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My father
purchased a quarter midget for me in 1992, I was only seven years old and
really did not know what I was doing but I believe I was a natural even
then. The next 7 years, my family
traveled to many tracks throughout California, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada and
Indiana where I won more races and even set a number of track records. I
advanced quickly through each divisional class of quarter midgets and learned
more and more about driving techniques.
In the 1999/2000 season I ended my quarter midget career by winning
the Southwest Series Division points championship in the HVY AA class. This series was a combination of the four
biggest races in Arizona and California.
I competed with "the best of the best" throughout the
southwestern states. My biggest
accomplishment during this series was winning three out of the four races and
setting the fastest time at all four races; only missing the world record by
three thousandths of a second (0.003).
In mid 2000 my father was
approached by a race car owner who asked that I drive his 250cc powered
modified midget. The season proved to
be the most challenging as the car was old and outdated and needed lots of
work. A number of people told us the
car had no potential but we thought even if we did not win a single race we
had succeeded in completing a challenge.
As members of the Arizona Modified Midget Association, we struggled
through the first eight races as the car continually broke. However, on the ninth race I started dead
last and ended up taking home my first modified midget trophy. When the season ended, my father and I
began searching for a car of our very own.
We found a bare ten-year-old mini
sprint frame and after three months of working day and night we had a
finished product, a 600cc powered mini sprint. Although the frame and suspension were outdated we knew the car
had potential. Starting off the
season as a Top 10 finisher in 2001 shocked everyone, even me. The next step was to gain horsepower so
the motor modifications began and proved to be all the car needed as I won
the next race. Throughout the rest of
the season I became a competitive Top 5 finisher.
After the 2001 season my father and I decided it was time to
retire that mini sprint, and we began searching for one a little newer and
more up to date. We ended up
purchasing a 2000 Sawyer Chassis 600cc mini sprint. The first race of the 2002 season started off with a bang; I
lapped everyone except the 2nd place car, taking the win with a huge
seven-second advantage. During the
2002 season we joined a second club, the Arizona Mini Sprint Association, a
more competitive race club.
Running with both clubs for a time, the decision was made to
run with the Arizona Mini Sprint Association. This association allows both 600cc engines and 750cc engines to
compete together making for some mighty fine competition. I finished the 2002 season off with two
wins and finished eighth in the points championship. During the 2003 season I was a consecutive
Top 5 finisher ending the season with two wins and placing fifth in the
points championship.
The most recent season, 2004, I continued to race with the
Arizona Mini Sprint Association traveling to many well-known tracks
throughout Arizona including Manzanita Speedway, Canyon Raceway, Central
Arizona Raceway, and Thunder Raceway.
I achieved my goal of the season by becoming the 600cc points champion
and took second place in the points championship. Receiving the Title of “Non-Wing Champion” and “Manzanita
Speedway Track Champion 2004” was a thrilling bonus.
I’m so excited to announce a lifelong dream has become a
reality as my father, Tim Ogle, purchased a Ellis 360-sprint car for the 2005
season. I have so many new goals and
dreams and I hope everyone will stay tuned for the outcome.
Thomas Ogle
OgleRacing.com |
