KEEPING WHEELS OPEN IN THE NORTHEAST

New England Antique Racers (NEAR) Hall of Fame in its ranks.

Skip Matczak has been involved in racing since the late 1950s. Towing supermodifieds all over the northeast for decades, his car won three straight track championships and an Oswego Classic with Doug Didero at Oswego Speedway. After viewing a midget race at Whip City, Matczak got the itch to go racing again and is one of the driving forces of the DMA. His Seals-It Racing Team have won the past three championships in the series with Will Hull in 2019 and Seth Carlson in 2020 and 2021. Hull is a Vermont native who excels on a fast, heavy track. Carlson is an alumnus of Whip City Speedway, winning the 270cc mini-sprint championship there in 2010 before turning his attention to pavement midgets with NEMA. Winning in both NEMA Lites and NEMA, Carlson made the switch to dirt racing with Matczak in 2017.

Ray Miller made his name racing asphalt modifieds at Stafford Springs and Thompson Speedways against the likes of Richie Evans and Geoff Bodine but when Miller was a child, his father co-owned the Lataille/Miller midget in the post World War II midget boom. Like Matczak, Miller also got the itch to get into racing again after attending a race at Whip City Speedway. Miller came out of retirement and raced several years with the DMA and said “it was a lot of fun racing on the dirt”. Now he and his friend Zettie Shookus own several midgets that race with the DMA. The group operate as one big family. Justin Sheridan elaborated. “I’m very fortunate to be able to race for Ray Miller and Zettie Shookus. They treat our whole team like family and it’s just a great group of people to be around.” Two-time series champion Joe Krawiec also mentioned the team concept after an early season victory. “I have some amazing teammates and we bounced some ideas off each other, made a few adjustments to the car and it all came together in the end.”

Another NEAR Hall of Fame member is 2021 inductee Jeff Horn, 76 years young, still fast and a series regular in 2021. 1971 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year Denny Zimmerman even wheeled a midget for Matczak in 2011 and 2012 at Bear Ridge.

While the Hall of Famers get the most attention, the club has dedicated members from throughout New England. Among them are Wayne Koehler who tows 440 miles round trip with his wife Patricia from Jewett, New York to Bear Ridge Speedway. Manny Dias is also a “long hauler” with a round trip of over 400 miles.

With eleven or twelve races a year at

Miller Racing teammates Justin Phillips (left) and Joe Krawiec discuss the set up

Josh Sunn (76), Joe Krawiec (1b) and Jeff Horn (A1) in a tight race.

Bear Ridge Speedway, it’s hard to classify the DMA as a touring group but with many of the racers traveling from CT, MA and NY states the miles add up and wear people down. One of the major obstacles going forward for the DMA is keeping enough cars on the track, especially in an area where midget racing on dirt is a relative new comer. Prior to the DMA appearing at Bear Ridge, the last midget race on dirt in Vermont was a USAC/ ARDC/NEMA tri-sanctioned race at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in 1984.

Like a lot of series, COVID-19 took its toll on the DMA. In 2019, the DMA raced at a new dirt track, constructed on the grounds of New Hampshire Motor Speedway and held on a Friday night before the tracks big NASCAR Cup weekend. Several thousand spectators were treated to a great race as Carlson and Hull came from tenth row starting spots to finish first and second. The club had two races scheduled for 2020 at New Hampshire but both were unfortunately canceled due to the pandemic. Unable to secure new clay for the track in 2021, the speedway and the DMA are optimistic about a return in 2022.

But the club is optimistic going forward. Making a point to emphasize the low cost and family like atmosphere of the group, they are hopeful of attracting a diverse and competitive field to solidify dirt track midget racing in the Northeast for years to come. THE USAC DIRT MIDGET ASSOCIATION (DMA) midgets are similar to USAC National Midgets in appearance but the rules are designed to keep both entry into the division and costs at a minimum. Chassis rules are based on the USAC National Midget rule book with some exceptions. The DMA has a minimum weight of 1175 pounds with the driver and fuel, oil and water. Neither titanium or carbon fiber are permitted. Only non-adjustable shock absorbers with a maximum MSR of $225 are allowed with exception of the left rear shock which may be a single adjustable shock with a maximum MSR of $350.

Only standard type midget car bodies, tail tanks and hoods are permitted. Spike and Stealth are the most prevalent chassis in the series but both Triple X and Beast are also found.

As for the powerplants, GM Ecotec, Quad Four and Ford Focus engines are the approved engines. Engines must be a production vehicle engine and must not make more than 180 horsepower in stock form. No more than 2.4 liters. A competitive engine can be purchased for as little as $1,500.

Tire costs are also kept down. A spec Hoosier right rear can be used for 6-8 races.

SO, JUST WHAT EXACTLY IS A DMA MIDGET?

Will Hull (3) outside of Seth Carlson (4). The Seals-It Racing teammates have been champions the past three years. Hull in 2019, Carlson in 2020-2021.

1971 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year Denny Zimmerman gets set to go racing with the DMA. Josh Sunn (76) gets wheels up with Will Hull (3) at Bear Ridge Speedway, the home track of the DMA Midgets.