MONROE, Wash. – At 9 a.m. on an overcast Saturday next to the Evergreen State Fairgrounds, a typically quiet morning suddenly wakes up to the thunderous sounds of fired-up ignitions, wide-open carburetors and power wrenches hard at work.

Minutes later, just over a half-dozen cars hit the asphalt, racing at speeds of 40 miles-per-hour or more around an oval track about 1/20 of a mile long as hundreds of people line the fence, cheering for the drivers.

Most of those behind the wheel don't even have a license yet.

This is quarter midget racing – a four-wheeled sport where the family becomes owners, pit crew and cheerleaders all-in-one.  It's also one of the ways many professional drivers get their start.

The family aspect isn't limited to parents and their children.  It spreads to grandparents, aunts and uncles.  The club itself is a family of volunteers.  The individual clubs stay afloat through sponsorships, memberships and fundraisers.

The track in Monroe is brand new for members of the Washington Quarter Midget Association, just one of six tracks in the Northwest and British Columbia.  This new venue has hosted just a handful of races so far, but reviews are very positive.

The club spent the last year-and-a-half building the $130,000 facility after circumstances forced it to move from its old home next to Paine Field in Everett.  Raising the money wasn't easy, but the diverse membership played a big part.

"We have one member who is a truck driver, one is a banker, another who's an architect, so we were able to use their skills to help get it done," said Washington club president Troy Van Kopp.

Sponsorships also helped.  All around the track, you see signs advertising local businesses.  A brick awards podium in front of the track is adorned with the names of people who have donated to its creation.   There's more work to be done such as adding restrooms, showers and a snack shack.

One of the big advantages of this track: location, location, location.  The old track was just off the Mukilteo Speedway, hidden deep in the woods down a long road – easy to miss.  This one is right next to busy Highway 2.  There is no virtually no way to miss it or the giant contingent of campers and motor homes used to bring the families to the track.

An explanation of quarter midgets

For the most basic example, think of a go-kart with a lot more 'go.'  Most quarter midgets go about 30-40 miles per hour, but some have been known to reach speeds up to 60 miles-per hour.   Some can get around the track in less than six seconds.

All classes have a minimum weight, whether it's the weight of the car or the combined weight of the car and driver.  Parents will often slice as much weight out of the car as possible in order to add speed, but still stay legal.

Like anything involving cars moving at high speeds, the sport does have an element of danger, so safety comes first.  The cars have roll bars.  All drivers are required to wear a helmet, gloves and a seat belts with lap and shoulder straps.  In addition, they wear a padded neck collar, arm restraints that keep their hands in the car in case of a rollover and a fire-resistant racing jacket.  Some drivers go one step further and wear a full racing suit similar to those worn by professional drivers.  Even with all that, drivers still can get hurt and bruised, but they rarely suffer injuries.

With age comes maturity, so some classes are separated into junior (ages 5-8) and senior (ages 9-16) divisions.

On race day, all the adults pitch in by running the flag stand, judging, inspecting cars for tampering, scoring, lap checking and making sure all the drivers are safe and secure in their cars before they hit the track.

All the adults support each other and their drivers.  Everyone is more than willing to let another borrow a part or a tool, even if it means helping out an opposing driver.  If a car has to come off the track because of a mechanical problem, everyone jumps in to try and fix it in time to get back into the race.

Some drivers race in multiple classes, so parents are busy getting two, three, and maybe even four cars ready to race.  Some of the older drivers are so knowledgable, they work on their own cars.

A wrecked car or a mechanical problem can end your race day, leaving drivers and parents frustrated and headed home early.

It can also set you up for a great comeback.  Just last weekend, a young driver named Tyree Kobuke was knocked out of his first race in the Junior Honda class and had to start at the back of what is called the "G Main".  That means he had to finish fourth or better in each of the following Mains (G, F, E, D, C and B) to make it to the all-important "A Main." He managed to pull it off and went on to win the "A Main" for the weekend championship.

Most weekends are reserved for club races, which are almost exclusively for members of that particular club.   Usually, around 60-70 cars participate.

Each club holds a Region race one weekend per year, in which members from all the clubs in that region can attend.   The northwest is Region 9, which consists of clubs in Monroe, Graham, Wash., Elma, Wash., Yakima, Wash., Portland and Langley, BC.   At these events, the number of cars can grow to 200.

There are also larger events, called Grands, where drivers from several states attend one week-long event.  This year, the Western Grands were held in California.

More cars often mean longer days at the track.  Sometimes, racing begins at 9 a.m. and isn't finished until well-after sundown.

How do I sign my kid up?

Simple -- go to a race or check out one of the local clubs' websites.

Most clubs race about 8-10 weekends during the summer, not including the region races in which members from other clubs come for a two-day event.

It's not a cheap sport.  You will often find someone who has a car for sale, which usually runs anywhere from $500 to $4,000 depending on how new the car is, how well the engine is built and what extras come with it (spare tires, pit cart to carry the car, tools, etc.).  Where it gets pricey is getting all the tools you need, and replacing broken parts on the car.

Most drivers have a trailer to carry their cars, tools and accessories, but if you have a pickup truck, that's enough to transport your hot rod.

New drivers have to go through a few days of Novice training where they learn what the flags mean, how to follow the flagger's instructions and the rules of quarter midget racing.  The first year, drivers are required to race in the novice class, but can graduate to the faster, more experienced classes after that.