SHEPHERD — Dozens of kids from across North America gathered outside of Billings this weekend for the 2025 Western Grands, one of the largest annual events in quarter midget racing.
Watch kids as young as five take the racetrack at the quarter midget racing tournament:
Hosted at Big Sky Speedway and organized by Quarter Midgets of America (QMA) and Magic City Quarter Midgets, the three-day tournament, dubbed "Rumble on the Rims," featured 14 races on its final day divided by age, weight, and engine class.
The sport is often described as “racing’s greatest secret.” Children ages 5 to 17 can race small-scale cars that are a quarter of the size of full-size midget race cars on short tracks. The cars use one-cylinder engines and can reach speeds up to 65 miles per hour.
"Quarter midget racing is sort of similar to go-karts more than anything, but they have roll cages, which are that extra bit of protection. They use suspension," explained Craig DellaRocco Jr., a former racer turned event judge with QMA.
Despite the intensity, it is considered one of the safest motorsports for kids due to the safety equipment and gear.
Among the stars of the weekend was 7-year-old Lillie George, a Billings native who took home first place in her division on Saturday. Despite being shy off the track, Lillie’s confidence shines behind the wheel. She has already collected over 10 wins since starting last year at the age of 6.
“Her goal is to beat dad, and she officially did. She has the biggest trophy in the house right now," said her mom, Kassi George.
Lillie comes from generations of racers before her, as her father competes as a modified driver on the speedway, and her grandfather raced as a super stock driver.
“To get her to this point, honestly, it's a lot of hard work and practice," said George. “A lot of stuff goes into racing. It's a lot more complicated than what people think."
The event included more than just those in Montana, drawing participants from all over. 14-year-old Cory McLeod made the 17-hour trek from British Columbia and competed alongside his racing friend Morgan Olson, from Washington.
“We really want to win the Grand National. We want to win, so that’s why I’m here," said McLeod.
“I like traveling and racing with my friends," added Olson.
For 15-year-old Aden Gehring and 13-year-old Gunner Makeff, both from Montana, the best part is the overall experience and camaraderie.
“Sometimes it's a battle, but sometimes he’s in front of me most of the time,” joked Gehring. “I always found it just kind of fun to race the cars and hang out with my friends.”
"I found it fun racing against people," added Makeff. “(Crashing is) kind of fun. It just kind of depends on the situation.”
Founded 75 years ago, QMA now includes nearly a dozen clubs across the U.S., with volunteers like DellaRocco Jr. and his father, Craig DellaRocco Sr., helping to organize and grow the sport.
“At seven, eight, nine years old, your teachers ask you, 'What do you like to do for fun?' and you get to tell your teacher you’re a race car driver, it literally blows their minds," said DellaRocco Jr.
Dellarocco Sr. began racing over 30 years ago with his daughter, and eventually moved into various leadership roles within QMA. He currently serves as the organization's vice president. He and his son traveled from Connecticut to assist with the Montana event.
“The traveling aspect, as far as the family end of it goes, it's really a bonding experience," said DellaRocco Sr. "You spend 12, 14, 18 hours in a truck with your kid. You get to know a lot about each other.”
For DellaRocca Jr., now 23, the decade spent in the sport shaped his youth, and now he is helping pass that on.
"You build friendships here. They're like family. Everyone takes care of each other," said DellaRocca Jr. "I want to be able to come out here and give back to the community and make this so good for these kids as it was so good for me.”
These young racers usually come back with more than just a trophy, but valuable lessons that will carry them through life, such as accountability, resilience, and respect for competitors.
"The kid who spun the car out will go to the back of the pack. It teaches these kids accountability, and it teaches clean drivers and keeps this more affordable because there's less wreckage, less carnage, and it keeps the kids safer," explained DellaRocca Jr. "Everybody is so passionate, it seems, that are alumni for quarter midgets just because at a young age, they learned what it was like to have a passion for something and what it really takes, how much determination it takes to be good at what you do.”
For parents, even though watching races can sometimes be nerve-wracking, they see the benefits.
“I'm always nervous. Always nervous, but I love it," said George. "Any racer you talk to, they'll tell you the same thing. There's just nothing like it.”
As quarter midget racing continues to grow, advocates like the DellaRoccos hope to bring the sport to a wider audience and continue the legacy of racing.
“Just seeing their faces when they come off the track and the smiles, it's what makes it all worthwhile," said DellaRocca Sr.
For more information on Quarter Midgets of America, click here. For more information on Magic City Quarter Midgets, click here.
