Christian County Quarter Midget Association hosts Youth NASCAR Series

TAYLORVILLE, Ill. (WAND) - Since the track was created in 2002 at the site of the Christian County Fairgrounds, local kids have had the opportunity to get behind the wheel and race.

The Christian County Quarter Midget Association serves as a foundation for boys and girls to become involved in motorsports before they even have a driver's license.

"This is the most pure form of motorsports," says Luke Verardi, an organizer and member with the CCQMA. "My son's just five years old. This is his first year. He's just getting started. Can't even tie his shoes, but he's able to drive a race car."

This weekend, the CCQMA is hosting one of the biggest events on the calendar for 2026, welcoming more than 250 karts from all over the U.S. as part of the NASCAR Youth Series.

Motorsports often run in the family. For many, once they get a taste, they want to keep after it. Traveling groups can run up to 4 cars per child at each event, which can hit top speeds of anywhere between 25 miles-per-hour in younger divisions, to 55-miles-per hour for older groups.

"It's pretty cool," says 12-year-old Liam Ballard from New Jersey. "Not everybody out here can do this. Like me being able to come out here and travel across the country to do one of my favorite sports, that's a pretty cool experience."

John Collett from Delaware is the owner of Collett & Sons Racing Team, the first of three generations of drivers who became invested in motorsports. He's been in racing for 36 years and was happy to make the trip to Taylorville.

"We've established a lot of good relationships," Collett says. "They have groups that they travel with. We meet people. The guy who's in charge here, he's a great guy."

Described as a glorified camping trip built around racing, the NASCAR Youth Series has events all over the country at tracks big and small. Many of the drivers become connected to those they frequently meet and compete against, with the hope of one day becoming a pro driver.

"I love it," says Norah Bertrand, a 15-year-old driver from Massachusetts. "All the experience that I've gotten outside of the track and on the track, and all the people I've met. I've met some of my lifelong friends that live across the country."

Verardi shares that most families can get kids a startup kart for anywhere between $1,500 to $2,000. Throughout the year, the track is home to kids who test their skills and find their footing to determine if they like racing or not. "Arrive and drive" days allow visitors to take 10 laps around the track for just $10.

"It's like any other sport or any other thing, money obviously makes things easier and better," Verardi jokes. "As you get going, you want to run more cars."

CCQMA runs events as early as April and through late October, and supply all safety equipment for beginning drivers. More information on future events and how to get involved can be found on their Facebook page.