driver training. It was started in the 1930s in Los Angeles. Volunteers operate the organization, which involves more than 2,300 families with more than 3,000 drivers throughout the continental U.S. and Canada.

Quarter midget racers compete on a 20th of a mile oval track. Races for the various classes vary in length from 15 to 40 laps. Speeds range up to 40-45 miles an hour for the most powerful classes. The cars are powered by Continental, Deco, Briggs and Stratton or Honda engines. All engines compete together in the novice class.

There also is a separate class also for Hondas, a super stock class for the Deco, Continental and Briggs and Stratton engines. Mod, "B" and "AA" classes use the Deco engine and components, according to the QMA web site.

Brian is hoping next season to drive a Light AA car, which burns alcohol for more power and can achieve those higher speeds.

Some classes are divided into junior and senior divisions (by age), and modified classes are divided by driver weight categories. All classes have a minimum car weight and all heavy classes have a minimum combination weight for car, driver and safety equipment.

The elder Bert Degand is the Midwest representative for GT American Race Cars, a California car builder, which makes quarter midgets and 600 micro midgets. His territory covers six states. Professionally, he has worked for DEL Monte Pet Products for 34 years, ever since the plant opened in Topeka. He now works the day shift, so he is able to go with the youngsters to the races.

Bert drives an F250 diesel pickup as the tow vehicle for the air conditioned, 24-foot trailer, which carries cars, replacement parts and tools to the various tracks the family visits. He installed a 50- gallon metal fuel tank in the bed of the truck to extend its range for the trip to the California grand national competition two weekends ago.

The QMA says the average cost of a car is $2,500, but a top of the line new car can cost $5,000. Used cars start under $1,000. Bert Degand's first car with a Clinton motor cost $375 in the 1980s. Bert Jr. drove that car at Boyles Joyland on Thursday nights and in Lawrence on Sundays.

The Degand-Tefft team has five cars: Bert Degand owns three cars, and the Teffts own two.

A new Honda engine can be bought and prepared for racing for around $550. A Deco engine is more expensive and is technically more demanding.

Bert was prompted to shift his attention from driving stock cars to owning quarter midgets when his job didn't permit him to race any more on Saturday nights. The quarter midgets fit into his work schedule.

But nowadays, don't look for a $375 car. Bert will tell you a new car will cost you $4,500 to $5,000, and an engine alone may cost more than that first car. Sponsors help to defray the costs --- if a car owner is a good enough salesman to persuade several "angels" to advertise on his or her car. In return for their help, sponsors get their names painted on the cars.

"Without them (sponsors), we probably wouldn't be in the shape we are in," Bert Degand said.

Both Brian and Brittany expressed thanks for the help of their sponsors.

Most sponsors are local businesses, although some motor builders and oil companies also sponsor cars. The Degand-Tefft team has had 12 to 14 sponsors during the years, with three or four top sponsors.

Likewise, sponsors help with the cost of maintaining the facilities at the track, and in return get their names highlighted on signs around the track.

The Degand-Tefft team has its regular painters. Tim Hicks, of Tim's Paint Works, dresses up the cars with the driver's favorite colors. Jeff Hisey, of Air Attitude, does the air brushing for the sponsor's signs and the custom designs on the cars.

For more information about Brian and Brittany Tefft profiles, visit www.tkqma.com.

Although Quarter midget racing is particularly known for its family participation, it also is a colorful spectator sport, just like the races in the big cars. Admission is free at all quarter midget events, and there is bleacher seating for spectators at the Topeka track.

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