The American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) is an open-wheel midget car racing

Midget car racing

Midget cars, also Speedcars in Australia, are very small race cars with a very high power-to-weight ratio and typically use four-cylinder engines.-Cars:Typically, these cars have 300 to 400 horsepower and weigh...

 sanctioning body that operates primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and New England areas of the United States.

History

The American Racing Drivers Club was organized in 1939, making it one of the oldest sanctioning bodies in the United States, predating NASCAR

NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...

 by nearly a decade. The purpose of the organization was to represent the drivers and car owners in dealing with track owners and promoters. The club's first president was Bill Schindler

Bill Schindler

Bill Schindler was an American racecar driver.He began racing in 1931 in a sprint car. He was racing midget cars on the East Coast of the United States at their introduction in 1934...

. and the first vice presidentfrom 1939 was tony bonadies till his death at willmans grove pa in 1964.Ed "Dutch" Schaefer

Dutch Schaefer

Alan "Dutch" Schaefer was also the name of Arnold Schwarzenegger's character in the original Predator movieEd "Dutch" Schaefer was an American racecar driver....

 was elected president in 1952. Schaefer reigned until 1968, when the series featured 51 races and $93,000 in prize money.

Events

The club currently sanctions approximately 25 events. The venues are located between New York State, New Jersey

New Jersey

New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...

, Western Pennsylvania, and Virginia. 2010 events include:

Sunday, March 28, 2010 Big Diamond Raceway

Big Diamond Raceway

Big Diamond Speedway is located in Minersville, Pennsylvania. It holds weekly Friday night dirt track racing on a 3/8 mile clay semi-banked oval. The three weekly divisions racing there are: 358 Modifieds, Sportsman and Roadrunners. There are also other circuits that visit this track periodicly...

Sunday, April 11, 2010 Susquehanna Speedway Park

Friday, April 30, 2010 Williams Grove Speedway

Williams Grove Speedway

Williams Grove Speedway is a half-mile automobile race track located in Williams Grove, between Mechanicsburg and Dillsburg in Pennsylvania, USA. It opened in 1939, and hosted Championship Car races from 1949 to 1959 named the "Indianapolis Sweepstakes", contested by a small field of the best Champ...

Sunday, May 2, 2010 Big Diamond Raceway

Saturday, May 8, 2010 Williams Grove Speedway

Saturday, May 15, 2010 Grandview Speedway

Friday, May 28, 2010 Penn Can Speedway

Tuesday, June 1, 2010 Grandview Speedway TOTH w/USAC

Wednesday, June 2, 2010 Lincoln Speedway

Lincoln Speedway

Lincoln Speedway located in Lincoln, Illinois on the Logan County Fairgrounds, is a 1/4 mile dirt race track that opened in 2004. In 2007 Lincoln Speedway hosted events for World of Outlaws Late Model Series and UMP Summernationals as well as their local racing series'...

 w/USAC

Sunday, June 13, 2010 Susquehanna Speedway

Saturday, June 19, 2010 Bridgeport Speedway (1/4 mile)

Sunday July 4, 2010 Georgetown Speedway

Georgetown speedway

Georgetown Speedway was built in 1949 by Melvin L. Joseph. Its located on U.S. Route 113 about 1 mile south of Georgetown, Delaware. Attendance on some nights was boosted by fans coming via ferry from New Jersey. After sitting silent for a number of years the speedway was recently reopened in May...

 

Saturday, July 10, 2010 Williams Grove Speedway

Friday, July 16, 2010 Accord Speedway

Friday, July 30, 2010 Clinton County Speedway

Saturday, July 31, 2010 Mercer Raceway

Friday, August 6, 2010 Dixieland Speedway

Tuesday, August 24, 2010 New Egypt Speedway

New Egypt Speedway

New Egypt Speedway as of 2009 was renovated to become a true-oval clay race track in New Egypt, New Jersey.-Current state:New Egypt Speedway currently holds races on Saturday nights from April to October. The speedway draws over 150 race cars on a weekly basis...

Wednesday, August 25, 2010 New Egypt Speedway (Rain Date)

Saturday, September 11, 2010 Bridgeport Speedway (1/4 mile)

Saturday, October 2, 2010 TBA Big Diamond Raceway

Sunday, October 3, 2010 TBA Big Diamond Raceway

Saturday, October 16, 2010 Grandview TOTH

Saturday, October 30, 2010 Susquehanna Speedway Park

Sunday, October 31, 2010 Susquehanna Speedway Park (Rain Date)

• • - All events will be wingless (heats and features)

ARDC Midget Car Series

ARDC Midget Car Season Champions

• 1940 - Bill Schindler
  Bill Schindler
  Bill Schindler was an American racecar driver.He began racing in 1931 in a sprint car. He was racing midget cars on the East Coast of the United States at their introduction in 1934...
  
  
• 1941 - Henry Banks
  Henry Banks
  Henry Banks was an American midget car and "big car" driver.-Background:Henry Banks was born in England, but brought up in Royal Oak, Michigan. He was the son of an early European race-driver...
  
  
• 1945 - Bill Schindler
  Bill Schindler
  Bill Schindler was an American racecar driver.He began racing in 1931 in a sprint car. He was racing midget cars on the East Coast of the United States at their introduction in 1934...
  
  
• 1946 - Bill Schindler
  Bill Schindler
  Bill Schindler was an American racecar driver.He began racing in 1931 in a sprint car. He was racing midget cars on the East Coast of the United States at their introduction in 1934...
  
  
• 1947 - George Rice
• 1948 - Bill Schindler
  Bill Schindler
  Bill Schindler was an American racecar driver.He began racing in 1931 in a sprint car. He was racing midget cars on the East Coast of the United States at their introduction in 1934...
  
  
• 1949 - Mike Nazaruk
  Mike Nazaruk
  Mike Nazaruk was an American racecar driver. He raced midget cars, sprint cars, and IndyCars. He was nicknamed "Iron Mike."...
  
  
• 1950 - Nick Fornoro Sr.
• 1951 - Fred Jiggs Peters
• 1952 - Steve McGrath
• 1953 - Mike Nazaruk
  Mike Nazaruk
  Mike Nazaruk was an American racecar driver. He raced midget cars, sprint cars, and IndyCars. He was nicknamed "Iron Mike."...
  
  
• 1954 - Vernon Land
• 1955 - Len Duncan
  Len Duncan
  Len Duncan was an American race car driver. Duncan raced midget cars in seven decades from 1920s until the 1980s. During World War II, received the honor of being assigned as President Harry S. Truman's driver during one of his visits to England...
  
  
• 1956 - Ed Dutch Schaefer
  Dutch Schaefer
  Alan "Dutch" Schaefer was also the name of Arnold Schwarzenegger's character in the original Predator movieEd "Dutch" Schaefer was an American racecar driver....
  
  
• 1957 - Ed Dutch Schaefer
  Dutch Schaefer
  Alan "Dutch" Schaefer was also the name of Arnold Schwarzenegger's character in the original Predator movieEd "Dutch" Schaefer was an American racecar driver....
  
  
• 1958 - Len Duncan
  Len Duncan
  Len Duncan was an American race car driver. Duncan raced midget cars in seven decades from 1920s until the 1980s. During World War II, received the honor of being assigned as President Harry S. Truman's driver during one of his visits to England...
  
  
• 1959 - Len Duncan
  Len Duncan
  Len Duncan was an American race car driver. Duncan raced midget cars in seven decades from 1920s until the 1980s. During World War II, received the honor of being assigned as President Harry S. Truman's driver during one of his visits to England...
  
  
• 1960 - Ed Dutch Schaefer
  Dutch Schaefer
  Alan "Dutch" Schaefer was also the name of Arnold Schwarzenegger's character in the original Predator movieEd "Dutch" Schaefer was an American racecar driver....
  
  
• 1961 - Len Duncan
  Len Duncan
  Len Duncan was an American race car driver. Duncan raced midget cars in seven decades from 1920s until the 1980s. During World War II, received the honor of being assigned as President Harry S. Truman's driver during one of his visits to England...
  
  
• 1962 - Len Duncan
  Len Duncan
  Len Duncan was an American race car driver. Duncan raced midget cars in seven decades from 1920s until the 1980s. During World War II, received the honor of being assigned as President Harry S. Truman's driver during one of his visits to England...
  
  
• 1963 - Len Duncan
  Len Duncan
  Len Duncan was an American race car driver. Duncan raced midget cars in seven decades from 1920s until the 1980s. During World War II, received the honor of being assigned as President Harry S. Truman's driver during one of his visits to England...
  
  
• 1964 - Len Duncan
  Len Duncan
  Len Duncan was an American race car driver. Duncan raced midget cars in seven decades from 1920s until the 1980s. During World War II, received the honor of being assigned as President Harry S. Truman's driver during one of his visits to England...
  
  
• 1965 - Ed Dutch Schaefer
  Dutch Schaefer
  Alan "Dutch" Schaefer was also the name of Arnold Schwarzenegger's character in the original Predator movieEd "Dutch" Schaefer was an American racecar driver....
  
  
• 1966 - Joe Csiki
• 1967 - Len Duncan
  Len Duncan
  Len Duncan was an American race car driver. Duncan raced midget cars in seven decades from 1920s until the 1980s. During World War II, received the honor of being assigned as President Harry S. Truman's driver during one of his visits to England...
  
  
• 1968 - Johnny Coy Sr.
• 1969 - Johnny Coy Sr.
• 1970 - Tom McAndrew
• 1971 - Johnny Coy Sr.
• 1972 - Johnny Coy Sr.
• 1973 - Leigh Earnshaw Jr.
• 1974 - Leigh Earnshaw Jr.
• 1975 - Leigh Earnshaw Jr.
• 1976 - Bob Cicconi
• 1977 - Lenny Boyd
• 1978 - George Ferguson Jr
• 1979 - Hank Rogers Jr.
• 1980 - Leigh Earnshaw Jr.
• 1981 - Hank Rogers Jr.
• 1982 - Nick Fornoro Jr.
• 1983 - Nick Fornoro Jr.
• 1984 - Nick Fornoro Jr.
• 1985 - Nick Fornoro Jr.
• 1986 - Nick Fornoro Jr.
• 1987 - Brett Mowrey
• 1988 - Billy Hughes
• 1989 - Billy Hughes
• 1990 - Billy Hughes
• 1991 - Lou Cicconi Jr
• 1992 - Joey Coy
• 1993 - Lou Cicconi Jr
• 1994 - Lou Cicconi Jr
• 1995 - Nick Fornoro Jr.
• 1996 - Phil DiMario
• 1997 - Ed Stimely Jr
• 1998 - Bryan Kobylarz
• 1999 - Bryan Kobylarz
• 2000 - Ray Bull
• 2001 - Ray Bull
• 2002 - Ray Bull
• 2003 - Ray Bull
• 2004 - Ray Bull
• 2005 - Ray Bull
• 2006 - Andy Martin
• 2007 - Andy Martin
• 2008 - Randy Monroe Jr.
• 2009 - Frank Polimeda
• 2010 - Steve Buckwalter

Other notable racers

• Mario Andretti
  Mario Andretti
  Mario Gabriele Andretti is a retired Italian American world champion racing driver, one of the most successful Americans in the history of the sport. He is one of only two drivers to win races in Formula One, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR...
  
  , 1961 to mid 1962
• Jan Opperman
  Jan Opperman
  Jan Opperman , was an American racecar driver. He won the 1971 Knoxville Nationals, the premiere event in sprint car racing...
  
  
• Mitch Smith
• Bobby Adamson
• John Heydenreich
• Van May

2010 Final Point Standings (top 10)

1st Steve Buckwalter

2nd Ryan Smith

3rd Drew Heistand

4th Eric Heydenreich

5th Brett Arndt

6th Alex Bright (R)

7th Tim Buckwalter (R) Rookie of the Year

8th Bruce Buckwalter, Jr.

9th P.J. Gargiulo

10th Steve Lenig

The Cars

Registered midget Chassis in ARDC range from Spike, Stealth, Bullet, Hawk, F5, Bishop, and Beast. The engines range from Chevy, Ford, Volkswagen, Pontiac, and Mopar, with big-name motor builders such as Alan Johnson, Ed Pink, Gaerte, Brayton, Hawk, Fontana, and Don Ott. With one competitive Personal Motor Builder, Mark Piazza. Today, all the motors are 4 cylinders, but have approximately 350 to 400 hp, while weighing only 900 pounds.

Current roster

• Brett Arndt 49 Topton, PA
• Carey Becker 20 Reading, PA
• Lew Blair 33 Hartsville, PA
• Bruce Buckwalter, Jr. 83 Royersford, PA
• Ray Bull 22 Bloomsburg, PA
• Bill Case, Jr. 69 Sellersville, PA
• Brett Conkling 64 Westwood, NJ
• Steve Craig 55 Levittown, PA
• A.J. Ernesto 14 Reading, PA
• P.J. Gargiulo 51 Morton, PA
• Bobby Goerner 38 Myerstown, PA
• Justin Grosz 39 Hawley, PA
• Drew Heistand 12 York, PA
• Eric Heydenreich 11 Bloomsburg, PA
• Donnie Hoffman 17 Barto, PA
• Jim Jackson 96 Sweet Valley, PA
• Mike Lapp 8 Mertztown, PA
• Mark Lawshe 95 Egg Harbor City, NJ
• Steve Lenig 9 Selinsgrove, PA
• Andy Martin 21 Gordonville, PA
• Zack Martini 29 Hazleton, PA
• Phil Meisner, Jr. 19 Hamilton, NJ
• Randy Monroe, Jr. 27 Hampton, VA
• Billy Pauch Jr. 41 Frenchtown, NJ
• P. J. Pavlick 61 Sweet Valley, PA
• Shane Penny 34 Nescopeck, PA
• Frank Polimeda 44 Fort Lee, NJ
• Tracy Readinger 2 Oley, PA
• Randy Reid 53 Odenton, MD
• Greg Robinson 00 Harrisburg, PA
• Chris Rupp 7 Belvidiere, NJ
• Ted Schmid 24 Lititz, PA
• Dave Shirk 16 Mohnton, PA
• Ryan Smith 54 Kunkleton, PA
• Jack Spence 42 Bear, DE
• Stephanie Stevens 26 Phillipsburg, NJ
• Don Trent 18 Honeybrook, PA
• Ryan Watt 75 Phoenixville, PA
• Nick Wean 78 Phillipsburg, NJ
• Bobby Zipp 92 Norristown, PA
• Scott Zipp 99 Bridgeport, PA
• Chris Zrinski 25 Forked River, NJ

External links

• ARDC Homepage
• ARDC Record Book
• National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame
• Eastern Museum of Motor Racing
• Chili Bowl Nationals