Quarter Midget Racing

Brantlee Abercrombie, 7, of Groveport gets push started onto the track by his Dad Gage. Abercrombie raced in the Red Rookie class in the Sept. 21  Buckeye Quarter Midget Racing Association event at the Fortress Obetz track.
All of the races start close in Buckeye Quarter Midget Racing Association. These 5 racers in the Jr. Honda class are rolling up to the flag to see who can grab an advantage. Shown here are L to R Carson McConahay of Lockbourne (white), Blaire McFarland of West Jefferson, Easton Leyda of Mansfield starting in the back, Kinsley McFarland, and with a slight lead on the inside is J.J. Hansel and goes to Parsons Elementary.
Photo by Pat Donahue
JJ. Hansel 8 years old, of South Columbus waves a checkered flag during his victory lap after taking the win in the Jr. Honda class, during a Sept 21st Fortress Obetz BQMRA local club race. The win came right on the heels of claiming Regional Championships in the Midwest Thunder .25 Midget Racing Series. Jr. Honda and Jr. 160 classes, getting the best of over 30 racers from Ohio, Michigan and Indiana. J.J. has raced in over 30 events this year with upcoming races in Alabama and Florida as well as the Indoor season at Ohio State Fairgrounds.
Photo by Pat Donahue

Photos and story by Pat Donahue

The racing tradition is well intact at the at the Fortress Obetz Buckeye Quarter Midget Racing Association (BQMRA) outdoor track.

The track is tucked back out of the way behind the stadium of the Fortress Obetz Sports Complex.

The Sept. 20 weekend event was a local club race for those racing in the BQMRA. The club season has 12 races on the schedule (weather permitting) and this weekend event marked stops 9 & 10 of the season.

Competitors range in age from five to 16, and they race in five different classes. The cars can reach speeds from 30-40 m.p.h.

The series and Quarter Midget Association are run by Bryan and Karah Nuckles of Grove City. The Nuckles name is well known around the South end of Central Ohio and among the racing community for being synonymous with Columbus Motor Speedway. Bryan Nuckles’ great grandfather was a founder of the speedway in 1946 and the Quarter Midget track was added in the mid 1960s.

The Nuckles Family owned and operated the facility until they decided to sell the property to Obetz in 2016, for the creation of the current sports facility. The Quarter Midget track remains as it was. The track has hosted local racers, as well as regional and national events for over 60 years.

Bryan and Karah have 2 children, Rylan (13) and Emme (10) that race at the track, and are the 3rd generation of the Nuckles Family to do so. The kids have won numerous events throughout the race season including Emme’s Mid-Ohio Sr. Honda Championship. They have been racing since they were 4.5 years old.

The Mid-Ohio series involves racing at all four middle Ohio tracks. Buckeye in Obetz, Central Ohio in London, Mac-O-Chee in West Liberty and Miami Valley in Xenia.

Dad, Bryan, races winged sprint cars full time. Which makes it a delicate balance to fit his race schedule with his kids.

“Racing is all his family has ever known. If we’re not at a race track, we are prepping for the next events,” Nuckles said.

There will be one more BQMRA event at the track this year on Oct. 18 and it will be a double-header so the season will finish under the night lights.

You can follow racing series on their Buckeye Quarter Midget Racing Facebook page or contact them at buckeyeqm@gmail.com

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